reviewed by George III., in 1803, the King asked Erskine, who was in command of them, what was the constitution of the corps. "They are all lawyers," replied Erskine. "What! what! all lawyers, all lawyers?" exclaimed the King. "Yes, your majesty." "Call them the Devil's Own! " the King laughingly retorted, and from that day the corps has been known by that name. Over one hundred of the corps volun teered to go to South Africa for service, and though enrolling themselves as members of "The Inns of Court Rifle Corps," they were generally referred to as the " Devil's Own." The combative qualities of English law yers have frequently been employed in de fence of their country. A body of armed barristers was organized when Britain was, threatened by the Spanish Armada. When the war between the Parliament and King broke out, a regiment of infantry was raised in the Inns of Court for the defence of Ox ford, and a regiment of cavalry, described as being "well horsed and very fine," was raised to serve as a bodyguard to the King. Among the numerous lawyers who played
a leading part in the struggle between the King and his Parliament were Whitelock and Ireton. Whitelock, replying to a speech made in the House of Commons in 1649 in favor of excluding lawyers from Parliament, said : " As to the sarcasms on lawyers for not fighting, I deem that the gown does neither abate a man's courage nor his wisdom, nor render him less capable of using his sword when the laws are silent, witness the great services performed by Lieutenant-General Jones and Commissary Ireton, and many other lawyers who, pulling off their gowns when the Parliament required it, have served stoutly and successfully as soldiers." In our own country, when Abraham Lin coln issued his first call for volunteers, the lawyers were among the first to respond, and many of the volunteer officers, as well as privates, who distinguished themselves dur ing that four years' war, were members of the legal fraternity. This same spirit was shown in the war with Spain, for among those deemed worthy of honor we find very many who, during the years of peace, carried the green bag.
