 | Later Lyrics |  |
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PERUGIA.
Remember ye Perugia, where Raphael dwelt in years
Whose visions crowded on his brain, ere praise amazed his ears;
Where, ripening fast, a Virgin in his master's style he drew,
With Babe and Prayer-book in her hands, and heavy hood of blue?
Whose visions crowded on his brain, ere praise amazed his ears;
Where, ripening fast, a Virgin in his master's style he drew,
With Babe and Prayer-book in her hands, and heavy hood of blue?
Oh! saw you e'er the Switzers stand in helmed and jerkined row,
When Christ's meek vicar up the aisle of holy church would go?
Bull-necked and brutal-featured they, ferocious, bold and strong,—
Their only faith the pound of flesh that's paid for, right or wrong.
When Christ's meek vicar up the aisle of holy church would go?
Bull-necked and brutal-featured they, ferocious, bold and strong,—
Their only faith the pound of flesh that's paid for, right or wrong.
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I've seen them when that church was thronged with pageants grand and gay;
When royal rank, and worldly fame, and beauty there held sway:
The columns wavered in the smoke, the banners hung aloof,
And the golden song effaced from mind the glories of the roof.
When royal rank, and worldly fame, and beauty there held sway:
The columns wavered in the smoke, the banners hung aloof,
And the golden song effaced from mind the glories of the roof.
My soul was drunk with harmony, my senses swam and reeled:
It may be, when the trump did sound, that down I sank and kneeled;
Yet thought I, when I marked those men in cuirass and in sword,
“How little is the Vicar's state remindful of his Lord!
It may be, when the trump did sound, that down I sank and kneeled;
Yet thought I, when I marked those men in cuirass and in sword,
“How little is the Vicar's state remindful of his Lord!
No need to keep the people from his mild and harmless way;
They touched his garments for relief, and were not warned away;
And, when his hour of danger came, he put defence to shame,
Commanding, ‘Sheathe again thy sword, or perish by the same!’”
They touched his garments for relief, and were not warned away;
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Commanding, ‘Sheathe again thy sword, or perish by the same!’”
They came to old Perugia, that helmed and jerkined pack;
They came with murder in their hearts, and armor at their back;
They shot the men about the streets, the women at their fire,
The infant at its mother's knee, child, wife, and aged sire.
They came with murder in their hearts, and armor at their back;
They shot the men about the streets, the women at their fire,
The infant at its mother's knee, child, wife, and aged sire.
The streets ran blood in every house some ghastly corpse was seen.
The passing traveller saved his life by a forgotten screen;
And, when the fiends have done their work, to Rome they take their way;
The Pope doth welcome them again, and gladly counts their pay.
The passing traveller saved his life by a forgotten screen;
And, when the fiends have done their work, to Rome they take their way;
The Pope doth welcome them again, and gladly counts their pay.
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Remember well Perugia, thou Old World and thou New!
The Vicar's visitation this,—such care he takes of you,
Ye of no sin accused or tried, warped to no heresy,
Guilty of nothing but the sweet contagion of the free.
The Vicar's visitation this,—such care he takes of you,
Ye of no sin accused or tried, warped to no heresy,
Guilty of nothing but the sweet contagion of the free.
Remember, ye who deeply think, and ye who greatly dare;
Remember, ye who talk with God in poesy and prayer;
For he's the lie of all the earth, that false Pope, pride-enthroned,
Begirt with flaming cardinals, an idol, serpent-zoned.
Remember, ye who talk with God in poesy and prayer;
For he's the lie of all the earth, that false Pope, pride-enthroned,
Begirt with flaming cardinals, an idol, serpent-zoned.
'Tis time that Christ should come again, and sweep his temple clean,
And rend the glittering robes that hide a fable poor and mean.
His Church was not a fortress armed, to deal out death and dread;
Nor yet a mummy sepulchre, where men adore the dead:
And rend the glittering robes that hide a fable poor and mean.
His Church was not a fortress armed, to deal out death and dread;
Nor yet a mummy sepulchre, where men adore the dead:
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It was—but ere our creeds grow wise, let once our arms be strong
To fling beyond the hating world this monstrous curse and wrong.
Sweet Christ, let faithless Peter sink, forgotten, like a stone;
And the fair ship move swiftly on, afloat with thee alone!
To fling beyond the hating world this monstrous curse and wrong.
Sweet Christ, let faithless Peter sink, forgotten, like a stone;
And the fair ship move swiftly on, afloat with thee alone!
My country, let no hoary lie for refuge come to you!
The things that were have had their day; the things that are, are true.
While women kiss the jewelled hand, and praise the broidered hem,
Let men bring back the heart of Christ, that lives for us and them.
The things that were have had their day; the things that are, are true.
While women kiss the jewelled hand, and praise the broidered hem,
Let men bring back the heart of Christ, that lives for us and them.
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