VIII.. ARCHBISHOP CHICHELY TO HENRY V. "WHAT Beast in wilderness or cultured field "The lively beauty of the Leopard shows? "What Flower in meadow-ground or garden grows "That to the towering Lily doth not yield? "Let both meet only on thy royal shield! "Go forth, great King! claim what thy birth bestows; 66 Conquer the Gallic Lily which thy foes "Dare to usurp; Thus spake "And Heaven will crown the right.". -The mitred Sire and lo! a Fleet, for Gaul addrest, Ploughs her bold course across the wondering seas; For, sooth to say, ambition, in the breast Of youthful Heroes, is no sullen fire, But one that leaps to meet the fanning breeze. 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 Gathers unblighted strength from hour to hour. ONCE more the Church is seized with sudden fear, Yea, his dry bones to ashes are consumed And flung into the brook that travels near ; Forthwith, that ancient Voice which Streams can hear, "Of Severn, Severn to the narrow seas, “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 titlesplease; "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, Wan cheek, and knees indúrated with prayer, And rob the People of his daily care, Scorning that world whose blindness makes her strong? XIII. YET more, MONASTIC VOLUPTUOUSNESS. round many a Convent's blazing fire Unhallowed threads of revelry are spun ; While Bacchus, clothed in semblance of a Friar, To stay the precious waste. Through every brain Spreads high conceits to madding Fancy dear, Of its grave echoes, swells a choral strain, Whose votive burthen is "OUR KINGDOM'S HERE!" XIV.. DISSOLUTION OF THE MONASTERIES. THREATS Come which no submission may assuage; The tapers shall be quenched, the belfries mute, To stoop her head before these desperate shocks - THE lovely Nun (submissive, but more meek Poured forth, while summer suns at distance shine, *See note, p. 199. YET some, Noviciates of the cloistral shade, Their liquid world, for bold discovery, In all her quarters temptingly displayed! Hope guides the young; but when the old must pass Alms may be needed) which that House bestowed? XVII. SAINTS. YE, too, must fly before a chasing hand, Let not your radiant Shapes desert the Land: The fond heart proffered it the servile heart; Michael, and thou, St. George, whose flaming brand Gales sweet as those that over Eden blew ! |