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florid elocution in the House and at the Bar, who had been very active in promoting those proceedings which Swift regarded as prejudicial to the clergy. Upon reading the lines, he was wrought up to such a height of indignation, that, drawing out a knife, he swore he would with that very instrument cut off the Dean's ears. After this denunciation, he went, in the height of his fury, to the Deanery, and from thence to Mr. Worrall's, where Swift was on a visit. The family were at dinner, and the stranger being shewn into another apartment, the Dean was called out to him. The Sergeant advanced to him with great haughtiness, and said, Doctor Jonathan Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's, I am Sergeant Bettesworth,' this being his affected mode of pronouncing his name. Of what regiment?' answered Swift. After a very angry parley, Bettesworth began to raise his voice, and gave such indications of violence, that Mr. Worrall and the servants rushing in, compelled him to withdraw.. The tradition in the Dean's family bears, that

being impossible. The fellow's demand being considered as exorbitant, he wiped his forehead, saying, with the humour of a low Irishman, Oh, your Reverence, my sweat's worth half-a-crown." The Dean immediately

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caught at the words, Aye, that it is, there's half-a-crown for you.' This anecdote is given on the authority of Mr. Theophilus Swift."

It was

Bettesworth actually drew his knife; but the Dean's own narrative, transmitted to the Lord Lieutenant, does not countenance that last excess, only affirming, that, by Bettesworth's own report, he had a sharp knife in his pocket, and a footman attending in the hall, to open the door to one or two ruffians, who waited his summons in the street.* The Dean remained composed and unmoved during this extraordinary scene. fortunate for the Sergeant's person, as well as his character, that he did not proceed in his meditated vengeance on the person of an old man, and a clergyman, since the attempt must have been made at the risk of his life. So soon as the news transpired, the inhabitants of that part of Dublin, called the Earl of Meath's Liberty, assembled, and sent a deputation to Swift, requesting his permission to take vengeance on Bettesworth for his intended violence to the patriot of Ireland. Swift returned them thanks for their zeal; but enjoined them to disperse peaceably, and adding a donation of two or three guineas, prohibited them from getting drunk with the money, adding,

*"Various accounts of this interview have been given; but that of the Dean to the Duke of Dorset, immediately after it took place, ought to be preferred." (Scott's Swift, vol. xviii. p. 244.) The additional circumstances, stated in the version of this story, (p. 135, Ante,) are grounded on the authority of Mr. Sheridan.

You are my subjects, and I expect you will obey me.' It is no slight proof of the despotism of his authority, founded as it was, solely upon respect and gratitude, that his defenders complied with his recommendation in both particulars, and peaceably and soberly separated to their dwellings. For some time, however, they formed a guard among themselves for the purpose of watching the Deanery and the person of the Drapier, lest Bettesworth should have adopted any new scheme of vengeance.

"The consequences of this rashness were very serious to Mr. Bettesworth, for not only was he overwhelmed by the Dean and his friends with satire and ridicule, to which he had shewn himself so keenly sensible; but in the bitterness of his heart he confessed, in the House of Commons, that Swift's satire had deprived him of 12001. a year,"

SIR GEORGE JEFFERIES.

The ensuing anecdotes of Jefferies are borrowed from Mr. Seward's excellent Collections, vol. ii. p. 85.

* See "Bettesworth's Exultation." (Scott's Swift, vol. x. p. 534.) "Epigram inscribed to the Honourable Sergeant Kite." (p. 536.) "The Yahoos Overthrown; or, the Kevan Bayle's New Ballad." (p. 537.) "On the Archbishop of Cashel and Bettesworth." (p. 541.)

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"A learned and ingenious collector in London has in his possession the patent for creating this insolent and cruel magistrate Earl of Flint. Jefferies wished to have this title, not as corresponding to his general character, but as having an estate in the County of Flint. Jefferies early distinguished himself by his brutal treatment of prisoners, and of practitioners of the law, whom he disliked. At the end of The Ninth Collection of Papers relative to the present juncture of Affairs in England,' 4to. 1698, there is this singular advertisement: Lately published, the Trial of Mr. Papillon, by which it is manifest, that the then Lord Chief Justice, (Jefferies,) had neither learning, law, nor good-manners, but more impudence than ten carted whores, (as was said of him by King Charles II.) in abusing all those worthy citizens who voted for Mr. Papillon and Mr. Dubois, calling them a parcel of factious, pragmatical, sneaking, whoring, canting, suiveling, prick-eared, crop-eared, atheistical fellows, rascals, and scoundrels, as in page 19, and other places of the said Trial, may be seen. Sold by Michael Janeway, and most Booksellers.' Yet Jefferies, amidst all his cruelties, was a lover of buffoonery. Sir J. Reresby says, that he once dined with Jefferies, when he was Lord Chancellor, and

that the Lord Mayor was a guest, and some other gentlemen that Jefferies, according to custom, drank deep at dinner, and called for Mountfort, one of his gentlemen, who had been a comedian, and an excellent mimic, and that to divert the company, adds Sir John, (as he was pleased to term it,) he made him plead before him, in a feigned cause, during which, he aped all the great lawyers of the age, in their tone of voice, and in their action and gesture of body.

"When that exquisite congeries of musical intruments, the present Temple organ, was to be tried previously to its being set up in the church at which it is now placed, Jefferies was the umpire between the merit of it and the organ now in the new church at Wolverhampton, and gave his judgment in favour of the first. Jefferies said of himself, that he was not near so sanguinary on the Western Circuit, as his employer, James the Second, wished him to have been.* On that execrable business, Jefferies exhibited a striking instance of the power of virtue upon a mind the most vicious and profligate. He had no sooner retired to his lodgings at Taunton to prepare himself for the opening of his bloody commission, than he was called upon by the minister of the church of

*This question will be examined more at large in a subsequent part of these volumes.

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