ancient laws of Spain also were chanted in verse, and the custom was
preserved a long time among many nations. Mio. Psellus, who lived in the
reign of Constantine Ducas, published a synopsis of the law, in verse, and
in 1701, Gumaro, a civilian of Naples, taught the dry and intricate system
of civil law, in a _novel._ Coke's Reports have been "done into verse" by
an anonymous author; and Cowper, the poet, tells us, that a relation of
his who had studied the law, "a gentleman of sprightly parts," began to
versify Coke's Institutes; he gives the following specimen of the
performance:

"Tenant in fee
Simple is he,
And need neither quake nor quiver,
Who hath his lands,
Free from demands,
To him and his heirs for ever."

Records, charters, and wills, and many other legal documents, have been
written in verse. The following grant was made by Edward the Confessor to
Randolf Peperking:

"Iche Edward konyng (_king_)
Have given of my forest the keping,
Of the Hundred of Cholmer and Daucing,
To Randolph Peperking and to his kindling, (_heirs_)
With heart and hynd, doe and bock, (_buck_)
Hare and fox, cat and brock, (_badger_)
Wild fowell and his flock,
Partridge, fesant hen, and fesant cock,
With green and wyld stob and stock,