verfed on the Way, Mr. Norris pulled out a Gold Ring fet with a very rich Stone, which he prefented to the Cardinal in the King's Name, in Token of his recovered Friendship. This Wolfey might easily take as a strong Confirmation that the King's Difpleafure was not real, but only affumed; for he well knew the Ring, it being one of thofe Tokens ufually fent him, when his Majefty defired any thing fhould be done MEMOIRS of the LORD CHANCELLORS, &c. • made him impatient of an un• deserved Reproach." This Year Sir Nathan The latter End of O. William Cowper, Efq; fuc 1705, ceeded him; who, the Beginning of May, 1707, was created a Peer, and declared the first Lord High Chancellor of Great Bris tain upon the Union of the two Kingdoms. Wright was fallen under a high Degree of Contempt with all • Sides; even the Tories, though 1700. Wright was appointed he was wholly theirs, defpifing Lord Keeper. Bishop Burnet fays, • him: He was fordidly covetous, It was Term-time (when Lord and did not at all live fuitable to Somers was removed) fo a Va-that high Poft.' We can⚫cancy in that Poft putting Things not help faying, we think the in fome Confufion, a tem- Bishop has been full free with porary Commiffion was granted Sir Nathan's Character. to the three Chief Judges, to judge in the Court of Chancery; and after a few Days the Seals were given to Sir Nathan Wright, in whom there ⚫ was nothing equal to the Poit, ⚫ much less to him who had lately filled it. Wright was a Zealot to his Party, [Tories] and was become very excep⚫tionable in all refpects. Money, as was faid, did eve ry thing with him; only in this Court, I never heard him charged for any thing but great Slownefs, by which the Chancery was become one of the heaviest Grievances of the • Nation.' . In 1705 Wright was difmiffed from his Poft of Lord Keeper. Upon this the Bishop concludes his Account of him thus. O. the 19th, Sir Simon Harcourt, Knt. was 1711. conftituted Lord Keeper; and fome Months after was made Chancellor, and created a Peer by the Title of Lord Har court. The Character given of him by the late Queen, in the Introduction to the Patent for cre ating him a Peer, is this,There is nothing in which we more willingly exercise that Royal Authority, which God has en' trufted us with, than by re⚫warding done with fingular Care and Expedition. The Car dinal therefore, as he was confidering what Return he fhould make Sir John, the Meffenger of fo much good News, excufed himself upon Account of his prefent Condition; but, taking a Gold Crofs from about his Neck, in which a Piece of the Holy Cross (as it was faid) was inclosed, he bestowed it on him as a perpetual Remembrance of his Service. Then, bethink→ from CARDINAL warding true Merit and Virtue, and advancing to all suitable Dignity Men who have merited well of us, and whose Anceftors have been remarkably famous in their Generation : Among thofe, none is more confpicuous than our well beloved and very faithful Counfellor, Sir Simon Harcourt, Knt. Keeper of our Great Seal; a Gentleman recommended to us by a long Defcent of Pro his Faculty in Speaking is fo full of Variety, that many doubt whether he is fitter to manage Caufes in the lower Court, or to speak before a full Parliament; but it is una genitors of very ample For-nimoufly confeffed by all, That among the Lawyers he is the moft eloquent Orator, and among the Orators the most able Lawyer. To this Praise of his Eloquence he has added thofe domeftick Virtues, Magnani mity and Fidelity, fupported by which he has refolutely perfevered in maintaining the Cause he had undertaken, and in defpifing Danger; and has kept the Engagement of Friend tunes, and renowned for their warlike Actions ever fince the ⚫ Norman Times; one of whom, for his Bravery fignalized under the Standard of Edward the IVth, was made Knight of the Garter: Another, fighting couragioufly against the Irish Rebels, in the Caufe of his royal Mafter, King Charles the Ift, the best of Princes, was the first Englishman that fell a Sacrifice to their Fury. Norfhip, whether in Profperity or is there one of all that Race, • Adverfity, facred and inviola ⚫ defcended from fuch noble Anceftors, who has not been emi. nent for his Love to his Country, and Loyalty to his Prince. He fuffered, indeed, in his pa⚫ternal Inheritance, which was ble. Whom therefore, furnished with fuch great Endow⚫ments of Mind, and all Clients having wifhed for to defend their Caufes, not without Reafon, We preferred to be ope of our bethinking himself of what would be acceptable to the King, he fent him his Fool, Patch, whom six of his tallest Yeomen were scarce able to conduct, fo great a Reluctance he had to part with his old Mafter; but with this Present the King appeared very much pleased. We 6 MEMOIRS of the LORD CHANCELLORS, &c. • our Counsel at Law, whom Whereupon the Lord Cowper was a fecond time 1741. appointed Lord High Chancellor, (and was the only Chancellor that held the Seal twice) who was created Earl Cowper. This is his Character from Mr. Collins. In all his Stations he act ⚫ed with ftrict Integrity; and it is to his great Honour that he refufed the New-years-gifts, (which former Lord Chancellors received from the Council) thinking it an ill Precedent, tending to