Page:Colasterion - Milton (1645).djvu/20

 part think John Dory, was a better man then both of them: for certainly they were the greatest wranglers that ever liv'd, and have fill'd all our Law-books with the obtunding story of their suits and trials.

After this hee tells a miraculous peece of antiquity, how two Romans, Titus and Sempronius, made feoffments, at Rome sure, and levied Fines by the Common Law. But now his fit of Law past, yet hardly come to himself, hee maintains, that if Mariage bee void, as beeing neither of God nor nature, there needs no legal proceeding to part it, and I tell him that offends not mee; Then, quoth hee, this is no thing to your book, beeing the Doctrin and Disciplin of Divorce. But that I deny him; for all Discipline is not legal, that is to say, juridical, but som is personal, som Economical, and som Ecclesiastical. Lastly, if I prove that contrary dispositions are joyn'd neither of God nor nature, and so the mariage void, hee will give mee the controversy. I have prov'd it in that book to any wise man, and without more a doe the Institution proves it.

Where I answer an Objection usually made, that the disposition ought to bee known before mariage, and shew how difficult it is to choose a fit consort, and how easie to mistake; the Servitor would know what I mean by conversation, declaring his capacity nothing refin'd since his Law-puddering, but still the same it was in the Pantry, and at the Dresser. Shall I argue of conversation with this hoyd'n, to go and practice at his opportunities in the Larder? To men of quality I have said anough; and experience confirms by daily example that wisest, sobrest, justest Men are somtimes miserably mistak'n in their chois. Whom to leav thus without remedy, tost and tempested in a most unquiet sea of afflictions and temptations, I say is most unchristianly.

But hee goes on to untruss my Arguments, imagining them his Maisters points. Only in the passage following, I cannot but admire the ripenes, and the pregnance of his native trechery, endeavouring to bee more a Fox then his wit will suffer him. Wheras I breifly mention'd certain heads of Discours, which I referr'd to a place more proper according to my method, to bee treated there at full with all thir Reasons about them, this Brain-worm against all the Laws of Dispute, will needs deal with them heer. And as a Country Hinde somtimes ambitious to shew his betters that hee is not so simple as you take him, and that hee knows his advantages, will teach us a new trick