Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 6
VI
The Dreamer hear ye now declare
What guise the God of Love doth bear.
The God of Love
Hard by this winsome pair did stand
The God of Love, whose mighty hand
Dealeth to lovers weal or woe901
As seemeth good to him; alow
He casteth pride, and oft-time makes
High-minded men for ladies’ sakes
Right humble, and proud dames to bow
With meekness ’neath his yoke, I trow.
The God of Love is dowered with grace
So richly, both in form and face,
That scarce, I deem, of his allure
My pen dare draw the portraiture.910
Love’s friends had woven from his bowers,
In scorn of silk, a robe of flowers,
All worked about with amorettes,
And tied with dainty bandelets,
Bedecked with lozenges and scutcheons,
Leopards, strange outland beasts, and lions;
While blossoms of all colours were
Besprinkled o’er it, here and there.
’Twere no light task some flower to name
That was not found thereon, each came920
To lend its beauty, blue perwinkle
’Twixt rose and yellow broom did twinkle,
With violets, pansies, birdseye blue.
And flowers untold of varied hue.
Sweet scented roses, red and pale,
(Round which flew many a nightingale)
Festooned Love’s head, and every sort
Of bird seemed there to hold high court,
The skylark, blue-tit, merle and dove,
Sang in his ear sweet songs of love,930
Fluttering around his head, and he
One of God’s angels looked to be.
The weapons of Sweet-Looks
Anigh him stood Sweet-Looks, who glanced
With soft regard on those who danced:
A friend right well beloved was he
Of Cupid, and (bent readily
For use) a crook’d Turk’s bow he bore
In either hand the first one wore
Most evil aspect, made of tree
Whose fruit I trow would nowise be940
Of grateful savour; gnarled and hoar
It was, and black as sun-scorched moor.
The second pliant, lithe, and white.
With quaint designs and figures dight
The five shafts of Sweet-Looks
Of dames and knights of gentle mien.
Moreover in his hands were seen
Ten arrows, five of which were fair
And beauteous; these his right hand bare,
Brilliant the plumes, the notches made
Of gold, the while like-precious blade950
Each shaft-end wore; though nought of steel
Or iron knew they, hearts would feel
Their wound-stroke sorely. Save the shaft
And plumes, ’twas well-skilled goldsmiths’ craft
Had wrought these weapons; they were capped
With cruel barbs, and whoso happed
Within their murderous range to fall
Would feel Love’s wound and own his thrall.
Of these five shafts, I trow the best
And speediest, when it knew Love’s best,960
(And fairest eke for plumage reckoned)
Had Beauty for its name; the second
Was called Simplicity; the third
Was Franchise, and another word
Bedecked it, sweetest Courtesy:
Companionship I saw to be
The fourth, which if ’twere shot from far
Would do small harm, but greatly mar
If drawn anear: the fifth and last
Fair-Seeming was, which, deftly cast,970
Doth sorely maim, but yet the wound
Incurable is rarely found,
But given due time may healèd be
By means of Love’s sweet surgery.
Sweet-Looks five arrows held likewise
Within his left hand, but of guise
Love’s counter-shafts
Far different, formed of iron fell
And black as he who rules dark hell.
The first was called unlovely Pride,
And Villainy lay hard beside,980
With Felony is he attaint,
Portray the one—and both you paint.
The third was Shame, of downcast air,
The fourth, her fellow, dire Despair,
The while the last one proved to be
New-thought or Infidelity.
These shafts, whose qualities I name,
A close relationship may claim,
And all moreover plainly show
Near kin with that most hideous bow,990
All knotted, gnarled, deformed and rough,
Though soothly seemed it good enough
To launch such villain shafts, which strive
In all things ’gainst the fair-made five
Whereof I’ve told: O scarce will you
Their power and force give credence to;
But yet the simple truth shall be
Hereafter plainly told by me;
And have a care lest you forget
The drift and sense of what is set1000
Before your eyes by this plain tale,
For you shall find no small avail
Therein ere yet the end is sped—
Fair wit with wisdom closely wed.
Beauty.
Now turn I to my tale amain:
And will of all Love’s frolic train
A portrayal of Beauty
Declare at full the countenances,
Their joyous sports and graceful dances.
Perceived I that the God of Love
One noble lady sought above1010
All others gathered there; she hight
Dame Beauty, as that arrow bright
Which bore her name was she, and dowed
With gentle grace, which freely showed
In all her movements. As the moon
Makes candles of the stars, her noon
Paled all her fellows: as the dew
Her flesh was tender, and ne’er new
And blushing bride more simple seemed;
Where’er her skin peeped forth it gleamed1020
As white as fleur-de-lis; her brow
Was clear and fair as virgin snow,
The while her form was tall and slight.
No need had she her face to dight
With paint or other vain disguise.
As women somewhiles use; despise
And scorn might she such false allure,
In natures decking bright and pure.
So plenteous grew her golden hair,
That near her heels it reached I swear.1030
Her nose, her mouth, her beaming eyes.
Were such that when their beauties rise
(God help me) in my thought they seem
To wake once more that glorious dream.
Forsooth, so sweet she was and fair,
With perfect rounded limbs, that ne’er
Throughout the world’s broad space, I ween,
Aught could surpass her matchless sheen.