Classic Poem

Now rightly I should tell how Shame, by whom
I was much grieved, entered the strife, and how
The mighty walls and tower were raised, that long
The forces of the God of Love withstood
No laziness shall make me interrupt
The full completion of this history
In hope that it may please a lady fair
(God bless her!) who may all my toil requite
Better than most, whenever she may wish.
Next Evil Tongue, who thinks or fancies wrong
In all affairs of lovers, and retails
All that he knows or weens, began to spy,
Between me and Fair Welcome, sweet accord.
Because he is old Scolding's son, and has
A dirty, bitter, biting gift of speech —
Her legacy — he could not hold his peace.
So Evil Tongue began to slander me,
Saying that ill relationship he'd seen
Betwixt me and Fair Welcome. Recklessly
The rascal talked of Courtesy's fair son
And me till he awakened Jealousy,
Who roused in fright when she the jangler heard.
Then to Fair Welcome did she run like mad
(In far Etampes or Meaux he'd better been!)
And thus assailed him: " Good-for-nothing boy,
Are you out of your wits to entertain
A youth of whom I have much ill report?
'Twould seem that all too lightly you believe
Palaver of a stranger. Don't expect
That I shall trust you more. You shall be bound
Or locked up in a tower, for certainly
I see no help for it. Shame's left you quite;
She's given you too much rope, nor taken pains
To guard you well. I've noted oftentimes
How she neglects her sister, Chastity,
And lets a lawless youth invade our realm
To bring disgrace on both myself and her. "
Fair Welcome knew not how to make reply;
He would have hidden himself but that we two
Were caught together there, to prove his guilt;
Though when I heard the scold start her attack
I took to flight, for quarrels bother me.
Then Shame came forward, showing in her face
She feared much to be taken in a fault.
In place of maiden wimple, veil she wore;
Humble and plain was she, like abbey nun.
Now much abashed, she spoke in accents low:
" For God's sake, dame, believe not Evil Tongue;
A scandalmonger he, who lightly lies,
Deceiving many a worthy man. If he
Now blames Fair Welcome, it is nothing new.
He is accustomed to recount false tales
Of squires and demoiselles. Though I admit
Fair Welcome gives himself too long a leash
In gathering friends with whom he should not deal,
I certainly do not believe that he
Had least desire for foolishness or sin.
Indeed, 'tis true his mother, Courtesy,
Has taught him no affection to pretend
And surely not to show a foolish love.
Fair Welcome has no other wish or thought
Than to be full of jollity and fun
And to converse with hosts of genial friends.
Undoubtedly too easy I have been
With him, neglecting reprimand and guard;
For this I pardon beg. Disconsolate
Am I if I'm too soft to do what's best.
But I repent my folly, and I'll watch
Fair Welcome with due care from this time forth.
I'll never from this duty ask release. "
" Ah, Shame, " said Jealousy, " great fear have I
To be betrayed, for Lechery so reigns
That everyone's in danger of disgrace.
Nor groundless is my fear; Vice rules o'er all
And endlessly seems to increase his power.
Chastity no longer is secure
Even in cloister or in nunnery.
Hence I must with a stronger wall enclose
The roses and the rosary; no more
Shall they remain displayed to all men's sight,
For I can not depend upon your guard
Now I perceive and know it for a fact:
" Best deputies deserve no confidence."
If I'm not careful, scarce a year will pass
When I shall not be made to seem a fool.
Against that to provide is but good sense.
I'll close the road to those who come to spy
Upon my roses, making me their dupe.
I'll not be idle till a fortress's made
To enclose the rosary; and in the midst
A lofty tower shall be Fair Welcome's jail,
For fear of further treason. I will keep
So well his person that he'll have no power
To issue forth, companionship to have
With youths who flatter him with winning words,
Purposing but to bring him to disgrace.
Truant sots and fools too much have swarmed
About here in deceit; but, as I live,
Know this for truth: it was an evil hour
For him when first he granted them his smiles. "
At that came Fear, trembling and dismayed
And daring not to say a single word.
