Probably
the Invention of Printing, which took from the Scribes great Part of
their former Employment, put them on the Contrivance of making up by
a Multitude of Words, what they wanted in real Business; hence the
plain and strong Expression, _shall be his own_, is now swoln into,
_shall and may at all Times hereafter forever, and so from time to
time, freely, quietly and peaceably, have, hold and enjoy, &c_. The
Lawyer, in one of _Steele_'s Comedies, instructs his Pupil, that
_Tautology_ is the first, second, and third Parts of his Profession,
that is to say, _the whole of it_: And adds, _That he hopes to see
the Time, when it will require as much Parchment to convey a Piece of
Land as will cover it_. That time perhaps is not far off: For I am
told, that the Deeds belonging to the Title of some small Lotts,
(which have gone thro' several Hands) are nearly sufficient for the
Purpose.
But of all the Writings I have ever seen, for the Multiplicity,
Variety, Particularity, and prodigious Flow of Expression, none come
up to the Petition of _Dermond O Folivey_, an Attorney of the Kingdom
of _Ireland_: As the Petition is curious in itself, and may serve as
a Precedent for young Clerks, when they would acquire a proper Stile
in their Performances, I shall give it to the Publick entire, as
follows.
To the Right Honourable _Sir William Asten_, Knight, and
Lord Judge of Assize of the _Munster_ Circuit.
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