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

Straightway, its arms and armour dight,
It sallied forth with will to fight
This hydra, and deliver o’er
The book to judgment; but before12490
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.12500

Antichrist looked for 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.12510
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.