SIR GEORGE, Baron Wenm, commonly called Judge Jeffreys, was the fifth son of John Jeffreys, Esq. of Acton in Denbighshire; and was educated at Westminster school, whence he removed to the Inner Temple, where he applied himself to the study of the law. Alderman Jeffreys, who was probably related to him, introduced him among the citizens of London, and he being a merry bottle companion, soon came into great business, and was chosen their recorder. He was afterwards chosen solicitor to the duke of York; and in 1680 was knighted, and made chief-justice of Chester. At length, resigning the recordership, he obtained the post of chief-justice of the king's-bench, and, soon after the accession of James II., the great seal. During the reign of King Charles II., he showed himself a bitter enemy to those dissenting ministers who, in that time of persecution, were tried by him; he was one of the greatest advisers and promoters of all the oppressions and arbitrary measures carried on in the reign of James II.; and his sanguinary and inhuman proceedings against Monmouth's unhappy adherents in the west will ever render his name infamous. Whenever the prisoner was of a different party, or he could please the court by condemning him, instead of appearing, according to the duty of his office, Jeffreys, as his council, he would scarce allow him to speak for himself; but would load him with the grossest and most vulgar abuses, browbeat, insult, and turn to ridicule the witnesses that spoke in his behalf; and even threaten the jury with fines and imprisonment, if they made the least hesitation about bringing in the prisoner guilty. Yet it is said, that when he was in temper, and matters perfectly indifferent came before him, no one became a seat of justice better. Nay, it even appears, that when he was under no state influence, he was sometimes inclined to protect the natural and civil rights of mankind, of which the following instance has been given:—The mayor and aldermen of Bristol had been used to transport convicted criminals to the American plantations, and sell them by way of trade. This turning to good account, when any pilferers or petty rogues were brought before them, they threatened them with hanging; and then some officers who attended, earnestly persuaded the ignorant intimidated creatures to beg for transportation, as the only way to save them; and in general their advice was followed. Then, without more form, each alderman in course took one, and sold him for his own benefit; and sometimes warm disputes arose between them about the next turn. This infamous trade, which had been carried on many years, coming to the knowledge of the lord chief justice, he made the mayor descend from the bench and stand at the bar, in his scarlet and fur, with his guilty brethren the aldermen, and plead as common criminals. He then obliged them to give securities to answer informations; but the proceedings were stopped by the revolution.—However, the brutality Jeffreys commonly showed on the bench, where his voice and visage were equally terrible, at length exposed him to a severe mortification. A scrivener of Wapping having a cause before him, one of the opponent's council said he was a strange fellow, and sometimes went to church, and sometimes to conventicles; and it was thought he was a trimmer. At this the chancellor fired: "A trimmer? (said he); I have heard much of that monster, but never saw one. Come forth Mr Trimmer, and let me see your shape." He then treated the poor fellow so roughly, that, on his leaving the hall, he declared he would not undergo the terrors of that man's face again to save his life, and he should certainly retain the frightful impressions of it as long as he lived. Soon after, the prince of Orange coming, the lord chancellor, dreading the public resentment, disguised himself in a seaman's dress, in order to leave the kingdom; and was drinking in a cellar, when this scrivener coming into the cellar, and seeing again the face which had filled him with such horror, started; on which Jeffreys, fearing he was known, feigned a cough, and turned to the wall with his pot of beer in his hand. But Mr Trimmer going out, gave notice that he was there: and the mob rushing in, seized him, and carried him before the lord mayor, who sent him with a strong guard to the lords of the council, by whom he was committed to the Tower, where he died in 1689.—It is remarkable, that the late countess of Pomfret met with very rude insults from the populace on the western road, only because she was granddaughter to the inhuman Jeffreys.