Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 60
LX
To all the host doth Love explain
His purpose to assault and gain
The castle, and Fair-Welcome free
From out his bonds and slavery.
Love harangues his host
So let it be, quoth Love; and then
He thus addressed his faithful men:
That we may Jealousy defeat,
At whose fell hands our gallants meet
Such cruel fate, I’ve summoned ye.
’Tis her intention strenuously10980
To hold the fort she dared to build,
Which with distress my heart hath filled.
A potent garrison therein
Is set, and, ere we entry win,
They’ll fight with desperation rude,
And great is my inquietude;
For there Fair-Welcome is immured,
Whose loving kindness oft hath cured
Our woes, and if he’s rescued not
From thence—oh, hard and evil lot!10990
Dead is Tibullus, who so well
Knew me, that, when ’neath death he fell,
My bow and arrows did I shiver
In shards, and tare my goatskin quiver,
While on his tomb my broken wings
Fell heaped, as worn and worthless things,
Shattered and spent, and through his death
My gentle mother’s fragrant breath
Came nigh to ending. Not so great
Her grief was at the cruel fate11000
Of her Adonis, when the boar
His ivory thigh with death-wound tore.
Nought then could comfort or assuage
Her grief, yet fiercer did it rage
When died Tibullus; nought can stay
Our tears, till time hath passed away.
Love’s orators
Catullus, Gallus, Ovid sweet,
How perfectly they knew to treat
Of Love’s fair science, well bestead
Were we of them—alas! they’re dead.11010
William of Lorris next regard,
Who certainly must meet a hard
And cruel fate through Jealousy,
Did he not chance to find in me
A saving hand. With loving heart
Doth he sweet counselling impart
To help our need, which is but right;
For he is mine, and I have dight
For him the mote assembled here
Of barons, who, despising fear,11020
Will save Fair-Welcome from the snare
He lieth in: he doth declare
Himself all powerless, but ’twould be
Disgrace and injury to me
To lose a liegeman who hath served
Me loyally, nor ever swerved
From duty’s path. To him I owe
Right worthy recompense, and so
Have now invoked your mighty power
To ruin and lay low the tower.11030
E’en yet will he promote my cause,
For, to deserve my grace, Love’s laws
He in that fair Romance shall write,
Which he begins, and shall indite
The tale so far, before his death,
As where he to Fair-Welcome saith:
(Who, languishing, doth wear through time
In prison, though unstained by crime)
“Hear me confess that darkest fear
Invades me lest it should appear11040
That you forget me quite; what woe
Untold would fall on me to know
That I had lost your friendship, then
Were I unhappiest of men….”
Behold we William here expire:
Upon his tomb may sacred fire
Burn aloes, cinnamon, and myrrh,
In honour of my worshipper.
Of Jean de Meun
Then shall appear John Clopinel,
Joyous of heart, of body well11050
And fairly built: at Meun shall he
Be born where Loire flows peacefully,
Who, whether he keepeth feast or fast,
Will never while his life-days last
Forget my service, but without
Envy or avarice go about
To honour me, untouched by care
How he at Reason’s hands may fare,
Who all my precious balms doth scorn,
Which salve sad hearts with love o’erworn,11060
And if it happen that he make
Some error, failure, or mistake,
For no man woman-born may win
His way to heaven unscathed by sin)
Towards me his heart shall be so true
That, in the end, whate’er he do,
With tearful eyes and head low bent,
Sorely will he his crime repent,
And vow henceforth to keep him clear.
Origin of the Romance
This fair Romance he’ll hold so dear,11070
That to its ending will he trace
The tale, God give him time and place.
When death shall snatch Dan William, then
Dan John in hand shall take the pen
When forty years are passed, and say:
(O’ercome with grief to think he may
Fair-Welcome’s help and comfort lose,
Prisoned by Jealousy’s vile ruse)
“If he no more may bless my sight.
O’er me will fall despair’s black night!”11080
And every other word that he
Hath wisely said or foolishly,
Repeat, until he shall have gained
The Rose from its fair stem and fained
His heart thereby, and once more day
May dawn, and dreaming pass away;
And every point will make so sure
And clear, that nought remains obscure.
Doubt not, if in their power it lay,
These both would lend their aid this day.11090
But while of one the life is worn,
The other hath not yet been born,
And therefore cannot help our cause,
Or set before the world my laws;
But of such moment are these things,
That well behoves it that my wings
I spread so soon as he the light
Beholds, and let him hear aright
Our judgment, else I warrant you
That ne’er the work he’ll carry through,11100
And lest it happed, as well might be,
By unforeseen calamity,
That this good Clopinel, whose birth
We look for, ne’er should tread the earth,
It were irreparable loss
To lovers that thus fate should cross
A man whose keen and worthy wit
Should do their cause such benefit.
