Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 7
VII
Here tells the Dreamer of Richesse,
Who counteth her of high noblesse,1040
But so consumed is she with pride,
That all poor men she casts aside,
And therefore less beloved by far
Than those who sweet and courteous are.
The qualities of Dame Richesse
Dame Richesse stood by Beauty’s side,
Haughty of mien, and puffed with pride,
Rude arrogance and self-esteem.
Right rash and hardy should I deem
The man who hindrance dared to throw
Across her path, for well doth know1050
Richesse her foes to spoil and spill,
But honours those who do her will.
Neither to-day nor yesterday
’Twas learned that rich folk, have their way,
And oftentimes misuse their power
To raise men up in one short hour
To great estate, or make them fall
To misery dire. Both great and small
To Dame Richesse full deference give,
For ‘neath her rule men love to live,1060
And serving her will gladly die,
Proud to have worn her livery;
Yet not because they hold her dear,
And love her, but for craven fear.
Mockers and flatterers much abound
Within her courts, and there are found
Traitors and envious folk who try
To do those good men injury
Whose worth deserveth laud and praise.
Chiefest among their devious ways1070
Is this—with false viled tongue to speak
’Fore men on whom they long to wreak
Their vengeance, but their poisonous clacks
Sound loudly when they turn their backs,
For noblest men would they abase,
To miscreants giving power and place.
Disloyal, they all loyalty
Treat with contempt and acorn, but vie
In persecuting good men, while
They laud the vilest of the vile,1080
And many an upright man one sees
Forth driven from courts by perfidies,
But may these envious flatterers be
By God brought down to misery.
Alas! that e’er such folk were born!
Their ways and works all good men scorn.
A purple robe did Richesse wear,
Than which, ’fore heaven and earth I swear,
Fearless to be convict of lie,
None e’er was wrought more daintily;1000
The purple broidered with great store
Of orfreys, rich with golden ore.
With forms of mighty men it shone
Renowned in ages past and gone,
Great dukes and kings, and such as be
Writ large in ancient history.
The golden band around her neck
Did many an orlèd shield bedeck,
Silver, on ruddy gold annealed,
Illumined each bright quartered shield;1100
The whole enwrought most craftily,
And great of price I warrant ye.
Then o’er her robe, and round each hem
Shone many a lustrous priceless gem.
Which flashed and glittered in the light
As heaven’s bright stars on frost-clear night.
The gems worn by Dame Richesse
Richesse around her girdlestead
Was gloriouswise encincturèd
Above her purple robe. A stone
Of magic power and virtue shone1110
Amidst thereof: the wight who bore
This stone need poisons fear no more,
For ’gainst all venoms which to man
Bear danger, ’twas a talisman,
And to a knight of gentle birth
Above Rome’s treasures was its worth.
The mordant, of a gem was made
That aching of the teeth allayed,
And whoso looked on it ere yet
He brake his morning’s fast, should get1120
Long years of faultless sight. Of gold
Without alloy was made the hold
That clasped it, while each single tooth
Was worth a bezant’s weight forsooth.
No silk or satin plaits she ware
To hold her wealth of yellow hair.
But golden circlets, thrice refined,
The glory of her head confined.
A subtle pen that scribe would own
Who could at full describe each stone1130
And gem unvalued, richly set
Within her gorgeous coronet,
For not a man on earth can guess
Their untold worth and pricelessness,
Shy-shaming sapphires, rubies red
As pigeon’s blood but newly shed,
Garnets and emeralds weighed not less
Than ounces ten; but profitless
It were that I should strive to paint
The great carbuncle’s glory, faint1140
And poor were any words of mine
To warrant how ’tis wont to shine
So clearly that on murkiest night.
Devoid of lamp, the wearer might
(So strongly shoots its brilliant ray)
For many a league pursue his way.
The minion of Dame Richesse
Such brightness sprang from forth this stone
That every part of Richesse shone
With glory, body, feet and face.
As though bright stars belit the place.1150
Fast by the hand, Dame Richesse led
A youth of fairest goodlihead;
Her gallant past all doubt was he.
And gladly sought her company.
