But even he too was often, though
in vain, urged not to show any grace of kindness towards a traitor to
the king of England. The hand of fury proceeded further, and a cruelty
dreadful for pious ears to hear. For whereas the Catholic Church prays
even for heretics, and schismatics, and faithless Jews, it was forbidden
that any one should assist him by the supplications of prayer. Exiled,
then, for six continuous years, afflicted with varied and unnumbered
injuries, and like a living stone squared by various cuttings and
pressures for the building of the heavenly edifice, the more he was
thrust at that he might fall, the more firm and immoveable was he
enabled to stand. {207} For neither could gold so carefully tried be
burned away, nor a house, founded on a firm rock, be torn down. Neither
does he suffer the wolves to rage against the lambs, nor the vineyard to
pass into a garden of herbs.
The best of men, holy, and renowned is banished,
Lest the dignity of the Church should yield to the unworthy.
The estates of the exiled man are the spoil of the malignant,
But when placed in the fire, the fire burns him not.
_Fourth Lesson._
At length by the exertions, as well of the aforesaid pontiff as of the
king of the French, many days were appointed for re-establishing peace:
and because the servant of God would not accept of peace, unless with
safety to the honour of God, and the character of the Church, they
departed in discord from each other.
Pages:
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251