 | Edwin the Fair |  |
Scene VIII
—The Synodal Chamber.—The first only of those who passed from the Hall into the Gallery in the preceding scene are present at the opening of this. At the further end, within a silver rail, is the Shrine of St. Austin, with its cross. At the hither end, near the door, are the High Gerefa and the Doorkeeper.
Gerefa.
So—bar the door; all those we want we have,
And more.
Doorkeeper.
The gallery without is full,
And none are there but have the Archbishop's pass.
Gerefa.
Too many have it. Bar the doors. What's this?
The precinct of St. Austin's Shrine is dark.
It should be lighted.
Doorkeeper.
Yea, Sir, and it was.
Gerefa.
And who put out the lights?
Doorkeeper.
I know not that.
Gerefa.
Well; bar the doors.
Doorkeeper.
I cannot for this friar.
Gerefa.
Then let him pass.
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'Twill scarce be he alone.
[The Friar enters, and is followed by Sidroc, Wulfstan,and others.
Gerefa.
What, more and more! I tell thee, shut them out.
[The doors are closed.
Now, let us all with all our best of breath
Shout, “Silence!”
[Shouts of “Silence!”
In the name and by the power
Of holiest Mother Church, I here declare
This Synod opened. The Archbishop speaks.
Odo.
Friends, brethren, helpmates, councillors in Christ!
The dangers and divisions of the Church
Have called you hither. Be ye all as one.
For though the letter of citation saith
“Semotis Laicis,” yet to one end
Are we assembled all,—concord and peace,
And whosoever hath God's peace at heart,
Him we rejoice to meet.
Since last I saw you here, that virtuous King,
The godly Edred, hath been hence translated,
And Edwin hath succeeded, who is young.
King Edwin, Sirs, descended of a house
Illustrious no less for piety
Than earthly honours, could not but abound,
At first and by the fashioning of nature,
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He, through the easiness of youth betrayed
To bad advice and making haste to err,
Did what was not convenient in a King.
For first from many a monastery, sown
Throughout the land in Edred's bounteous reign,
With violence and with force of arms he drave
Our Benedictine brethren—not alone
Them that were placed by Edred in the shoes
Of seculars that by Edred were expulsed,
But ancient men that had been there aforetime.
And next, Sirs, which is chiefly what concerns
Our present meeting,—next, Sirs, did he marry;
And whom, Sirs, did he marry? One like himself,
Though doubtless graced with many virtues, young
And erring, and in nothing more astray
Than in this marriage; being, as they are,
Cousins in the second degree and undispensed.
This marriage, Sirs, contracted by surprise,
Was scandalous, as ye know, to all good men
And grievous to the Church; and weighing well
What evil fruit to these and after times
Might of its hasty consummation grow,
We deem'd it best that this unbedded bride
Should visit Chester, there to live recluse
Until the assembled Church of what had chanced
Were advertised. 'Tis therefore ye are here.
Councillors in Christ, the cause ye meet to judge
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Sidroc
(aside to Wulfstan).
Stop; Cumba fumbles with the folds of his alb;
I think he'll speak; withhold yourself awhile.
Odo.
Sirs, I await your censures. For myself
I humbly seek instruction, which till I glean
From worthier men, my judgment shall be dumb.
Cumba.
Most holy fathers and my brethren all!
To most of you 'tis known that from my youth
I have revered the regulars; excellent men,
Whom though to imitate had been in me
Alas! a vain endeavour, yet to praise
Has been my constant care. Sirs, of this praise
And of this reverence and constant care
I will not bate a jot; for what I was
At first, I am, and will be evermore.
But to the end unchangeable, the ways
Are various as the paths upon the sea;
And though 'tis by the stars the vessel steers,
Yet lies she with the wind. The choice of ways
That opens to you now, doth split itself
Into two opposites—the ways of war,
The ways of peace; and who betwixt the twain
Shall stand with dubious or divided heart?
When has the Church been prosperous but in peace?
What multiplies the monasteries? Peace.
What breeds endowments, treasures, and demesnes?
Why, peace. Then shall we not consult for peace?
