mayntayned for lesse expenses by the yeare than twentye
markes. And if hee have a servaunt to wait uppon him, as most of them
have, then so much the greater will his charges bee. Nowe, by reason of
this charge, the children onely of noblemenne doo studye the lawes in
those innes. For the poore and common sorte of the people are not able
to bear so great charges for the exhibytion of theyr chyldren. And
Marchaunt menne can seldome finde in theyr heartes to hynder theyr
merchaundise with so greate yearly expenses. And it thus falleth out
that there is scant anye man founde within the realme skilfull and
cunning in the lawes, except he be a gentleman borne, and come of noble
stocke. Wherefore they more than any other kinde of men have a speciall
regarde to their nobility, and to the preservation of their honor and
fame. And to speake upryghtlye, there is in these greater innes, yea,
and in the lesser too, beside the studie of the lawes, as it were an
university or schoole of all commendable qualities requisite for noble
men. There they learn to sing, and to exercise themselves in all kinde
of harmonye. There also they practice daunsing, and other noblemen's
pastimes, as they use to do, which are brought up in the king's house.
On the working dayes, the most of them apply themselves to the studye of
the lawe, and on the holye dayes to the studye of holye Scripture;[24]
and out of the tyme of divine service, to the reading of Chronicles. For
there indeede are vertues studied, and vices exiled. So that, for the
endowment of vertue, and abandoning of vice, Knights and Barrons, with
other states and noblemen of the realme, place their children in those
innes, though they desire not to have them learned in the lawes, nor to
lieue by the practice thereof, but onely uppon their father's allowance.
Scant at anye tyme is there heard among them any sedition, chyding, or
grudging, and yet the offenders are punished with none other payne, but
onely to bee amooved from the compayne of their fellowshippe. Which
punishment they doo more feare than other criminall offendours doo feare
imprisonment and yrons: For hee that is once expelled from anye of those
fellowshippes is never received to bee a felowe in any of the other
fellowshippes. And so by this means there is continuall peace; and their
demeanor is lyke the behaviour of such as are coupled together in
perfect amytie."

Any person familiar with the Inns of Court at the present time