he was seldom without a Pot of Ale at his Nose, or near him.  That Exercise was all he used; the rest of his Life was sitting at his Desk, or piping at home; and that Home was a Taylor’s House in Butcher-Row, called his Lodging, and the Man’s Wife was his Nurse, or worse; but, by virtue of his Money, of which he made little Account, though he got a great deal, he soon became Master of the Family; and, being no Changling, he never removed, but was true to his Friends, and they to him, to the last Hour of his Life.

So much for his Person and Education.  As for his Parts, none had them more lively than he.  Wit and Repartee, in an affected Rusticity, were natural to him.  He was ever ready, and never at a Loss; and none came so near as he to be a Match for Serjeant Mainard.  His great Dexterity was in the Art of special Pleading, and he would lay Snares that often caught his Superiors who were not aware of his Traps.  And he was so fond of Success for his Clients that, rather than fail, he would set the Court hard with a Trick; for which he met sometimes with a Reprimand, which he would wittily ward off, so that no one was much offended with him.  But Hales could not bear his Irregularity of Life; and for that, and Suspicion of his Tricks, used to bear hard upon him in the Court.  But no ill Usage from the Bench was too hard for his Hold of Business, being such as scarce any could do but himself.  With all this, he had a Goodness of Nature and Disposition in so great a Degree that he may be deservedly styled a Philanthrope.  He was a very Silenus to the Boys, as, in this Place, I may term the Students of the Law, to make them merry whenever they had a Mind to it.  He had nothing of rigid or austere in him.  If any, near him at the Bar, grumbled at his Stench, he ever converted the Complaint into Content and Laughing with the Abundance of his Wit.  As to his ordinary Dealing, he was as honest as the driven Snow was white; and why not, having no Regard for Money, or Desire to be rich?  And, for good Nature and Condescension, there was not his Fellow.  I have seen him, for Hours and half Hours together, before the Court sat, stand at the Bar, with an Audience of Students over against him, putting of Cases, and debating so as suited their Capacities, and encouraged their Industry.  And so in the Temple, he seldom moved without a Parcel of Youths hanging about him, and he merry and jesting with them.

It will be readily conceived that this Man was never cut out to be a Presbyter, or any Thing that is severe and crabbed.  In no Time did he lean to Faction, but did his Business without Offence to any.  He put off officious Talk of Government or Politicks, with Jests, and so made his Wit a Catholicon, or Shield, to cover all his weak Places and Infirmities.  When the Court fell into a steddy Course of using the Law against all Kinds of Offenders, this Man was taken into the King’s Business; and had the Part of