1826.] 
day by abstaining from ‘political violence 
or party obliquity.. )Once, and once only, 
do. we catch,him tripping... This: was. at 
Oxford, \at.. an. ‘extraordinary. Session’ of 
Oyer,and) Terminer, when, as Chief Jus- 
tice of the Common, Pleas, he presided on 
the trial of Stephen College, on\a charge of 
treason, His) brother shall tell the story. 
© His lordship,” says he, ** had not been long in 
Oxford before word was brought to him that some 
stranger had put.a roll of papers into his (College’s) 
hands. These were ordered to be brought and in- 
spected ; and thereupon it, appeared that some con- 
cerned his defence and the testimony he was to pro- 
duce at his trial. These were all delivered back to 
him. _ Others were found to be downright libels, 
most artfully and maliciously penned, to reflect upon 
the government, and tending to sedition, in the 
form of speeches to be pricked in at the trial, as the 
cues were given. As, for instance, when the attor- 
ney hath opened the evidence say thus—and the like 
at other pauses. These were detained; for it had 
been.a prime jest if, under the pretence of a defence, 
the criminal should be allowed to vent seditious 
libels, full of mutiny and reflection, to amuse the 
People ; and so to come forth and be published in 
print ; when, as the law then stood, they were not 
allowed counsel to plead—(this was written after the 
law was enacted, in William’s reign, granting coun- 
sel in cases of treason),—but upon question of law 
shewed, and’ to be assigned, who should behave 
themselves modestly. Criminals of that sort should 
not have any assistance in matters of fact, but de- 
pend\upon plain truth, which they know best, with- 
out any dilatorious arts or evasions, But this was 
the.chief, if notthe only pretence of clamour against 
the conduct of that trial, which was all the indul- 
gence in form and matter that could be demanded.” 
Tnstead of. ourselves remarking upon 
the tone. of. these sentiments, which have 
still their admirers, we give a note of the 
Editor. 
<« The detention of College’s papers was certainly 
amost arbitrary and unjustifiable proceeding, and 
deservedly brought great discredit upon the Chief 
Justice. ‘North’s behaviour in that whole matter,’ 
says Burnet, ‘ was such, that probably if he had 
lived ‘to see an impeaching parliament, he might 
: have felt the ill effects of it.’ Roger Coke also 
f aks of the transaction in very indignant terms, 
‘observing that Sir Francis North was a man ‘ cut out 
to allintents and purposes for such a work.’ It ap- 
pears, from Oldmixon, that Roger North was one 
Of the counsel against College. The papers withheld 
_ from College were actually minutes prepared for his 
Seance lip his legal advisers, Mx Aaron Smith and 
Mr. West. 
' This ‘might’ naturally be supposed no 
‘solitary instance of the oppressions of office, 
‘but we in¢line’'to credit the author, who 
has furnished’no other, and manifestly has 
Sous amish’ seruples, or rather no con- 
“i of wrong, where the keeper is 
* But of his’ general ‘rectitude 
eaten of his judicial functions, 
nce 
North’s aunt, the Lady Dacres, used 
ap het nephew, the Lord Keeper North, 
mi to get himself credit-he decreed against 
her, «© Madam,” fen. on sacar “he per eso also 
Dat ni bedaleans 
Domestic and Foreigit. 
we need’: monly’ the ‘following honourable tes- 
315 
against me, that hada cause.so and 50.” “Ayes 
indeed,” said she, ‘‘ even so he serves, all his .rela- 
tions.” ‘But Madam,” said-he, “« my, adversary, 
shewed against me so and so,” «Nay t then,” said 
she, “‘ by my troth, I think my nephew served you 
but right.” ‘Pray Madam,”’ said he, ¥e fo me 
what your adversary shewed against you.” That 
confounded her so, that she said no more: 
As Lord Keeper, he was insignificant, 
He had little political connexion, and no 
political authority. Charles liked him for 
his unpresuming, perhaps for his upright 
conduct, and may be said himself to haye 
kept him in place by his personal influence 
to his death. He held the office onward 
under James for a few months, when 
death interposed to prevent the painful ex- 
pulsion which would inevitably haye over- 
taken him very speedily, to make way for 
Jefferies, a more thorough-paced courtier. 
North was of the Church of England 
party, as hostile to the Catholic as the 
Dissenter, and equally opposed to the re- 
laxation of all restrictions. Except this 
tendency to bigotry—and that party, be it 
remembered, was the least illiberal of all 
the bigotry of the times, when all were 
bigotted—he was every way respectable ; 
and, compared with leading and official 
men of his day, conspicuously good. In 
public life he was honest after his own 
measure, and beyond the measure of his 
cotemporaries. In _ priyate life he was 
amiable, social, debonnaire; fond of lite- 
rary conversation—the noctes, cceneque 
Detim—an amateur of music and an admirer 
and an encourager of the arts ; beloved and 
courted for his personal qualities ; but nei- 
ther feared nor very much respected for 
either his official or his professional autho- 
rity. 
Sir Dudley North was articled to a mer- 
chant, and sent by him while a mere boy 
as supercargo to the Levant, where he re- 
sided for more than twenty years, and 
returned at last to his country, with consi- 
derable property and the reputation of high 
commercial knowledge, The credit of his 
brother introduced him to the King’s no- 
tice, and he was made first a commissioner 
of the customs, and afterwards of the trea- 
sury. He served the office of Sheriff for 
Middlesex to further the purposes of the 
court. He was of a far different tempera- 
ment from his brother, and calculated, by 
the resolute intrepidity and stirring energy 
of his character, to make his own way— 
with the same opportunities, more vigorous- 
ly and decisively than his more successful 
brother. He made that way from first to last, 
mainly by his own industry and intelligence, 
It is surprising—surprising we mean, con- 
sidering the extravagant fuss that is made 
about the mysteries of political economy—_ 
how thoroughly Sir Dudley anticipated all 
the valuable parts of modern discoveries .in 
this over-rated science. 
The third brother, the Master ‘of eG 
was a scholar and a ‘theologian, a man ¢ 
