Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/324

 whereat they begin Children, and hold on sixteene or twentie yeares conning by roate the Aphorismes of Hypocrates, and the Civill Institutions, and a few other parings of those two faculties. I have seene them where they kept Schoole, ten in some one Chamber, groveling upon couches of straw, their Bookes at their noses, themselves lying flatte prostate, and so to chaunte out their lessons by peecemeale, being the most part lustie fellowes of twenty five yeares and upwards.

Other Lawyers they have, liable to certaine families which after the custome of the country determine and judge causes. These consider of wrongs offered and received among their neighbours, be it murder, or fellony, or trespasse, all is redeemed by composition, (except the grudge of parties seeke revenge:) and the time they have to spare from spoyling and proyning, they lightly bestow in parling about such matters. The Breighoon (so they call this kind of Lawyer) sitteth him downe on a banke, the Lords and Gentlemen at variance round about him, and then they proceede.

They honour devoute Fryars and Pilgrimes, suffer them to passe quietly, spare them and their mansions, whatsoever outrage they shew to the country besides them. To robbe and prey their enemies, they deeme it none offence, nor seeke any meanes to recover their losse, but even to watch them the like turne. But if