BOOK THREE — The Church of the Servant-girls

  Was it for this—that prayers like these
      Should spend themselves about thy feet,
  And with hard, over-labored knees
      Kneeling, these slaves of men should beat
  Bosoms too lean to suckle sons
  And fruitless as their orisons?
 
 Was it for this—that men should make
     Thy name a fetter on men's necks,
  Poor men made poorer for thy sake,
      And women withered out of sex?
  Was it for this—that slaves should be—
Thy word was passed to set men free?                          Swinburne.