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Of horror raised they. History saith

That the vile judge ordained the death

good Virginius, but the crowd,

The tale all heard, cried out aloud

That such foul treason must not be

Wrought, and yet find impunity:

But for his treachery, to the jail

Straightway the unjust judge they hale,

Who there foul expiation made,

By his own hand to hell betrayed.

And Claudius, witness false and base,

Had met the hangman face to face

Had not Virginius nobly craved

His pardon from the crowd, and saved

His pitiful life; agreed he went

Thenceforth to outer banishment,

While other witnesses forsworn

Met death beneath the people’s scorn.

Judges, in short, are scoundrels vile;

List ye what Lucan saith the while

In golden verse: ‘Vain hope! to find

Great power with virtuous will com­bined.’

But if with hardened hearts they cling

To crime, and strive by pilfering

And robbery base to swell their stream

Of worldly wealth, the Judge supreme

Shall cast them down to hell, and there

Bid Satan cords of steel prepare

To bind their necks. Except I not

Proud kings or prelates, for their lot

Is cast with judges, whether they

Be shaven pates or people lay.