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Show 360 A.TH.OClOUS JUDGES. [A. D. 1089. commanding, and he managed it with wonderful effi ct, whether he wi. hed to terrify or to conciliate. There are many portraits of him, all, from hi .. marked. features, bearing a gr 'at r esemblance to each other, and, it n1ay be presumed, to the odginal. " He had a set of banterers for the most part near him, as in old time great men kept fool. to make them merry. And the:se fellows, abu ing oue another and their betters, were a regale to him." But there can be no doubt that he circu lated in good society. lie wa not only much at court, but he exchanged visits with the nobility and persons of distinction in different walks of life. In the social circle, being entirely free from hypocrisy and affectation, from haughtine and illnature, laughing at · principle, courting a reputation for profligacy, talking with the u tmo t freedom of all parties and all men -he disarn1ed the censure of the world, and, by the fascination of his manners, while he was present, he threw an oblivion over his vices and his crimes. On one occasion, dining in the city with Alderman Duncomb, the lord treasurer and other great courtiers being of the party, they worked themselves up to such a pitch of loyalty by bumpers to "confusion to the Whig-," that they all strippc(l to their shirt:, and were about to get upon a signpost to drink the king's health, when they were accidentally diverted from their purpose, and the lord chancellor escaped the fate which befell Sir Charles Sedley, of being indicted for indecently exposing l1i person in the public streets. But this frolic brought upon him a violent fit of the stone, which nearly cost him his life. As a civil judge he was by no means without high qualifications, and in the absence of any motive to do wrong, he A.. D. 1G89.] GEORGE Jl:FFREYS. 361 was willing to do right. lie had a very quick perc ption, a vjgorous and logical under tanding, and an imp res i ve eloquence. \\" l1en quite sober, he wa~ particularly n-ood w· a Nisi Priu~ judge. Hi .. sumzning up, in what i.' called " the La<1y 1 ,·y's case"- an jectment betwflen hflr aucl the dean and dwpter of St. Paul's to recov r a large c tate nt Shadn·ell - i.;; mo.:;t rna. terly. The evi<.lenc '\va., exceedingly complicatecl, and he gives a beautiful ket h of the whol >, Loth <.locum ntnry and parol; and, without taking the ca"'e fron1 thr jury, he ruakr-: some admirable ob ervation' on ccrl a in de d: produced Ly the Lady Ivy, which l d to the conclu ion that th y were forged, and to a verdict for 1 he dean and chapter.* Con idering the sy. tcmatie form whieh quity jurisprudence had assumed under hi two immcdiat(l prcc.Ieces. ors, Jefl'rey., n1u t have been very poorly furni:Shc(l for presiclincr in chancery. lie had practi.~ell little o8for the~e judge~, and none of their deci !on were yet in print ; . o that iC he had 1J' n so inclined, he had not tlJC opportunity to mak himself familiar with the establi ·h c..l practice and do trines f the court. Although he n1u:-t often have betray ~cl hi· ignorance, yl't with hi characteri tic boldnes. and encrcry he contriYeL1 to g t through the bu ine ... s without any ignal disgrace and :unong all the invective.~, atir ·s, and lampoon by which hi' 111 )mory is Llackened, I flnd little aid against his deer ·cs. lie di<l not promulgate any Locly of new ord rs according to recent cu tom; but, while he l1el<.l the great cal, he is.,ued parat orders from time to titn , "on1e of w hi h w re very u "'Cful. • D own to th1·s t 1· me tn·n l. at m·s 1· pn·u s 11 11. d n ot U~"..'." 'umecl their prese. nt shape. The issue being read to the jury, the eYidcncc was giYen, an~ Wlth h ardly } . b. n left to the jttdcrc. any spcechc from counsel: all seems to 1a' c ee t:> ji |
