CHAUCER’S PORTRAYAL OF THE SERGEANT OF LAW

            Chaucer in his Prologue to the Canterbury Tales tells about the qualities and skill of the Sergeant of Law.  The Sergeant of Law was a wise and prudent person who was held in great reverence.  The Sergeants of Law were the King’s legal advisers chosen from amongst well-established barristers.  This Sergeant was one of such persons.

            Stating the qualifications of the Sergeant of Law, Chaucer tells that he had very often been appointed by the King to act as a judge in assize.  An assize was the county court which used to be held periodically to administer justice.  He was also empowered to exercise full powers of a judge.  As a result of his knowledge and renown, he used to receive plenty of fees and rich robes from his clients.  The Sergeant of was also a highly skilled and clever purchaser of land.  He bought all the land he could and was so smart that nothing in his purchase could be questioned.  Chaucer also adds that he secured to be more busy than he actually was to make his clients think high of him.

            While describing the Sergeant of Law, Chaucer shows his ironic satire.  He “reports in outward praise and inward condemnation the characteristics of the Sergeant”.  The Sergeant is an eminent barrister but he is also a shrewd business man.  He uses his legal knowledge for his own benefit in purchasing land.  He had also won many robes and fees in dishonest manner.  The lawyers of the Middle Ages were apparently a set of greedy men who exploited people by extracting exorbitant fees and gifts from them.

            Chaucer was not alone in criticising the corruptness of legal practitioners of his day.  Langland, Wycliff and Gower too have found fault with the shrewd selfishness of lawyers.