Unless to Peter's Chair the viewless wind[114] Must come and ask permission when to blow, What further empire would it have? for now A ghostly Domination, unconfined As that by dreaming Bards to Love assigned, 5 Sits there in sober truth--to raise the low, Perplex the wise, the strong to overthrow; Through earth and heaven to bind and to unbind!-- Resist--the thunder quails thee!--crouch--rebuff Shall be thy recompense! from land to land 10 The ancient thrones of Christendom are stuff For occupation of a magic wand, And 'tis the Pope that wields it:--whether rough Or smooth his front, our world is in his hand![115] FOOTNOTES: [114] Compare _Measure for Measure_, act III. scene i. l. 124.--ED. [115] According to the canons of the Church, the Pope was above all kings, "He was king of kings and lord of lords, although he subscribed himself the servant of servants." He might dethrone kings, and tax nations, or destroy empires, as he pleased. All power had been committed to him, and any secular law that was opposed to a papal decree was, _ipso facto_, null and void.--ED. PART II TO THE CLOSE OF THE TROUBLES IN THE REIGN OF CHARLES I. I "HOW SOON--ALAS! DID MAN, CREATED PURE" Published 1845 How soon--alas! did Man, created pure-- By Angels guarded, deviate from the line Prescribed to duty:--woeful forfeiture[116] He made by wilful breach of law divine. With like perverseness did the Church abjure 5 Obedience to her Lord, and haste to twine,[117] 'Mid Heaven-born flowers that shall for aye endure, Weeds on whose front the world had fixed her sign. O Man,--if with thy trials thus it fares, If good can smooth the way to evil choice, 10 From all rash censure be the mind kept free; He only judges right who weighs, compares, And, in the sternest sentence which his voice Pronounces, ne'er abandons Charity.[118] FOOTNOTES: [116] 1845. Even when the state of man seems most secure And tempted least to deviate from the line Of simple duty, woeful forfeiture C. How difficult for man to keep the line Prescribed by duty! Happy once and pure C. [117] 1845. Though Angels watched lest man should from the line Of duty sever, blest though he was, and pure In thought and deed, a woeful forfeiture He made by wilful breach of law divine, The church of Christ how prompt was she to abjure Allegiance to her Lord how prone to twine C. [118] 1845.