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THE ROMANCE OF THE ROSE.
The yoke of Love, and ever be
A slave ’neath his sweet mastery.7590
If I am mad, regard me not,
To Love I’m vowed, whate’er my lot,
And to the Rose have given troth-plight:
If wrong, ’tis wrong; if right, ’tis right.
If now my love I gave to you,
Alas! I then must prove untrue
To my sweet Rose, and can but be
A traitor either unto thee
Reason dismissed
Or Love, my master. But I’ve said
Already, that my heart is dead7600
To all except the Rose, and when
With tiresome talk you press me, then
I feel outwearied; I shall fly
Your presence if persistently
You talk against my love, for she
Is more than all the world to me.”
