OCR Text |
Show 28± ATJtOCIO c::; JlJDGES. ( \. D. 1G8). but they have been ingcnuou~ enough to conf) ·s, and I cannot think to fine them little enough; tbey shall be f1ne<l l wopence for their ingenuity in confessing. 'Yell, c01nc, 1\Ir. SmiLl1, we know wl1o hath formerly owned both printing an<l pul>li ·bing this book." Sm,?~th.- ''Sir, n1y ingenuity hath ·ufficiently experienced the reward of your severity ; and, Leside:,, I know no law cotumands n1e to accu c n1y elf; neither sh:1ll I; and the jury have clone like true Engli.:-ihmen and wortby citizens., and hks ed be God for uch a jury." Je{freys \ Va. furious, but conld only Yent his rage by C'OmmiLting the defendant till he gave security for his good behavior. Such services were not to go unrewarded. It wa · the wi::;h of the government to put the renegade J eifreys into the office of chief ju tice of Chester, so often the price of political aposta y; but ir Job Charlton, a very old gentleman, who no\r held it, could not be prevailed upon Yoluntarily to re~ i gn, for he had a considerable c. tate in the neighborhood, and was loath to be stripped of hi ' dignity. ,Jcifrey b, supported by the Duke of York r1res ed the kinrr hard uro-inrr that ''a 'Velshman ' 0 ' 0 0 ought not to judge hi;-; coun try1nen," and a rnessage was sent to Sir Job that he was to be rcn1oYed. The old gentleman was imperfectly con:--olcd with the place of pui ~ne judge of the Common Pleas, whieb, in the reign of .J~unes II., he wa:; sub ·equently allo,ved to exchange ior bis Lcloved Che ~ ter. l\leau w bile he was succeeded by Jeffreys, "more \V clshman than himself," who was at the same time made counsel for the crown, at Ludlow, where a court was still held for vVales. Immediately afterward~, the new chief justice was called to the degree of the coif, and rnade king's . erjeant, ,vLcreby he had precedence in \Vestminster I-Iall of the attorney and solicitor general. The motto on his rings, ,\'ith great breYity A. D.lf80.J G E () It G E .J E F FTI E Y S. 285 and point, inculcated the prevaHing doctrines of divine right and passive obedience-'· A D eo Re~c, a Rege L ex." As a further mark of royal favor, there \ras conferred upon him the l1ereditary dignity of a Laronet. lie till retainetl the recordership of London, and had extensive practice at the bar. The great pro:perity which J effrcys now enjoyed had not the effect which it ought to have produee<l upon a good di._position, by n1aking hi1u n1ore court co us ancl kind to others. When not under the sorJiu dreau of injuring him -elf Ly offending superi or::;, he \ras univer:ally insol<~ut and overbearing. Being made chi .f justiee of Ch~ster, he thought that all puisne judges were ben cat h him, nucl he woul<l not uchave to them \Yitlt decent re~pcct, ·ven whrn practi:..;ing Lcfore them. At the J{ing~ton n ·si ze~, Baron YV ")~ton hn, ving ti·jed to check his irrcgulariti s, he compl:.tined th::tL he \ras not treated like a counsellor, being curbcc1 in the 1nanngcmen t of hi::> brief. Weston, B.-'' Sir George, since the king lla' thrust hi;:; itt- Tors upon you, an<l Jn:Hle you clticf ju~tice of Chc ·ter, you think to run down cYcry bouy; if you Iill(l yourself aggrieved make your complaint; here's nobouy care.~ for you.' Jeffreys. - ''I have not been used to 1nake c0111plaint.', but rather to stop those that are 1nadc." TVeston, 15.-" I desire, sir, that you will sit down." lie sat dov;rn, anu i.' . aid to have wept with anger. Ilis intcn1perate habits haJ so far shakeu his nerves, that he shed. tears very freely on any strong en1otion. vVe may be prepared for hi, playing some fanta ~ tic tricks before his count ry1neu at Chc ter, where he wa subject to no control; but the description of l1i conduct there by Lord De lam ere, (afterwards Earl of 'Yarrington,) in d nouncing it in the llonse of Con1mons, must , urely be oycrclmrgcd:- |