Lawyer and Clerk. The ancient writ of habeas corpus Could n't be served on half the carcass; At least such writ would not be good To reach the part that was made of wood. The writ de homine rep-leg-iando 5 Would for the wooden leg o' the man do; And, for the tapster, capias in withernam6 Was the kind o' writ that withered him; And so the cause came rectus in curia For trial of both parties' injuria. The lawyer argued the case to the squire, And said he 'd throw his books in the fire, If he could n't show by all authorities. About the queer case at bar — the res — His client's leg was ultra vires; Surely the plaintiff could not make a raise By levy on him of writ of fi. fa.,7 Or take him, in whole or in part, by ca. sa.8 The leg was part of him, not his'n; The debtor can't be put in prison; Who can't th' integral man restrain, A fortiori, can't the half detain.
The squire decided the cause for the leg; But that the wooden limb, detached, Was by the limb o' the law up-snatched — The lawyer's lien for his fee 'd attached.
Severed 9 — no longer person, you see — The limb was personal property. The case " went up," as the lawyers say; The soldier's "gone up" too, — far away, Where wings are used in lieu of legs, Where not even Miss Kilmanseggs Stump jasper-laid streets on golden legs.
The clerk was then receiver made, And rented out that wooden leg;
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