Excerpt 12: The Deflowering of the Rose - Factum

I wanted to bring my entire harness, as I was carrying it, to the harbor, in order to have the relics touch it, if I could bring it close enough to them. So, I did so much and wandered so far, my staff entirely unprotected by ferrule, that, vigorous and agile, I knelt without delay between the two fair pillars, for I was very hungry to worship the beautiful sanctuary so worthy of honor with a devoted and pious heart. Everything had been razed by the fire, with which nothing can war, so that nothing remained standing except the unharmed sanctuary. I raised the curtain a little which covered the relics and approached the image which I knew was close to the sanctuary. I kissed the image very devoutly and then, to enter the sheath safely, wished to put my staff into the aperture, with the sack hanging behind. I thought that I could shoot it in at the first try, but it came back out.

I replaced it, but to no avail; it still recoiled. By no effort could it enter there, for I encountered a paling, which I felt but could not see. It had formed the fortification of the aperture, close to its border, from the time when it was first built; it made it stronger and more secure. I had to assail it vigorously, throw myself against it, failing repeatedly. If you had seen me there jousting, you would have had to take good care of yourself and you would have been reminded of Hercules when he wanted to dismember Cacus. Three times he battered at his door, three times he hurled himself, three times he failed, three times he had to sit down in the valley because his struggle and labor were so great that he, completely spent, had to regain his breath. And I had worked so hard that I was covered with the sweat of anguish when I did not immediately break the paling, and I was indeed, believe it, as worn out as Hercules, or even more. Nevertheless, I attacked so much that I discovered a narrow passage through which I thought I might get beyond, but to do so I had to break the paling.

By this path, narrow and small, where I sought passage, I broke down the paling with my staff and gained a place in the aperture. But I did not even enter halfway; I was vexed at going no farther, but I hadn't the power to go on. I would have relaxed for nothing until the entire staff had entered, so I pressed it through with no delay. But the sack, with its pounding hammers, remained hanging outside; the passage was so narrow that I became greatly distressed, for I had not freed any wide space. I knew the passage so well that I know that no one had ever crossed it: I was absolutely the first. The place was still not common enough to collect tolls. I don't know if, since then, it has done as much for others as it did for me, but I tell you indeed that I loved it so much that I could hardly believe, even if it were true, that the same favors had been given to others. No one lightly disbelieves what he loves, so dishonored would it be; but I still do not believe it.

At least I know for certain that at that time it was not a well-worn, beaten path. Since there was no other place whatsoever where I might enter to gather the bud, I hurled myself through that path. You shall know how I carried on until I took the bud at my pleasure. You, my young lords, shall know both the deed and the manner, so that if, when the sweet season returns, the need arises for you to go gathering roses, either opened or closed, you may go so discreetly that you will not fail in your collecting. Do as you hear that I did, if you know no better how to achieve your goal; for, if you can negotiate the passage better, more easily or deftly, without straining or tiring yourself, then do so in your way when you have learned mine. At least you will have the advantage that I am teaching you my method without taking any of your money, and for that you should feel grateful.  
  Cramped as I was there, I had approached so near to the rosebush that I could reach out my hands at will to take the bud from the branches.

Fair Welcoming had begged me for God's sake to commit no outrage, and, because he begged me often, I promised him firmly that I would never do anything except his will and mine.

and thus I made the whole tender rosebush widen and lengthen. All this I should not have done. But then I was quite certain that the sweet fellow who had no evil thought would bear me no ill will for it, and that he would agree to it and allow me to do whatever he knew might please me. He reminded me of the agreement and said that I was doing him a great wrong, that I was too unbridled; but he did not forbid me to take, to reveal and pluck the rosebush and branches, the flower and the leaf.   When I saw myself raised to such high degree, an estate gained so nobly that my methods were not suspect, because I had been loyal and open toward all my benefactors, as a good debtor should be - for I was very much bound to them, since through them I had become so rich that (I declare it as the truth) there was no wealth as rich - when I saw myself thus, I rendered thanks, among the delicious kisses, ten or twenty times, first to the God of Love and to Venus, who had aided me more than anyone, then to all the barons of the host, whose help I pray God never to take away from pure lovers.

But I didn't remember Reason, who gave me a lot of trouble for nothing. My curse on Wealth, the shrew, who showed no pity when she refused me entry by the path which she guarded. She took no care of that path by which I entered, secretly and hastily, here within. My curse too on those mortal enemies who held me back so long, especially on Jealousy, crowned with her marigolds of solicitude, who protects the roses from lovers. She is still keeping a very good watch.
 
 
 
 
Before I stirred from that place where I should wish to remain forever, I plucked, with great delight, the flower from the leaves of the rosebush, and thus I have my red rose. Soon it was day, and I awoke.