Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/62

Men in their woes, which, howso great
They be, his hand will dissipate.8570
Beware of poverty And therefore, dear companion, now
Remember Solomon, whose brow
Of old bore Israel’s diadem,
And left us many an apophthegm,
Whereof one saith: Beware, my son,
Of poverty whilst living on
The earth: and in another breath
He furthereth this good word, and saith:
Better it is, by far, to die
Than live on earth in poverty,8580
Since, against those who own them poor,
Their very brethren shut the door;
And of poor caitiffs speaking still,
Whose lot it is to bear the ill
Of indigence, he shows how they
In woeful wise wear through their day.
Scarce can a man’s estate be worse
Than when stark bare he finds his purse;
For those who on the laws have writ
Declare the indigent unfit8590
To testify as witnesses;
And in the statute book it says,
That poor, impoverished men must lie
In the same bed with infamy.

Of beauty, poverty is bare;
But I with full assurance dare
Affirm, that if good store of gold,
And jewels rich, your coffers hold,
Then may you have fair hope to gain
Such wealth of roses as may fain8600