that regarded him, but made a deduction of the
case, and gave his reasons amply, and with calm
and exquisite temper. But his decree was re-
versed. I heard a noble peer say, that "he
never saw his lordship in so much lustre as he
appeared under the ill usage of that day;"
and he was more admired, than any success of
his reasons could have made him.
But now,

having opened this scene, we are not to expect
other than opposition, contempt, and brutal ill-
usage of that chief towards his lordship, while
he lived. The Earl of Nottingham's was printed,
but his lordship did not think fit to interest
himself, in a private cause, so far as to become
a party in print, although all the chancellor's
flourishes were fully answered and resolved. And
as for certain scandals and lies, raised and printed
by a foul libeller,* relating to this cause, I do not
think them worth taking notice of.

count of

Justice

But as to Sir George Jeffries, having said so Short acmuch of his ill usage of his lordship, I think the Chief it proper to give some particular account of his Jeffries, character; which I shall, for the most part, do beginning,

from his

to his death

* This scandal, to which allusion is made in the text, is in the the following passage, at the conclusion of the memoir of Tower. the Lord Keeper in the Lives of the Chancellors, (vol. i. p. 178.) "There was an old story of a chancery suit, between the Duke of N- and Sir P-- H- in his time, and of some gold plate in a box, but it looks too invidious to relate it."

by annexing some short explanation to his lordship's own notes of him: and those are more. explicit of him, than of any other person; for all the other men of law in England, in place and out of place, mustered together, did not so much affect his lordship's quiet, as the behaviour of that chief did; of which a just view is presented elsewhere. To take him from his beginning, he was a gentleman's son in Wales, of whom it was reported that he used to say George (his son) "would die in his shoes." His beginnings at the inns of court, and practice, were low. After he was called to the bar, he used to sit in coffeehouses and order his man to come and tell him that company attended him at his chamber; at which he would huff, and say, "Let them stay a little; I will come presently." This made a show of business; of which he had need enough, being married, and having several children. One of the aldermen of the city was of his name; which, probably, inclined him to steer his course that way where, having got acquaintance with the city attornies, and drinking desperately with them, he came into full business amongst them, and was chosen recorder of the city. That let him into knowledge at court, and he was entertained as the Duke of York's solicitor, and was also of the king's counsel. He continued recorder till the prosecution of abhorrers, and saved

himself (as he took it) by composition for his place. Thereupon, having surrendered his recordership, he obtained the place of chief justice of the King's Bench; and, after the death of the Lord Keeper Guilford, the great seal; which he held till the Prince of Orange landed; and then he absconded in disguise, in order to fly beyond sea; but, being discovered at Wapping, escaped narrowly being torn in pieces by the rabble. He was secured by the lord mayor, and sent to the Tower, where he died. The incidents of his life, which I shall take occasion to remember, may aptly be placed against his lordship's notes concerning him.

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Began with a turbulent spirit against the Began with opposition mayor and court of aldermen, taking part with to the "the commons."

This method was the direct contrary to what raised him, and in his following behaviour he practised: for he became a high flier for the authority of the mayor and the court of aldermen. He was of a fierce, unquiet disposition, and, being at first but low himself, could act only among inferiors, whom he instigated to be troublesome; and, like others of ambitious tempers, or, which is nearly the same, necessitous, he put himself into all companies; for which he was qualified, by using himself to drink hard; and so made himself a general acquaintance, and

mayor and aldermen.

By court interest, got to be recorder

of London.

some friendships, in the city. And, upon this course originally taken, he grounded his pretensions to an interest in the citizens.

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"Then, being acquainted with Will. Chiffinch (the trusty page of the back stairs) struck in " and was made recorder."

This Mr. Chiffinch* was a true secretary as well as page; for he had a lodging at the back stairs, which might have been properly termed the spy-office; where the king spoke with particular persons, about intrigues of all kinds: and

* The name of Chiffinch occurs perpetually in the secret history of this reign. He was the confidant of Charles, not only in his amours, but also in his political intrigues. The first pension from the court of France was paid into Chiffinch's hands; “his ministers knew nothing of it, only Mr. Chiffins, his valet de chambre and confidant, to whose lodgings the money was carried, and with whom I went to the merchants' houses to receive it. (See the Memorial of Blancard, Dalrym. App. p. 117;-see also the Duke of Leeds' Letters, p. 9, 17, 33.) The secret council which was established in the next reign, by the advice of Sunderland, used to meet in Chiffinch's apartments. (Life of James II. vol. ii. p. 74.) He is called by Evelyn, "Closet-keeper to the King." (Memoirs, vol. i. p. 330.) It was in Chiffinch's lodgings that the interview between James II. and the Duke of Monmouth took place, when James, with cold-hearted brutality, suffered his brother's son to beg his life in vain. (See Lord Lonsdale's Memoir, p. 11.) Chiffinch was the person employed to introduce the Catholic priest into the king's chamber, when Charles II. was dying. (Barillon's Letters.)

all little informers, projectors, &c. were carried to Chiffinch's lodging. He was a most impetuous drinker, and, in that capacity, an admirable spy ; for he let none part from him sober, if it were possible to get them drunk; and his great artifice was pushing idolatrous healths of his good master, and being always in haste; "for the king is coming;" which was his word. Nor, to make sure work, would he scruple to put his master's salutiferous drops (which were called the king's, of the nature of Goddard's) into the glasses; and, being an Hercules, well-breathed at the sport himself, he commonly had the better; and so fished out many secrets, and discovered men's characters, which the king could never have obtained the knowledge of by any other means. It is likely that Jeffries, being a pretender to main feats with the citizens, might forward himself, and be entertained by Will. Chiffinch, and, that which at first was mere spying, turn to acquaintance, if not friendship, such as is apt to grow up between immane drinkers; and from thence might spring recommendations of him to the king, as the most useful man that could be found to serve his majesty in London; where was need enough of good magistrates, and such as would not be, as divers were accounted, no better than traitors.