# Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 62

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Learn how False-Seeming, traitor vile, Men’s hearts doth readily beguile. When grey and black he clothes him in, With saintly visage pale and thin.11690
False-Seeming’s diguises Disguises well I know to don, Now this one off, now that one on, Now knight am I, and now a monk, A prelate, then to canon shrunk Or simple clerk, or priest at mass, And next as master do I pass, Disciple, captain, forester, In short, whatever I prefer; Sometimes a prince, sometimes a page, And every language I engage11700 To patter; sometimes old and grey. At others sprightly, young and gay. And now Robert and now Robin, Now friar, now a jacobin.
I show me, company to keep With her from whom I joyance reap, (She hight Constrained-Abstinence) ’Neath many a guilement and pretence, Her fickle fancies to fulfil, And work her every wish and will.11710 Sometimes a woman’s robe I wear, As matron staid or damsel fair, And oft assume religious dress, As anchorite or prioress, ​Friars free of bishops An abbess who with life hath done, Or novice who would fain be nun. As through the world I walk about, I turn each credence inside out; And whatsoe’er may be their law, I take the grain and leave the straw;11720 For I but live to cozen folk, And laugh at all beneath my cloak. What more to tell? In suchlike way As serves me best I play my play. My mode I change unendingly; And ne’er my words and deeds agree, But through my privileges snare Full many a man all unaware. Good shrift I give when I confess (Laughing at prelates’ helplessness)11730 All sinners whom I hap to meet; No prelate dare my work defeat, Saving our lord the Pope alone, From whom this privilege was won For our most holy brotherhood. Whatever prelate hath withstood Or dared to speak against my men, I soon have closed his mouth again. But out, alas! the people now Too well my ways and manners trow,11740 And nought am I received so well, Since ugly tales of me men tell. But what care I? I’m none the worse, With silver have I stored my purse And goods have heaped; so well I’ve striven, That foolish folk have freely given ​Abundance, and I lead my life In ease, all undisturbed by strife, Thanks to the easy prelates who Fear to say aught whate’er I do.11750 Not one of them dares make essay Against me, or he’d roundly pay. And thus I live as pleaseth me By fraud, deceit, and trickery.
Privilged confessors Though all should once a year at least Confession make before a priest, As Scripture saith, that they may have A houseling good their souls to save, (For this our lord the Pope decrees) We shelve the statute as we please.11760 To penitents we give advice, But claim exemptions which suffice, For many a privilege have we, Which cause our burdens light to be. On this point we nought silent are, But vaunt our dispensations far Beyond the Pope’s decree; so may Unto his priest each sinner say:
Father, I lately have confessed To such an one, and he my breast11770 Hath clean absolved from every sin That might the wrath of heaven win, My conscience suffers no such pain As pricks me to confess again. Herein, I pray you, make me quit, Nor further hold discourse of it, ​No matter what you say thereof, And you may spare to scold and scoff; For though a thousand oaths you swore, Prelate or curate now no more11780 I fear; my will would you constrain, There’s one to whom I can complain Forthwith, you cannot make me twin Confession, for new shrift of sin, The first doth well enough for me, A second would but wasted be. Independence of friars For one whose powers are full and wide Hath all my bonds of sin untied: And so I warn you once again, That if you would my will constrain,11790 I know of one will right my cause, Holding me free of kings and laws And provosts, for among them all, Though royal or imperial, Not one dare ’gainst me judgment give, Exempted from their rule I live. To my new father should I go, (No cubling he who hight Louveteau,) But friar Wolf, who doth devour Whate’er he will, nor can his power11800 By aught be stayed or hindered, but If I complain, your mouth he’ll shut. If he should catch you in his net, Thereout not lightly will you get Without disgrace and shame, unless He shows unwonted gentleness. He’s not so foolish, weak or dull, But he can get from Rome a bull ​Power of friars If so he will, and forthwith cite You ’fore the court in dread despite,11810 And ruin you in two short days. And he possesseth briefs, he says, Much stricter and more strong by far Than any common parchments are, Which have no power at all to touch More than eight persons, while his, much More wide and full in their intent, May pass when law itself is spent: And for your rights nought careth he, From law he hath immunity.11820 Thus all his power he’ll put in force. Nor deign to stay or change his course For prayers or tears, nor any kind Of gift, his coffers well are lined. For seneschal. Sir Schemer he Hath got, who gathers wondrously, And Sir Solicitor, his brother, These two will outvie many another In piling wealth, and ’twixt the pair Their hoard might buy St. Peter’s chair,11830 Now help me God and good St. James, If you deny my lawful claims (When spring toward Easter-tide hath trod) To have the holy body of God, I shall not grieve thereat, but go To that good man who well I know Will give it me, and vainly spent On me were threats of punishment.
