The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

But here be some sorry shifts. Alas I speak as I think I take the cause to be good, I must stand for my client. But I pray you what is the cause that you have so ill eyes and such a simple capacity to perceive the unjustness of the cause that are so quick witted to invent cloaks for the uniustice? Why cannot your wit see one as well as the other? How comes it about, that other men of far less skill in law, and wit by nature, after to or three of your bouts can soon see the double dealing & how hollow matters are, and yet the fairest side is put outward to? But you cannot fee, what is the cause of this blindness, is it not because the gift blinds the eyes of the wise, is not that which wanted in the goodness of the cause supplied in the greatness of the fee and that is the cause you cannot see? But suppose this were true, and grant that you were as you say ignorant of the matter, is it not a foul shame to be venturous to speak so much in a matter before you know whether ⟨image 183⟩it be good or not to come in the face of the world, and pawn your credit for a cause that you never tried nor examined nor searched into it, to see whether it were right or wrong. Job would not do so, but those causes that he knew he would enquire and search out the matter, and not open his mouth to speak, before he had prepared what and upon what good ground to speak in the defence of anyone. This will not serve the turn, when one hath abused his place, and abused his hearers, and abused himself by maintaining wickedness, to say alas I knew it not, it is foolish and shameful this for own to venture and hazard his soul and his name, and then bear himself in hand that this will salve all because he knew it not, as if ignorance were a plaster good enough to heal the wounds he hath made in his conscience and credit. But why had not he known that it was a sin to be ignorant, wise men should work by knowledge. It is a most notorious fault when one willingly and wittingly stands in defence of an evil cause but is a fault to rashly, and unadvisedly to slip into it. Further also false witnesses do publicly offend against this commandment as in nisi prius, and such like cases; When one vvill come before the Judges and give a false and lying testimony.

But here be some sorry shifts. Alasse I speake as I thinke I take the cause to be good, I must stand for my client. But I pray you what is the cause that you haue so ill eyes and such a simple capacitie to perceiue the vniustnesse of the cause that are so quicke witted to inuent clokes for the vniustice? Why cannot your witte see one as well as the other? How comes it about, that other men of farre lesse skill in law, and wit by nature, after to or three of your bouts can soone see the double dealing & how hollow matters are, and yet the fairest side is put outward to? But you cannot fee, what is the cause of this blindnesse, is it not because the gift blinds the eyes of the wise, is not that which wanted in the goodnesse of the cause supplied in the greatnesse of the fee and that is the cause you cannot see? But suppose this were true, and grant that you were as you say ignorant of the matter, is it not a foule shame to be vē trous to speake so much in a matter before you know whether