IX.

WARS OF YORK AND LANCASTER.

THUS is the storm abated by the craft

Of a shrewd Counsellor, eager to protect

The Church, whose power hath recently been checked, Whose monstrous riches threatened. So the shaft

Of victory mounts high, and blood is quaffed

In fields that rival Cressy and Poictiers—
Pride to be washed away by bitter tears;
For deep as hell itself, the avenging draught
Of civil slaughter! Yet, while Temporal power
Is by these shocks exhausted, Spiritual truth
Maintains the else endangered gift of life;
Proceeds from infancy to lusty youth;

And, under cover of this woeful strife,

Gathers unblighted strength from hour to hour.

X.

WICLIFFE.

ONCE more the Church is seized with sudden fear,

And at her call is Wicliffe disinhumed:

Yea his dry bones to ashes are consumed,

And flung into the brook that travels near ;
Forthwith, that ancient Voice which Streams can hear,
Thus speaks, (that Voice which walks upon the wind,
Though seldom heard by busy human kind,)
"As thou these ashes, little Brook! wilt bear
"Into the Avon, Avon to the tide

"Of Severn, Severn to the narrow seas,
"Into main Ocean they, this Deed accurst

"An emblem yields to friends and enemies

"How the bold Teacher's Doctrine, sanctified

66

By Truth, shall spread throughout the world dispersed

XI.

CORRUPTIONS OF THE HIGHER CLERGY.

"Woe to you, Prelates! rioting in ease

"And cumbrous wealth the shame of your estate;

"You on whose progress dazzling trains await
"Of pompous horses; whom vain titles please,
"Who will be served by others on their knees,
"Yet will yourselves to God no service pay;
"Pastors who neither take nor point the way
"To Heaven; for either lost in vanities

"Ye have no skill to teach, or if ye know

"And speak the word" Alas! of fearful things 'Tis the most fearful when the People's eye Abuse hath cleared from vain imaginings; And taught the general voice to prophesy Of Justice armed, and Pride to be laid low.

XII.

ABUSE OF MONASTIC POWER.

AND what is Penance with her knotted thong,
Mortification with the shirt of hair,

Wan cheek, and knees indúrated with prayer,
Vigils, and fastings rigorous as long,

If cloistered Avarice scruple not to wrong

The pious, humble, useful Secular,

And rob the People of his daily care,

Scorning that world whose blindness makes her strong?
Inversion strange! that unto One who lives

For self, and struggles with himself alone,
The amplest share of heavenly favour gives;
Thatto a Monk allots, in the esteem
Of God and Man, place higher than to him
Who on the good of others builds his own!

XIII.

MONASTIC VOLUPTUOUSNESS.

YET more,

- round many a Convent's blazing fire

Unhallowed threads of revelry are spun;

There Venus sits disguisèd like a Nun,

While Bacchus, clothed in semblance of a Friar,
Pours out his choicest beverage high and higher
Sparkling, until it cannot choose but run

Over the bowl, whose silver lip hath won
An instant kiss of masterful desire

-

To stay the precious waste. In every brain
Spreads the dominion of the sprightly juice,
Through the wide world, to madding Fancy dear,
Till the arched roof, with resolute abuse
Of its grave echoes, swells a choral strain,

Whose votive burthen is—" OUR KINGDOM'S HERE!"