# Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 5

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Herein the Dreamer’s pen doth draw The semblance of the dance he saw And joined in, and relates how she, Hight Courtesy, essays to be His guide, and gently tells him who Dance there, and all they say and do.
The salutation of Courtesy I stood awhile, as one entranced. To watch how wondrously they danced,810 Till tripped across the sward to me A winsome dame, hight Courtesy. Past power of words I found her fair, Bewitching, bright, and debonair. (May God preserve her life from harm) At once with voice that seemed to charm All fear away, she cried : Fair sir. Wilt thou not deign thy foot to stir In jocund dance? ​Sir Mirth portrayed Without delay I followed where she led the way820 With right good will, for strong desire To join the throng my heart ’gan fire; Yet scarce therewith to mingle dared Till thus her welcome speech had bared My mind of doubt. I then began The glorious folk around to scan, Their fashions, manners, style and seeming: Now list, while forth I tell my deeming.
Erect Sir Mirth stood, straight and tall. In all points such as one might call830 A man well built; a tinge of red His white cheek lit, no vermeil thread His mouth, but full and round, his eyes Steel blue and gracious, whence did rise Sweet smiles unceasingly, his nose Was such as Grecian Phidias chose For great Apollo, blond his hair. Which fell adown his shoulders bare In silken curls, his girdlestead Was slight, yet lithesome lustihead840 Its lines betrayed, while arms and knees Were knit like mighty Hercules. The glorious masterpiece did he Of some great painter look to be, And scarce need fear comparison For beauty with Jove’s godlike son: Where beard would be, began to spring Down, soft as that ’neath cushat’s wing.
His noble limbs were richly clad In samite, which about it had850 ​Figures of beauteous birds enwrought In golden tissue: quaint past thought The slashings were with which ’twas slit And puffed in every part of it For fashion’s sake, and gaily decked With jewels; nought of cost he recked. About his shapely legs and feet Were boots carved curiously. Oh sweet The roses were that well bested, For crown, his goodly golden head,860 Sir Mirth's sweet­heart There set by gentle hands of her Who was his love and worshipper. And would ye wot who this might be Whose love enthralled him? soothfastly, ’Twas Gladness who so blithely sang. When she but seven years knew, Love flang His net around her, and I ween Since then Mirth’s sweetheart had she been. Then straightway did the pair enlace Their hands, and heart to heart embrace,870 Joining in gladsome dance. Most fair Did Gladness look as stood they there. Like to a rose but newly blown Which nought of wind or storm hath known. So tender was her flesh, that torn ’Twould be by frailest sapful thorn. Beneath her forehead, void of frown, Were eyebrows arched, of sunny brown, And smiles would wreathe her eyes before Her mouth the rippling laughter bore,880 And ever and anon the bliss Her lips invited of a kiss, ​Her nose of delicate form, and white, As well might show in wax’ despite. O brilliant was the sun-gold hair That crowned her head, round which she ware A fillet fine, its wealth to hold. O’er which a chaplet worked with gold Rode royally; two-score and nine Fair orfreyed chaplets ’neath mine eyne890 Have passed erewhile, but none were wrought Of silk so well as this methought. Her outer mantle was a rich Bright robe of silken samite which, Seeing that Mirth well loved it, she Arrayed her in delightedly.
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