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LAW 



tain, Gray's Inn, to which the next two belong, 

 Lincoln's Inn, which enjoyeth the last two but one, 

 the Middle Temple which hath only the last. 

 Each of the houses of Court consists of readers 

 above twenty, of utterbarristers about thrice so 

 many, of young gentlemen about the number of 

 eight or nine score, who there spend their time in 

 study of law, and in commendable exercises fit for 

 gentlemen. The judges of the law and sergeants 

 being commonly above the number of twenty, are 

 equally distinguished into two higher and more 

 eminent houses called Sergeant's Inn. All these 

 are not far distant from one another, atid altogether 

 do make the most famous university for profession 

 of law only that is in the world, and advanceth it- 

 self above all others, quantum inter viberna cu- 

 pressus." 



It would seem, notwithstanding the magnilo- 

 quence of lord Coke, that the study of the law in 

 these Inns had, even in his time, in some degree 

 degenerated since the days of Fortescue. Two of 

 the Inns of Chancery certainly, if no more, had be- 

 come extinct, and in each of those remaining there 

 were only about forty students, whereas, in For- 

 tescue's time there were in each at least one hun- 

 dred. And in comparing the ancient lectures or 

 readings, with those in his day, lord Coke in an- 

 other place says, " now readings having lost their 

 former qualities, have lost also their former author- 

 ities ; for now the cases are long, obscure and in- 

 tricate, full of new conceits like rather to riddles 

 than lectures, which, when they are opened, vanish 

 away like smoke, and the readers are like lapwings 

 who seem to be nearer their nests when they are 

 farthest from them." The diminution of the num- 

 ber of students may probably have been occasioned 

 by the circumstance that the sons of the nobility, 

 not particularly destined for the profession of the 

 law, did not resort there in so great numbers as 

 formerly for the purpose of completing their edu- 

 cation. The Inns were still, however, even at 

 this time, the residence of some of the sons of the 

 nobility, and men of family and fortune ; and being 

 intended, as the order of the readers and benchers 

 declares, " chiefly for the profession of the law, 

 and in a second degree for the education of the sons 

 and youth of riper years of the nobility and gentry 

 of the realm," it is but reasonable to suppose that 

 lighter and more attractive studies and pursuits, 

 and " commendable exercises fit for gentlemen," as 

 lord Coke denominates them, often took the place 

 of the dry and less inviting learning of the law. 

 Sir Christopher Hatton first gained the favour of 

 royalty by appearing in a mask made by lawyers ; 

 even Saunders excelled on the harpsichord ; lord- 

 keeper Guilford, besides being skilled in the mo- 

 dern languages and painting, was a scientific and 

 practical musician, and composed pieces of music 

 after he was honoured with a seat on the bench ; 

 Sir John Davis wrote a poem in lyric verse, on 

 the antiquity and excellence of dancing; and lord 

 Bacon composed an essay on the subject of masks. 

 Many curious and amusing details are given by an- 

 cient writers of the customs and usages of these 

 Inns in former times. They had their revels, their 

 romantic festivals, their grand christmasings, their 

 masquerades, their banqueting nights, their splendid 

 pageants, and their pastimes and amusements of 

 various kinds, in which the judges, sergeants at 

 law and barristers often participated. " They 

 ang, they danced, they made merry, and on 

 their days of license their ' lords of misrule,' 'jack 



straws,' and 'kings of the cockneys' made their 

 halls ring with festivity." 



But the times have undergone a great change, 

 and the course of education has changed with them. 

 Few only of the ancient customs or ceremonies re- 

 main. Their feastings on grand occasions, their 

 splendid pageants, their former pastimes and amuse- 

 ments, have long since been discontinued, and are 

 known only to the antiquarian. Their readings, 

 meetings, lecturings and other like exercises, have 

 shared the same fate. Residence is no longer re- 

 quired, and consequently prayers are no longer 

 daily read in the chapels; dining in the halls in va- 

 cation and supping has ceased ; and scarcely any 

 thing remains but what is alluded to in that part 

 of the report of the common law commissioners 

 which we have already quoted. But the rank and 

 character which the profession of the law sustains 

 in the community, has not perhaps been very ma- 

 terially affected by these changes. It has still en- 

 rolled among its members some of the younger 

 branches of the nobility, and scions of the most 

 distinguished families in the country, although it is 

 principally composed of the upper ranks of the 

 middle classes, and has nevertheless many among 

 its members who have by force of their talent and 

 industry, struggled up from the lower classes in 

 society. A barrister is still considered as a fit com- 

 panion for the greatest nobleman in the realm, and 

 those who have been members of the profession, 

 are usually among the most distinguished in both 

 houses of parliament and of his majesty's counsel. 



In term time the benchers, barristers, and stu- 

 dents, still continue to dine in the halls of the re- 

 spective Inns of Court. They are not allowed to 

 appear on these occasions without their gowns. 

 The halls are much like those in the colleges at the 

 universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The arms 

 of their treasurer are painted on the windows, and 

 portraits of their distinguished men are hung upon 

 the walls. The barristers and students sit at the 

 tables running along lengthwise of the hall; and 

 the benchers sit at an elevated cross table at the 

 upper end of the hall. The names of those dining 

 in the hall are taken down by the steward every 

 day during term in a book kept for the purpose. 

 No one who dines in the hall can leave till grace 

 has been said after dinner. The fare of the 

 benchers is more sumptuous than that of the bar- 

 risters and students. After dinner the benchers 

 retire to their private room to drink their wine and 

 partake of the dessert provided for them, in like 

 manner as do the masters and fellows in the col- 

 leges at the universities. Here the candidates fo r 

 admission to the degree of barrister are introduced 

 in gowns and with bands, on the occasion of being 

 called to the bar. The ceremony is as follows. 

 The customary oaths are taken, after which one of 

 the benchers declares to the candidates that the 

 benchers have determined to call them to the bar 

 and congratulates them on the occasion, and usually 

 drinks their health, for which they return thanks 

 and then retire. They take the same oaths again at 

 Westminster Hall, and thereupon are admitted to 

 practice. The number of the benchers is limited, 

 and vacancies are from time to time supplied by 

 election made by themselves. King's counsel, 

 however, become virtute officii benchers of the Inn 

 to which they belong. In regard to the practice 

 of dining in the halls in term time, so far as it re- 

 gards students, the common law commissioners say, 

 " We conceive that that part of the present system 



