Of a deafe Plaintife, a deafe Defendant, and a deafe Iudge

BY hap a man that could not heare
but borne deafe by kinde,
Another cited to the Court,
much like himselfe to finde,
Whose bearing Sense was quight bereft:
the Iudge that of the Case
Should giue his verdit, was as deafe
as deafest in the place.
To Court they came: the Plaintife praide
to haue the vnpaid rent.
Defendant saide, in grinding I
this wearie night haue spent.
The Iudge behelde them both a while,
is this at last (quoth hée)
Of all your stirred strife the cause?
You both hir children bée:
Then Reason willes, and Law allowes
your Mother should haue aide
At both your handes that are hir Sonnes.
When thus the Iudge had saide,
The People laught a good to heare
this well discussed case
Twixt two deafe men, and thought him fit
to sit in Iudges place
Vpon so blinde a matter that
was deafe as any rock:
And thus the simple men were shamde,
the Iustice had a mock.