a vocation of perjury than is now happily possible. It was no uncommon thing for such openly to perambulate the entrances to the law-courts ready for any chance customer. They made known their occupation by wearing a piece of straw just sticking out of their shoes. The Quarterly Review (xxxiii., 344) points out that the practice is a very ancient one, Athens having abounded in straw-shoes. The modus operandi was much the same then as in later days. When it was 'desirable' to season Attic testimony with bribery and perjury, the scene outside a Greek court of justice might be thus described. An advocate or lawyer who wanted a convenient witness knew by these signs [the straws in the sandals] where to find one, and the colloquy between the parties was brief. 'Don't you remember' said the advocate—(the party looked at the fee and gave no sign: but the fee increased and the powers of memory increased with it). 'To be sure I do!' 'Then come into the court and swear it.' And straw-shoes went into the court and swore it. As b.c., so a.d. 1754—before and after.
1754. Fielding, Jonathan Wild, book I., chap. ii. Charity took to husband an eminent gentleman whose name I cannot learn; but who was famous for so friendly a disposition, that he was bail for above a hundred persons in one year. He had likewise the remarkable honour of walking in Westminster Hall with a straw in his shoe.
At present lawyers use straw-bail to designate insufficient bail. Closely allied to this term, and used much in the same manner, is 'a man of straw.' The figure is the effigy of a man, stuffed with straw; hence, 'a man of straw,' the semblance of a man—a person of neither substance nor responsibility; or one put forward to screen a real delinquent. A curious usage, akin to the foregoing, is also sometimes heard among sailors. For example, a strike for wages having taken place amongst the crew of a ship, 'blacklegs' (q.v), or 'straw-yarders' as they were called in nautical phraseology, took the place of the strikers. On the meaning of the expression being asked, it was explained that a 'straw-yarder' was a man about the docks who had never been to sea, and knew little or nothing of the duties of a seaman.
To give or take leg-bail, phr. (common).—To escape, either from arrest, or from prison; literally, to be indebted to one's legs for flight. For exhaustive list of synonyms, see Amputate.
1775. Adair, American Indians, 277. I had concluded to use no chivalry, but give them leg-bail instead of it, by . . . making for a deep swamp. [m.]
1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, ch. iii. 'I e'en gae them leg-bail, for there's nae ease in dealing wi' quarrelsome fowk.'
1848. Marryat, Poacher, xxii. Given them leg-bail, I swear.
The phrase is sometimes amplified thus:—to take leg-bail and give land security.
Bail Up! also Bale Up! intj. (Australian).—A
bushranger's phrase
for 'stand and deliver'! 'Shell
out'!
