The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-31
NEW PUBLICATIONS


very curious work, composed of odds and
ends of all kinds about lawyers, is the one laid
before the public by Mr.. Jea6reson, of Lincoln's
Inn Fields. 1t treats entirely of English law
yers and dives into the past with familiarity
and an assiduity which prove that the heart
of the writer is in the task, although it
frequently happens that he is extremely
superficial in the manner in which he treats
oft. He restricts shimselfprincipally to showing
to us the conduct of the bar in the sixteenth,
seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, and
does not deal much with the present. Many
portions of the work we think novel and in
teresting, and we quote few of them to give
our readers an idea of how the lawyers lived
a hundred years ago. Thus we are told a
number of anecdotes of Sir Thomas More and
other legal lights of the old days.
"Much of his humor was of the sort that is
ordinarily called Qt1et humor, because its effect
does not pass off In shouts OF merriment OF
this kind of pleasantly he gave the Lieutenant
much courtesy as irony Assure yourseIf do
not dislike my cheer; but whenever do then
spare not to thrust me out Of your doors!' or
the same sort were the pleasantries with which
on the morning of his execution, he with fine
consideration for others, strove to divert atten0
tion from the cruelty of his doom, Il see no
danger he observed, with smile to his friend
Sir Thomas Pope, shaking his water bottle as
he spoke, but that this man may live longer
if it please the King Finding in the craziness
of the scatfold good pretext for leaning in
tended his hand to Sir William Kingston, say
ing, Master Lieutenant, pray you see me safe
SELF Even to the headsman he gave gentle
pleasantly and smile from the block itself as
should not touch it. wait nv ye sood 2ee9 rend Gaae
till have removed my beard he said. turning
never offended his highness.'
"His wit was not less ready than brilliant and
on one occasion its readiness saved him from
sudden and horrible death. Sitting on the roof
of his high gate house at Chelsea, he was
richness of the landscape. when his solitude
was broken by the unlocked for arrival of a
badge of Bedlamite, the unfortunate creature
showed the signs of his malady in his equip
mentas well as his countenance Having cast
his eye downwards from the parapet to the foot
OF the tower, he conceived mad desire TO hurl
the Chancellor rom the nat roof Leap, Tom
leapp screamed the athletic fellow, laying
firm hand on More's shoulder. Fixing his at
tention with a steady look, More said, coolly,
LET us first throw my little dog down, and see
what sport that win be- In trice the dog was
thrown into the air 'Goodp said More, feign-
ing delight at the experiment; now run down,
fetch the dog, and wen throw him off again.
Obeying the command, the dangerous intruder
left Mr.. More free to secure himself by a bar,
and to summon assistance with his voice.
"For a good end this wise and mirth-lovlng
lawye would play the part of practical joker;
ana it is recorded that by jest of the practical
sort he gave a wholesome less on to an old civic
magistrate, who, at the Sessions of the old
Bailey, was continually telling the victims OF
cutpurses that they had only themselves TO
thank for their losses-that purses would never
be cut If their wearers took proper care to re-
tain them in their possession. THESE oraLions
always terminated with, Il never lose my purse:
cut-purses never take nly purse; no, Pfaith, be-
cause take proper care of it, TO teach his
worship wisdom, and cure him of his selfsuffi-
cheney, More engaged cut-purse to relieve the
magistrate Of his money bag whilst he sat upon
the bench. A story is recorded of another Old
Bailey judge who became the victim of thief
under very ridiculous circumstances. Whilst
he was presiuing at the trial of a thief in the
London, said incidentaliy that he had LEFT
his watch at home. The trial ended in an
acquittal: the prisoner had no sooner gained
ms liberty than he hastened to the Recorders
house, and sent in word to Lady Sylvester that
he was constable and had been sent from the
Old Bailey to fetch her husbands watch. When
The Recorder returned home and found he had
lost his watch, II is to be feared that Lady SyI-
Vester lost her usual equanimity Af1rOI1os of
these stories, Lord Campbell tells how at the
opening period OF his professional career, soon
atter the publication OF his 'Nisi Prius Reports
ne ON circuit successfully defended prisoner
charged with criminal Offense; and how,
WHIST the success Of his advocacy was still
late client, with whom he held confidential
conversation, had contrived TO relieve him of
ms pocketbOok, full OF bank notes. AS soon as
lhe presiding judge, Lord Chief B&ion Macdon-
Tster reqIe he Si Inc mSh9P OF the reporting bar
pet Ihlnk that no one is entitled to take notes
IN Court except himself?
,,t.ny.slo sno uEEpahe placldlty which marked the
n tt oI ms happesJ peeches Sir Nicholas
aSSJa f 10 his hearers the courteous
ao sSiiiSs. VI ,Nores repdrteeS. Keeping his own
e PSe ~ ssU,CIely as well as in the Court of Chan.
~ f saIl[e nor mportunity could rufle
~ SOniuse ttIu9se nim When Elizabeth LOOKING dis.
SS ,ISy NY az ms modest country mansion told
NTH 'IV iL az saS plaee was too small he answered
WIN Mmivh te sHe na'Iery OF gratitude Not 80 MADAM
SOuI hignness has made me too great for 1naI,
hysS, leicester having suddenly asIed him
LIS opinion or two aspirants for coHrt favor ~ ha
ttH trottHOnueu on Ihe spur of the moment sRv nv
tuhotni my lord the one Is a grave councilioSg.
~ ~ othSr is a proper young man, and so ne viii
oSo 80 as long as he lives TO the queen 1vho
aaase afaSsseu MN Tor his sentiments respectin, the
SnSSSt OF monopolies-a delicate question ef,r a
Sihyect Svitye Io speak his mind upon-he answered.
V,aSht oohcllblory hghtness, Madam will Jo,
sS Sosyesm me speak the truth9 LfceTltia oJnges de
to 60 S.umNS;' In court he used TO saw i,et ms
aoy @tnttLss that we may have done the sooneT ;
tt, Gut nO.twlthslanding his deliberation ana H.
stutIt thst hindered his utterance he co,Ia ne
4ulcKet IMAM the quickest, and sharner ~ @ De
the most acrlu as the loquacious harr{PsttdV Vian
covered VINO was suddenly checked In % '0i o. us us
OF pert talkatlVeness by this tart ren1at oouIse
the stammerlng Lord Keeper.-STbarhA from
olHefence between you and me-for - - - a
pain 10 s-speak; for you q pain In h1I, ~ @ rs a
tongue That the familiar story oF Giu ~ your
attack Of cold Is altogether true one 90 iis Iata
believe, for IL seems highly improDaba TO- ioo wen
Lord Keeper, in his seventeen veer Vn1I M va 9
nave sat down TO be shaved near Woulu
window In the month OF February. Butth open
the aneodote may not be historically sxsct 4,
may De accepted as n faithful pOrtraiture OF ~
more stately ana severely courteous h1mocT