[_two rules_]



A
CORRUPT JUDGE


P²ASSES Judgement as a Gameſter does
falſe Dice. The firſt Thing he takes is
his Oath and his Comiſſion, and afterwards
the ſtrongeſt Side and Bribes. He gives Judg-
ment, as the Council at the Bar are ſaid to give
Advice, when they are paid for it. He wraps
himſelf warm in Furs, that the cold Air may
not ſtrike his Conſcience inward. He is never
an upright Judge, but when he is weary of
ſitting, and ſtands for his Eaſe. All the Uſe
he make of his Oath is to oppoſe it againſt
his Prince, for whoſe Service he firſt took it,
and to bind him with that, which he firſt pre-
tended to bind himſelf with; as if the King by
imparting a little of his Power to him gave
hi to Title to all the reſt, like thoſe who hold-
ing a little Land in _Capite_ render all the reſt

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liable to the ſame Tenure. As for that which
concerns the People, he takes his Liberty to do
what he pleaſes ; this he maintains with Cant-
ing, of which himſelf being the only Judge,
he can give it what arbitrary Interpretation he
pleaſes ; yet is a great Enemy to arbitrary
Power, becauſe he would have no Body uſe it
but himſelf. If he have Hope of Preferment
he makes all the Law run on the King's Side ;
if not, it always takes part againſt him ; for as
he was bred to make any Thing right or wrong
between Man and Man, ſo he can do between
the King and his Subjects. He calls himſelf
_Capitalis, &c._ which Word he never uſes but
to Crimes of the higeſt Nature. He uſurps
unſufferable Tyranny over Words ; for when
he has enſlaved and debaſed them from their
original Senſe, he makes them ſerves againſt
themselves to ſupport him, and their own
Abuſe. He is as ſtiff to Delinquents, and
makes as harſh a Noiſe as a new Cart-wheel,
until he is greaſed, and then he turns about as
eaſily. He called all necceſſary and unavoidable
Proceedings of State, without the punctual
Formality of Law, arbitrary and illegal, but
never conſiders, that his own Interpretation

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of Law are more arbitrary, and, when he
pleaſes, illegal. He cannot be denied to be a
very impartial Judge ; for right or wrong
are all one to him. He takes Bribes, as pious
Men give Alms, with ſo much Caution, that
his right Hand never knows what his left re-
ceives./

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