Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 83
LXXXIII
The Author trusts that not askance
Will ladies view this fair Romance.15920
And, ladies fair, I trust, as well,
That (whether dame or damosel.
Love’s bond, or whole as yet of heart)
If found you in the former part
Some words which you unseemly think,
You’ll kindly let your eyelids wink
The Author’s apology
Thereon, nor rashly deem that I
Would women treat despitefully,
Nor therefore heap too much of blame
On this my book, which nowise shame15930
Would do you, but instruct your wit:
For therein not one word unfit,
Of anger or malevolence,
Or passion, or ill-will prepense,
Nor envy, hatred, or despite
’Gainst any woman have I dight,
For no man would his finger stretch
’Gainst women, but some cold-heart wretch.
And if you some rude phrases find
In this my poem, bear in mind15940
That good and healthful ’tis for me
And you alike ourselves to see.
But ladies, if you deem I fail
Of truth or justice in my tale.
As liar hold not me in scorn,
But those who wrote, ere I was born.
The words I once again repeat.
And count you not those words unmeet
And false, unless you would condemn
The sages whence I gathered them,15950
And deem that they but fables told
Who framed the famous books of old;
But fainly I confess, forsooth,
I deem those sages wrote but truth
Of women’s ways, for they were not
Foolish, or drunk, or mad I wot,
But all by long experience knew
What women dream of, say, and do;
Wisdom of old days
For all alike from age to age
Are they writ down in history’s page.15960
Forgive me then, fair ladies, nor
Scold me for what men wrote of yore,
Which I but follow, save at times
Some innocent word to help my rhymes
I add, as poets needs must do,
Would they their matter carry through,
By some invention of their own.
For all true poets work alone,
For delectation and delight
Of those who read their work aright.15970
And if some people grumble still,
And of my work and me speak ill,
Because they keenly feel the bite
Of that sharp tooth wherewith I dight
False-Seeming’s words, and so conspire
And plot to punish me with dire
And grievous chastisement, because
With rage they read my rasping saws,
Then here declare I before all,
I ne’er from out my lips let fall15980
A word to injure living man,
Who doth his life on virtue plan
Beneath the Church’s holy care,
Whatever robe or frock he wear.
But though a sinner I confess
Myself to be, I ne’ertheless
Catch up my bow, and thence let fly
My arrows, which shall grievously
Evil only censured
Wound such vile folk (and tear to bits
Their mask) as Christ for hypocrites15990
Condemned, all one it is to me
If monks or secular they be;
Though some of these with will to show
Their holiness will fain forego
Flesh meat, and by their abstinence
Parade make of their penitence,
As though they kept the fast of Lent,
Far better ’twere if they forewent
Their neighbours to devour, forsooth,
And bite with slander’s cruel tooth.16000
Of such alone my targe I make,
To wound and tear and bruise and break.
At those I shoot as e’en I may,
But if one sets him in the way
Whereas my shaft of needs must fly,
And so receives it wilfully,
Misled by foolishness and pride,
When lightly might he stand aside;
Though he reproached me, being hit,
I should not blame myself one bit.16010
Although his death he thereby found,
For no man will mine arrow wound
Who fain would keep him safe from me,
If he but guard him honestly.
And whosoe’er a wound doth feel
Delivered by my piercing steel,
May quickly of his sore be quit
If he but cast the hypocrite.
And howsoe’er some men profess
Instinct to be with nobleness,16020
Nought have I said, whereof I know,
That they in any wise can show
At variance with the books of old,
Or men’s experience manifold;
Or which fair reason doth condemn:
Agree they not?—the worse for them.
And were there found, by closest search.
One word in slight of holy Church,
Ready am I to make amend.
For ’neath her rule my soul I bend.16030