with these words.

"I entreat you in all humility to consider deliberately and with
attention what the Psalmist says in Psalm 82, where he exhorts judges to
fulfil their charge with absolute rectitude; they being themselves mere
mortals who will one day have to appear before God, the sovereign judge
of the universe, to give an account of their administration. The Lord's
Anointed speaks to you to-day who are sitting in judgment, and says--

"'God standeth in the congregation of the mighty: He judgeth among the
gods.

"'How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked?

"'Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

"'Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

"'I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High.

"'But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.'"

But this appeal, although convincing and dignified, had no influence upon
the commission; and on the 18th of August the following verdict and
sentence was pronounced:--

"We have declared, and do hereby declare, Urbain Grandier duly accused
and convicted of the crimes of magic and witchcraft, and of causing the
persons of certain Ursuline nuns of this town and of other females to
become possessed of evil spirits, wherefrom other crimes and offences
have resulted. By way of reparation therefor, we have sentenced, and do
hereby sentence, the said Grandier to make public apology, bareheaded,
with a cord around his neck, holding a lighted torch of two pounds weight
in his hand, before the west door of the church of Saint-Pierre in the
Market Place and before--that of Sainte-Ursule, both of this town, and
there on bended knee to ask pardon of God and the king and the law, and
this done, to be taken to the public square of Sainte-Croix and there to
be attached to a stake, set in the midst of a pile of wood, both of which
to be prepared there for this purpose, and to be burnt alive, along with
the pacts and spells which remain in the hands of the clerk and the
manuscript of the book written by the said Grandier against a celibate
priesthood, and his ashes, to be scattered to the four winds of heaven.
And we have declared, and do hereby declare, all and every part of his
property confiscate to the king, the sum of one hundred and fifty livres
being first taken therefrom to be employed in the purchase of a copper
plate whereon the substance of the prese