Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 44
XLIV
Herein the Lover tells how he
Misdoubts his triple enemy,
But hopeth still beneath the brand
To bring them of stern Justice’ hand.
The Lover’s Indignation
Deem you, fair friend, I’ve changed my wit?
No man, save some base hypocrite,8190
Would do such loathsome work; shall I
Put hand to such-like devilry?
Think you I’d strain and bend each nerve
These villain folk to please and serve?
Except Fair-Welcome, slaves forsooth
Are they, to honour lost and truth.
Do you this fatal counsel give,
Which following, I should basely live
A scoundrel? Whensoe’er across
Such folk I come I boldly toss8200
My gauntlet at them.
Suffer first
That I this Evil-Tongue accurst
Defy, ere cozenage or deceit
I use, his schemes to overwit,
Demanding boldly he abate
The storm that he hath raised of hate
And slander, or by heaven shall he
Suffer assault and battery.
Or if he love not that I take
Vengeance, he then amends must make;8210
Or lastly, if he will, a judge
Shall hear my plaint, and salve my grudge.
The Friend.
Tricksters must be tricked
Fair friend! fair friend! right good were this
Against an open foe, ywis,
But Evil-Tongue is too occult
And sly for war, and poor result
You’d have with him; whene’er some carl
Or dame he’d injure, with a snarl
Behind their backs he speaks. His base
And traitorous head may God disgrace!8220
Most poisonous is he when most fair
He shows, and in his heart doth bear
Cruel deception hid beneath
The smile that’s born of lips and teeth,
Not of the heart. Ne’er for a friend
A traitor takes me, nor expend
I love on him; and if perchance
His treachery fall to Treason’s lance,
For lack of time and means whereby
To venge oneself more honourably,8230
’Tis his desert, and small regret
Were mine whatever fate he met.
If you ’gainst Evil-Tongue should plead,
Dream you by such means you’d succeed
To stay his prattling lies?
You’d find,
Alas! you could in no wise bind
The slanderous wretch. Although you brought
A hundred witnesses, they nought
Could stay his cackle; more thy proof,
The more he’d talk, and less behoof8240
You’d gain therefor. More widely known
Would be the slander, though ’twere shown
Vain to contradict lies
All false. For whosoe’er doth try
To wipe out shame, or kill a lie
By Justice’ help, will find no jot
Hath he decreased foul Slander’s blot.
The man who hath an ill deed done,
I swear, ’fore God, is not the one
To purge it. To anticipate
Amends from one who’s reprobate8250
Were fond and foolish. E’en should he
Offer amends, ’twould wiser be
To grant free pardon.
If so rash
You were as join with him in clash
Of arms, by all the saints, I vow,
You’d shortly see Fair-Welcome bow
’Neath heavy manacles, and swung
Over a furnace, or else flung
Within a swirling tide and drowned,
Or in a dungeon’s depths profound8260
Buried from sight for evermore;
Then were your heart more sick and sore
Than Charlemagne’s when Roland died
At Roncesvalles through the pride
And treachery of Genelon,
Whom Satan had set seal upon.
The Lover.
Nay, nay, thereto I’ve no desire,
I wish the knave may feed hell-fire!
Good Lord! my wrath grows hot as pepper,
How gladly would I hang the leper!8270
The Friend.
Another path
Fair friend, ’twere well to curb your haste,
Instead of hanging, you may taste
A deeper vengeance; not for you
Is it the hangman’s work to do.
A traitor foul ’tis fair to cheat
With treason—hear me, I entreat.
The Lover.
Kind friend, in you will I confide
Alone, nor turn my heart aside.
And if you will but point the way
Of most effect by which to lay8280
Siege to the castle, gladly hear
Will I, whilst you the plan make clear.
The Friend.
I know a pleasant path and sure.
Though somewhat dangerous to poor
And needy men. To take the fort
There is a plan both safe and short
(Though in it hath no lot or part
My doctrine, that revolts your heart)
By which you may the walls displace,
Shaking each stone from tower to base,8290
While gates and doors will open fly,
Swung on their hinges suddenly.
All those who guard it would allow
Themselves beneath your yoke to bow
As prisoners, while no single word
Were spoken, nor a finger stirred.
The path of riches
The plan that hath this magic touch
Mad-Largess thought of, and Give-Much
It hight, but many a man, I ween,
In following it hath ruined been.8300
I know the route right well, for I
But two days since returned thereby:
In summer’s heat and winter’s rage,
Thither I’ve made my pilgrimage.
Leave Largess on the right, and turn
Off to the left, beside a burn;
So far as carrieth a cross-bow,
Follow the beaten path and go
Straight on, the road you scarce can lose,
And ere you much have worn your shoes,8310
You’ll see the towers and turrets shiver,
As aspens in a wind-flaw quiver,
And every portal open fly,
While guards fall dead all suddenly:
Nor are these walls more hard to break
Than ’tis a well-baked Christmas cake
To cut in equal parts of four,
While fewer soldiers for the stour
You’ll need than erst great Charlemagne
Led forth to conquer wide Almaine.8320
Along this path, which well I know,
No needy man hath power to go.
Alone, he can in nowise fare,
Nor other poor man lead him there.
But if perchance he find a guide
Who hath himself aforetime tried
Riches and poverty
The route, he soon shall know it well
As I do, who in youth-tide fell
Therein. And you shall likewise learn
Its ways, if you have lust to turn8330
Your footsteps thither, seen that you
Command such wealth as may pursue
Unbounded Largess, but to me
That path is barred by Poverty.
My patrimony I dispersed;
And now, in heavy debt immersed,
Without one penny to restore
To creditors I filched of yore,
I best had hang or drown myself.
Quoth she: If you are bare of pelf,8340
Hither return no more.
Richesse
Alone can gain for you ingress,
But from her guidance, as I trow,
Much ill and little good doth grow;
In going will she use much care
To please you, but her pains will spare
To help you back, and if your way
You make therein, through night and day
You there must bide, until you be
Thrust thence by stern-hand Poverty,8350
Who oft on lovers brings distress.
Within remaineth Mad-Largess,
Who hath no thought except of play
And riot through the livelong day,
And scattereth coin around as she
Possessed thereof a granary.
No count she keepeth, doubting never
But what her wealth will dure for ever.