XIII. PRAISED be the Rivers, from their mountain springs And in our caverns smooth thy ruffled wings!" XIV. WALDENSES. THOSE had given earliest notice, as the lark By striking out a solitary spark, When all the world with midnight gloom was dark.— Then followed the Waldensian bands, whom Hate In vain endeavours to exterminate, Whom Obloquy pursues with hideous bark": XV. ARCHBISHOP CHICHELY TO HENRY V. "WHAT beast in wilderness or cultured field "The lively beauty of the leopard shows? "Let both meet only on thy royal shield! "Go forth, great King! claim what thy birth bestows; Conquer the Gallic lily which thy foes "Dare to usurp ;-thou hast a sword to wield, "And Heaven will crown the right."-The mitred Sire Thus spake 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. * See Note. XVI. WARS OF YORK AND LANCASTER. THUS is the storm abated by the craft The Church, whose power hath recently been checked, So the shaft Of victory mounts high, and blood is quaffed XVII. WICLIFFE. ONCE more the Church is seized with sudden fear, And at her call is Wicliffe disinhumed: Yea, his dry bones to ashes are consumed And flung into the brook that travels near; Forthwith, that ancient Voice which Streams can hear Thus speaks (that Voice which walks upon the wind, Though seldom heard by busy human kind)— "As thou these ashes, little Brook! wilt bear "Into the Avon, Avon to the tide "Of Severn, Severn to the narrow seas, "Into main Ocean they, this deed accurst "An emblem yields to friends and enemies "How the bold Teacher's Doctrine, sanctified "By truth, shall spread, throughout the world dispersed." XVIII. 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 titles please; "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'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. Alas! of fearful things XIX. 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? XX. MONASTIC VOLUPTUOUSNESS. YET more,-round many a Convent's blazing fire There Venus sits disguised like a Nun,— |