The Field of Cavil lying all like wide,
Yields like Advantage unto either Side.

Which made the Grave Caftilian King devife A Prohibition, that no Advocate Should be convey'd to th' Indian Colonies Left their New Setting, fhaken with Debate, Might take but flender Root, and fo not rife To any perfect Growth of firm Eftate. "For having not this Skill How to Contend, "Th' unnourish'd Strife would quickly make an End.

So likewife did th' Hungarian, when he faw
These Great Italian Bartolifts, who were
Call'd in of purpose to explain the Law,
T'embroil it more, and make it much lefs clear
Caus'd them from out his Kingdom to withdraw,
With this infeftious Skill, fome other-where ;
Whofe Learning rather let Men farther out,
And open'd wider Paffages of Doubt.

See'ng ev'n Injuftice may be regulate;
And no Proportion can there be betwixt
Our Actions, which in endless Motion are,
And th' Ordinances, which are always fixt:
Ten Thousand Laws more cannot reach fo far,
But Malice goes beyond, or lives immixe
So close with Goodness, as it ever will
Corrupt, difguize, or counterfeit it ftill.

And therefore did thofe Glorious Monarchs (who
Divide with God the Stile of Majefty,
For being Good; and had a Care to do
The World Right, and fuccour Honefty)
Ordain this Sanctuary, whereunto

Th' Opprefs'd might fly; this Seat of Equity,
Whereon thy Virtues fit with fair Renown,
The greateft Grace and Glory of the Gown.

Which Equity, being the Soul of Law, The Life of Juftice, and the Spirt of Right; Dwells not in written Lines; or lives in Awe Dr Books deaf Pow'rs, that have nor Ears nor Sight: But out of well-weigh'd Circumftance doth draw The Effence of a Judgment requifite;

And is that Lesbian Square, that Building fit,
Plies to the Work, nor fore'th the Work to it.

m

Maintaining ftill an equal Parallel
Juft with th Occafions of Humanity,
Making her Judgment ever liable
To the Refpect of Peace and Amity
When furely Law, ftern and unaffable,
Cares only but it felf to fatisfy;
And often Innocencies fcarce defends,
As that which on no Circumftance depends.

But Equity, that bears an even Rein
Upon the prefent Courfes, holds in Awe
By giving Hand a little; and doch gain,
By a gentle Relaxation of the Law:
And yet inviolable doth maintain
The End whereto all Conftitutions draw,
Which is the Welfare of Society,
Confifting of an upright Policy:

Which firft b'ing by Neceffity compos'd,
Is by Neceffity maintain'd in beft Eftate
Where when as Juftice thall be ill difpos'd,
It fickens the whole Body of the State.
For if there be a Paffage once difclos'd,
That Wrong may enter at the felf-fame Gate
which ferves for Right, clad in a Coat of Law.;
What violent Distempers may it draw?

And therefore doft thou ftand to keep the Way, And ftop the Courfe that Malice feeks to run, And by thy provident Injunctions Ray

This never-ending Altercation;

Sending Contention Home, to th❜end Men may

There make their Peace, whereas their Strife begun;

And

And free these pefter'd Streets they vainly wear, whom both the State and theirs do need elsewhere.

Left th' Humour which doth thus predominate,
Convert unto it felf all that it takes;
And that the Law grow larger than Debate,
And come t'exceed th' Affairs it undertakes:
As if the only Science of the State,

That took up all our Wits, for Gain it makes.
for
Not for the Good that hereby may be wrought,
Which is not good if it be dearly bought.

What fhall we think, when as Ill Caufes fhall
Enrich Men more, and fhall be more defir'd
Than Good, as far more beneficial?

Who then defends the e Good? Who will be hir'd
To entertain a Right, whofe Gain is fmall?
Unless the Advocate that hath conspir'd
To plead a Wrong, be likewife made to run
His Client's Chance, and with him be undone.

So did the Wifeft Nations ever strive
To bind the Hands of Juftice up fo hard;
That left she falling to prove lucritive,
Might bafely reach them out to take Reward:
Ordaining her Provifions fit to Live,

Out of the Publick; as a Publick Guard,
That all preferves, and all doth entertain;
Whofe End is only Glory, and not Gain.

That ev'n the Sceptre, which might all command,
See'ng her f'unpartial, equal, regular;
Was pleas'd to put it felf into her Hand,
Whereby they both grew more admired far.
And this is that Great Bleffing of this Land,
That both the Prince and People use One Bar;
The Prince, whose Caufe (as not to be withftood)
Is never bad, but where Himself is good.

This is that Balance which committed is
To thy moft Even and Religious Hand,
Great Minifter of Juftice! Who by this
Shalt have thy Name ftill Gracious in this Land.
This is that Seal of Pow'r, which doth imprefs
Thy Acts of Right, which fhall for ever ftand!
This is that Train of State, that pompously
Attends upon thy Rev'rent Dignity!

All Glory elfe befides ends with our Breath; And Men's Refpects fcarce brings us to our Grave: But this of doing Good, muft out-live Death, And have a Right out of the Right it gave. Tho' th'act but few, th' Example profiteth Thousands, that fhall thereby a Bleffing have. The World's Respect grows not but on Deferts; Pow'r may have Knees, but Juftice hath our Hearts.

TO THE

Lord HENRY HOWARD,

One of His MAJESTY'S PRIVY COUNCIL.

Raife, if it be not Choice, and laid aright,
Can yield no Luftre where it is bestow'd;
Not any way can grace the Giver's Art,
(Tho''t be a pleafing Colour to delight)
For that no Ground whereon it can be fhew'd,
Will bear it well, but Virtue and Defert.

And tho' I might commend your Learning, Wit,
And Happy Utt'rance; and commend them right,
As that which decks you much, and gives you, Grace,
Yet your Clear Judgment beft deferveth it,
Which in your Courfe hath carried you upright,
And made you to difcern the trueft Face,

And beft Complexion of the Things that breed
The Reputation and the Love of Men;
And held you in the Tract of Honefty,
Which ever in the End we fee fucceed;
Tho' oft it may have interrupted been,
Both by the Times, and Men's Iniquity.
For fure thofe Actions which do fairly run
In the Right Line of Honour, ftill are thofe
That get moft clean and fafeft to their End ;
And pass the beft without Confufion,
Either in thofe that act, or else difpofe;
Having the Scope made clear, whereto they tend.

When