[10]. A custodium is a law proceeding in Ireland, not practised much any where else, and is vastly worse than even an “extent in aid.” By one fiction the debtor is supposed to owe money to the king:—by another “fiction,” the king demands his money;—and the debtor, by a third “fiction,” is declared a rebel, because he does not pay the king.—A commission of rebellion then issues in the name of the king against the debtor; and by a fourth “fiction,” he is declared an outlaw, and all his estates are seized and sequestered to pay his majesty. A receiver of every shilling belonging to the debtor is then appointed by the king’s chief baron of the exchequer; every tenant on the estates is served with the “fictions,” as well as the landlord; and a debt of one hundred pounds has been frequently ornamented with a bill of costs to the amount of three thousand in the name of his majesty, who does not know the least circumstance of the matter.
There was scarcely a gentleman in the county of Galway, formerly, but was as great an outlaw as Robin Hood; with this difference, that Robin Hood might be hanged, and his majesty could only starve the gentleman.
“But, sir! sir!” interrupted the doctor.
“I assure you, however,” continued Sir John, placidly, “that my brother Joe (whose Christian name—between you and me, doctor—ought to have been Ulick, after Ulick the Milesian, if my mother had done him common justice at his christening) is a long-headed fellow, and will promptly bring those infernal custodium impostors into proper order.”
“But, sir, sir!” repeated the doctor.
“One fellow,” pursued the baronet, “hearing that Joe intended to call him out for laying on his papers, has stopped all law proceedings already, and made a proper apology. The very name of Burke of Glinsk, doctor, is as sounding as Waterloo, in the county of Galway.”
“Pardon me, Sir John,” said Doctor T——, “but what can all this have to do with—”
“Never mind,” again interrupted the baronet, catching hold of one of the doctor’s coat-buttons,[[11]] “never mind; I give you my word, Joe is a steady, good, clever fellow, and looks two ways at every thing before he does it—I don’t allude to the cast in his eye: a horse with a wall-eye, you know, doctor, is the very lad for hard work!—ha! ha! ha!”