# Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 71

Layout 2
LXXI
Induced by what the hag hath said, Fair-Welcome setteth on his head The garland, and doth take therein A pledge to sell his very skin.13420
The chaplet accepted Fair-welcome saith no more, but sets The chaplet of sweet flowerets ​Above his flowing golden hair, And hears his keeper laughing swear By body and soul, and skin and bones, That no man fairer chaplet owns. And often doth Fair-Welcome place Himself before the mirror’s face. In heart rejoiced and gratified. The dame then, seeing none beside13430 Themselves are there, en tête à tête Anear him seats her, all elate, And thus begins to sermon him:
The Duenna.
The Duenna’s tale Fair-Welcome, dear, no cherubim Is fair, and sweet, and good as you. My joyous days are all worn through, While yours are barely yet begun, Your woof of life as yet unspun. Alas! my strength is on the wane, And needs must I my limbs sustain13440 Ere long on helpful crutch or staff, While you with joy-brimmed heart may laugh Careless of what your fate may be. Yet must you pass, assuredly, Sooner or later, through the fire, Which all men feel of love’s desire, And in that wave must plunge you, which Queen Venus dights for poor and rich. Prepare you, then, belovèd one, Ere over you love’s waters run,13450 By these wise counsellings I give; For he doth perilously live ​Who breasts love’s waves, yet knows them not,
But if my creed you once have got By heart, you shall arrive at last Safely in port, all dangers past.
Love’s heyday Believe me, if, when young as you, I’d known love’s art as now I do, And of its ways had been aware (For I, in youth, was passing fair),13460 You would not hear me groan and sigh As I consider mournfully My outworn visage, and repine At every pucker, seam and line, When of my beauty lost I think, Whereof gay lovers fain would drink Long draughts to quench their lovesick heat: (Good Lord! it makes my pulses beat!) For then was I of high renown, Alike in countryside and town,13470 For fairness, and of gallants proud And rich there never lacked a crowd Around my dwelling. Many a score Of blows came rattling ’gainst my door, When I disdained with answering word To let them know their calls were heard, Because it happed forsooth that I Already had good company. Hereout grew oft a wild uproar, And monstrous wroth was I therefor.13480 The porch, ’neath stout and sturdy stroke, Would yield sometimes, and then awoke A fierce mellee, and lives and limbs Were lost to please my wayward whims, ​Lover’s contests For sharply raged fierce contests then. If learnèd Algus, of all men The wisest in his reckoning, Should his ten wondrous figures bring To bear thereon, I doubt if well By multiplying he could tell13490 The number of the deadly fights Wherein my gallants strove o’ nights. Right fair of face was I, and sound Of body, and of sterlings round Had many a thousand, glistering white, But like a dunce my business dight. I was, in truth, a fair young fool, Of no experience in love’s school. Nought of love’s theory I knew, But learned in its practice grew,13500 And all throughout my life have I Its battles fought unflinchingly. And now to you may I impart The mysteries of that sweet art, For blame were mine should I forego To teach young folk the lore I know. ’Tis no great marvel if love’s pleasure You neither know to mete or measure, Since you are but a nestling still, With callow wings and yellow bill;13510 While I so wrought have in the field Of love that unto none I yield In knowledge, but might lightly dare To fill a grave professor’s chair. ’Tis but a fool who would despise And mock old age, by time grown wise, ​For wit and practice there are found, And many who have trod the round Of life have proved, beyond a doubt. Those good, when all is else worn out13520 On which they have their substance spent; Save for that twain their lives were shent. When I had wit through practice won, A thing with no small labour done, Full many a noble man did I Trick and beguile most skilfully; But also, often was deceived Ere yet full wit had I achieved. Unhappy wretch! ’twas all too late, Youth failed and left me desolate.13530
Times are changed And now beheld I that my door, Which on its hinges heretofore Swung day and night, stood idly to, From hour to hour none passed therethrough, Until I thought: ‘Alas! poor soul, Thy life is changed to grief and dole!’ When thus I saw my dwelling left Deserted, nigh in twain was cleft My heart, and I betook me thence, Shamed and abashed my every sense.13540 Such misery scarce could I endure, What balsam my deep wounds could cure, When gay-clad gallants in the street, Who lately fawned before my feet, And spent their breath to sing my praise,
Now passed me in the public ways Unheedingly, with heads tossed high, As I were struck with leprosy? ​They’d pass me by with hop and skip sweet As one not worth an apple pip:13550 And some, to whom I’d favour shown, Now voted me a wrinkled crone. It seemed as each would put on me Some new refined indignity.