Thuswise may every carl confess Whereso it suits his wilfulness;11840 ​And if the priest refuse his rights, My hand his stubbornness requites, And soon he finds him in the lurch, With loss of honour, goods, and church. Whither do such confessions tend? And who shall know the bitter end? In suchlike case no priest can e’er Know aught of his parishioner, Whose soul should be his constant cure. At nought such practice sets the pure11850 And holy Scripture, which doth teach Pastors to know the voice of each Sheep of their flock. But willingly I leave both priests and prelates free Poor men and women to confess, Who for most part are penniless; But little guerdon thence were got.
The God of Love.
Why so?
False-Seeming.
Friars love wealth Because they have it not; Poor needy, caitiff creatures they. The good fat sheep I bear away,11860 And to the pastors leave the poor Lean hungry ones, who growl therefor. And if the prelates dare to scold, Who in their hearts dire anger hold, For loss of many a good fat beast Whereon they hoped long time to feast, I’ll give them such a mortal bruise That cross and mitre both they’ll lose. ​Full many I make peccavi cry, Such mighty privilege have I.11870
The Author.
Hypocrisy rampant False-Seeming here some rest would take, But Love desires him not to break His tale, the which he feigns to heed With pleasure, and asks further rede.
The God of Love.
I pray thee that thou tell to me, All shame aside, explicitly, The varied games that thou hast played, What tricks hast done, what mischief made. Thy robe declares an anchorite.
False-Seeming.
That’s true, but I’m a hypocrite.11880
The God of Love.
Thou preachest holy abstinence.
False-Seeming.
Past doubt; but though I make pretence. Good dishes love I, and bright wine, As well as any grave divine.
Love.
False-Seeming.
Wealth before poverty Yes, but my bags with coin o’erflow; And though I poverty pretend, I make of no poor man a friend. A hundred thousand times should I Prefer our good king’s company.11890 Yea, by our Lady! though it happed The poor man was with virtue capped In fairest wise, for when I see These beggars shiver wretchedly On dunghills, hungry, cold, and bare, What then?—’tis none of my affair. Or if unto the Hotel-Dieu They’re carried, what! should I pursue Them thither? ne’er with one poor groat They’ve fed my parched and hungry throat.11900 What can be got from one who licks His knife, and sounds eats, dry as sticks? That man an idiot may be said Who fat seeks in a black dog’s bed.
To visit I should much prefer Some sick but wealthy usurer: With patience would I comfort him, In hope some deniers to benimme, And when pale death steals o’er his face, Transport him to the burial-place.11910 Should some reproach me that I take Heed to rich men and poor forsake, How think you that I make reply? I let a tear bedim mine eye, And say: Alas! I greatly fear From sin the rich are far less clear ​Than are the poor, and so much more Their souls have need of watching o’er. Yet true it is dire poverty Draws men to sin as much, pardee,11920 As too great wealth; they both man’s soul Distain, and hinder from its goal. The praise of sufficiency For Poverty and Riches are The two extremes, and better far Is plain sufficiency; between The two is most of virtue seen. And hath not wise King Solomon This matter well discoursed upon Within his book of Proverbs? it We find in chapter thirty writ:11930 God in thy mercy give to me Nor riches nor yet poverty! For whensoe’er a man doth wrap His soul in wealth, ’twill surely sap His virtue, till at last the debt He owes his Maker he’ll forget. And who with Poverty doth fight, How shall he keep his soul aright? Alas! perforce he comes to be Befouled with theft and perjury,11940 Or God doth lie, for he hath said, By Solomon, they both are wed To Poverty. And dare I swear, Free of reproach, that no man e’er Hath found in any sacred book (At least ’twere vain in ours to look) That Christ and his apostles dear The while on earth they wandered here, ​Went begging bread from door to door; Nor they alone this thing forbore,11950 But straight forbade it, (thus ’twas taught By those of Paris, doctors fraught With learning in divinity) Though well might they excusèd be Of begging, even though they should Ask alms for daily livelihood, Seeing that they true shepherds were To many a soul beneath their care. And when their Lord was crucified, Again industriously they tried11960 To win their needs by labour true Of each man’s hands; and after due And needful sustenance they’d ta’en, Unto the poor they gave amain Of their abundance. Mansions they Reared not, but dwelt in cots of clay.
