case beard against jons it be actionable to say of a barrister that he be a  dunce and will get little by the law post roll ab godb   Ent vent cro James  Com dig Mod lev vent ray side will stram Bac ab action for word whereas the  plaintiff be of the middletemple for diverse year and call to the bar and give  counsel to diverse the king subject and practice the law and have marry the  daughter of I S that the defendant have communication with the say I S concern  the plaintiff and the marriage of his daughter say of the plaintiff he be a  dunce and will get little by the law to which word the say I S answer that  other have a better opinion of he he reply he be never but account a dunce in  the middletemple the defendant plead not guilty and it be find against he and  damage to one hundred mark bing sergeant move in arrest of judgement that  these word be not actionable for a action lie not for call one a dunce for  dunce be a great learned man and he be thereby compare to he and then no  discredit and dunce be common croak car er p speak of one who be dull and  heavy of wit and though not so ready and nimble as other yet he may be of a  solid judgement therefore they seem not word of discredit and to say he will  not get much by the law that may be because he will not give himself to  practice but all the court seriatim deliver their opinion that the action well  lie for the word be to be intend accord to the common speech and dunce in  common intendment and speech be take for one of dull capacity and apprehension  and not fit for a lawyer word shall be take in such sense as they be speak  croak car and they be allege to be speak malicious and to the intent to  slander he in his profession and so upon not guilty plead it be find that be  speak they malicious and for the word that be will not get much by the law it  be not to be intend that he have no will to practice and to gain by his  profession but he will not gain videlicet be will not deserve to gain c  wherefore it be adjudge for the plaintiff