The Anatomie of the Romane Clergie or, a Discoverie of the Abvses Thereof. Written in Latine by sundrie Authors of their owne profession. And Translated into English verse by G. L. [i.e. George Lauder] |
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CERTAINE VERSES TAKEN OVT OF THE EPISTLES of Francis Petrarch, Archdeacon of Parma,
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 | The Anatomie of the Romane Clergie |  |
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CERTAINE VERSES TAKEN OVT OF THE EPISTLES of Francis Petrarch, Archdeacon of Parma,
which were sine titulo, written to his friend whom he might not name for feare of the Romane Clergie.
My friend, you craue to vnderstandNew Romes estate in this our Land:
My pen cannot such skill obtaine,
Nor Cicero, if liue againe,
Of that great Court t'expresse the glory
Vnparallel'd by any storie.
For, what you ere haue read of old,
Or by report hath bene you told,
Of Babylon that Towre of pride,
Where the Caldeans did abide,
Or of the vncouth Labyrinthes foure,
Possessed by the Minotaure,
Or of Auernus filthie floud,
Or of the Lake where Sodome stood,
Compar'd with this, they are but fables,
Reported by some fooles at tables,
Here is blaspheming Nimrod seene,
Here is Semyramis the Queene:
Here Minos sits as Iudge most fell,
And Radamantus scourge of hell:
Foule Cerberus the gate doth keepe,
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Whereof proceeds a monstrous race,
Where Minotaurus keepes the place.
So to be short, in former time,
What Poets haue set forth in ryme,
Of monsters which before came out,
In it are seene to go about.
Thy vertue brought thee to renowne,
Most happie thou that left'st the Towne.
If you suppose the Citie be
In the same forme you did it see,
You are deceiu'd much in that case,
Although it stands in that same place.
Of old it did abound with euils,
But now it is a den of diuels,
A sinke of sinne, a gulfe of paine,
For those that still in it remaine.
Ceasse to admire, when as I call
This Babylon the chiefe of all:
Where can that Tower be placed best,
But in the quarters of the West,
Inhabited as we now see,
By people full of villanie?
Beleeue me well, here in it dwels
A Tyrant who in pride excels,
More cruell then Cambyses King,
Or the great Turke, whose wrath doth ring.
Here are strange labrinthes in great store,
Mens soules in darknesse to deflore.
Here Venus with her wanton toyes,
Is honour'd with base bauds and boyes:
Adultrie, whoredome and incest,
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And counted but for sports and playes,
Euen with our Prelats of these dayes.
The wife is rauish'd from her spouse,
And to the Papall seate she bowes.
The poore good man must leaue the Towne,
Such ordinances are set downe:
And when her bellie riseth hié,
By Cardinals who with her lye,
The husband must not dare complaine,
But take his wife with child againe.
All vertue is trod vnder foote,
And out of doores all truth is shut:
Where one mans fauour is so sought,
And with such flatterie dearely bought:
Where bad men are esteemed best,
And the poore iust man sore opprest:
The God of heauen is chac't away,
And gold and siluer beare the sway.
Gold is the salue for euery sore,
It makes pròud kings to bragge no more.
By gold heau'n gates are open set,
And who giues most, doth pardon get.
Euen Christ himselfe for gold is sold,
And miracles wrought manifold.
Came Iudas to this Court most trimme,
Bringing his thirtie pence with him,
He'le be more welcome by Saint Steuen,
Then all the Saints that are in heauen.
The Church of Christ, which was the place
From whence did flow all health and grace,
To tell the truth my heart it grieues,
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Our Epicures with ducking nods,
Do mocke Religion, scorne the Gods.
Of heauenly ioyes when they heare tell,
And of the paines that are in hell,
They thinke it but a merrie iest,
Deuised by some idle Priest.
The resurrection of the dead,
And to be iudg'd by Christ our head,
They hold them but as fained visions,
Dreames of old wiues or apparitions.
If God of heauen do not preuent
The perils which are imminent,
His house shall be in danger brought,
And all his worship turnd to nought:
I plainly see, I dare not say,
What trechrous meanes and subtill way,
This Dionysius hath in heart,
Our Syracusa to subuert:
And what a miter made of lead,
Semyramis puts on her head,
For to enchant her louers so,
That to her vile embrácements go.
Whereby all men of honest hearts,
Are fled and banisht from these parts.
The Romans vsed of old t'eschue
Such places where most pleasure grew:
So bent they were in all degree,
To traine their youth vp vertuouslie.
Since so it is, who will not then
Flie farre from Babylon, that den,
Where mischiefe and all infamie
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I speake of things seene with mine eyes,
Not heard by eares, nor tales, nor lyes.
Thus farre I briefly haue set downe,
The Court of Rome, state of our Towne,
To you my friend, though not so plaine,
As by mens liues that heare remaine
You might discerne and plainly see
The whole abuse of this Citie.
Wherefore in end I you exhort,
Take this for truth which I report;
If of thy soule thou hast a care,
Let not thy mind thinke to come there
Where neuer man could learne or see
True vertue no nor pietie.
FINIS.
| The Anatomie of the Romane Clergie | |