Читать книгу The Political Songs of England: From the Reign of John to That of Edward II - Various - Страница 18

[From the same folio of the same MS.]

Licet æger cum ægrotis,

Et ignotus cum ignotis,

Fungar tamen vice totis,

Jus usurpans sacerdotis;

flete, Syon filiæ,

præsides ecclesiæ

imitantur hodie

Christum a remotis.

Jacet ordo clericalis

In respectu laicalis,

Sponsa Christi fit venalis,

Generosa generalis;

veneunt altaria,

venit eucharistia,

cum sit nugatoria

Gratia venalis.

Donum Dei non donatur

Nisi gratis conferatur;

Quod qui vendit vel mercatur,

Lepra Syri vulneratur;

quem sic ambit ambitus,

ydolorum servitus

templo sancti spiritus

Non compaginatur.

In diebus juventutis

Timent annos senectutis,

Ne fortuna destitutis

Desit eis splendor cutis.

Sed dum quærunt medium,

vertunt in contrarium,

fallit enim vitium

Specie virtutis.

Tu qui tenes hunc tenorem,

Frustra dicis te pastorem;

Nec te regis ut rectorem,

Rerum mersus in ardorem:

Hæc est alia

sanguisugæ filia,

quam venalis curia

Duxit in uxorem.

Translation.—Although sick with those who are sick, and unknown with those who are unknown, yet I will assume all characters in turn, usurping the right of the priest: weep, ye daughters of Sion, the bishops of the church at the present day are but remote imitators of Christ!

The clerical order is debased in respect of the laity; the spouse of Christ is made venal,—she that is noble, common; the altars are for sale; the eucharist is for sale, although venal grace is vain and frivolous.

God’s gift is not given if it be not conferred gratis; and he who sells and makes merchandise of it, is, in so doing, struck with the leprosy of Syrus; the service of idols, at which his ambition thus aims, may not be engrafted on the temple of the Holy Spirit.

In their days of youth, they look forwards to old age with fear, lest, deserted by fortune, they possess no longer their sleek skin. But while they seek the mean, they turn into the contrary extreme; for vice deceives them in the guise of virtue.

Thou who holdest this course, vainly thou callest thyself a pastor; neither doest thou govern thyself like a ruler, immersed in the heat of temporary affairs; she is another—daughter of the leech, whom the venal court has taken to wife.

The following is another bitter satire on the vices of the great, during the reign of Henry III. Who were the four brothers against whom the song is more particularly directed, would not be easily ascertained without other particulars besides those here furnished.