DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.71755#0044
40
THE BARONS' WAR
CHAP. II
of the church and the national hero-worship of de
Montfort. They touch upon purely secular abuses,
but religious questions are their chief concern. They
lament the lawlessness of the times and the growing
infidelity;1 they censure the avarice of Rome, where
Munus et petitio currunt passu pari,
Nummus eloquentia gaudet singular!.2
The debasement of the clergy as a spiritual body, the
vitiation of the teachings of the church through the
introduction of doctrines of expediency, and the con-
sequent scorn of the clergy as entertained by the
people are shown to be among the far-reaching results
of universal venality.3 The church falls, therefore, a
helpless prey to the rapacity of pope and Icing, who
unite their efforts to impoverish it.4 "The king does
not act wisely; living upon the robbery of Holy
1 Pol. Songs, p. 47. Mundi status hodie multum variatur, Semper
in deterius misere mutatur. . . . Rex et regni proceres satis sunt
amari ; Omnes fere divites nimis sunt avari ; Pauper pauea possedens
debet depilari, Et ut ditet divitem rebus spoliari. P. 48. Regnat nunc
impietas, pietas fugatur ; Nobilisque largitas procul relegatur. ..
Fidei perfidia jam parifieatur.
2 Cf. Pol. Songs, pp. 30, 31. Coram cardinalibus, coram patriarcha,
Libra libros, reos res, Marcum vincit marca. To multiply examples
is endless. P. 30. Roma, turpitudinis jacens in profundis, Virtutes
prmposterat opibus inmundis . . . mutat quadrata rotundis.
8 Pol. Songs, p. 31. Roma cunctos erudit ut ad opus transvolent.
P. 33. Non tarn verbis inhiant quam famm docentis.
4 Pol. Songs, p. 43. Li rois ne 1'apostoile ne pensent altrement,
M^s coment au clers tolent lur or elur argent. Co est tute la summe,
Ke la pape de Rume Al rey trop consent, Pur aider sa curune La dime
de clers li dune — De co en fet sun talent.
THE BARONS' WAR
CHAP. II
of the church and the national hero-worship of de
Montfort. They touch upon purely secular abuses,
but religious questions are their chief concern. They
lament the lawlessness of the times and the growing
infidelity;1 they censure the avarice of Rome, where
Munus et petitio currunt passu pari,
Nummus eloquentia gaudet singular!.2
The debasement of the clergy as a spiritual body, the
vitiation of the teachings of the church through the
introduction of doctrines of expediency, and the con-
sequent scorn of the clergy as entertained by the
people are shown to be among the far-reaching results
of universal venality.3 The church falls, therefore, a
helpless prey to the rapacity of pope and Icing, who
unite their efforts to impoverish it.4 "The king does
not act wisely; living upon the robbery of Holy
1 Pol. Songs, p. 47. Mundi status hodie multum variatur, Semper
in deterius misere mutatur. . . . Rex et regni proceres satis sunt
amari ; Omnes fere divites nimis sunt avari ; Pauper pauea possedens
debet depilari, Et ut ditet divitem rebus spoliari. P. 48. Regnat nunc
impietas, pietas fugatur ; Nobilisque largitas procul relegatur. ..
Fidei perfidia jam parifieatur.
2 Cf. Pol. Songs, pp. 30, 31. Coram cardinalibus, coram patriarcha,
Libra libros, reos res, Marcum vincit marca. To multiply examples
is endless. P. 30. Roma, turpitudinis jacens in profundis, Virtutes
prmposterat opibus inmundis . . . mutat quadrata rotundis.
8 Pol. Songs, p. 31. Roma cunctos erudit ut ad opus transvolent.
P. 33. Non tarn verbis inhiant quam famm docentis.
4 Pol. Songs, p. 43. Li rois ne 1'apostoile ne pensent altrement,
M^s coment au clers tolent lur or elur argent. Co est tute la summe,
Ke la pape de Rume Al rey trop consent, Pur aider sa curune La dime
de clers li dune — De co en fet sun talent.