Ireland. In 1606, he was called to the degree of Serjeant-at-Law; and,
in the following year, was knighted by the King at Whitehall. In 1612,
he published a book on the state of Ireland, which is often referred
to; and soon afterwards he was appointed King's Serjeant, and Speaker
of the House of Commons in Ireland. On his return to England he
published his reports of cases adjudged in the King's Court in
Ireland,--the first reports of Irish cases made public. The preface to
these reports is very highly esteemed. It has been said to vie with
Coke in solidity and learning, and equal Blackstone in classical
illustration and elegant language. Sir John Davis died 7th of December,
1626."

It is amusing to see how erroneous statements creep into ordinary
biography. Headley, as we have just seen, calls Davies "a man of _low_
extraction;" and now we find a more recent biographer adding (without the
shadow of an authority), "at the Middle Temple, young Davies became _rather
notorious for his irregularities_!"

Davies's quarrel with Richard Martin is alluded to by Wood. After speaking
of his admission into the Middle Temple, and of his being made a barrister
(July, 1595), that writer adds:--

"But so it was that he [Sir John Davies] being a high-spirited young
man, did, upon some little provocation or punctilio, bastinado Rich.
Martin (afterwards Recorder of London) in the Common Hall of the Middle
Temple, while he was at dinner. For which act being forthwith
[February, 1597-8] expell'd, he retired for a time in private, lived in
Oxon in the condition of a sojourner, and follow'd his studies, tho' he
wore a cloak. However, among his serious thoughts, making reflections
upon his own condition, which sometimes was an affliction to him, he
composed that excellent philosophical and divine poem called _Nosce
Teipsum_."

It is not a little singular that this very Richard Martin, whose
chastisement is thus recorded, had {83} been on terms of strict friendship
with our "high-spirited" young lawyer. In 1596, Davies had published his
poem on dancing, entitled _Orchestra_, the title-page of which is followed
by a dedicatory sonnet "To his very friend, Ma. Richard Martin." This
sonnet is written in extravagant terms of friendship and admiration; and as
it is only to be found in the _rare_ first edition, and in the almost
equally rare _Bibliographical Catalogue