Since she perceived what ire her talking showed,
She stood apart till Jealousy withdrew.
Then Shame and Fear were left together there,
Shivering to their very buttock bones,
Till Fear, abashed, addressed her cousin Shame:
" Heavy it weighs upon my soul that we
Must bear the blame for what we have not done.
Many a time have May and April passed,
And we've had no reproach till Jealousy
Suspiciously heaped insult on abuse.
Let us immediately Danger seek
And show him well, and carefully explain,
That he has wrought great mischief not to guard
More warily the garden; far too much
He has allowed Fair Welcome openly
To work his will. He must amend his ways
Or necessarily flee from the land,
Since he could never brave the war for which
Mad Jealousy has provocation great
If she should likewise take his deeds amiss. "
At this agreement they arrived, and went
To Danger, who beneath a hawthorn lay.
The boor, in place of pillow for his head,
Was dozing on a biggish heap of hay
Till Shame awoke him, pitching into him
With chiding: " How then! By what evil chance
Are you asleep at such a time as this?
A fool were he who held you of more use
For guarding roses than some mutton tail.
Too lax and negligent are you, who should
Be strict, and harshly deal with everyone.
You foolishly Fair Welcome did allow
To introduce a man who gets us blamed
You doze while we get undeserved rebuke.
Do you still sleep? Get up and mend the hedge,
And no exception make for anyone.
To side-step trouble little suits your name.
Fair Welcome's free and frank, but you should be
Savage and rude and harsh and insolent.
A courteous churl is an anomaly;
And, as I've oft heard quoted in reproof,
" No man can of a buzzard make a hawk."
Who finds you debonair should think you mad.
With help and favor do you try to please?
You will be charged with cowardice if you
Henceforth shall have the name of being lax,
So readily believing flatterers. "
Then Fear took up the word: " I'm much surprised
That you're not wide-awake to mind your charge.
You soon for this may suffer; Jealousy
May fan her wrath, for she is proud and fell
And prompt to chide. Today she Shame assailed
And by her menace chased Fair Welcome off,
Declaring that she'll never rest until
She's walled him up alive. All this occurred
By your neglect, because you rigor lack.
I fear your heart has failed you; you'll pay dear
With grief and pain if Jealousy learns the truth. "
The churl his shock head raised. He shook himself,
Wrinkled his nose, and rubbed and rolled his eyes.
Hearing himself thus blamed, he showed his ire,
And thus he spoke: " If you think that I am licked,
You give me cause for anger. If I've failed
To keep my charge, then I have lived too long;
Burn me alive if any man gets by.
The heart within my breast feels much chagrin
That any foot this place has ever trod.
I'd rather have two swords thrust through my breast.
That I have been a fool I plainly see;
But, for the sake of you two, I'll amend.
Never again will I be lax to guard
This place; if I catch anybody here,
He'll wish that he had stayed in Pavia.
I swear and vow, to the last day of my life
You ne'er again will think me recreant. "
Danger arose and fiercely looked about;
Seizing his club, he searched the rosary
For hole or gap or passageway to block.
Thenceforth the situation was reversed,
For Danger came to be more hard and fell
Than he was wont to be. I nearly died
Because I had aroused his anger so.
No longer could I feast my eyes upon
The sight for which I longed. My spirits drooped
At being from Fair Welcome so estranged.
You may believe my frame with shivers shook
When of the Rose I thought, which I at will
Had seen close by — when I recalled the kiss
Which through my being spread a balm so sweet
That I near fainted but still let me keep
Within my soul the savor of the Rose.
Know well that, when I realized that I
Must go away, I wished for death, not life.
Evil the hour when once I touched the bud
With eyes, with lips, with face, if ne'er again
The God of Love permit renewed caress!
My soul was fanned to flame with a desire
That was more great because I'd had a taste.
Then sighs and tears and sleeplessness returned —
Prickings and shivers, mournful thoughts, complaints.
My multitudinous pains put me in hell.
Accurst be Evil Tongue, whose lying lips
Purchased for me such store of bitter condiment!