Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/89

Will seize his heart and nought can heal
His hopeless woe, nor aught anneal.
This mirror valiant men hath cost
Dear life; though fairly might they boast1650
Themselves for prudent, wise, and great,
They here alas! have found their fate.
Cupid toils Hence passion springs in man anew
And to his life gives fresh purview,
No measure, sense, or mode knows he,
Love, love, alone, hath mastery
Good counsel to the winds is cast,
For Cupid, Venus’ son, hath passed
Around the fount to sow the grain
Whereof all men are madly fain,1660
The seed of Love to wit, and set
His springes there, and many a net
For damsels fair, and gallants eke:—
Such birds alone doth Cupid seek.

By reason of the seed there sown.
This Fountain is to all men known
As that of Love: thereof is told
The tale full oft in many an old
Romance and song, but ne’er before
Hath any man so fully or1670
So truly set all forth as now
’Tis writ within this book I trow.

Beside the fount awhile I stayed,
Admiring how the crystals made
Mirrors for all the lovesome things
That filled the garden. Memory brings