Two sermons, of Jonahs punishmentTwo sermons, of Ionahs punishment

I am persuaded, that if the lots were cast to see who troubles the ship, it would fall upon the Lawyers: be not offended but amend, for malice speaks not. A poor Client cometh forth accusing one, and going home accuseth a hundred: for so many seek to gain by him, so few seek to further him, and so many seek to hinder him, that all his gain is but labour and loss.

I am perswaded, that if the lots were cast to see who troubles the ship, it would fall vpon the Lawyers: be not offended but amend, for malice speakes not. A poore Client commeth forth accusing one, and going home accuseth a hundred: for so many seeke to gaine by him, so few seeke to further him, and so many seeke to hinder him, that all his gaine is but labour and losse.

For a small matter many will come to law, to strive for that which with reason might easily be attained without such contention, and others seek to enrich themselves with contending for a small matter with their neighbours, yet in the end loose that they sought, and that they had beside: and so they contend and strive about a thing commonly, till the Lawyer hath gained more by them, then the thing which is in controversy is worth. These are like the Mouse and the Frog, which strove so long about Marsh-ground, that at length the Kite came and took them both from it. Others will come up to Law about a small matter, and therein so entangle themselves, that they cannot rid their hands of it, until it have almost undone them like a silly sheep that is hunting of a fly, which runneth from bush to bush, and every bush catcheth a lock of him, so that the poor sheep is thread-bare ere he hath done, and hath not a fleece left him to cover himself withal. So he runs from Court to Court, to sue, to complain, to plead, till he have spent his cloak for his coat: were it not better to have cast lots for the coat at first? for the law is like a Butlers box, play still on, till all come to the Candlestick. Therefore it is lawful, to end any controversy in a hard matter, to use this mean.

For a small matter many will come to law, to striue for that which with reason might easily bee attained without such contention, and others seeke to enrich themselues with contending for a small matter with their neighbours, yet in the end loose that they sought, and that they had beside: and so they contend and striue about a thing commonly, till the Lawyer hath gayned more by them, then the thing which is in controuersie is worth. These are like the Mouse and the Frog, which stroue so long about Marsh-ground, that at length the Kite came and tooke them both from it. Others will come vp to Law about a small matter, and therein so intangle themselues, that they cannot rid their handes of it, vntill it haue almost vndone them like a silly sheepe that is hunting of a flie, which runneth from bush to bush, and euery bush catcheth a locke of him, so that the poore sheepe is threed-bareere hee hath done, and hath not a fleece left him to couer himselfe withall. So hee runs from Court to Court, to sue, to complaine, to plead, till he haue spent his cloke for his coate: were it not better to haue cast lots for the coate at first? for the law is like a Butlers boxe, play still on, till all come to the Candlesticke. Therefore it is lawfull, to end any controuersie in a hard matter, to vse this meane.