He loved fine mansions, castles fair,
And jewels rich, and vestments rare,
Grand stables, horses past all price,
And sooner were he charged with vice
Of theft or murder, than ’twere said
His stables harboured crock or jade.1160
The friendship constantly he sought
Of Dame Richesse, for all his thought
Was how to scatter wealth, and she
Supplied his hands ungrudgingly.
Right recklessly he made display
Of gorgeous splendour day by day,
While she with free hand gave, as though
Gold bezants did her barns o’erflow.
Largesse.
Largesse ruleth all
Then next to noble Richesse came1170
Largesse, a free and generous dame.
No man on earth I trow doth live.
Loves more to grasp than she to give
Honour and wealth; to Alexander
Is she akin, and loves to squander
Her gifts if but for giving’s sake,
Crying to all who pass: Come, take!
Poor pinching Avarice loves not more
To heap and gather needless store.
Than Largesse doth to scatter wide
Her good, and still doth God provide1180
Her plenteous wise, for while ’tis spent
Thus freely, still doth it augment.
Largesse aye keepeth ’neath her rule
Alike the sage and drivelling fool,
All bow to her and fain confess
Her for their friend and patroness.
And if perchance she suffereth hate
Of any wight, ’tis dissipate,
Quick as hoar-frost, by some great gift,
And therefore rich and poor uplift1190
Loud voice alike in Largesse’ praise.
A fool is that great lord whose ways
Are beggarlike! No other vice
Degrades great men like avarice.
The man of close, hard-griping hand
Ne’er wins high seigniory or land,
For few finds he of loving friends
To spread his fame or work his ends.
The man who fain would draw around
Him friends, should let his hand abound1200
In gifts free-given—for thus he earns
Great love—and as the needle turns
Towards the pole, e’en so shall he
By gifts draw friends abundantly.
A purple garment, rich and cool,
Enwoven in the Mawmet school
Of Saracens did Largesse wear;
Left open ’twas, with careless care.
About the neck, for latterly
Unto a dame hard by her she1210
Had lent the mordant; passing well
I liked the fashion, made to tell
The snowy whiteness of her throat,
Which through thin gauze rapt eyes might note.
The knight of Dame Largesse
For knight, Dame Largesse did engage
A youth who claimed the lineage
Of Arthur, King of England; he
Bore Valour’s banner gloriously,
And eke the gonfanon; right great
And noble deeds by him relate1220
Minstrels, in courts of Counts and Kings,
And hitherward he a trophy brings
Fresh from a tourney which he lays
Before his mistress’s feet, whose praise
Through many a joust hath he maintained
In shattering helm and shield, and gained
Proud victory over many a knight
By virtue’s power and strong-armed might.
Franchise.
The fairness of Franchise
Franchise stood next, on Largesse’ right,
Of skin as delicate, pure, and white1230
As hawthorn bloom or June-tide rose,
Not of the Orleans twist her nose,
But well formed, long and straight; her brow
Bore eyebrows arched like Cupid’s bow,
O’er laughing eyes; her long locks blond,
Her mien as simple, sweet and fond
As turtle-dove; her tender heart
Rejoiced in joy, or bore its part
With others’ sadness, and was fain
To keep her lips when speech woke pain.1240
So piteous was she and so true,
She ne’er would suffer one to rue
His life for love of her, nay more,
Such sympathy towards all she bore,
That when she saw some man who sighed
For her, she’d hasten to his side,
To save his soul from misery dire.
Of finest woof was her attire,
And warrant I that never lass
Betwixt this place and far Arras1250
Ware daintier raiment. It was sewed
And broidered in such skilful mode.
That doubt I much could seam or point
Have been more skilfully adjoint.
Grateful and charming to the eye,
Was Franchise’ modest bravery;
For nothing ever suits so well
As simple frock for demoiselle,
And that in which Franchise was dight,
Linen of pure and spotless white,1260
By dyes unstained, did well express
The maiden’s inward loveliness.
Beside Franchise a stripling stood,
Of noble port and lustihood,
But how he named him knew I not,
Yet one so fair of mien I wot,
And gaily clad as bird in spring,
Were well the son of Windsor’s king.