Love’s tender care
I therefore dame Lucina prayed,
Goddess of birth, to give her aid,11110
That to the world he safe might come,
And long therein find hearth and home;
And whensoe’er he weaned shall be,
Then Jupiter, most tenderly,
Shall take him up and give to him
A draught from out his tuns, which brim
With virtue twofold, this one bright,
That, turbid, thick, and black as night;
This one right pleasant, soft and sweet,
That, bitter as soot or waves that beat11120
The ocean shore; and when in cot
He lies, it then shall be his lot
That I enshroud him ’neath my wings,
And teach him such sweet carollings,
That even in his early youth,
With my soft science filled, forsooth,
Our songs in hall and market-place
Shall he chant forth with tuneful grace,
Couched in the tongue men use in France,
And all the world therewith entrance.11130
And those who list him willingly,
Of Love’s soft woes shall never die;
For if they do but read aright
The precious book his pen shall dight,
They may therein find plainly writ
All Love’s commands, and draw from it
Such counsels, that it well may pass
Henceforward as the looking-glass
For lovers, but therein no part
Shall bear dull Reason’s caitiff heart.11140
Jealousy shall be overcome
Therefore it is of you I ask
Good counselling to ease my task.
Beseeching you, palm joined to palm,
To pour on William Lorris balm
Of comfort in his loneliness,
Since well did he my faith confess;
And if for him I made no prayer,
Yet would I ask that John might share
Your powerful aid, that he may be
A wise, true servant unto me.11150
That he’ll be born I dare avow
As prophet; and moreover now
Pray ye for future lovers, who
Shall learn my full commandments through
His lore, and that by them may be
O’ercome all-hateful Jealousy,
And every fort she dares to raise
They may to bare foundations raze.
Give me your counsel then, and say
which points were it best to lay11160
The siege, that we may quickly crown
Our work, and beat the stronghold down.
The Author.
Thus spake the God of Love; right well
The lords approved his words, and fell
Straightway to counsel and debate,
With reasoning most elaborate,
And many a diverse word is said
Ere yet the arguments are sped,
And all their discords they accord;
Then bending low before their lord,11170
The Barons.
Richesse despises love
Sire, they exclaimed, we all agree
Your faithful servitors to be,
Save Richesse, who thereto is loth,
And sweareth by a solemn oath
That ne’er will she attack the fort
In any manner, way, or sort,
With engine, axe, winged dart or sword,
Or other arm of thrust and ward.
But saith that all your emprise she
Scorns and despises utterly.11180
Therefore in dudgeon is she gone
From out the host till this be done,
So much doth she the Lover hate:
Declaring he nor rathe nor late
Hath loved her, but her treasured gold
Despiseth, and but cheap doth hold.
Behold the crime that he hath wrought,
And thus her mortal hatred bought.
She saith, the day ere yesterday
He sought to pass along the way11190
Which Too-Great-Giving is yclept,
But, seeing he was poor, she kept
The path against him: seen that he
Ne’er strove to win the mastery
Of one poor wretched penny piece
Whereby his having to increase—
So spake Richesse, therefore without
Her help at once we’ll set about
Your high behest.
Plan of attack
Our plan is, hence
False-Seeming and Forced-Abstinence11200
To send, with all of those who fight
Beneath their flag, that they their might
May spend against the postern door
Which Evil-Tongue with many a score
Of Normans keeps (may hell-fire burn
These runagates), and then may earn
Largess and Courtesy great praise
If ’gainst the hag they take their ways,
Who on Fair-Welcome’s head doth pile
Unheard-of woes and insults vile.11210
And then Sir Hide-Well and Delight
Shall lightly put weak Shame to flight.
When they their host, against her gate,
Lead on with cries importunate.
Surety and Courage with their train
’Gainst trembling Fear shall march amain,
Who never yet have known defeat;
And Pity shall with Franchise meet
In arms ’gainst Danger. Surely then
The fort must yield to suchlike men11220
Banded together, if but they
Their strength and valiancy display.
Venus’ help needed
Above all else right well it were
Your mother Venus should be there,
Who understandeth better far
Than many another how Love’s war
Is wrought and won. Without her aid
Some error lightly might be made
In word or deed. Let thy command
Ensure to us her mighty hand.11230
Love.
Venus, great lords, whom I confess
As mother, lady, and mistress,
I may not at my pleasure bend
To serve my will. Yet oft-times wend
Will she to succour me when I
Beseech her powerful ministry,
Fearing the while to ask too much.
She is my mother, and as such,
E’en from my childhood’s days, a sense
I feel of humble reverence11240
Towards her, for if sons no fear
Have of their parents, they but rear
A baleful seed-crop. Natheless we
May ask her aid if need should be,
And e’en though far away, she’d speed
Hither hot-foot, nor hindrance heed.
My mother is of high renown,
And many a fortress hath cast down
That cost a thousand bezants, though
Within the precincts ne’er did go
My footsteps; often men declare
Some conquest mine, when I no share
Or part have had therein—no doit
I love or value such exploit.
Such victories in my ears but ring
Of merchandise and bargaining.
Love not to be bought
Who for a hundred pounds doth buy
A steed, and pays it presently,
Is of the bargain free and quit,11260
As he likewise who sold him it.
A bargain is apart from love.
And none should guerdon seek above
A price agreed that is to be—
That paid, the bargainers are free.
