Transcript

of

Lord Keeper Guilford in Devon

Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries vol. VI, (January 1910 to October 1911), pp. 237-240.

by

R. Pearse Chope

Prepared by Michael Steer

Francis North, 1st Baron Guilford PC KC(22 October 1637 - 5 September 1685) was the third son of Dudley North, 4th Baron North, and his wife Anne Montagu, daughter of Sir Charles Montagu and Mary Whitmore. He was created Baron Guilford in 1683, after becoming Lord Keeper of the Great Seal in succession to Lord Nottingham. He was a man of wide culture and a staunch royalist, although he opposed the absolutist tendencies of Sunderland and Jeffreys, his two bitterest political enemies. He was a strong supporter of the royal prerogative, remarking that he did not see how any good and honest lawyer could oppose it, as all the precedents were in its favour. Guilford sat as a judge at some of the Popish Plot trials, and like his colleagues he has been accused of excessive credulity in believing the absurd lies of Titus Oates and the other informers. This article relating to his travels to Exeter and Plymouth, from a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Note 217. LORD KEEPER GUILFORD IN DEVON. - As the Life of the Right Hon. Francis North, Baron Guilford, by his brother, the Hon. Roger North, is not very easily accessible, the following extracts will probably be deemed worthy of record. When he became Lord Chief Justice, "he made the Western circuit his choice ; not for the common cause, it being a long circuit and beneficial for the officers and servants, but because he knew the gentlemen to be loyal and conformable and that he should have fair quarter amongst them. And in that he was not mistaken; for, after a few circuits passed over, they found his measures and their desires consonant in all things; whereby, he became not only well accepted but did also contract a sort of alliance and strict friendship with much the greater and most considerable part of them. And that interest stood him in good stead in time of need : for so considerable a body and so united as the Western gentlemen in Parliament were, did so firmly ensconce him, that his enemies could never yet get a clever stroke at him. Dr. Mew, late Bishop of Winchester, whom (from a black plaister he always wore on his cheek, to cover a place where, in the late wars, he had been wounded) they called Patch, in his stiff way used to say that the Lord Chief Justice North was delicice occidentis, or the darling of the West. But once his lordship and all of us of his train had like to come off but poorly at Exeter [assizes. It was well for us that we were known there, or to pot we had gone. It will be guessed that something comical is coming, and really so it is, and fell out thus. There was one Mr. Duke, a busy fanatic whom old Sir Edward Seymour, father of the late Speaker, used to call Spirit Po, that is, a petit diable, that was presto at every conjurer's nod. He was a common runner up and down on factious errands; and there could not be a meeting in the country, for business or mirth, but Spirit Po was there. This gentleman with irresistible importunity engaged the judges to take a supper and lie at his house, in the way to Exeter. It was impossible we could reach so far that night, and his lordship was not averse to seeing variety of gentlemen's seats in the country ; and that was (justly) reputed a neat one, so, little suspecting what happened, we complied. All things but one were well, and that was very unexpected and rude. The gentleman had not the manners to engage the parish minister to come and officiate with any part of the evening service before supper, but he himself got behind the table in his hall and read a chapter, and then a long-winded prayer after the Presbyterian way. The judges took it very ill, but did not think fit to affront him in his own house. Next day, when we came early in the morning to Exeter, all the news was that the judges had been at a conventicle, and the grand jury intended to present them and all their retinue for it ; and much merriment was made upon that subject.

"His lordship, agreeably to his great mastership of music, took great notice of the organ in the Cathedral Church at Exeter, where the two side columns that carry the tower, are lined with organ pipes, and are as columns themselves. His lordship desired the dimensions of the great double diapason, and the account, as returned, is thus: -

"This is heard plainer at a distance than when near, as also louder : and behind that and the other large doubles, are placed wooden pipes to help them into their sound, which would come on very slow, or perhaps not at all. One, being near enough, may by the touch of hand, discern when it speaks and when not. How it is tuned, whether by measure or the beats, we were not informed ; and, bating their account of it, which was curious and diverting enough, I could not be so happy to perceive that, in the music, they signified any thing at all, but thought them made more for ostentation than use ; for there are terms in sound which will not be exceeded ; for when the vibratory pulses are so slow as may be distinguished, sound vanisheth, which is, nearly, the case of this great pipe. His lordship was always well pleased when his stages lay so that the Sunday was spent in a cathedral town. For he was always affected with the church service, and had the books of the hymns and anthems always brought to him. "His lordship went down to Plymouth and saw the town, which, as other marine towns, is crowded together and the streets are narrow. But the fort, which was built by King Charles II. with the marble of the place, and lime of the same sort of stone burnt, is a worthy spectacle, especially for its glorious prospect, overlooking the harbour which consists of two waters, one called Hamose, and the other Catwater. And, as the voyage is out or home, the ships are moored in one or other ; because then, whatever wind serves for the voyage, takes the ship out of the harbour, which is a perfection that few, if any, ports in the world can boast of. All this lies below the castle, and in view of the fort, being seen as in a map, or, rather a flying prospect, and ships under sail look like cockboats, so high above them is the fort mounted. Opposite to the castle lies Mount Edgcumbe, where his lordship and his company were nobly entertained by Sir Richard Edgcumbe, whose lady was a near relation. The hall riseth, and is lighted above the rest of the house that turns round it ; which the architects call a Grecian hall. The park, on more than three sides, is paled with the sea, and the deer-hunting is as much by water as by land. I stole from the company, and walked to the cliff towards the main, and found means to get down, and passed on hideous rocks towards the sea, but, returning, I thought I should never have gained the top again. Such a vast height was I surprised with in my ascent. "There was no opportunity of penetrating into Cornwall yet, because the judges, for compendium of travel, took the first town upon the borders capable of receiving them, which is Launceston, where is an old ruined castle, and nothing else worth naming. The Cornishmen are very fierce and contentious, and strangely given to indict one another. The traverses of these indictments, tried at the assizes, make good fodder for the lawyers, for they are always many, and beyond what are had in most of the circuit beside, and well-metalled causes. But this, as they say, prevents bloodshed, which would follow if revenge had not that vent. The trade here, lying mostly with Londoners and foreigners, the people have a better English dialect than those of Devonshire, whose common speech, I think, is more barbarous than in any other part of England, the North not excepted. We were told that Saltash, three miles up the river from Plymouth, was anciently the port town ; for, in old time, so high within land was safer than nearer the sea, and well it might be so to small vessels. But ever since ships have been built larger, partly for better roads and partly for better pilotage, the port towns have crept nearer the main, as they say would happen upon the Tyne, and Shields would become the port town, if Newcastle had not a privilege that no common baker or brewer shall set up between them and the sea." (pars. 171, 173-6).                                 R. Pearse Chope.