The Lawer's Pedigree

A Beggar had a Beadle, A Beadle had a Yeoman; A Yeoman had a prentice, A prentice had a Freeman: A Freeman had a Master, The Master had a Lease; The Lease made him a Gentleman, And Justice of the peace. The Justice being rich, And gallant in Desire, He marry'd with a Lady, And so he had a Squire: The Spuire had a Knight Of Courage bold and stout; The Knight he had a Lord, And so it came about. The Lord he had an Earl; His Country he forsook, He travel'd into Spain, And there he had a Duke: The Duke he had a prince, The prince a King of Hope The King he had an Emperor The Emperor a Pope. Thus, as the Story says, The pedigree did run; The Pope he had a Friar, The Friar had a Nun: The Nun, she was with Child And so her Credit sunk The Father was a Friar, The Issue was a Monk. The Monk he had a Son, With whom he did inhabit, Who when the Father died, The Son became Lord Abbot: Lord Abbot had a Maid, And catch'd her in the Dark, And something did to her, And so he had a Clerk. The Clerk he had a Sexton, The sexton had a Digger; The Digger had a Prebend, The Prebend had a Vicar; The Vicar had an Attorney, The which he took in Snuff; The Attorney had a Barrister, The Barrister a Ruff. The Ruff did get good Counsel, Good Counsel get a Fee, the Fee did get a Motion That it might Pleaded be: the Motion got a Judgment, And so it came to pass, A Beggar's Brat, a scolding Knave, A crafty Lawyer was.