nce with our Countrymen, Introduced the _Roman_ Arts of
Wrangling into our Manners and Practice. But not to speak of such remote
Times. About the Year of our Lord 1230. reigned St. _Lewis_, as he is
plainly called, whose Life _Johannes Joinvillaeus_ (whom we have often
mentioned) has written at large. Out of his Commentary we may easily
learn, how few Contentions and Law-Suits were in those Days, since King
_Lewis_ either determined the Controversies himself in Person, or
referred them to be determined by some of his Followers and Companions:
And therefore [_cap._ 94.] he thus writes,--"_He was wont_ (says he) _to
command Lord_ Nellius, _Lord_ Soissons, _or my self, to inspect and
manage the Appeals which were made to him. Afterwards he sent for us,
and enquired into the State of the Case; and whether it were of such a
Nature as could not be ended without his own Intervention. Oftentimes it
hapned, that after we had made our Report, he sent for the contending
Parties, and heard the Cause impartially argued over again. Sometimes
for his Diversion he would go to the Park of_ Bois de Vincennes, _and
sitting down upon a green Sodd at the Foot of an Oak Tree, would command
us to sit by him; and there if any one had Business, he wou'd cause him
to be called, and bear him patiently. He wou'd often himself proclaim
aloud, That if any one had Business, or a Controversy with an Adversary,
he might come near and set forth the Merits of his Cause; then if any
Petitioner came, he wou'd hear him attentively; and having throughly
considered the Case, wou'd pass judgment according to Right and Justice.
At other Times he appointed_ Peter Fountain _and_ Godfrey Villet _to
plead the Causes of the contending Parties. I have often_ (says he)
_seen that good King go out of Paris into one of his Gardens or Villa's
without the Walls, dressed very plainly, and there order a Carpet to be
spread before him on a Table; and having caused Silence to be
proclaimed, those which were at Variance with each other, were
introduced to plead their Causes; and then he presently did Justice
without Delay._" Thus far _Joinvillaeus_--By which we may guess at the
small Number of Law Suits and Complainants in those Days, and how
careful our Kings were of preventing the Mischiefs that might arise from
such as fomented Controversies. In the _Capitular_ of _Charles the
Great_ this Law is extant.--"_Be it known unto all Persons both Nobility
and People, by these our Pa