Volume 1

Microcosm of London / [Anon].

Date:
[1808-1811]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Microcosm of London / [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    entrusted to Dr. Williams, then dean of Westminster, but afterwards bishop of Lincoln, who had been chaplain to Lord Ellesmere* when chancellor. It was during the chancellorship of the latter the dispute arose with Sir Edward Coke, chief justice, respecting the jurisdiction of the courts of law and equity, which the king determined in favour of the Court of Chancery, and Sir Edward Coke submitted, if that may be called submission which amounted merely to a declaration reluctantly made to the king in council, that when the case happened he would do his duty. To Lord Ellesmere succeeded Lord Bacon, who reduced the practice of this court into a more regular system. His successors during the reign of Charles I. made little improvement upon his plan; and even after the restoration the seal was committed to the Earl of Clarendon, who had withdrawn from the practice of a lawyer near twenty years, and afterwards to the Earl of Shaftesbury, who had never been in practice at all. Sir Hineage Finch, who succeeded in 1673, and afterwards became Earl of Nottingham, was a man of the greatest abilities and integrity: in the course of nine years he built up a system of jurisprudence and jurisdiction upon wide and rational foundations, which have been extended and improved by many great men who have since presided in Chancery; * Lord Ellesmere is remarked for having introduced great brevity in the arguments of counsel, il and affecting matter rather than affectation of words, tied the same to laconical brevity ; an honour “ to the court of justice, to be swayed rather by ponderous reasons, than by fluent and deceitful speeches.”
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