Corruption. He ⚫ had a graceful Perfon and winning Afpect; and all his Speeches were delivered with that Eloquence, learning and Judgment, as made him univerfally applauded, and fhewed he had no Superior in the Know 6 'Subject he applied himself to.' His Lordship died in Hertfordshire, on the 13th of O. 1723, was fucceeded by his eldest Son William, now Earl Cowper, who married on the 27th of June, 1732, the Lady Henrietta, youngest Daughter of the Right Hon. Henry the prefent Earl of Grantham, by whom he hath Iffue one Son and a Daughter. • Obstacles which delay Judg-ledge of the Law, or any other ment in that Court, and takes fpecial Care that the fuccessful Iffae of an honeft Caufe fhould • coft every Plaintiff as little as may be; which Things, as they are very grateful to us, honourable to himself, and bencficial to the Commonwealth, we think deferving of higher Reward. Therefore, &. But, upon the Acceffion of King George the Iit, his Lordfhip was removed from his high Station.--See fome Account of his Lordship's Family, Vol.II.p. 283. May the 12th, the Lord created Some Reflec tions thereon. We fee no great Matter in Dr. Fiddes's long fuppofititious Difquifition on the Cardinal's kneeling in the Dirt, &c. (See p. 472, in his Life of the Cardinal) no more than in Mr. Salmon's Obfervations on the Doctor, in his Hiftory of Henry the VIIIth. Though we cannot fuppofe he was really from CARDINAL created Earl of Macclesfield; being allowed by all a Nobleman of great Abilities. Whilft his Lordship prefided in this Court it was discovered that much of the Suitors Money was mifapplied, infomuch that fome of the Officers, as it afterwards appeared, were unable to make good the Sums. committed to their Truft by the Court; though often brought there, not by the Choice of the Parties concerned, but by the Compulfion of the Court, under the Pretext of better Security. This drew on an Inquiry firft before the King and Council, next in the Honourable Houfe of Commons, which produced an Impeachment against the noble Earl; and, to encourage fuch of the Mafters in Chancery, who had purchased their Offices, to make a Discovery touching what they had paid for the fame, an Act paffed to indemnify them from the Forfeitures incurred by the Statute made in Edward the VIth's Time. In fhort, the Earl was tried at the Bar of the Houfe of Lords, upon the Impeachment, found guilty, WOLSEY'S Time. 6 in and fined 30,000l. which he paid; and the Money, by his late Majefty K. George the It's Direction, was applied towards making good the Deficiency occafioned by the Officers Infolvency. However, we cannot omit here to give Mr. Collins's Character of his. Lordship; The Earl, as a Huf• band, a Parent, and a Master, was truly beloved by every one who flood in those Reiations to wards him. His Speeches on publick Affairs, and in his judicial Capacity, fhewed both his Learning and Eloquence, and he favoured all Defigns tending to the Advancement of Learning. No Man ferved his Friends more readily, and chearfully; and they found in him a moft agreeable, innocent, and inftructive Companion. He was a fincere and faithful Member of the Church of England, conftantly frequenting its Affemblies, and joining in all its Of'fices with a juft Senfe of Religion, and an exemplary Piety. To thofe Supports it was owing, that, when he apprehended the < Ap 6 + See the Speech of the Right Hon. Arthur Onflow, Efq; on the Trial of the Earl of Macclesfield. See the faid Trial. VOL. IV. PP bethinking himself of what would be acceptable to the King, he fent him his Fool, Patch, whom fix of his tallest Yeomen were fcarce able to conduct, fo great a Reluctance he had to part with his old Mafter; but with this Present the King appeared very much pleased. We MEMOIRS of the LORD CHANCELLORS, &c. Whereupon the Lord Capacity, we have advanced to the highest Pitch of Forenfical Dignity, and made him fupreme Judge in our Court of Equity, where he still conti⚫nues to deferve higher of us, ་ This is his Character from Mr. Collins. In all his Stations he act⚫ed with ftrict Integrity; and it is to his great Honour that he refufed the New-years-gifts, (which former Lord Chancel lors received from the Council) thinking it an ill Precedent, tending to Corruption. He ⚫ had a graceful Perfon and winAfpect; and all his Speeches were delivered with that Eloquence, learning and Judgment, as made him uni⚫verfally applauded, and fhewed ' he had no Superior in the Knowledge of the Law, or any other Subject he applied himself to." 6 and of all good Men; and is fo much a brighter Ornamentning to his Province, as it is more honourable than the rest he has gone through. He daily dif patches the Multitude of Suits in Chancery, he removes the Obftacles which delay Judgment in that Court, and takes Special Care that the fuccessful Iffue of an honeft Caufe fhould coft every Plaintiff as little as may be; which Things, as they are very grateful to us, ⚫ honourable to himself, and bencficial to the Commonwealth, we think deferving of higher Reward. Therefore, &c. But, upon the Acceffion of King George the Iit, his Lordfhip was removed from his high Station. See fome Account of his Lordship's Family, Vol.II.p. 283. His Lordship died in Hert- May the 12th, the Lord |