man, whose reputation has come down to posterity somewhat 

 sullied — Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam ; but whatever else he was, 

 there can be no doubt that he was a clever lawyer, and able 

 thoroughly to appreciate the strength of the tenants' case, and 

 therefore the Court of Star Chamber reserved their judgment as to 

 the rights of the customary tenants, and said that they would hold 

 their decision over until after the trial at the Carlisle Assizes of 

 those who were accused of riotous assembly. 



His Majesty, King James, seems to have been equal to the 

 occasion. He forthwith wrote a letter to the Bishop of Carlisle, 

 instructing him that certain of the inhabitants of Westmorland had 

 been guilty of unlawful assemblies and publishing seditious procla- 

 mations in maintenance of their pretended custom of tenant right, 

 and that he, in order to avoid the inconvenience that might happen 

 from the insolence of such people, had given command to the 

 judges of assize to give no countenance to any estate claimed to 

 be customary, or having reference to border service ; and further 

 instructing the bishop to confer with the judges upon the subject, 

 to see that they proceeded in conformity with the king's directions. 

 Nothing can show better than this the state of thraldom in which 

 even the Courts of Justice at that time were ; and it is difficult for 

 us in the present day to understand the possibility of any king so 

 far forgetting himself as to try to influence judges, or of judges 

 permitting themselves to" be so influenced. Noticing, however, 

 seems to have come of the king's interference, as he was taken ill 

 about this time, and the judges therefore postponed coming to any 

 decision until they were forced. Fortunately for the customary 

 tenants of Westmorland, King James shortly afterwards died, 

 before the Court of Star Chamber had been coerced into coming 

 to any decision. So soon as he was dead., the judges decided 

 according to law and right ; and the Court of Star Chamber, on 

 the 9th of June, 1625, passed the decree which confirmed to the 

 tenants of Westmorland their customary estates in perpetuity, to 

 be held according to those honourable customs which had 

 distinguished them. That decree was subsequently confirmed, 

 and a commission was issued which settled the amount of fines 



