Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/47

Praise of reticence Think you a gracious dame forsooth
Cares for a hare-brained, half-fledged youth 8130
Who, like an idiot, half the night
Singeth the pleasure and delight
He hath, through her kind grace, enjoyed,
And how her love for him destroyed
Her peace? With reason might she dread
’Twould bring down scandal on her head:
Love passages are quickly known
When all around the streets they’re thrown
In balladings unheedingly,
Who such man loves, a fool is she.8140

Whene’er a wise man takes a fool
For mistress, ’tis a golden rule
Folly alone to talk with her:
As well might he on empty air
Expend wise words and rarest wit,
They nought will profit him one bit.
Whoso would win a woman’s love
Should ne’er converse with her above
Her small intelligence, for she
Will straightway deem her man to be8150
A fox, a cozener, or a cheat;
And deeming kindest words deceit,
Will leave his loving care and go
To seek some other, and right low
Perchance may fall—from out the heap
She’s bound to pick some scabious sheep.