Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/194

Peter and John Peter, our holy Father is,
The Pope, and secular clerks, ywis,12520
Defenders of the law of Christ.
And John, the Friars, and those enticed
Within their toils, who boldly say,
The ‘Eternal Gospel’ is the way
By which men may ascend to heaven,
And by the Holy Ghost ’tis given.
The power of John these recreants teach
To be the gospel that they preach
To call back sinners gone astray
From out the path of God’s highway.12530
And many a wicked devilry
Straightly commanded may one see
Within this book of froth and foam,
Against the holy law of Rome;
For Antichrist doth dwell within
The covers of this book of sin.
Men are exhorted there to slay
All those who Peter’s rule obey;
But howsoever they assail
His law, hell gates shall not prevail12540
Against it, but it still shall stand,
A beacon unto every land,
And those who hold it fast shall be
God’s people everlastingly;
While their law, miscalled John’s, shall fall
Deserted and accurst of all.
But of this matter will I stay
My words—too much there is to say.
But if that book had taken root,
Most marvellously well ’twould suit12550