Bittersweet remembrance Upon the other hand no man, How fine soe’er of feeling, can, Dear friend, believe the woes I felt, Or how mine eyes in tears would melt, When rose the picture in my mind Of old good days when kisses kind13560 Were showered upon me ’mid delights Of joyous days and passioned nights— Sweet words to sweeter actions wed. Alas! for ever all are fled, Past over to return no more. Far better had a prison door Closed on me than that I were born So soon. Ah God! what scathing scorn Have fair gifts lost brought down on me, And consciousness they ne’er can be13570 Reclaimed hath sent a poisoned dart Of anguish through my wasted heart. I ask again, why was I born So soon? unhappy wretch forlorn! Is there, but you, one single one To whom I can complain, dear son? In nowise could my vengeance reach My foes so well as if I teach To you my doctrine for this end; Thereon my breath I well may spend,13580 ​With well-proved precepts how to be A scourge to those who scourèd me; And you right apt will be thereto Recalling all I say to you, Since you by happy chance have got So young a mind as faileth not To keep in memory the wit That old experience plants in it. For Plato said, long years agone, That, things which men in youth had known Stay fixed within the memory fast,13591 Though many a year be overpast.
A woman’s revenge Ah, dearest son, beloved youth, If strong and young as you forsooth I were, the laws by Draco made My fierce revenge should cast in shade: Such vengeance on my foes I’d take, Before I could mine anger slake, As never yet was known ere now In all the world’s great age I trow.13600 Those ribalds who have passed me by With mocks and jeers, insultingly, And have disdained my glance to meet, With open scorn in public street, Good Lord! but they should dearly pay Whene’er arrived the reckoning day, For that contemptuous, scathing pride Wherewith they have my spirit tried. For, using the experience I Have learned through God’s good clemency. Know you the fashion they should fare?13611 In my turn would I pluck them bare; ​And then, as grapes within a press Are trod, I’d tread them; penniless Should they be left, and foul worms feed Upon them in their direful need, Whilst on a dunghill should they lie Naked, in filth and misery. And those who, in my prosperous days, Were foremost in my love and praise,13620 Would I most cruelly entreat, And spurn like dogs beneath my feet, Aye, grind them to the very earth, And pill them till they were not worth A clove of garlick—it would fain My heart to see their need and pain, And bring them to such dire distress That they should on my footsteps press Stamping with rage. Regrets are vain Regrets are vain; Time flown can ne’er return again,13630 Nor could I, of all those who bowed Before me ere my face was ploughed With wrinkles, keep on one my hold, My menace was a tale that’s told, But, by the ribalds, I thereof Was warned erewhile with many a scoff. Believe you, much I wept therefor, Aye, and shall weep for evermore, Yet, when thereon I musing think, Long draughts of joy supreme I drink13640 From memory’s well. Oh, dear delights! Whereof the very thought excites A thrill through every limb, as though The merry life of long ago ​I lived once more. My body seems Rejuvenate, as in sweet dreams Sometimes appears. Now, by the rood,
I swear it does me untold good To muse on youth’s sweet joys, though I By men was cozened cruelly:13650 No idle life a damsel leads Who makes her pleasures serve her needs.
Joys remem­bered Then to this country-side I came, And service took beneath the dame Who holds you here, and gives me charge That hence you wander not at large. The Lord, who guards us all from ill, Grant that my duty I fulfil, And doubt I not this well may be,13660 If you will walk but prudently. The charge, forsooth, were one of rare And special peril, seen how fair Nature hath made you, if your wit Did not your body’s beauty fit: But you have prowess, sense, and grace; And since that now both time and place Serve us so well, nor need we fear To suffer from intruders here, ’Tis well that you should list from me
Good counsel, but you need not be13670 Surprised to find my words but few. No will have I to press on you The theme of love and thereon preach. But since that goal you’ll someday reach. ​Suffer that I point out the way And paths thereof, where many a day I wandered ere my beauty went And left me wearied, worn and spent.
The Lover.
Then ceased the dame and gave a sigh. In case Fair-Welcome made reply.13680 But little rest of tongue she took, Noting his fixed attentive look, Prepared to listen and say nought; And so within herself she thought: A proverb ’tis; Who saith not nay, May well be credited with yea; Thus far he’s listened, and no doubt, If I proceed, will hear me out.
The Duenna’s tale Then once more did the crone begin Her wearisome foul tale to spin,13690 Deeming that she by wordy trick Might cozen me to try and lick Honey from thorns, and hoping he Might his mere friend consider me, Without true love, but he amain Told me the tale he heard again; And had he ta’en her word for truth I needs had been betrayed forsooth, But whatsoe’er the hag might do Or say, Fair-Welcome proved him true;13700 I had his solemn oath and word And that my heart had reassured. ​O dear sweet son, towards whom I yearn, ’Tis my desire that you should learn Love’s wiles, to save you from deceit. When you upon life’s journey meet With Cupid, let my counsels guide Your steps, for no man ever tried That path untaught, but hath perforce Been stripped of all, till last his horse13710 He needs must sell; I charge you hear My counsel which your way will clear, If you but heed the lore I tell, Who know love’s art and mystery well.