The Heretic’s Tragedy

A poem by Robert Browning

A MIDDLE-AGE INTERLUDE.


I.

PREADMONISHETH THE ABBOT DEODAET.

The Lord, we look to once for all,
Is the Lord we should look at, all at once:
He knows not to vary, saith Saint Paul,
Nor the shadow of turning, for the nonce.
See him no other than as he is:
Give both the infinitudes their due,
Infinite mercy, but, I wis,
As infinite a justice too.
[Organ: plagal-cadence.]
As infinite a justice too.

II.

ONE SINGETH.

John, Master of the Temple of God,
Falling to sin the Unknown Sin,
What he bought of Emperor Aldabrod,
He sold it to Sultan Saladin,
Till, caught by Pope Clement, a-buzzing there,
Hornet-prince of the mad wasps’ hive,
And clipt of his wings in Paris square,
They bring him now to be burned alive.

[And wanteth there grace of lute or clavicithern,
ye shall say to confirm him who singeth]

We bring John now to be burned alive.

III.

In the midst is a goodly gallows built;
’Twixt fork and fork, a stake is stuck;
But first they set divers tumbrils a-tilt,
Make a trench all round with the city muck;
Inside they pile log upon log, good store;
Faggots no few, blocks great and small,
Reach a man’s mid-thigh, no less, no more,
For they mean he should roast in the sight of all.

CHORUS.

We mean he should roast in the sight of all.

IV.

Good sappy bavins that kindle forthwith;
Billets that blaze substantial and slow;
Pine-stump split deftly, dry as pith;
Larch-heart that chars to a chalk-white glow:
Then up they hoist me John in a chafe,
Sling him fast like a hog to scorch,
Spit in his face, then leap back safe,
Sing “Laudes” and bid clap-to the torch.

CHORUS.

Laus Deo, who bids clap-to the torch.

V.

John of the Temple, whose fame so bragged,
Is burning alive in Paris square!
How can he curse, if his mouth is gagged?
Or wriggle his neck, with a collar there?
Or heave his chest, which a band goes round?
Or threat with his fist, since his arms are spliced?
Or kick with his feet, now his legs are bound?
Thinks John, I will call upon Jesus Christ.
[Here one crosseth himself]

VI.

Jesus Christ, John had bought and sold,
Jesus Christ, John had eaten and drunk;
To him, the Flesh meant silver and gold.
(Salvâ reverentiâ.)
Now it was, “Saviour, bountiful lamb,
I have roasted thee Turks, though men roast me!
See thy servant, the plight wherein I am!
Art thou a saviour? Save thou me!”

CHORUS.

’Tis John the mocker cries, Save thou me!

VII.

Who maketh God’s menace an idle word?
Saith, it no more means what it proclaims,
Than a damsel’s threat to her wanton bird?
For she too prattles of ugly names.
Saith, he knoweth but one thing, what he knows?
That God is good and the rest is breath;
Why else is the same styled Sharon’s rose?
Once a rose, ever a rose, he saith.

CHORUS.

O, John shall yet find a rose, he saith!

VIII.

Alack, there be roses and roses, John!
Some, honied of taste like your leman’s tongue:
Some, bitter; for why? (roast gaily on!)
Their tree struck root in devil’s-dung.
When Paul once reasoned of righteousness
And of temperance and of judgment to come,
Good Felix trembled, he could no less,
John, snickering, crook’d his wicked thumb.

CHORUS.

What cometh to John of the wicked thumb?

IX.

Ha ha, John plucketh now at his rose
To rid himself of a sorrow at heart!
Lo, petal on petal, fierce rays unclose;
Anther on anther, sharp spikes outstart;
And with blood for dew, the bosom boils;
And a gust of sulphur is all its smell;
And lo, he is horribly in the toils
Of a coal-black giant flower of Hell!

CHORUS.

What maketh Heaven, that maketh Hell.

X.

So, as John called now, through the fire amain.
On the Name, he had cursed with, all his life,
To the Person, he bought and sold again,
For the Face, with his daily buffets rife,
Feature by feature It took its place!
And his voice, like a mad dog’s choking bark,
At the steady whole of the Judge’s face,
Died. Forth John’s soul flared into the dark.

SUBJOINETH THE ABBOT DEODAET.

God help all poor souls lost in the dark!