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Show 206 ATROCIOU;:3 JUDGES. [A. D. 1G79. detected, God knows what n1igl1t have befallen us all uy this time." "\V e now come to present North on the political stage, where he continued to act a very con picuous and uisreputable part down to the time of his death. In the year 1 G79, when the king adopted his new plan of government uy a Council of Thirty, of which Shaftc ·bury was made pre. iclent, anu into which Lord Russell and ~cveral of the popular leaders were introduced, it was thought fit to balance them uy L01ne determined ultra-royalists; and the lord chief ju tice of the C01nmon Pleas, who had acquired hin1self the reputalion of being the most eminent of tl1at class, was ~electeu, although l1e had not hitherto been a privy coun~illor. At first he seldotn openly gave any opinion in council, hut he secretly engaged in the intrigues whi~h enJed in the abrupt prorogation and dissolution of the Parliamcn t, in the disn1i ·al of Shaftesbury, and the resignation of Lord l~ussell and the ·whig-. The scheme of government was then altered, and a cabinet, consisting of a s1nall number of privy councillor , was formed, North being one of then1. 'fo his opinion on Legal and constitutional questions the govcrrunent was now disposed to show n1ore re ·pcct than to tlw,t of Lord Chancellor Nottinghatn. There being 1nuch talk against the conrt in the London coffee houses, it. was wi heel to suppre s them by proclamation; and our chief justice, being consulted on the ·uuject, gave this response- that "though retailing of coffee may, under certain circumstance , be an innocent trade, yet as it is used at present in the nature of a comn1on assembly to discourse of tnatters of state, news, and great persons, it becomes unlawful; and as the coffee houses are nur;:;cries of idleness A. D. 1681.] FRANCIS NORTII. 207 and pragmaticalness, and hinuer the consumption of our native provision , they n1a.y be treated a:' con1mon nui ances." Accordingly, a proclan1ation was i ucd for shutting up all coffee houses, ancl foruidding the sale of coffee in the metropoli , ; but this cau ed such a general murmur, not on1y a1nong politicians and idler~, but among the inJustrious classes connected with foreign and colonial tracle, that it was "peetlily recalled. The n1eeting of the new Parliament umtnoned in the end of 1Gi9 having been repeat 'uly postponed, there aro._e the opposite factions of "Petitioners" and "Abhorrers" - the former petitioning the king thut I>arliamcnt n1ight be speedily assembled for the r cJrc . of g rievances, and the latter, in their addresses to the king, expre sing their abhorrence of such seditious sentiments. 'fhe " Petitioners," however, '\rere much more numerous anJ active, and a coun~il was called to consider how their proceedings 111ight be ·toppeJ or puni hetl. Our chief ju tice r ecorn1nendcd n prodanuttion, which the king approved of, and orJcred the attorney gen ~ra1, Sir Creswell Lcvinz, to d raw. l\[r. A ttorney, alannec1 by con ~i<.1ering how he might be questioned for su h an act on the rneeting of Parliament, said, ''I do not \''{ell under tanJ what rny lord chief justice means, and I hurnbly pray of your m::tjesty that his lord hip may himself draw the pr oclaruation." J(ing." l\Iy lord, I think then you Inu.~ t draw this proclamation." Chief Justice.-" Sire, it is the oifice of your 1najesty's nLLor-ney general to prepare all royal prochunalion. , and it is not proper for any one cl e to do it. I beg that your maje ty'::; affairs may go on in their Jue cour 'e ; but if in this matter :.Mr. Attorney douLt any thing, and will giYe himself the trouble to call upon n1e, I will give him the be.~t assi. tance I can." |
