My fourth word is to the lady of kingdoms, the well-favored harlot,
the mistress of witchcrafts and the abominations of the earth.
I suppose I have nothing here that will either please your wanton
eye, or go down with your voluptuous palate. Here is bread indeed,
as also milk and meat; but here is neither paint to adorn thy
wrinkled face, nor crutch to uphold or undershore thy shaking,
tottering, staggering kingdom of Rome; but rather a certain presage
of thy sudden and fearful final downfall, and of the exaltation of
that holy matron whose chastity thou dost abhor, because by it she
reproveth and condemneth thy lewd and stubborn life. Wherefore,
lady, smell thou mayest of this, but taste thou wilt not. I know
that both thy wanton eye, with all thy mincing brood that are
intoxicated with thy cup and enchanted with thy fornications, will,
at the sight of so homely and plain a dish as this, cry, Foh! will
snuff, put the branch to the nose, and say, Contemptible! "But
wisdom is justified of all her children." "The virgin-daughter of
Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; Jerusalem hath
shaken her head at thee;" yea, her God hath smitten his hands at thy
dishonest gains and freaks. "Rejoice ye with Jerusalem and be glad
with her, all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all ye
that mourn for her, that ye may suck and be satisfied with the
breasts of her consolations, and be delighted with the abundance of
her glory."