Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/236

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.5970
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.
Power and virtue consort not Judges, in short, are scoundrels vile;
List ye what Lucan saith the while5980
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 lot5990
Is cast with judges, whether they
Be shaven pates or people lay.