All men should work It well behoves each able man That he with work quotidian By might of arm should gain his bread (Unless he be by wealth bestead,)11970 Though of religion he be fain, For God accounts no good work vain. This rule it is which binds men all, Save in some cases I recall, The which will I relate whene’er Time serves, and you have will to hear. Yet more, a man should sell his good, And labour for a livelihood If he, forsooth, would perfect be; This hath the Scripture taught to me.11980 ​But one who idly haunts the board Of other men will God reward. Censured should be such men as dare Labour forego on plea of prayer. Justly a man may put aside God’s worship, striving to provide By honest work for daily need, For of a truth all men must feed And clothe themselves, and while they keep Vigil of labour, prayer may sleep.11990 And thus ’tis lawful that we shirk The hours of prayer, the while we work, And this with Scripture doth agree, Which teacheth nought but verity.
Mendicancy unlawful And likewise great Justinian did Within his ancient code forbid That one of able body should Seek alms by way of livelihood, Since his strong arm his bread should gain. ’Twere well stout rogues to treat amain12000 With flogging, or to swing them high, Rather than aid their knavery. That man neglects his duty who Seeketh to gain subsistence through Men’s alms, unless he can allege Some special grant or privilege; But doubt I much if legally A man thus privileged could be, Unless some cozenage he bring To help him, and deceive the king12010 All unawares. Yet no design Have I against the right divine ​Of kings, nor dare to rashly say That they may not extend their sway Whereso they will; but in the law Methinks ’twould be a grievous flaw Should it permit that doles and alms, Which should but reach the trembling palms Of those who cannot earn their bread Through sickness, age, or drearihead,12020 Were snatched away from them by might And power of those who trample right; Surely for them were hell made hot. If Adam’s Maker lieth not. But God’s commandment, mind ye well, It is a righteous man should sell His goods, and therewith help the poor, But this command oped not the door To mendicancy, that was not His meaning, as right well we wot,12030 But that each man his hand should trim To work while meekly following him. Saint Paul’s injunction To his disciples gave Saint Paul Injunction strict that one and all Should labour with their hands, nor be Disgraced by base mendicity. Saying: To labour set ye then, Nor ask an alms of other men; And greatly feared he lest some sold The gospel through the lust of gold.12040 And if a man to give doth choose Because he dareth not refuse Another’s asking, pricked with shame, Or fearing lest he get the name ​Of niggard, or forsooth, doth give, Only that he in peace may live; Although his worldly goods he lose, No profit from such alms ensues. Saint Paul laboured When worthy men to hear St. Paul Flocked round, they offered him their all12050 For love of God; but he straightway
Refused, nor deigned his hands to stay From useful work, whereby he gained So much as all his need sustained.
Love.
But say then, in what way can live A strong man who desires to give Himself to God when he hath sold His goods, as in the gospel told, And made all over to the poor, Yet, bound to prayer, would work no more:12060 May he do so?
False-Seeming.
Yea.
Love.
Tell me how.
False-Seeming.
This doth Saint Austin clearly show. If men to God their lives have wed Within an abbey garnishèd With lands, where white and black monks are, Or worthy canons regular, ​Knights of the Temple or St. John, (Further examples need I none) Serving their Lord in praise and prayer, No mendicancy finds he there.12070 Some monks do daily labour, but Are nowise from God’s service shut Therefor. The mendicants’ estate Gave rise to long and sharp debate In days that I remember well. If so it please you, will I tell How that a man may beg at need When he no otherwise can feed Or pasture him, this, bit by bit, I’ll show, and none can gainsay it.12080 Unless some sophist strove to tangle The truth with false and tiresome jangle. By none the case were better cleared Than me, who all the field have eared.