CHAPTER IV.

LITERARY LAWYERS.

Connection of Law and Poetry-Kentish Customs-Forest Verses-Coke in Verse-Poetical Case in Burrowes-Sir Thomas More-Lord Bacon-Sir M. Hale-Selden-Lord Chancellor Somers-Lord Mansfield-Lord Chancellor KingPrynne-Cowper-Mr. Hargrave-Mr. Butler-Sir William Jones-Mr. Moile and the State Trials-Lord Eldon and Chevy Chase-Lord Tenterden-Sir Edward Sugden's New Version of "Wake, Dearest, Wake"-Lord Lyndhurst at the age of fourteen-Lord Denman's Translations-The mdern way to get on at the Bar.

THE Connection between poetry and law is very ancient. The old British laws were written in versein the Cymric triads we have preserved the jurisprudence of the Welsh people, and the wisdom of the Frisian legislation is handed down to us in the same form. Amongst "Les Usages de Kent," those privileges which the Conqueror conceded to the prowess and independent spirit of the Kentish people, we find the following distich

"The fader to the boughe,

And the son to the ploughe:"

by which we are to understand that the commission of

an act of felony, punishable with death, did not involve the forfeiture of the criminal's land, and the consequent injury of the heir.

"Nighon sithe yeld,

And nighon sithe geld,

And vif pund for the were,

Ere he became healdere."

This was the law by which a tenant, whose land had been seized through his having neither paid the rent, nor performed the services in consideration of which he held it, was enabled to recover possession by paying five pounds as a were or amerciament. "The Forest verse," says Sir Francis Palgrave

"Dog draw,

Stable stand,

Back berend,

And bloody hand

"justified the verdurer in his summary execution of the offender. And in King Athelstane's grant to the good men of Beverley, and inscribed beneath his effigy in the minster

"Als free,

Mak I the

As heart may think,

Or eigh may see."

we have, perhaps, the ancient form of enfranchisement, or manumission."

Coming down to a comparatively modern period, Sir Edward Coke's reports have been, by some la

borious poetaster, paraphrased in verse. This has been rather ingeniously done, as each case is comprised in a single distich, the initial word being the name of the case. Thus "Flower's case" is thus termed

"FLOWER. On indictment, false evidence,

Is ever within the statute an offence."

Sharp's case

"SHARP. A demise for life is but at will,

If liv'ry or words equivalent want still."

Again

"ROSSE. Lease for life to one and assignee,

And of two more, good lease for life of three."

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As late as Burrowes' Reports, do we find legal "truths severe," drest in the "fairy" garb of verse. The case is that of the parish of Shadwell, versus the parish of St. John's, Wapping

The State Trials have lately-thanks to the muse of Mr. Moile-made their appearance in poetry, and we do not now despair of seeing Lord Hardwicke's joeular design executed in earnest, viz. the publication of Coke upon Littleton in a poetical shape. The Italians have a proverb, "Qui non amat musas, ille non amat Deus." Of the lawyer, indifference to literary pursuits cannot be predicated. Parnassus has recruited as much in Westminster hall as elsewhere, and we doubt if any have been elsewhere found more deserving of enlistment in such service.

Amongst our early literary lawyers was the great Sir Thomas More. We believe that the following effusion of his muse, whilst he was a prisoner in the Tower, will be read with interest. We should also add, that being de-prived ink, it was written with a coal.

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Eye-flatteringe fortune, look thou never soe fayre,
Or never so pleasantly begin to smile,

As though thou wouldst my ruine all repayre,
During my life thou shalt not me beguile;

Trust shall I God, to enter in a while

Thy haven of heav'n, sure and uniforme:
Ever after thy calme, looke I for a storm."

Aubrey tells us that "Lord Bacon was a good poet, but concealed, as appears by his letters." Some specimen of the great philosopher and chancellor's poetry may be expected here, The following extracts will enable us to judge how far Aubrey estimated aright the poetical merits of this great man.

PSALM XC.

"O Lord! thou art our home to whom we fly,
And so hast always been from age to age;
Before the hills did intercept the eye,

Or that the frame was up of earthly stage:
One God thou wert, and art, and still shall be,
The line of time it doth not measure Thee.

Teach us, O Lord, to number well our days,
Thereby our hearts to wisdom to apply;
For that which guides man best in all his waies,
Is meditation of mortality.

This bubble light, this vapour of our breath,

Teach us to consecrate to hours of death."

The following have been preserved as "Verses made by Mr. Francis Bacon:"

"The man of life upright, whose guiltless heart is free
From all dishonest deeds, and thoughts of vanitie;
The man whose silent daies in harmeles joyes are spent,
Whome hopes cannot delude, nor fortune discontent;
That man needs neither towers nor arms for his defence,
Nor secret vaults to fly from thunder's violence:

He onlie can behold with unfrighted eyes,

The horrors of the deepe and terrors of the skies.

Thus scorning all the care that fate or fortune brings,
He makes the heaven his books, his wisdome heavenlie things,
Good thoughts his only friends, his life a well-spent age,
The earth his sober inne, a quiet pilgrimage."

Sir Matthew Hale, of whose virtues as a man,

VOL. II.

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