POPE CELESTIN AND GIORDANO
With barren service.
Gio.(Ay, past help of mine!)
I pray you then, my lord, that of your grace
I may speak with the Cardinal Orsino
As in your name; he loves me well, there's none
Of more swift judgment and deliberate act,
Nor who serves justice better.
Cel.Yea, my lord,
You shall have letters to the cardinal;
A good man, who hath slain the flesh of sin—
A good man, certainly no son of Christ
Hath done more service, is more ripe for grace.
He hath looked seldom on the evil thing
To hunger for it in the bond of lust
Or violence of the keen iniquitous will:
I'll send him letters—yea, a man of grace,
A pillar fairly carven of wrought stone
All builded without hammer, clean and fair
To do God honour, and accredit us
The builder of him: for his judgment, sir,
That shall you test, but all grow old in time.
Ay, soon or late God fashions us anew
By some good pattern; so shall all get made
Fit to be welded stone by shapen stone
Into the marvellous Jerusalem wall
That shall be builded. A good man, I said,
But somewhat older than he was, meseems,
That shall you notice; let him not suspect
That I misdoubt him, sir; he hath been wise
Gio.(Ay, past help of mine!)
I pray you then, my lord, that of your grace
I may speak with the Cardinal Orsino
As in your name; he loves me well, there's none
Of more swift judgment and deliberate act,
Nor who serves justice better.
Cel.Yea, my lord,
You shall have letters to the cardinal;
A good man, who hath slain the flesh of sin—
A good man, certainly no son of Christ
Hath done more service, is more ripe for grace.
He hath looked seldom on the evil thing
To hunger for it in the bond of lust
Or violence of the keen iniquitous will:
I'll send him letters—yea, a man of grace,
A pillar fairly carven of wrought stone
All builded without hammer, clean and fair
To do God honour, and accredit us
The builder of him: for his judgment, sir,
That shall you test, but all grow old in time.
Ay, soon or late God fashions us anew
By some good pattern; so shall all get made
Fit to be welded stone by shapen stone
Into the marvellous Jerusalem wall
That shall be builded. A good man, I said,
But somewhat older than he was, meseems,
That shall you notice; let him not suspect
That I misdoubt him, sir; he hath been wise
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