1. ۱The Lord, we look to once for all,
2. ۲ Is the Lord we should look at, all at once:
3. ۳He knows not to vary, saith Saint Paul,
4. ۴ Nor the shadow of turning, for the nonce.
5. ۵See him no other than as he is!
6. ۶ Give both the infinitudes their due--
7. ۷Infinite mercy, but, I wis,
8. ۸ As infinite a justice too.
9. ۹
10. ۱۰As infinite a justice too.
11. ۱۱
12. ۱۲John, Master of the Temple of God,
13. ۱۳ Falling to sin the Unknown Sin,
14. ۱۴What he bought of Emperor Aldabrod,
15. ۱۵ He sold it to Sultan Saladin:
16. ۱۶Till, caught by Pope Clement, a-buzzing there,
17. ۱۷ Hornet-prince of the mad wasps' hive,
18. ۱۸And clipt of his wings in Paris square,
19. ۱۹ They bring him now to be burned alive.
20. ۲۰ [And wanteth there grace of lute or
21. ۲۱ clavicithern, ye shall say to
22. ۲۲ confirm him who singeth--
23. ۲۳ We bring John now to be burned alive.
24. ۲۴
25. ۲۵In the midst is a goodly gallows built;
26. ۲۶ 'Twixt fork and fork, a stake is stuck;
27. ۲۷But first they set divers tumbrils a-tilt,
28. ۲۸ Make a trench all round with the city muck;
29. ۲۹Inside they pile log upon log, good store;
30. ۳۰ Faggots no few, blocks great and small,
31. ۳۱Reach a man's mid-thigh, no less, no more,--
32. ۳۲ For they mean he should roast in the sight of all.
33. ۳۳
34. ۳۴ We mean he should roast in the sight of all.
35. ۳۵
36. ۳۶Good sappy bavins that kindle forthwith;
37. ۳۷ Billets that blaze substantial and slow;
38. ۳۸Pine-stump split deftly, dry as pith;
39. ۳۹ Larch-heart that chars to a chalk-white glow:
40. ۴۰They up they hoist me John in a chafe,
41. ۴۱ Sling him fast like a hog to scorch,
42. ۴۲Spit in his face, then leap back safe,
43. ۴۳Sing "Laudes" and bid clap-to the torch.
44. ۴۴
45. ۴۵ Laus deo--who bids clap-to the torch.
46. ۴۶
47. ۴۷John of the Temple, whose fame so bragged,
48. ۴۸ Is burning alive in Paris square!
49. ۴۹How can he curse, if his mouth is gagged?
50. ۵۰ Or wriggle his neck, with a collar there?
51. ۵۱Or heave his chest, which a band goes round?
52. ۵۲ Or threat with his fist, since his arms are spliced?
53. ۵۳Or kick with his feet, now his legs are bound?
54. ۵۴ --Thinks John, I will call upon Jesus Christ.
55. ۵۵
56. ۵۶Jesus Christ--John had bought and sold,
57. ۵۷ Jesus Christ--John had eaten and drunk;
58. ۵۸To him, the Flesh meant silver and gold.
59. ۵۹ (Salva reverentia.)
60. ۶۰Now it was, "Saviour, bountiful lamb,
61. ۶۱ "I have roasted thee Turks, though men roast me!
62. ۶۲"See thy servant, the plight wherein I am!
63. ۶۳ "Art thou a saviour? Save thou me!"
64. ۶۴
65. ۶۵ 'Tis John the mocker cries, "Save thou me!"
66. ۶۶
67. ۶۷Who maketh God's menace an idle word?
68. ۶۸ --Saith, it no more means what it proclaims,
69. ۶۹Than a damsel's threat to her wanton bird?
70. ۷۰ For she too prattles of ugly names.
71. ۷۱--Saith, he knoweth but one thing--what he knows?
72. ۷۲ That God is good and the rest is breath;
73. ۷۳Why else is the same styled Sharon's rose?
74. ۷۴ Once a rose, ever a rose, he saith.
75. ۷۵
76. ۷۶ O, John shall yet find a rose, he saith!
77. ۷۷
78. ۷۸Alack, there be roses and roses, John!
79. ۷۹ Some, honied of taste like your leman's tongue:
80. ۸۰Some, bitter; for why? (roast gaily on!)
81. ۸۱ Their tree struck root in devil's-dung.
82. ۸۲When Paul once reasoned of righteousness
83. ۸۳ And of temperance and of judgment to come,
84. ۸۴Good Felix trembled, he could no less:
85. ۸۵ John, snickering, crook'd his wicked thumb.
86. ۸۶
87. ۸۷ What cometh to John of the wicked thumb?
88. ۸۸
89. ۸۹Ha ha, John plucketh now at his rose
90. ۹۰ To rid himself of a sorrow at heart!
91. ۹۱Lo,--petal on petal, fierce rays unclose;
92. ۹۲ Anther on anther, sharp spikes outstart;
93. ۹۳And with blood for dew, the bosom boils;
94. ۹۴ And a gust of sulphur is all its smell;
95. ۹۵And lo, he is horribly in the toils
96. ۹۶ Of a coal-black giant flower of hell!
97. ۹۷
98. ۹۸ What maketh heaven, That maketh hell.
99. ۹۹
100. ۱۰۰So, as John called now, through the fire amain,
101. ۱۰۱ On the Name, he had cursed with, all his life--
102. ۱۰۲To the Person, he bought and sold again--
103. ۱۰۳ For the Face, with his daily buffets rife--
104. ۱۰۴Feature by feature It took its place:
105. ۱۰۵ And his voice, like a mad dog's choking bark,
106. ۱۰۶At the steady whole of the Judge's face--
107. ۱۰۷ Died. Forth John's soul flared into the dark.
108. ۱۰۸
109. ۱۰۹ God help all poor souls lost in the dark!