Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/55

What rich and costly jewels wear,
How deck my head, and ’tire my hair.
When this is finished then my day
Is ended, and to mirth and play
Her dearest friend is Mirth I give myself. My dearest friend
Is Mirth, and by his side I spend
Long pleasant hours. The Lord is he
Of this fair garden; every tree
From out the land of Saracens
He brought, for well the art he kens610
To make his garden a delight,
And as the trees grew strong he dight
The wall around, and caused thereon
Those dreadsome paintings to be done.
Of Sorrow, Hatred, Eld, and Spleen,
Which wending hither thou hast seen.
He cometh here full oft to seek
The pleasant leafy shade, and eke
His followers join him in these bowers,
’Mid mirth and joy to spend long hours620
Untouched by care. E’en now I wot
Mirth lounging in cool shade or grot
Listeth the sweet-voiced nightingale.
Merle, laverock, mavis, and wood-wale:
Here with his friends, the long day through.
Sweet solace finds he, for ne’er knew
The world a place that would suffice
Like this for loss of Paradise.
No merrier folk were ever seen
Through earth’s broad borders, as I ween,630
Than those whom Mirth doth hither bring
To spend bright days in revelling.”