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Show 170 ATH.OClOU~ JUDGES. [A. D. 167!>. temper and di cri1nination, "The Chief tT u -- tice Scroger~, a lawyer of profligate ha1Jit" and inferior acquir 111ents, acted the part of pro ecutor ralher than of juuge. To the informers he behaved with kindnc:~, even with deference, suggesting to them explanations, excu ing their contradictions, and repelling the imputation on their character:,; but the pri ' oncr-- were repeatedly interrupted and in ulted; their witnesses were browbeaten front the bench, and their condemnation was generally hailed with acclan1ations, which the court rather encouraged than repres e(.l." 1\Ieanwhile the chief justice went the circuit; and although the Popi h plot did not extend into the province , it may be curion" to see how he dem 'aned hin1sclf there. Andrew Bromwich being tried before hitn capitally, for having ad~ mini ' tercel the ... acran1ent of the Lord's upper according to tlle rites of the church of Rome, thus the dialogue between them proceeded : - Prisone1·. - " I desire your lord. hip will take notice of one thing, that I have taken the oaths of allegiance and suprem~ acy, and haYe not r fused any thing which 1night t.c tif)r my loyalty." Sc1·oggs, C. J. -' That will not ·erve your turn; you pric ts have n1any tricks. 'Vhat is that to gidng a woman the "'acrament even\.l tin1e ? " l)risoner.- "l\Jy loru, it wa no sacrament unle~s I be a priest, of which thrre i no proof." Scroggs.-" \Vhnt! you expect we hould proYe you a prie't by 'ritne ·e · who saw you ordaineJ? We know too 1nuch of your religion ; no one gi vcs the · acra· ment 1· 11 a w~tlr er, except he 1J a p op1. ·1 1 pn· ·t : you gave that L woman t l1 e .·acrament 1.1 1 a wa11{' r: ergo, you al 'e '<t Popish prie L" Thu he um1ne<l up: " Gentlemen of the jury, I leave it upon your consciences whether you will let priests A. D. 1679.] 'VILLI A:.\! SCI\.0 G GS. 171 escape, who arc the very pe~t~ of church and state; you hau better be rid of one pric"'t than three felons; so, gentlen1en, I leave it to you." · After a venlict of guilty, the chief ju tice said, " Gentlemen you have found a good Ycnli ·t, and if I had l.>ccn one of you I shoulcl ha,·e founcl the s~une n1y~elf." lie th en pronounced sentence of death, de. cribing what scrn1c<.l to be his own notion of the d i Yine Bei ng, ,,. hilc he imputed ihi~ bla phe1ny to the prison r: "You act :r if God Almi()'hty b were some OJnnipotent nli"thiet; that c1c1ightcd and would be served \Yith the acrifice of human blooll." Scrogg~ was Inorc ancl 1norc eager, anL1 '' ranted on that side more impetuously," when he ob. CITed that Lord Shaf'tc~bury, who, although hin1sclf too shrewd to LH'licve in the I>opi h plot, hacl b · n workin(J' it furiously for hi.' own p urpo C", was taken into ofH e on the iormation of Sir "\Villi:un Temple's new ch 1ne of a<lmini ... trat ion, and was actually made pre idcnt of the council. But he began lo entertain a .. su picion that the king had been acting a part ngain. t his inclination ancl his judgment, and, having a.·c·ettained th' real truth upon thi .. point, h' ·howed him 'elf equally vcr--alilc all(l violent by uddenly going over to the opposite f~telion. l~og<..'r North gives th following racy acrount of his eonver"ion:- "It fell out that when the Earl of Hllafte. bury had .. at some hort tirnc in the council, anu ee1ncd to rule the roast, yet Scroggs hacl ·otne qualn1 in Jtis politieal con cience ; and coming from vVind ·or in the Lord Chief J u ~ tice North's coach, he tool~ the opportunity and dcsjred his lord ·hip to tell him scriou ly if 1ny l..ord Shafte 'bury l1ad really o great power with the king as he wa thought to have. Ilis lordship answered quick, 'No, my lor<.l, no more than your foot- |
