THE

PLEADER'S GUIDE.

BOOK I.

B

THE

PLEADER's GUIDE.

BOOK I.

LECTURE 1.

MR. SURREBUTTER propofes the plan of his lectures: his addrefs to the Gentlemen of the Law, particularly to his kinfman, Mr. Joв Јов SURREBUTTER-The plan of Mr. JOB's education for the fudy of the Law commended-The fuperior advantages of his fituation as a Special Pleader's Pupil.

OF

F legal Fictions, Quirks, and Gloffes, Attorney's gains, and Client's loffes, Of Suits created, loft, and won, How to undo, and be undone, Whether by COMMON LAW, or CIVIL A man goes fooner to the Devil, Things which few mortals can disclose In Verfe, or comprehend in Profe,

I fing-do thou, bright Phœbus, deign
To fhine for once in Chanc'ry-lane;
And, CLIO, if your pipe you'll lend
To MERCURY, the Lawyer's friend,
That Usher of the golden Rod,

a

Of Gain and Eloquence the God,
Shall lead my steps with guidance sure,
Safe through the palpable obfcure,

b

And take my Parchments for his labour
To cover your harmonious Tabor—

"PINDUS to wit," or where you chufe,—
At Lincoln's Inn, or Arethuse,

For Bards and Lawyers both with ease

1 Venue or vifne, in Latin, vicinetum, is the neighbourhood in which the Declaration ftates the Cause of Action to have arifen, and is prefixed to the margin of every Declaration with a Scilicet, as " Pindus to wit" above.

2 No matter where an Action's laid,
A Contract or a Poem made:
Is there a proud o'erbearing wight
Who tramples on his neighbour's right,
Superior in his own Opinion

To Lawyers, and the Law's Dominion?
Say what compulsive mode of action
Muft give the injured fatisfaction ;
What forms, what fictions must combine
To make the parties 3 Issue join,

3

2 No matter where-This must be understood of perfonal or tranfitory actions which relate to Goods and Chattels, as contradiftinguished from local, which relate to Lands and Tenements: of the former clafs are all Actions of Covenant, Contract, Annuity, or Debt at large. For debi tum et contractus funt nullius loci. 7 Co. 3. a. 2 In. 229. 23.

3 Iue join-Iffue from the French issuer, i. e. emanare, to flow from. The word ifue has various fignifications in Law, it occurs here in its most general and received sense "a fingle certain and material point iffuing out of the "Allegations and Pleas of the Plaintiff and Defendant, confifting regularly upon an Affirmative and Negative " in a Cause to be tried by a Jury of twelve men." 1 Inft. 126.

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