he must be fed still, or else he is as mute as a fish,
better open an oyster without a knife. Experto
crede (saith [508] Salisburiensis) in manus
eorum millies incidi, et Charon immitis qui nulli pepercit
unquam, his longe clementior est; “I speak
out of experience, I have been a thousand times amongst
them, and Charon himself is more gentle than they;
[509]he is contented with his single pay, but they
multiply still, they are never satisfied,” besides
they have damnificas linguas, as he terms it,
nisi funibus argenteis vincias, they must be
fed to say nothing, and [510]get more to hold their
peace than we can to say our best. They will speak
their clients fair, and invite them to their tables,
but as he follows it, [511]"of all injustice there
is none so pernicious as that of theirs, which when
they deceive most, will seem to be honest men.”
They take upon them to be peacemakers, et fovere
causas humilium, to help them to their right,
patrocinantur afflictis, [512]but all is for
their own good, ut loculos pleniorom exhauriant,
they plead for poor men gratis, but they are but as
a stale to catch others. If there be no jar, [513]they
can make a jar, out of the law itself find still some
quirk or other, to set them at odds, and continue
causes so long, lustra aliquot, I know not how
many years before the cause is heard, and when ’tis
judged and determined by reason of some tricks and
errors, it is as fresh to begin, after twice seven
years sometimes, as it was at first; and so they prolong
time, delay suits till they have enriched themselves,
and beggared their clients. And, as [514]Cato
inveighed against Isocrates’ scholars, we may
justly tax our wrangling lawyers, they do consenescere
in litibus, are so litigious and busy here on
earth, that I think they will plead their client’s
causes hereafter, some of them in hell. [515] Simlerus
complains amongst the Swissers of the advocates in
his time, that when they should make an end, they
began controversies, and “protract their causes
many years, persuading them their title is good, till
their patrimonies be consumed, and that they have
spent more in seeking than the thing is worth, or they
shall get by the recovery.” So that he
that goes to law, as the proverb is, [516]holds a
wolf by the ears, or as a sheep in a storm runs for
shelter to a brier, if he prosecute his cause he is
consumed, if he surcease his suit he loseth all; [517]what
difference? They had wont heretofore, saith Austin,
to end matters, per communes arbitros; and
so in Switzerland (we are informed by [518]Simlerus),
“they had some common arbitrators or daysmen
in every town, that made a friendly composition betwixt
man and man, and he much wonders at their honest simplicity,
that could keep peace so well, and end such great
causes by that means.” At [519]Fez in Africa,
they have neither lawyers nor advocates; but if there
be any controversies amongst them, both parties plaintiff