Managed some lawsuits. very good earnest, it is a miserable thing to ob- His lordship, while he was a student, and during his incapacity to practise above-board, was contented to underpull, as they call it, and managed divers suits for his country friends and relations," which," he said, " was useful to him in letting him into a knowledge of the offices, and the methods used there;" for he was always in person present at every turn in whatever business he un dertook. In a cause for his father against Sir John Lawrence, he recovered 300l. and brought in a very moderate bill of charges; which pleased his father, who expected a great deal more. He made use of Mr. Baker, a solicitor in chancery, who for his singular integrity was famous, and on this occasion ought to be remembered with honour. His lordship had a veneration for this Mr. Baker as long as he lived. When his lordship paid his bill, the virtuous solicitor laid by a sum (according to an usual rate) for him, saying that it was their way, and they were allowed at the offices somewhat for encouragement to them that brought business. By this we see what country and other attornies get by chancery suits. But his lordship would not touch a penny, but turned it back upon the good man's hands. his vindica tion. He also managed a suit for his grandfather The like for his grandfawith the like success, and in the close of that, ther, and somewhat comical happening, I am provoked to relate it. And indeed what have we to remember of a young man, but things that really fell out, and in his circumstances, not inconsiderable ? After this suit ended, his lordship sent to his grandfather the bitter pill, the solicitor's bill of costs, and the old man sent him the money, and he paid it. And afterwards the noble client re viewed his bill over and over, for however moderately and husbandly the cause was managed, he thought the sum total a great deal too much for the lawyers. And among other items, he observed great numbers of sheets in the bill, and so for the answer and depositions, besides many breviates, orders, &c. as belong to a chancery case. And he had heard in the country of such bills whereof no entry at all was in the offices (no miracle in our days) and then knowing Frank North to be a nimble spark, he concluded that these items were suppositions, and that he had swallowed the money, and after the way of wilful people, upon a bare suspicion concluding a certainty, he deliberated how to catch him (as it were) in the fact, and then to expose him to perpetual shame and ruin. And pursuant to this pious resolution, he writes to Mr. Langhorn of the Temple,* (who afterwards suffered in Oates's plot) to cause searches to be made, and to send him word if any such proceedings, of which he gave him the account, were entered in the offices. Whether it was by guess, perfunctory searches, or the person employed took the money and cheated the offices, I know not; but it is certain that Langhorn returned answer, " that no such proceedings *"He was in all respects," says Burnet, a very extraordinary man. He was learned and honest in his profession, but was out of measure bigoted in his religion. great constancy." (Own Times, vol. ii. p. 810. Howel's State Trials, vol. vii. p. 418.) He died with See his Trial were to be found upon the file in any of the offices where they should have been entered, or any copies of such made out." This was nuts to the old lord, who thought he had outwitted Frank : and, while he was in London, used to talk very mysteriously of him; as that "Frank had wit enough, but honesty, honesty, was a rare thing." The meaning of all which, the family about him did not in the least apprehend. When Frank was about to come down, the old man wrote to him to bring with him the papers that belonged to his case. And so it rested till the young man arrived; and then, for about a week, all was well; in which time, all the news and London matters were talked over and dispatched. And then, after dinner, the old lord turned to Frank, and "Where are the papers?" said he. The other answered," he would go fetch them." This did not work well, but still the event was expected; and after a little pause, Frank returned with a bale of papers under his arm, and set it down upon the table, standing by it in expectation of what would be said to him. The old lord, being utterly frustrated in his expectations, turned about the room quicker than ordinary; and as he mended his pace, Frank was in great doubt what was to become of him. At last he ventured to say, "My lord, what is your pleasure I shall do with these papers?" The old lord stopped short, and turning said, "wipe your with them." That answer was not at all expected; and, after a little pause, he asked again " what he should do with them?" And his lordship stopped short again, and, twice as loud as before, said he, "Why, don't I tell ye? wipe your with them." And there ended all his concern about those papers; and Frank was restored to fa vour. This historiette manifests the little safety there is in false dealing, as much as the loftier accounts of hazards, or decadences of great ministers of the court for if this young lawyer, for want of experience, or (we must say) of honesty, had dabbled in a very common practice, of shamming a false bill, he had been caught and undone. And on the other side, being faithful and just, with the testimony of things to disculpate him, what a triumph had he over a severe old man, that had rejoiced to have exposed him! And how strongly is the consequence of a very trite maxim (in mouths, but rare in hearts) verified by this instance, that honesty is the best policy! And there is this farther lesson in it, that young men, in making their fortunes, must depend, and are obliged to bear with humours and injustices from those they depend on : And, in that school of the world, they learn to be reasonable and just themselves; for few men ever value reason and justice, |