Behold mee vnfortunate forman of this flocke,[95] _Tresilian_, sometime[96] chiefe justice of this land, A gentleman by byrth,[97] no staine was in my stocke, _Locketon_, _Holte_, and[98] _Belknap_, with other of my band, Which the lawe and justice had wholly in our hand, Under the second _Richarde_ a prince of great estate,[99] To whome and vs also, blinde fortune gaue the mate.[100] 8. In the common[101] lawes our skill was so profounde, Our credite and autority such, and so esteemde, That what wee[102] concluded[103] was taken for a grounde, Allowed was for lawe what so to vs best seemed, Life, death, landes, goods,[104] and all by vs was deemed: Whereby with easy paine great gayne wee did in fet,[105] And euery thing was fishe, that came vnto our net. 9. At sessions and at sises,[106] wee bare the stroake and sway, In patentes and commission, of _quorum_ alwaye chiefe:[107] So that to whether syde soeuer wee did way, Were it by right or wrong, it past, without repriefe: The true man wee let hang[108] somewhiles to saue a thiefe, Of gold, and of siluer, our handes were neuer empty, Offices, fermes, and fees, fell to vs in great plenty. 10. But what thing may suffice vnto the greedy man? The more hee hath in hold, the more hee doth desire: Happy and twise happy is hee, that wisely can Content himselfe with that, which reason doth require, And moyleth for no more then for his needefull hire: But greedines of minde doth seldome keepe[109] the syse, To whom enough and more doth neuer well suffice.[110] 11. For like as dropsy pacients drinke and still bee dry, Whose vnstaunchst thirst no liquor can alay, And drinke they nere so much, yet thirst they by and by:[111] So catchers and snatchers[112] toile both night and day, Not needy, but greedy, still prolling[113] for their pray: O endlesse thirste of gold, corrupter of all lawes, What mischiefe is on moulde whereof thou art not cause? 12. Thou madest vs forget the fayth of our profession,[114] When sergeants wee were sworne to serue the common lawe, Which was, that in no point wee should make digression[115] From approued principles, in sentence nor in sawe: But wee vnhappy wightes[116] without all dread and awe Of the judge eternall, for worlde’s vaine promotion, More to man then God did beare our whole deuotion.[117] 13.