England's jests refin'd and improv'd being a choice collection of the merriest jests, smartest repartees, wittiest sayings, and most notable bulls yet extant, with many new ones never before printed to which are added XIII ingenious characters drawn to the life / the whole work compil'd with great care and exactness, and may serve as the witty-man's companion, the busie-man's diversion and the melancholy man's physick and recreation, calculated for the innocent spending of the winter evenings by H.C.

III. Of a Serjeant, or Baylif, and his Setting-Cur.

THe first, is a kind of Excrescence of the Law, like our Nails, made only to Scratch and Claw; A sort of Bird-••ime, where he lays hold, he hangs; a Raven that picks not out mens Eyes, as others do, but all his spight is at their Shoulders; and you had better have the Night-Mare ride you, then this Incubus. He is one of Deucalion's By-blows, begotten of a Stone, and has taken an Oath never to pitty Widdow nor Orphan. His first bu∣siness is to bait you for money for his (confounded) civility; next to call for Drink as fast as men for Buckets of Water in a Conflagration; After which, becoming grave and serious, he advises you in revenge to Arrest the Plantiff, and offers to do it; with or without cause; 'tis all one to him, if he perceive you have money.

His Follower is an Hanger that he wears by his side; a false Dye of the small Ball, but not the same Cut, for it runs somewhat higher, inflames the Reckoning, and so does more michief. He's a Tumbler that drives in all the Coneys; but is yet but a bungler, and knows not how to Cut up a man with∣out Tearing, unless by a pattern. This is the Hook that hangs under water to choak the Fish, and his Officer the Quill above, which pops down as soon as e∣ver the Bait is swallowed. Though differing in degree, they are both much of a complexion, only the Teeth of this latter are more sharp, and he more hungary, because he does but snap, and hath not his full half share of the boo∣ty. A main part of his Office is to swear and bluster at their trembling Prisoners, and cry, Confound us! Why do we wait? Let's Shop him: Whilst the other replies, Iack be patient, 'tis a civil Gentleman, and I know will consi∣der us: Which spies of wheedling in Terms of their Art, is called; Sweeten and Pinch. The Eyes of these Wolves are as quick in their Heads, as a Cut∣purses in a Throng; and as nimble are

they at their business, as an Hang-man at an Execution. They'll court a bro∣ken-Pate, to heal it with a Plaister of Green-Wax, and suck more Silver out of a Wound, than a Chyrurgeon. Yet as these Eels are generally bred out of the mud of a Bankrupt, so they com∣monly dye with their Gut ript up, or are decently run through the Lungs; and as they liv'd hated, die unpitied. We speak here of those only that abuse the intentions of the Law, and act Oppression under the Colour of ser∣ving common Justice.