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War that ev'n now stands knocking at the gate
Must then be bid come in; nor present blows
Shall arbitrate an end, but years unborn
May in the issue of this marriage see
A hand, a sword, a claimant of the crown,
A cause of strife. I grant the marriage rash;
But out of common life this lesson cull:
A marriage unadvisedly contracted
By a hot stripling, in the parent's heart
Kindles a flame at first; but useless ire
Is transient with the wise; for were it not,
Age should in anger more exorbitate
Than youth in love. The parent pacified
Binds by a frank forgiveness to himself
In bonds of gratitude his erring son:
And even as he his son, I deem the Church
With reconciling and reclaiming love
Shall conquer back the King. My humble voice,
Bending to better judgments, thus concludes.
Morcar.
O thou dead fly that spoilest the pot! O grub!
O maggot gendered in a serpent's slime!
God spat thee out for being neither hot nor cold,
Thou Mammon's friend, and Lucifer licked thee up.
Woe to thee, Judas! Art thou not accursed?
Thou dippest with us in the dish, but lo!
Thou has betrayed us for a piece of money!
O shame! O sin! O havoc to the Church!
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For thou art soaked and saturate with sin.
Odo.
Forbear him, brother.
Morcar.
O thou filthy rag!
Odo.
I say, forbear him.
Godredud.
Brother, art thou mad?
He is no traitor, but a faithful priest.
Why dost thou rail upon him thus!
Odo.
Forbear!
Morcar.
Cry out and cease not! saith the voice I hear—
Search out the sleights of Bel and slay the Dragon;
And who saith, Cease, be dumb!
Odo.
I say it, brother;
Yea, I command thee, cease. Our brother Monn
Is wishful to be heard; speak, brother Monn.
Monn.
My loving friends and brethren, we are met
Upon this marriage, not to speak our own
But to declare God's judgments, never yet
Made manifest by such apparent signs,
Such prodigies and portents. Think, oh, think
Upon the darkness of that marriage day!
Throughout the land a dismal horror spread;
In Essex it rained blood; at Evesham
An image of the Virgin, as ye know,
Was seen to weep and sweat and lift its hands
And roll its eyes; at Selsey and at Wells
The vault of heaven was fill'd with falling stars,
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Have we forgotten that these things befel,
Or know we not their import? Then, alas!
Are we more careless of the cause of God
Than Gallio, more blind than Elymas.
But if we bear in mind that such things were,
We must not, dare not, judge what God hath judged.
Godredud.
The worthy Abbot, by my faith, my Lords,
Doth excellently well to bid us weigh
These miracles and signs. They signified,
Doubtless, some untoward events, my Lords;
But what those untoward events should be
Behoves us not too rashly to deliver;
Divisions in the realm, it may be, war,
Implacable revenge and hatred dire
And wrath which wills not that its wounds be healed.
The birthday of a progeny like this
Would doubtless teem with warnings, which to blink
Or read awry should work us infinite woe.
But to those premonitions further signs
Constructive and illustrative succeed;
And now two armies in the south and west
Auspiciously afoot, give countenance
To Edwin's cause as favoured from above,
And warn us, if fair terms of composition
Be offered, not to spurn them.
Sidroc.
(aside to Wulfstan).
Now, now, now;
Stand up and speak—produce them.
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Here they are,
Most noble Godredud; here are the terms:
“I, Athulf, Earl, intent on sparing life,
But purposing to lodge on Ludgate Hill
At latest in three days, to all concerned
Send greeting and say thus: All regulars,
Since Edred's death supplanted, may return,
Save those who did themselves, in Edred's reign,
Supplant in benefices duly holden
The secular incumbents; the new Queen
Shall be received, and so soon as the Pope
Shall grant his dispensation, shall be crowned:
Which yielded, no man in his life or goods
Shall answer for the past.”—My Lords and friends,
These are the terms I bring you from Earl Athulf,
And I am Wulfstan.
[Acclamations from the Secular party, mingled with shouts of rage and execrations from the other.
Brethren, hear me speak;
Brethren and friends, I fain would speak to you;
My friends and brethren, hear me, I beseech you.
Odo.
My sons, this passion and this noise I hold
Unworthy this assembly. Hear him speak,
For he was never factious nor inflamed
Against us, and 'tis just that he be heard.
[Acclamations from the Seculars.
Wulfstan.
I am not factious, brethren, nor inflamed,
For my abode was always, so to say,
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Monn.
Fie upon thee, Pagan!
Oh, but I know thee and thy place full well.
Wulfstan.
On Mount Olympus with the Muses nine
I ever dwelt . . .
Monks.
He doth confess it! Lo!
He doth confess it! Faggots and a stake!
