troduce it here, because it imparts a juft idea of the man, and contains at least one good trait for the fake of humanity. LORD GEORGE JEFFERIES, Baron Weem, commonly known by the name of Judge Jefferies, was the fixth fon of John Jefferies, Efq. of Acton, in Denbighshire. He was educated at Weftminster School, where he became a good proficient in the learned languages, and was thence removed to the Inner Temple, where he applied himself very affiduoufly to the law. His father's family was large, and his temper parfimonious, confequently the young man's allowance was very fcanty, and hardly fufficient to fupport him decently, but his own ingenuity fupplied all deficiencies till he came to the bar, in which, as is affirmed by fome, he had no regular call. In 1666, he was at the affizes at Kingston, where very few counselors attended, on account of the plague then raging. Here neceffity gave him permiffion to put on a gown, and to plead, and he continued the practice unreftrained till he reached the highest employments in the law. Alderman Jefferies, a namefake, and probably a relation, introduced him among the citizens; and, being a jovial bottle companion, he became very popular amongst them, came into great bufinefs, and was chofen their recorder. His influence in the city, and his readiness to promote any measures without referve, introduced him to court, and he was appointed the Duke of York's Solicitor. He was very active in the Duke's intereft, and car. ried through a caufe which was of very great confequence to his revenue: it was for the right of the Penny-Poft Office. He was firft made a judge in his native country, and in 1680 was knighted, and made chief juftice of Chefter. When the parliament began the profecution of the abhorrers, he refigned the recorderfhip, and obtained the place of Chief Juftice of the King's Bench, and foon after the acceffion of James the the Second, the great feal. He was one of the greatest advisers and promoters of all the oppreffive and arbitrary measures of that unhappy and tyrannical reign, and his fanguinary and inhuman proceedings against Monmouth's miferable adherents in the Weft, will ever render his name INFAMOUS. There is, however, a fingular story of him in this expedition, which tends to his credit, as, it fhews that when he was not under ftate influence, he had a proper sense of the natural and civil rights of men, and an inclination to protect them. The mayor, aldermen, and juftices of Bristol, had been used to tranfport convicted criminals to the American Plantations, and fell them by way of trade; and, finding the commodity turn to a good account, they contrived a method to make it more plentiful. Their legal convicts were but few, and the exportation inconfiderable. When, therefore, any petty rogues and pilferers were brought before them in a judicial capacity, they were fure to be terribly threatened with hanging; and they had fome very diligent officers attending, who would advife the ignorant intimidated creatures to pray for tranfportation, as the only way to fave them, and in general by fome means or other the advice was followed. Then, without any more form, each alderman in course took one and fold him for his own benefit, and sometimes warm disputes arofe amongst them about the next turn. This trade had been carried on unnoticed many years, when it came to the knowledge of the Lord Chief Justice; who, finding upon enquiry, that the mayor was equally involved in the guilt of this outrageous practice with the rest of his brethren, made him defcend from the bench, where he was fitting, and ftand at the bar in his fcarlet and furs, and plead as a common criminal. He then took fecurity of them to anfwer informations, but the amnesty after the Revolution ftopt the proceedings, and fecured their iniquitous gains. A a 3 North, North, who (in his Lives of the Lord Chancellors) informs us of this circumftance, tells us likewife, that when Jefferies was in temper, and matters indifferent came before him, no one better became a feat of justice, He talked fluently and with fpirit, but his weakness was, that he could not reprehend without fcolding, and in fuch Billingfgate language as fhould not come from the mouth of any man. He called it giving a lick with the rough fide of his tongue." It was ordinary to hear him fay-" Go, you are a filthy, loufy, nitty rafcal," with much more of like elegance. He took a pleafure in mortifying fraudulent attornies. His voice and vifage made him a terror to real offenders, and formidable indeed to all. A fcrivener of Wapping having a caufe before him, one of the opponent's counfel faid, that he was a ftrange fellow, and fometimes went to church, fometimes to