# Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 60

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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.