# Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 67

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LXVII
False-Seeming lightly giveth mate
To Evil-Tongue, with well-filed prate.
The Lover excused Fair sir, not always gospel clear And pure folks whisper in one’s ear About the streets—pray list you while I prove these tales but lies most vile. It scarcely needs that I remind One so astute, that nought inclined12960 Are folk to love their neighbours who Find fault with all they say or do, If they should chance to hear of it, However dull or small of wit. I’ve read it as a well-known thing That men are fond of visiting The spots where those they love abide. Now this man loveth you beside All others, as his dearest friend, For whom both goods and life he’d spend,12970 Nor fails he to, whene’er ye meet. Salute you in the public street, And show you most profound respect, Yet trow I that no ill effect His friendship brings you, nor doth he Enweary you as oft may be The way with others. If the Rose His heart so pants for, I suppose He constantly would here be seen And by him it had stolen been;12980 Though risk he ran alive to burn Towards the loved object still he’d turn. ​But reached his passion that degree? Nay! nay! Then clear it seems that he, Nor yet Fair-Welcome (whom you’ve wrought Most cruelly against) e’er sought To snatch the Rose; but had they tried Lightly the twain had you defied.
Evil-Tongue’s deserts And wot you well that if this youth (Who smarts beneath your slanderous tooth)12990 Within his heart desire did feel The Rosebud which you guard to steal, He scarce had vaunted you his friend, But rather would his labour spend Your stronghold to reduce to dust; For were your accusation just, And he thereof the news had learned, His indignation had you earned. Nor thereof could there be much doubt, Seeing that foretimes in and out13000 He went, where now by stern and hard Denial is his ingress barred. O man of cruel speech, right well Do you deserve the fires of hell, Since thus your spite doth one pursue Who ne’er wrought harm or ill to you.
The Author.
False-Seeming thus vile Evil-Tongue Reproved, who owned him in the wrong; So straight the case against him went That soon he vowed him penitent,13010 And said:
Evil-Tongue.
Evil-Tongue pentitent ’Fore God, perhaps ’tis true, False-Seeming, slave am I to you And Abstinence, I own for wise; As seem ye of one mind, advise Me straightly; what to do were best?
False-Seeming.
First shall you be by me confessed Of crimes wherein you have misspent Your life, as humble penitent; I of the Order am full priest, And of confessors mightiest13020 Throughout the whole vast universe, Wielding God’s power to bless and curse. No paltry curate am I, bound By oaths to tread the churches round, But, by our Lady, far more care Have I how souls beneath me fare Than those poor caitiff parish priests Who spend their days ’twixt fasts and feasts; Their powers are nought compared to mine.
No priest or prelate, I opine,13030 Is half so learnèd or well read As I, poor sinners to bestead. A doctorate of divinity Long years since was conferred on me.
By great and small am I allowed Worthy ’fore all to hold the proud Distinction to be counted first Among confessors. If you thirst ​For absolution, just confess Your sins, and I with readiness13040 will shrive you, and when once you’ve got My shrift—thank God, your sins are not.