conventicles, and none could tell what to make of him, and it was thought he was a Trimmer " At this the chancellor fired: "A Trimmer!" faid he. "I have heard much of that monster, but never faw one :-Come forth, Mr. Trimmer, and let me fee your fhape.' He treated the poor fellow fo roughly, that when he came out of the hall he declared, he would not undergo the terrors of that man's face again to fave his life, and he should certainly retain the frightful impreffions of it as long as he lived." "Afterwards, when the Prince of Orange came, and all was in confufion, JEFFERIES being very obnoxious to the people, difguifed himself in order to go abroad. He was in a feaman's drefs, and drinking a pot in a cellar. The fcriviner, whom he had fo feverely handled, happening to come into the cellar after fome of his clients, his eye caught that face which made him start; when the chancellor, feeing himfelf obferved, feigned a cough, and turned to the wall with the pot in his hand. But Mr. Trimmer went out, and gave notice that he was there; the moò in, stantly ftantly rushed in, feized him, and carried him before the lord mayor. Thence under a ftrong guard he was fent to the Lords of the Council, who committed him to the Tower, where he died April 18, 1689, and was buried privately the Sunday night following." It was generally fuppofed, that Jefferies died of his bruifes which he received at the time of his feizure; and many regretted that he was not dragged forth, fent down into the Weft, and there fubjected to the ignominy of a public execution. The new government, however, was most probably glad to get rid of him and his affociates in any manner. During his confinement in the Tower, Mr. Pennant fays, that a barrel of Colchester oysters was conveyed to him; which opening with joy, thinking it to be fent by fome friend, he difcovered an halter curioufly wound up, and reproaching him with his cruelty. Indeed, few mortals have ever quitted this ftate of being fo deeply laden with the execrations of mankind. What became of his coadjutor KIRK is not known. WILLIAM em ployed this wretch in relieving the feige of Londonderry, which he very indifferently effected, and for which Bishop Burnet cenfures him in the Hiftory of Lis own Times. I have fearched in vain for any traces of his exit in the pages of English history. It is remarkable, that JEFFERIES fucceeded a perfon in the office of Lord Chief Juftice equally con temptible with himfelf. This character was Sir Edward Saunders, of whom the following curious Sketch is given in Grainger's Biographical History. Sir Edward Saunders was originally a trolling beggar about the streets, without either known parents or relations. He came often to beg fcraps at Clement's Inn, where he was taken notice of for his uncominon fprightliness; and as he expreffed a strong inclination to learn to write, one of the attornies clerks taught him, and foon qualified him for a hackney writer. took all opportunities of improving himfelf by reading He fuch fuch books as he borrowed of his friends, and in the 'courfe of a few years became an able attorney, and a very eminent counfellor. His practice in the Court of King's Bench was exceeded by none; his art and cunning were equal to his knowledge, and he carried many a caufe by laying of fnares. If he was detected, he was never out of countenance, but evaded the matter with a jeft, which he had always at hand. He was much employed by the king against the city of London in the bufinels of the quo warranto. His perfon was as heavy and as ungainly as his wit was alert and fprightly. He is faid to have been a mere lump of morbid flesh: the fmell of him was fo offenfive, that people ufually held their nofes when he came into the court. One of his jefts on this occafion was, that none could fay he wanted iffuc, for he had no less than nine in his back!" Such was the predeceffor of JEFFERIES, and they were worthy of being coupled together: Par nobile Fratrum! Before I ciofe this melancholy account of JEFFERIE's campaign in the Weft (this was the appellation which James jocularly bestowed upon it), it may be obferved, that it is almost impoffible to visit the charming town of TAUNTON and its environs without calling up thofe enormities to the mind, though they were perpetrated at the distance of upwards of a century. Nor am I fingular in thefe my impreffions. A modern Poet, diftinguilhed for the juftnefs of his tafte, and the delicacy of his feelings, has juft published the following infcription, the purport of which is to imprefs fimilar fentiments on the mind. FOR A MONUMENT AT TAUNTON. By Robert Southey. They perifh'd here whom JEFFERIES doom'd to death, The bloody judge, the minion of his king Com |