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Show 36G ATROCIOUS JUDGES. [A. D. 16 4. 'Valtcr tl1ought he would make himself doubly safe by r equiring an aflldaYit that the e.·tatc wa., clear from all incu1nbrancC'~. This afllcla vi t "\Vright wore without any hesitation, and he then received the fiye hundred pound... But the money being spent, and the fraud being detected, he was in the greatest danger of being sent to jail for debt, and also of being indicteu for swindling and pe1jury. lie had only one rcsourc , and thi. proved available. Being a lever 1nimic, he had been introduced into the circle of para ites and buffoons who nrroundecl J effrey", at this time chief justice of the ICing's Bench, and u ed to n1akc spor t i()r him and his companions in their drunken orO'ies by takin cr off . 0 b the other judges, as well as the most eminent counsel. One day, being a,·ked why he seemed to be 1nelancholy, he took the opportunity of laying open his destitute condition to hi ' patron, who aid to him, "A you seem to be unfit for the Lnr, or any other hone t calling, I see nothing for it but that you should become a judge your--elf:" \Vright naturally suppo:·ed that this was a piece of wickeu pleasantry, and when Jeffrey~ had declared that he wa never more serious in his life, a -ked how it could be brought about, for he not only felt him elf incompetent for such an office, but be had no intere t, and, till more, it so happened, unfortunately, tl1at the Lord l{ccper Guilford, who made the judge , wa fully aware of the unaccountable lapse of memory into which he had fallen when he swore the affidavit for Sir Walter Plu mmcr, that his estate was clear from all incumbrancBs, the lord keeper himself being the fir t mortgagee. Jeffreys, 0. J.-" Never despair, my boy; leave all that to me." We know nothing mol'e of the intrigue with certainty, ti ll the following dialogue took place in the royal closet. ""\V e can A. D. 1GS4 ] JlOGEI~T \VTIIGHf. 367 only conjecture that in the meanwhile Jeffrey .. , who wa:-- then much cheri hed at court, and was impatient to super~ede (~uilford entirely, had urgently pre--sed the king that 1Vright might be elevated to the b-ench a a devoted friend of the prerogative, and that, as the lord keeper had a prejudiec against him, his maje ty ou~ht to take the appointn1ent in1o his own hanus. But we crrtainly know that, n vacancy oceuning in the Court of Exchequer, th lord keeper had an audience of hi, n1ajesty to take his plea -ure on the appointment of a new baron, aucl that he na1ned a gentleman at the oar, in great practice and of good character, as the fitte t person to be appointed, thinking that Charles would nod a cnt with his usual ea"y inditTerence, when, to hi utter an1az 'ment, he was thus interrogated: "l\Iy lord, what think you of Mr. vVright? 1Vhy 1uay not he be the man?'' Lord J(eeper.- " "Because, sir, I know hirn too well, and he is the most unfi'; person in England to be 1ntule a juuge." f{ing." Then it rnust not be.'' Upon thi ~, the lord keeper withdrC\\., without 'n.aving r eceived any other notification of the kin o·',.. pleasur~; and the ofiice r emained vacant. Ag~in there is a hasm in the intrigue, and we ar driven to gue3s that Jeffrey had renewed hi:-- solicitation, had treated the objections started to ' Vright a ridiculou , and had ach·isecl the )ashiering of the lord keeper if he should prove obstinate. The next time that the lord keeper wa. in the royal pre 'Cne ', the king, opening the subject of hi..; own accord, observed, "Good my lord, why may not "\Vright be a judge? lie i~ strongly recomn1ended to me; but I would have a due re. pcet paid to you, anu I would not make him withou t your con urrence. Is it in1possible, n1y lord? " Lord J{eeper.-" Sir. the makincr of a 1·udcre is , .011r n1njr::-ty'.; ehoicc, nnd not my o . n ·' · |
