| OCR Text |
Show 27-1: ATTIOCIOC::> J UD G E:-:. [A. D. 16G8. visit she hall agreed, if her fath e r's consent could not be obtained, to elope with hi1n. 1Vhat was hi.s di 'nppointment, soon after his return to his di 1nal chamber in the Inner Temple, which he had hoped soon to exchange for a sumptuous manor-house, to receive a letter fron1 the compan~·on, informing him ~' that his correspondence with the lwi1·ess had been di "'Covered by the old f~tther, "\Yho vvas in such a rage, that locking up her cousin, he had inotantly turned herself out of doors, and that having taken shelter in the hou. e of an acquaintance in I-:Iolborn, she was there in a state of great destitution and distraction, afraid to r eturn to h er father, or to infonn hitn of what had happened." The conduct of J effreys on this occasion may be truly considered the brightest passage in his history. l-Ie went to her, founu h er in tears, and considering that he had been the means of ruining her prospects in life, (to say nothing of her being much hands01ner than her rich cousin,) he offer ed her his hand. SllC consented. IIer father, notwithstanding the chaeacter and circum tances of his proposed son-in-law, out of regard to l1i.s daughter's reputation, sanetioned their union, and to the surprise of all parties, gave her a fortune of three hundred pounds. She made an excellent wife, and I do not ilnd any complaint of his having used her ill till n car the time of her death, a few years after, when he had cast his affections upon the lady who became the second .:Thir:,. Jeffreys. .:Thieanwhile he left her at her father's, occasionally visiting h er ; and he continued to carry on his former pur uits and to tr en()'then his ' b connections in London, with a view to his success at the bar, on which he resolutely calculated with unabated confidence. He was not disappointed. Never had a young lawyer risen so rapidly into practice. nut he cut out a new line for bjro- A.. D. 167'0.] GEORGr: JEFFHEYS. 275 self. Instead of attending in \Vestminster Ilall to take notes in law French of the long-winded argurnenis of se1~eant:3 and eminent counsel, where he "\rould have had little chance of employment, he did not go n ear any of the superior courts for some years, but confined himself to the Old Bailey, the London Se sions, and !licks's I-Iall. There he was soon " the cock of the walk." Some of his pot companion" were now of great u:::e to him in bringing him briefs, and recon1mending him to busines . All this pushing would have been of little avail if lle lwd not fully equalled expectation by the forcn ic abilities whid1 he displayed. lie had a very sweet and powerful voice, haYing something in its tone which immediately fixed the attenUon, so that his audience alway"' were compelled to li~ten to him~ irrespective of what he aiel. " lie 'vas of bold aspect, anrl cared not for the countenance of any n1an." lie was extremely Yoluble, but alway perspicuou and ioreible, making usc of idiomatic, and fam iliar, and colloquial, an<l sometimes of coar c language. IIc never spared any a. ertion that was likely to serve his client. lie could get up u point of Jaw so a;:; to argue it with great ability, and with the j u ·tices, as '"e 11 aR with juries, his infl uence was nnbounde<l. lie was pnrticulady famous for his talent in cro ·s-exam inntion indulcrinO' in ' 0 0 ribaldry and banter to a degree which would not now oe per-mitted. The audience being ever ready to take part with the persecuted witness, the laugh was som etime.~ turned agnin. t lJim. It is r elated that, about this tim e, beginning to crossexamine a witness in a leatltern doublet, who had made out a complete case against his client, he Law led forth-" You ~ellow in the leathern doublet, pray what have you for swearIng?" Tbe man look0d c;:trnf1ilv nt him. Rn(1 '"Trnly,. sir," |
