XLV
- With Usura
- With usura hath no man a house of good stone
- each block cut smooth and well fitting
- that design might cover their face,
- with usura
-
hath no man a painted paradise on his church wall
- harpes et luthes
- or where virgin receiveth message
- and halo projects from incision,
- with usura
- seeth no man Gonzaga his heirs and his concubines
- no picture is made to endure nor to live with
- but it is made to sell and sell quickly
- with usura, sin against nature,
- is thy bread ever more of stale rags
- is thy bread dry as paper,
- with no mountain wheat, no strong flour
- with usura the line grows thick
- with usura is no clear demarcation
- and no man can find site for his dwelling.
- Stonecutter is kept from his stone
- weaver is kept from his loom
- WITH USURA
- wool comes not to market
- sheep bringeth no gain with usura
- Usura is a murrain, usura
- blunteth the needle in the maid’s hand
- and stoppeth the spinner’s cunning. Pietro Lombardo
- came not by usura
- Duccio came not by usura
-
nor Pier della Francesca; Zuan Bellin’ not by usura
- nor was ‘La Callunnia’ painted.
-
Came not by usura Angelico; came not Ambrogio Praedis,
-
Came no church of cut stone signed: Adamo me fecit.
- Not by usura St Trophime
- Not by usura Saint Hilaire,
- Usura rusteth the chisel
- It rusteth the craft and the craftsman
- It gnaweth the thread in the loom
- None learneth to weave gold in her pattern;
- Azure hath a canker by usura; cramoisi is unbroidered
- Emerald findeth no Memling
- Usura slayeth the child in the womb
- It stayeth the young man’s courting
- It hath brought palsey to bed, lyeth
- between the young bride and her bridegroom
- CONTRA NATURAM
- They have brought whores for Eleusis
- Corpses are set to banquet
- at behest of usura.
N.B. Usury: A charge for the use of purchasing power, levied without regard to production; often without regard to the possibilities of production. (Hence the failure of the Medici bank.)
