Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/411

 I Heresy and the Friars 375 St. Peter's chair is filled to-day as well As when 'twas fouled by Gerbert's sorcery ; * For he consigned himself alone to hell, While this pope thither drags all Christentie. Why are the chastisements of Heaven delayed? How long wilt thou in slumber lie, O Lord? Thy work is hindered and thy word gainsaid, Thy treasurer steals the wealth that thou hast stored. Thy ministers rob here and murder there, And o'er thy sheep a wolf has shepherd's care. 147. Wal- ther von der Vogelweide on the prac- tices of the popes. A belated troubadour in the early fourteenth century thus denounces all classes of the clergy : I see the pope his sacred trust betray, For while the rich his grace can gain alway, His favors from the poor are aye withholden. He strives to gather wealth as best he may, Forcing Christ's people blindly to obey, So that he may repose in garments golden. The vilest traffickers in souls are all His chapmen, and for gold a prebend's stall He '11 sell them, or an abbacy or miter. And to us he sends clowns and tramps who crawl Vending his pardon briefs from cot to hall Letters and pardons worthy of the writer, Which leaves our pokes, if not our souls, the lighter. No better is each honored cardinal. From early morning's dawn to evening's fall, Their time is passed in eagerly contriving To drive some bargain foul with each and all. So if you feel a want, or great or small, Or if for some preferment you are striving, 148. A trou- badour's de- scription of the abuses in the Church. (From a poem by Raimon de Cornet.) The cardi- nals. 1 A reference to Pope Sylvester II (see above, p. 220), who was popu- larly supposed to have practiced magical arts.