He is a Heathen—shall a Heathen speak?
Morcar.
I hear a voice that saith, “Make lime of his bones.”
Sidroc.
Sirs, ye mistake him; he is a pious priest,
And what he means to say is merely this:
Against your orders and your monasteries
He speaks not; but he deems that holiest men,
If they would flourish in this warlike world,
Must feed within a fence of secular swords;
And better were it for you to engulf
But half the kingdom's treasure, so begirt,
Than to be left defenceless with the whole,
And thus be fattened but to feed the Dane.
He bids you know that in this land this day
He finds more fat than bones, more monks than men:
I have taken the words of Fuller: “Indeed, one may safely affirm that the multitudes of monasteries invited the invasion and facilitated the conquest of the Danes over England . . . . because England had at this time more flesh or fat than bones, wherein the strength of a body consists; more monks than military men.” — Church History, Book ii. s. 51
He bids you to the seaboard look, where now
A fleet of Northmen, fifty-six tall ships,
Hang in St. George's Channel, waiting there
Till half the land shall cut each other's throats
And leave the other half a spoil to them.
Bethink you, then; escape ye hardly may
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Athulf and Leolf; but this granted you,
Ye do but fall a weak and present prey
To Sweyne and Olaf; wherefore make your choice
And thrive in peace or brave a twofold ruin.
Priest.
Well said!
Monk.
Who's this?
Another.
A lambskin man he is;
A fellow that puts his legs in lambskin hose.
Morcar.
The Lord shall smite him with the botch of Egypt.
Several Secular priests
(joined by some of the Monks, amidst clamour and confusion).
We will have peace; we are not men of blood;
Are we not Christians all? The Dane—the Dane!
Are we not servants of the Prince of Peace?
The Northmen are upon us—Olaf and Sweyne!
[Dunstan throws himself on his knees and bows his head to the ground.
Sidroc.
(aside to Wulfstan).
He bends before the storm.
Wulfstan.
Will he not speak?
Sidroc.
I know not—yes—he is in act to hatch
A brood of pestilent words; yea, is he not?
He stirs, he moves—few moments are enough.
Wulfstan.
They say a louse that's but three minutes old
May be a grandsire; with no less a speed
Do foul thoughts gender.
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Ha! we'll see anon—
Faith of my body! up he goes—sit—sit.
Dunstan
(rising slowly).
I groan in spirit. Brethren, seek not in me
Support or counsel. The whole head is sick,
The whole heart faint, and trouble and rebuke
Come round about me, thrusting at my soul.
But, brethren, if long years of penance sore,
For your sake suffered, be remembered now,
Deem me not utterly of God forsaken,
Deem not yourselves forsaken; lift up your hearts;
See where ye stand on earth; see how in heaven
Ye are regarded. Ye are the sons of God,
The order of Melchisedeck, the law,
The visible structure of the world of spirit,
Which was, and is, and must be; all things else
Are casual, and monarchs come and go,
And warriors for a season walk the earth,
By accident; for these are accidental,
But ye eternal; ye are the soul of the world,
Ye are the course of nature consecrate,
Ye are the Church; one spirit is throughout you,
And Christendom is with you in all lands.
Who comes against you? 'Scaped from Hell's confine
A wandering rebel, fleeting past the sun,
Darkens the visage of the spouse of Christ.
But 'tis but for a moment; he consumed
Shall vanish like a vapour, she divulged
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The thrones and principalities of earth,
When stood they that they stood not with the aid
Of us and them before us? Azarias,
Azias, Amaziah, Saul himself,
Fell they not headlong when they fell from us?
And Oza, he that did but touch the ark?
Oh, then, what sin for me, what sin for you,
For me victorious in a thousand fights
Against this foe, for you as oft redeemed,
That now we falter! Do we falter? No!
Thou God that art within me when I conquer,
I feel Thee fill me now! Angelic host,
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;
All earthly counsels I renounce, abjure,
And utterly abhor. I ask of God,
Is it His will that this His chosen Church
Shall ratify these nuptials? Hark! oh, hark!
Nay, heard ye not a voice? Oh, Earth, be still!
Again and louder—Absit hoc ut fiat!
A voice
from the precinct of St. Austin's Shrine.
Absit hoc ut fiat!
Dunstan.
Wondrous word!
Oh, precious guidance! Oh, ineffable grace!
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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 Edwin
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,
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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.
| Edwin the Fair | |