Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/193

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Straightway, its arms and armour dight,

It sallied forth with will to fight

This hydra, and deliver o’er

The book to judgment; but before

It could with the dread monster close,

The knaves, from out whose brain it rose,

Secured and hid it suddenly,

For well they knew that ne’er could be

Sustained, the lies and follies writ

Therein. What since became of it

None know, for those of whom ’twas born

Have hid it until time be worn,

Hoping perchance, some future day,

Its blasphemies to gloze away.

And now we Antichrist abide,

With will to range us on his side

Whene’er he comes, who do not so

Small chance of life will have I trow.

For soon shall we an army raise

Against them, by our devious ways,

And none who in their folly strive

To curb us shall be left alive,

Whether they by the sword are slain,

Or meet their death through worser pain.

And whither deem ye then must lead

These words which in this book we read?

“The while that Peter towers on high

It needs that John alow must lie.”

But this perceive ye is the husk,

Within, the sense lies, all a-dusk,

And thence will I the marrow draw

To show these men’s unholy law.