372 Readings in European History And when he had thus done he did bringe out a booke, Which booke had titles seven, and seven sealles sealled well, And with a stedfast eye badde me therein to looke, And see therbie what I to all the world should tell. Of bisshopes' life and trade, this book hathe right good skill, As by the sealles thereof more plainlie dothe appeare, For in the inner part is hidd all that is ill, But to the outeward shewe all godlie thinges appeare. Anon a certaine power there was that opened cleare The formost chapter's scale, and then I did espie Foure beasts, whose shape eche one unlike to other were, But nothinge yet at all in gesture contrarie. The first of theise four beasts a lion semde to be, The secund like a caulfe, the third an eagle stout, The fourthe was like a man ; and they had wings to flie, And full of eyen they were, and turnd like wheeles about. And when unclosed was the first sealles knotte anon, And I perused well the chapter thorough cleare, And aftir that I bent my whole sight thereupon, Whereof the title was as here it may appeare. The lion is the Pope, that useth to devoure, And laiethe his bookes to pledge and thirsteth aftir gold, And dothe regard the marke, but sainct Marke dishonor, And while he sailes alofte on coyne takes anker holde. And to the Bisshoppe in the caulfe that we did see, For he dothe runne before in pasture, feild, and fenne, And gnawes and chewes on that where he list best to be, And thus he filles himselfe with goodes of other men. Th' Archdeacon is likewise the egell that dothe flie, A robber rightlie cald, and sees a-farre his praie, And aftir it with speed dothe follow by and by, And so by theft and spoile he leades his life awaie.
