May he fall in with beasts that scatter fire
Like Jason, when he sought the fleece of gold
Or change from man to beast three years entire
As King Nebuchadnezzar did of old
Or else have times as shameful and as bad
As Trojan folk for ravished Helen had
Or gulfed with Proserpine and Tantalus
Let hell's deep fen devour him dolorous
With worse to bear than Job's worst sufferance
Bound in his prison-maze with Dædalus
Who could wish evil to the state of France!

May he four months, like bitterns in the mire
Howl with head downmost in the lakesprings cold
Or to bear harness like strong bulls for hire
To the Great Turk for money down be so!
Or thirty years like Magdalen live sad
With neither wool nor web of linen clad
Drown like Narciss', or swing down pendulous
Like Absalom with locks luxurious
Or liker Judas fallen to reprobance
Or find such death as Simon sorcerous
Who could wish evil to the state of France!

May the old times come of fierce Octavian's ire
And in his belly molten cold be told
May he like Victor in the mill expire
Crush between moving millstones on him rolled
Or in deep sea drenched breathless, more adrad
Than in the whale's bulk Jonas, when God bade
From Phœbus' light, from Juno's treasure-house
Drive, and from joys of Venus amorous
And cursed of God most high to the utterance
As was the Syrian king Antiochus
Who could wish evil to the state of France!

Prince, may the bright-winged brood of Æolus
To sea-king Glaucus' wild wood cavernous
Bear him bereft of peace and hope's least glance
For worthless is he to get good of us
Who could wish evil to the state of France!