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RECOLLECTIONS OF A DECEASED WELSH JUDGE.

As the alterations in our judicial system, which they are gravely pleased to call reform of the law, have now reached the Principality, we, its regular judges, are abolished, with its peculiar courts, and the judges of England are let in upon the Celtic countrymen of Howel-dha and King Arthur. It may be all very well for the state at large; for the individuals concerned, it is not quite so well. They give us some of us, at least retiring pensions; but we had much rather continue to work for our bread; and though the morsel was not very large, neither was the labour great. I used to reckon it child's play, compared to the Northern Circuit, which I quitted for it and though the Courts were more dull than can easily be described, from the excessive stupidity of the people, both witnesses and jurors, the difficulty of getting anything like English out of them, or putting anything like sense into them, the trifling nature of their endless disputes, the inextricable entanglement of their endless pedigrees, yet the assizes lasted but a couple of days at each place, for the most part; and there was great pleasure in their clear air and fine scenery, especially after the House of Commons and Westminster Hall had fatigued one, and made London intolerable their streams were pure and refreshing, to say nothing of their fish; and their hills were wild and sunny, without taking into account the good mutton they fed. The place of a Welsh Judge, therefore, compatible with practice at the bar, and a seat in

Parliament, was much prized in our profession, at least by all who either wished to retire from part of their fatigue, or who had less work than they could wish. It was a preferment, too, which sometimes led to higher place. But I freely admit that my judgment respecting the important change which assimilated the jurisdiction, is not an impartial one. I lost my place, and, except in my pension, had no compensation; for I am no great law reformer; nor, indeed, judging from what I have known of the tribe either at the bar or in society, am I disposed to be a reformer in any sense of the word.

It has occurred to me that I may employ the addition thus made to my leisure, not unpleasantly to myself, and not unprofitably to those who come after me, by setting down without much pretension to order, and with no affectation of history, still less of system, such Recollections as from time to time occur to me, of the Bar and the Bench, since I have known them. There are not many of our body who have lived longer in it, or more associated with my brethren; and I believe there is no one who esteems both that "renowned profession" (as Erskine used to call it) and its members more affectionately than I have ever done. They have little therefore to apprehend from my pen, if I had any gall in my nature to distil through it. Moreover, as I really have no bias on my mind, and am writing only to amuse myself with these reminiscences, without any other object to gain, what I say will at least have the recommendation of being only said because it is true-a recommendation not very generally belonging to anecdotes, which are related with the design of either raising or lowering some persons, or with the more excusable, but not very respectable, desire of setting the table in a roar, by fancy dressed up in the cloak of memory. As for history, far be it from me to make any pretence to deal in any such wares. Whoever has led causes as

an advocate, or heard them as a judge, must know how great is the difficulty of ascertaining the most simple and ordinary matters of fact. Yet our books of history contain distinct accounts of things the most difficult to discover,—of matters which half the world regards one way, half the other,-of much that never can be discerned, and of more that no two men will agree in telling the same way. My aim is of a much humbler elevation, but I am much more likely to hit my mark.

When I first joined the Northern Circuit, it happened to me that I was the last called to the bar; and so I was with much solemnity-which then appeared to me mummery-declared to be Mr. Junior. On some circuits, as the Midland, he is called Recorder; but all circuits have such an officer, to keep the minutes of their transactions. However, it is admitted that there is none of the six, not reckoning our humbler Welsh circuits, at all equal to the Northern in the regularity of its proceedings, and the strict discipline which is enforced. I had an very soon opportunity of seeing an example; and though, like most of our acts, it wore the outward form of a joke, it carried with it a serious warning, and concealed under a playful outside an important moral. Mr. Giles, familiarly called Dan Giles, joined the circuit at the same time, though called a term before me. He was the son of a great and very wealthy city merchant; and, whether from the provident care of his father, or because he himself, like the connexion of another city character renowned in song, "had a frugal mind," he brought with him sundry letters of introduction from city solicitors to their brethren at York. These were delivered by young Dan; and, immediately on the fact being known, "a special Grand Court of the Northern Circuit" was holden, as soon as the cloth was removed, after our mess-dinner. I had as yet only seen the court called for my election, or rather installation, as Junior; and it had only lasted a few

minutes. I was now to see a somewhat longer sitting of that secret tribunal. First came the crier, George Wood, afterwards Baron of the Exchequer, who, making proclamation with three O yez's, called on all manner of persons who owed suit and service to the Grand Court to draw near and give their attendance. I begin to doubt if these mysteries are to be written down, si sit mihi fas audita loqui. However, I shall only reveal of the things caligine mersas, what no one can regard as covered with an impenetrable veil— nothing which is not matter of common conversation in presence of the uninitiated. Proclamation having been thus duly made, up rose Mr. Attorney-General Law, afterwards filling the inferior office of King's Attorney-General, now holding that of the Circuit. He gave the Court to be informed that he had an offender, though a young one, to bring before them, in the person of one Daniel Giles, Gent.; and then recited, in a count or two, the matter of his information, to wit, the delivery of letters of introduction to attorneys. He presumed a possible ignorance of the party, that he was committing a grave offence, and craved the sentence of the Court, which was then pronounced on the motion of Serjeant Cockell (called Sir John, though his name was William; but he was a great actor, and ably personated Falstaff, both in acting and in drinking, as well as in other particulars). He moved that Giles be forthwith appointed Penny Postman to the Circuit, from the genius he had shown for carrying and delivering letters. This was agreed to; and the young gentleman accordingly ever after held the place, and never after delivered any letters of introduction, I will answer for it.

When the assizes for York had nearly closed, our Grand Night was held; but its mysteries I am not to unveil. This only I may say, that the speeches of Mr. Attorney-General and Mr. Solicitor were full of a kind of wit and humour, which then seemed to me

more broad than refined; a kind of lumbering, rough, horseplay joke pervaded it; and it was so much couched in conventional forms, having such frequent allusion to circuit anecdotes, with which I then was unacquainted, that I with some difficulty could be made, by those who sat next me, to comprehend the cause of the shouts of hearty laughter which followed each pleasantry. Thus I heard the excellent and amiable and most able Holroyd called currently "the Flagitious Holroyd," and sometimes, by way of variety, "Seely Holroyd." This it seems arose from some letter that had been read at a trial, where a person of the same name (or rather, an idem sonans, for it was the Yorkshire name of Oldroyd,) had been called "that flagitious Oldroyd:" and so, when our friend had been cross-examining a witness, and pressing a question she did not much relish, she retorted with another question, "What signifies putting sike seely or (such silly) questions to a body?" No more was wanting to stamp two additions to our friend's

name.

At this Court, our Crier, George Wood, addressed us, or rather me, for all speeches began "Mr. Junior," and my end of the table is deemed the upper end. He set forth his long services and great age, and prayed for his retirement. But this was hardly heard to an end. Mr. Attorney, as soon as the shout of indignation had subsided, presented himself with much solemnity to the Court, and declared that he had heard the proposition with an amazement, and even an horror, which he in vain attempted either to master or to describe. He expatiated on the Crier's extreme youth, as shown by his beauty, rivalling the Apollo,his nimble movements, especially his easy gait; he declared that if he were suffered to retire on such false and fraudulent pretences, no man, no institution, was safe; he therefore moved that the consideration of his application be indefinitely deferred-a form

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