Puslapio vaizdai
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Seraphs that wave your swords about my head,
I thank you for your succours! Who art thou

That givest me this gracious admonition ?
Alas! forgive me that I knew thee not,
O Gabriel! I do as thou command'st,
Appealing from this earth and all its powers
To Christ upon the Cross: Oh Name Divine!
Is it Thy will that this the assembled Church
Should ratify these nuptials, yes or no?

A VOICE FROM THE CRUCIFIX.

ABSIT HOC UT FIAT ! ABSIT HOC UT FIAT!

Most of the Assembly fall prostrate. There is a pause of some moments. Then DUNSTAN, who had remained erect, with his hands stretched towards the Crucifix,

resumes.

DUNSTAN.

Oh precious guidance! Oh ineffable grace!

That dost from disobedience deliver

The hearts of even the faithless! We obey,
And these espousals do we now declare
Avoided and accursed. The woman espoused,
By name Elgiva, from the man called Edwy
We separate, and from the Church's pale

We cast her forth, and with her we cast forth

Those three that have been foremost to uphold her,

Earl Athulf, and Earl Leolf, and Earl Sidroc.
Them we proclaim, by sentence of the Pope,
From Christian rites and ministries cut off,
And from the holy Brotherhood of the Just
Sequestered with a curse. Be they accursed!
Accursed be they in all time and place,
Accursed be they in the camp and mart,

Accursed be they in the city and field,
Accursed be their flying and abiding,

Accursed be their waking and their rest—

We curse the hand that feeds them when they hunger,
We curse the arm that props them when they faint ;
Withered and blasted be that hand and arm!
We curse the tongue that speaks to them, the ear
That hears them, though it be but unawares;
Blistered and cankered be that tongue and ear !
The earth in which their bodies shall be buried
We curse, except it cast their bodies out;

We shut the gates of Heaven against their souls,
And as this candle that I fling to the ground,
So be their light extinguished in the Pit!

N

MORCAR and other monks.

Amen! So be it! Be it so ! Amen!

SIDROC (aside to WULFSTAN).

The day is lost-away-skip-scud-begone.

[SIDROC and WULFSTAN, with others of the Secular party, retire amidst the shouts and execrations of the Regulars.

DUNSTAN.

Publish the miracle without the gates;

Declare the sentence of the Pope.

ODO.

Fly hence!

Ye that are Secular! They will rouse the people!
There will be violence and blood. Fly hence.
This Council is dismissed. The grace of God
Be with you all! This Synod is dissolved.

[The scene closes.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

TONBRIDGE CASTLE.

ATHULF and GRIMBALD.

ATHULF.

There-take my truncheon-Thou couldst rule my force

With more acceptance in the general mind

Than I. By Heaven, I am ashamed to see
Such bickerings in a Camp! Give me a cowl
And let me rule a Monastery rather.

GRIMBALD.

There-take my cap and bells-I'll rule your force,

And wisely too; but when I look for love
In change for wisdom from the multitude,

Give me again my good old cap and bells.

ATHULF.

Ah, Fool, you 're right—and that man is not wise
That cannot bear to be accounted foolish.

I must be patient. Yet it frets my heart,
Amongst my many cares, to be reviled
By shallow coxcombs whom I daily save,
Rescue, redeem, snatch from a rubbishy tomb
Amongst the ruins of their wits, pulled down

By their own hands upon their heads, God help them ! Well, I'll be patient. Fetch me the muster-roll.

'Tis ill to bear though.

[Exit GRIMBALD.

Enter SIDROC and WULFSTAN THE WISE.

Ha! my friends in this

At least has Fortune favoured me. I feared

The tidings of our misadventurous Synod

Augured but ill for both of you.

Well met !

Bonfires shall blaze for this. What! 'twas your heels,

I think, that brought you hither?

SIDROC.

As for myself,

When I am frightened I can run with wings,

Fast as an ostrich; but preserve me,

From flying with Philosophy in hand!

ATHULF.

Heaven!

What! was our philosophic friend so slow ?

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