Love

Sonnet CV (In Life): He Inveighs Against the Court of Rome

by Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) 1304–1374

Translated by Sir Thomas Wyatt (attributed) (in Bohn, 1879) · From To Laura in Life

Love

Vengeaunce must fall on thee, thow filthie whore
Of Babilon, thow breaker of Christ's fold,
That from achorns, and from the water colde,
Art riche become with making many poore.
Thow treason's neste that in thie harte dost holde
Of cankard malice, and of myschief more
Than pen can wryte, or may with tongue be tolde,
Slave to delights that chastitie hath solde;
For wyne and ease which settith all thie store
Uppon whoredome and none other lore,
In thye pallais of strompetts yonge and olde
Theare walks Plentie, and Belzebub thye Lorde:
Guydes thee and them, and doth thye raigne upholde:
It is but late, as wryting will recorde,
That poore thow weart withouten lande or goolde;
Yet now hathe golde and pryde, by one accorde,
In wickednesse so spreadd thie lyf abrode,
That it dothe stincke before the face of God.

MLA

Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Sonnet CV (In Life): He Inveighs Against the Court of Rome.” Translated by Sir Thomas Wyatt (attributed). Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/135/.

Chicago

Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Sonnet CV (In Life): He Inveighs Against the Court of Rome.” Translated by Sir Thomas Wyatt (attributed). Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/135/.

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