Ten Leagues Beneath Contempt

Awaking in a sweat Forsaking pleasure for regret Another night of blight had slowly passed The morning skies once fresh and bright Darkened down no near twilight Once could smell the end of days were coming fast Gilles wandered as in purgatory Beyond the grave of his estate Neither Heaven, Hell or peasantry Were present save projected hatred He knew suspicion, he felt derision And grief like a sharpened stake Pierce his heart, and now the start Of his unknitting began to take Vain glorious, a Lord, devout? He thought his soul exempt From guilt and doubt, there's no way out Ten leagues beneath contempt (He drank an ocean quoting Joan the maiden A vampire's pious rant His hot blood stank of devotion laden With bias for love's covenant) Awaking in a sweat Forsaking pleasure for regret His choired chapel sighed with his laments As accusations reached a roar Investigations breached the door He put up nothing save his favours in defense The Church stirred in it's Roman lair The grease had long been spent Now all tongues spat at Tiffauges there Ten leagues beneath contempt Just one falter One misplaced deed And Gilles would be undone As he teetered on the verge of defeat Profaning God's altar Bursting in on evening Mass He threatened there to crucify the priest Drunk on fiery wine With the storm lashing behind He then threw this Philistine To his foulest dungeon And money owed or not The Priest released or left to rot His blatant sacrilege begot A war machine of papal Rome They came for him in mourning splendour With the blessing of the Saints His fawning grin in sweet surrender A lesson in enforced restraint He knew suspicion, he felt derision And fear like a sharpened stake Pierce his heart, and now the start Of his unknitting began to take He thought courts bought with golden crowns Rich Bishops he could tempt But traitor's gate was sought and found Ten leagues beneath contempt Ten leagues beneath contempt