Love bought and sold is worse affair;
For when a man his horse with care
Hath stabled, he can sell amain
His purchase, maybe at a gain,
If so he will, nor doth he lose
Wholly the price, for he can use11270
The skin for leather, and therefrom
Recover somewhat of the sum
He paid. Or if he hold it dear,
Mount it he may, as cavalier,
Full master of the steed is he.
But far worse the affair must be
When Venus doth a bargain make,
For, whatsoever care he take,
A man may never get what’s sold.
Yet lose past all return his gold,
For tightly may the vendor keep
The wares, and then no price were cheap,
Nay, e’en though all he had one set
Thereon, he might no guerdon get;
Whate’er he did, whate’er he said,
It nowise could be hindered,
But what the very first who can
(Roman, Breton, or Englishman)
Open the purse more widely may,
The thing you paid for bear away,11290
Or e’en obtain it as a gift,
If he but knows his voice to lift
In flattering words. Account ye wise
Merchants who deal in suchlike guise?
Nay, but mere fools and caitiffs they.
Who bargains make in such a way
That for their outlay nought remain
Of pleasure, benefit, or gain,
Whate’er the cost.
Venus not mercenary
’Tis true that she
Who gave me birth not usually11300
Dispenseth gold, for hath she more
Of wit than thus to waste her store,
But know ye well, that man shall yet
Pay her, who doth his gold regret,
When Poverty in dire distress
Doth hold him, though of Dame Richesse
Fast friend were he, who, when I will,
Loseth her power to work me ill.
But hear me by Saint Venus swear,
And Saturn who engendered her,11310
Not through his wife, but in her sweet
And perfect beauteousness complete.
Love’s oath
But yet a stronger oath I swear,
To clench more firmly the affair.
I swear by all the faith I owe
My brothers, though no man doth know
Who were their sires (for many have dared
Avow my mother’s couch they shared),
I swear by Styx, hell’s river black;
And if my words plain truth should lack,11320
May I, until a year flits o’er,
Of luscious piment drink no more;
(For by the Gods it is ordained
That no one who his lips hath stained
With falsehood, through a year drinks wine,)
I’ve sworn enough, as I opine;
If false, may I accursèd be.
But I’ll commit no perjury.
Dame Richesse doth desert us! hey!
But thereof shall she smartly pay,11330
Yea, dear enough, unless she arm
Herself with sword, or piked guisarme.
And since for me she doth not burn
With love, whene’er I overturn
The castle and the tower accurst,
An evil dawn shall on her burst.
And if some wealthy carle I net,
I’ll squeeze and twist him till I get
Each golden mark from out his purse,
And drain it to its very source,11340
Till no more deniers can he show,
Unless within his barns they grow;
His plumes our maids will so pluck out,
That bare he’ll walk till new ones sprout,
And make him sell his lands, unless
He drive them off with fearlessness.
Poor men true lovers
Poor men have made of me their lord,
And though they oft can scarce afford
To pasture me, I scorn them not,
Nor do good men do so, I wot.11350
Towards them is Richesse hard and rude,
With selfish love alone imbued;
But poor men truer lovers are
Than rich, whose wealth doth but debar
True love, and, by my father’s soul,
Better is loyalty than dole.
Ever on me their thought is spent,
And thereof is my heart content,
And they so doing, oft mine eye
Looks on their service kindlily;11360
And if instead of God of Love
God Plutus were I, then above
Their hopes I’d give poor lovers all
Great wealth, for in mine ear their call
And plaint resounds, and specially
That of one faithful unto me;
For if he died for love, small then
Were Love esteemed ’mong mortal men.
The Barons of the Host.
Great sir, the Barons cried, we find
Your speech wise, bountiful, and kind;11370
Rich men befooled
Well may you keep the solemn vow
You made against rich men but now:
We deem it nought but right and just.
And e’en if rich men put their trust
In you, and bow them ’neath your rules
And laws, they will but prove them fools.
Great lord, you shall in nowise break
Your solemn oath, nor cease to take
With others of the host divine
Your wonted draughts of piment wine.11380
And ladies shall for rich men brew
Such well-spiced drink, both sweet and new,
If they within their nets but fall,
That thence they ne’er shall ’scape at all.
So courteously their work they’ll do,
That you need nowise trouble you.
To triumph o’er them spare your care,
The ladies so will speak them fair,
That they will do your work although
Anigh them you forbear to go.11390
Discourse will they right pleasant tales,
And fool them till the daylight fails
With many a gentle coo and bill,
And secret clip and kiss, and fill
The time up so with blandishments,
That they shall work their full intents
Upon them, and delude them so,
That they of goods and lands shall go
Naked as needles. Speak forth then,
And, whether right or wrong, your men11400
Will your behests obey.
Great fear
False-Seeming hath to come anear.
And mix him in this great emprise,
For much he fears that you despise
And hate him.
We beseech, O sire,
That you abate some deal your ire,
And give consent that he may be
Accounted of the barony,
With Abstinence, his loving friend.
Love.
Thereto, quoth Love, my will I bend,11470
Henceforth shall he be called my man,
Let him approach.
The Author.
He thither ran.