By W. W. Ravenhill, Esq. 137 



these exist without lawyers? Wherever there are lawyers there 

 must be justice. 



Assizes. 



In King Henry the Second's time judges of assize first came to 

 Wiltshire. We must give them precedence. 



Of the many charming pictures which that famous Wiltshireman, 

 Mr. Addison, gives of his friend Sir Roger de Coverley, few are 

 more vigorous than the visit to the assizes. Sir Roger (that worthy 

 knight, who was at peace with himself and beloved and respected 

 by all who knew him). Will Wimble, and Mr. Spectator, ride thither 

 on horseback — it may have been from Warminster to Salisbury. On 

 their way they fall in with two plain men, the first an honest and 

 sensible yeoman, who had been several times foreman of petty juries, 

 was just within the Game Act and could knock down a dinner with 

 his gun twice or thrice a week; " a paragon, but that he shot just 

 a few too many partridges." The other, Tom Touchy, who would 

 take the law of everybody, at his own cost or theirs, and, with his 

 head full of costs, damages, and ejectments, had squandered a fair 

 portion of his patrimony in litigation. 



How Sir Roger heard, at a good round trot, the legal argument 

 between Will Wimble and Tom Touchy, as to the right of fishing 

 in a certain hole, and then drawing rein for consideration, soothed the 

 disputants with his judgment, " That there was much to be said on. 

 both sides.'' How, when the assize court was reached. Sir Roger's 

 brother magistrates made way for him, that he might sit beside the 

 judge. How the old knight whispered to the latter that " he was 

 glad his lordship had met with so much good weather on circuit." 

 The solemnity of the proceedings somewhat rather enhanced, than 

 otherwise, by a little speech of Sir Roger's to the judge and court ; 

 the respect paid by the county gentlemen to Sir Roger at the rising 

 of the court; the admiration of the general publie for the brave 

 solemn knight who was not afraid to speak (Mr. Spectator says to 

 no purpose) to the judge ; the ride home ; all this, gives us an 

 assize as it was in Wiltshire in bygone days. 



The assizes for this county were, till recently (with two ex- 

 ceptions) held at Salisbury. Now they are occupied chiefly with 



