Satyrical essayes characters and others. Or Accurate and quick descriptions, fitted to the life of their subiects. Iohn Stephens

CHARACT. VII. An honest Lawyer

IS a precious Diamond set in pure gold, or one truely honest, and a compleate Lawyer: The one giues glory to the other; and be∣ing diuided, they be lesse valua∣ble. Diuinity, and a corrected

nature, make him habituall in the first; but studious labor, & a dis∣cursiue braine make him equal, if not absolute, in the last: he knows Law to be the M^ris of man, & yet hee makes Honesty the M^ris of Law. The first therefore may ex∣ceed the last; but the last neuer hath predomināce in him, with∣out the other. He is too diuine to be tempted with feare, fauor, Mi∣nerals, or Possessions; and too di∣uine not to be tempted with per∣fect knowledge, & a pittifull cō∣plaint: he hath as much leasure to conferre with conscience, in the most busy Terme, as in the dead∣est Vacation: And he is alwaies more diligent to maintain wron∣ged pouerty, then attentiue to allow iniurious Greatnesse: hee can as freely refuse a prodigall, or enforced bounty, as hee can accept or demand due recom∣pence:

He resorts to London with a more full braine, then empty bags, and (at his returne) he pur∣ses vp more full comfort, then yellow coine. He cannot bee so cōfident as to persist in error; nor so ignorāt as to erre by weaknes: When therefore (through an a∣boundance) some knowledge is confounded; his errour onely proues a doubtfull question; and serues to reduce scattered rem∣nants into methode. The multi∣tude of contentions make not him reioice in the number, but in the difficulty; that truth may appeare manifest to our proge∣ny. He railes not against the vi∣ces of his profession, but makes his profession commendable by his owne practise of vertue: his Clients disease of being suspēded touches him like his own sicknes; hee dares not giue a dangerous purgation to dispatch him, nor

by negligence and delay, let the euill grow inward and incorpo∣rate; to strengthen it selfe, or con∣sume the patient. He is therefore exquisit in preseruatiues against the consumption; though per∣haps he may faile in restoratiues to support weakenesse. Hee may well bee a president to the best Physitians; for he vndertakes no cure when he perceiues it incli∣ning to bee desperate: So hee makes the cause, and not his Client, the obiect of his labour. If hee hath fauour enough to make truth be currant, he lookes no further: which he needs not to patch businesse; nor would he willingly pursue it; if truth were not often discountenanced. Hee doth therefore at a Iudges death lament the death of his learning, not his owne priuate lucre: Hee can ride the circuit, and scorne

to be circular. He hath no lea∣sure to protract time or saue his Clients opinion with iests pre∣meditated, or windy inferences: His modesty was neuer below his courage in a good cause; nor his courage inclining to impu∣dence, though hee were still ho∣nored with a prosperous euent. He owes so much worship to desert and innocence, that hee can as faithfully applaud suffici∣ent worth, as not insult ouer, or exclaime against dull igno∣rance. He is miraculously pre∣serued against incantations: the strongest spell cannot charme him silent, nor the most temp∣ting spirit prouoke him to a vaine pleading. He dares know, and professe in spight of poten∣cy; he dares be rich and honest in despight of custome: And if he doth not grow from a good

man, to a reuerend Title, hee scornes to bee a Traytor and blame tyranny; but he descends below his owne vnworthinesse. Briefly, he is a pretious vessell, he indures the rest, and the defi∣ance of time: hee is a sound com∣modity which neuer failes the Customer: and doth heartily confesse that whosoeuer swarues from this patterne, swarues from honesty, though he be deepely learned: Howsoeuer, he thinkes a Lawyer deepely learned can∣not chuse but be honest; except multitude of Clients oppresse him.