10 Known to the moral world, Imagination, Upheave, so seems it, from her natural station All Christendom:-they sweep along (was never So huge a host!)—to tear from the Unbeliever The precious Tomb, their haven of salvation. XXXV. RICHARD I. 5 REDOUBTED King, of courage leonine, 9 XXXVI. AN INTERDICT. REALMS quake by turns: proud Arbitress of grace, The Church, by mandate shadowing forth the power She arrogates o'er heaven's eternal door, Straight from the sun and tainted air's embrace All sacred things are covered: cheerful morn Grows sad as night-no seemly garb is worn, Nor is a face allowed to meet a face With natural smiles of greeting. dumb; Bells are 10 Ditches are graves-funereal rites denied ; And comfortless despairs the soul benumb. XXXVII. PAPAL ABUSES. As with the Stream our voyage we pursue, crown, 10 Sceptre and mantle, sword and ring laid down At a proud Legate's feet! The spears that line Baronial halls the opprobrious insult feel; And angry Ocean roars a vain appeal. XXXVIII. SCENE IN VENICE. BLACK Demons hovering o'er his mitred head, To Cæsar's Successor the Pontiff spake ; 46 Ere I absolve thee, stoop! that on thy neck Levelled with earth this foot of mine may tread." Then he, who to the altar had been led, 5 He, whose strong arm the Orient could not check, He, who had held the Soldan at his beck, And even the common dignity of man!- turn Their eyes away in sorrow, others burn With scorn, invoking a vindictive ban 10 From outraged Nature; but the sense of most In abject sympathy with power is lost. XXXIX. PAPAL DOMINION. UNLESS to Peter's Chair the viewless wind Must come and ask permission when to blow, What further empire would it have? for now A ghostly Domination, unconfined As that by dreaming Bards to Love assigned, 5 Sits there in sober truth-to raise the low, Perplex the wise, the strong to overthrow; Through earth and heaven to bind and to unbind ! Resist the thunder quails thee!—crouch rebuff Shall be thy recompense! from land to land 10 The ancient thrones of Christendom are stuff For occupation of a magic wand, And 'tis the Pope that wields it:—whether rough Or smooth his front, our world is in his hand! PART II. TO THE CLOSE OF THE TROUBLES IN THE REIGN OF CHARLES I. I. How soon-alas! did Man, created pure- Weeds on whose front the world had fixed her sign. O Man, if with thy trials thus it fares, II. FROM false assumption rose, and fondly hailed tower 5 Brute rapine, or with gentle lure she tames. Justice and Peace through Her uphold their claims; And Chastity finds many a sheltering bower. Realm there is none that if controlled or sway'd By her commands partakes not, in degree, 10 Tho' miserably, oft monstrously, abused III. CISTERTIAN MONASTERY. 5 "HERE Man more purely lives, less oft doth fall, A gentler life spreads round the holy spires; IV. DEPLORABLE his lot who tills the ground, 1 See Note. |