Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066; Middle Ages -- Sources
§ 33. And likewise, O thou dragon of the island, who hast deprived many
tyrants, as well of their kingdoms as of their lives, and though the
last-mentioned in my writing, the first in mischief, exceeding many in
power, and also in malice, more liberal than others in giving, more
licentious in sinning, strong in arms, but stronger in working thine own
soul's destruction, Maglocune,[245] why art thou (as if soaked in the
wine of the Sodomitical grape) foolishly rolling in that black pool of
thine offences? Why dost thou wilfully heap like a mountain, upon thy
kingly shoulders, such a load of sins? Why dost thou show thyself unto
the King of kings (who hath made thee as well in kingdom as in stature
of body higher than almost all the other chiefs of Britain) not better
likewise in virtues than the rest; but on the contrary for thy sins much
worse? Listen then awhile and hear patiently the following enumeration
of thy deeds, wherein I will not touch any domestic and light offences
(if yet any of them are light) but only those open ones which are spread
far and wide in the knowledge of all men. Didst not thou, in the very
beginning of thy youth, terribly oppress with sword, spear, and fire,
the king thine uncle, together with his courageous bands of soldiers,
whose countenances in battle were not unlike those of young lions? Not
regarding the words of the prophet, who says, "The blood-thirsty and
deceitful men shall not live out half their days;" and even if the
sequel of thy sins were not such as ensued, yet what retribution couldst
thou expect for this offence only at the hands of the just Judge, who
hath said by his prophet: "Woe be to thee who spoilest, and shalt not
thou thyself be spoiled? and thou who killest, shalt not thyself be
killed? and when thou shalt make an end of thy spoiling, then shalt thou
thyself fall."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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