VIII. In 1745, when George II. raised his standard on Finchley Common, these "gentlemen" were ordered to provide themselves with horses and equipment, to attend his Majesty to the field. Their present uniform is scarlet and gold; and the corps carry on parade small battle-axes covered with crimson velvet. On April 10, 1845, on the apprehension of a Chartist outbreak, St. James's Palace was garrisoned and guarded by the gentlemen and yeomen. Beyond the guard-chamber is the Tapestry Room, hung with tapestry made for Charles II., and representing the amours of Venus and Mars. Here the sovereigns of the House of Brunswick, on the death of their predecessors, are received by the Privy Council, and from the capacious bay-window are proclaimed, and presented to the people in the outer court, where are the sergeants-at-arms and household trumpeters. The proclamation of her present Majesty, June 21, 1827 was a touching spectacle. The young Queen and her august mother, the Duchess of Kent, having arrived from Kensington at St. James's, passed through the state rooms to the presence chamber. The arrangements in the courtyard presented a very picturesque appearance. A guard of honour of the Life Guards frouted the palace; a little in advance stood the Queen's marshalmen, sergeant trumpeters, and the household drums and trumpets, in state uniforms. North of the space between the guards and the palace were the sergeants-at-arms on horseback, bearing their large gilt maces, and wearing silver collars of SS. On the opposite side, near to the window at which her Majesty stood, were the heralds and pursuivants, dismounted and uncovered. At ten o'clock the military band struck up, and the Park and Tower guns fired a double and royal salute, at the conclusion of which the Marquis of Lansdowne, President of the Council, led the Queen forward to the open window. The exclamations of joy were heartfelt and startling. At the first shout of gratulation the young Queen burst into tears, which continued, notwithstanding an evident attempt on the part of her Majesty to restrain her feelings, to flow down her pale cheeks, until after a graceful recognition of the people, her Majesty retired from the window. Meanwhile, the heralds had taken up their station between the window at which the Queen was standing, and silence being obtained, the proclamation was read: at the closing words, "God save the Queen," Clarencieux King-at-Arms (who wore a splendid tabard, richly embroidered with gold, and a gold collar of SS.), gave the signal by waving his sceptre; a flourish of trumpets was then blown, and the Park and Tower guns again fired a salute in token of the completion of the ceremony. The spectacle presented at the palace window during the reading of the proclamation was of a singularly beautiful and affecting description. In the centre stood the young daughter of old England's royal line, suddenly summoned to assume the difficult and perilous office of earthly ruler and preserver of the interests of a great nation; in this position stood the youthful Queen, bathed in tears, nearly overwhelmed by the more immediate pressure of the circumstances by which she was surrounded, and the warm and heartfelt outpourings of an affectionate people. Directly on her Majesty's right hand stood the Marquis of Lansdowne ; to her left stood Viscount Melbourne, her Majesty's prime minister; close behind, forming a semicircle, were to be seen most of the members of her Majesty's Government and household. A little on the right of the Marquis of Lansdowne stood her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, who watched intensely every movement of her illustrious Queen and daughter, and during one part of the ceremony appeared to be deeply affected. To return to the palace suite. Next to the Tapestry Room is Queen Anne's Room, the first of the four great state apartments, and that in which the remains of the Duke of York lay in state. This apartment opens by the ante drawing-room, leading, by three doors, into the Presence Chamber, or Throne Room, beyond which is the Queen's Closet. The throne, at the upper end of the Presence Chamber, is large and stately, and is emblazoned with arms. The window draperies here and in the Queen's Closet are of splendid tissues-de-verre. The entire suite is gorgeously gilt, hung with crimson Spitalfields damasks, brocades, and velvets, embroidered with gold; and the Wilton carpets bear the royal arms. The pictures in the state apart ments include portraits of our sovereigns, commencing with Henry VIII.,; pictures of battles, &c. George IV. formed here a fine collection, to which was added, in 1828, Haydon's "Mock Election," which the King purchased of the painter for five hundred guineas. Enough has been said to show that the Palace of St. James's during the time that it was the royal residence, notwithstanding the dulness of its outward appearance, has witnessed merry doings within its walls. Somewhat incline they did to romping. To such a pitch had their waywardness risen about the time of the accession of George III., that it had attracted the attention of Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, who made desperate efforts to establish a mission within the walls; to introduce Whitfield; and at one time, it would appear from her letters, that she even flattered herself that she had made an impression upon the mind of one maid of honour. The project failed; but what the preaching of the pious Countess could not accomplish was effected in a good measure by the watchful and wary discipline of the consort of George III. Amongst the memories which haunt the walls of St. James's are many grades-from the appearance of the King and Queen at the balcony, to see the treasure captured by the Hermione, in the Spanish galleons, go down St. James's Street and along Pall Mall, to the imposing procession of the periwig-makers of London, to present their petition that his Majesty (then in his twentyfifth year) would most graciously condescend to wear a wig, for the encouragement of their trade. Gaming was once a pastime at Court, which the subjects of the sovereign were permitted to witness. At certain seasons George I. and II. played at hazard, in public, at the groom-porter's, in St. James's Palace, when the nobility, and even the princesses, staked considerable sums. This gaming in public was discontinued in the reign of George III., but the office of groom-porter is still kept up, and the names of three groom-porters occur in the enumeration of her present Majesty's household. A table is kept in the palace for the officers of the Foot and Life Guards on duty; the latter are stationed at the Horse Guards, and patrol the Park during the night. The Board of Green Cloth is the general name of the office of the Lord Steward, and is so named from the table at which the Lord Steward and his officers sit. Dr. Johnson describes it as "a board or court of justice, held in the counting-house of the King's household, for taking cognisance of all matters of government and justice within the King's Court Royal, and for correcting all the servants that shall offend." To the Board belongs the sole right of arresting within the limits and jurisdiction of the parks. Illegal arrests were punishable with imprisonment. Striking within the King's Court was punished with the loss of the right hand and forfeiture of lands and goods, and heavy money fines. Chamberlayne thus describes the execution of this barbarous sentence :-"The sergeant of the King's wood-yard brings to the place of execution a square block, a beetle, and a staple and cords to fasten the .hands thereto. The yeoman of the scullery provides a great fire of coals by the block, where the searing-irons, brought by the chief farrier, are to be ready for the chief surgeon to use. Vinegar and cold water are to be brought by the groom of the saucery; and the chief officers of the cellar and pantry are to be ready, one with a cup of red wine, and the other with a manchet, to offer the criminal. The sergeant of the ewry is to bring the linen to wind about and wrap the arm; the yeoman of the poultry, a cock to lay to it; the yeoman of the chandlery, seared cloths; and the master cook, a sharp dresserknife, which, at the place of execution, is to be held upright by the sergeant of the larder, till execution be performed by an officer appointed thereunto. After all, the criminal shall be imprisoned during life, and fined and ransomed at the King's will." In the warrant-book of the Board, June 12, 1816, "Order was given that the maids of honour should have cherry tarts instead of gooseberry tarts, it being observed that cherrys were at threepence per pound." Henry, Duke of Kent, when lord steward of the household, in part of the reign of George II., had £100 allowed him, and sixteen dishes daily at each meal, with wine and beer. The poets-laureate used to receive their annual tierce of Canary wine from this office. And "yeoman of the mouth" was formerly an office held under the Board of Green Cloth. Plum broth, or porridge, was eaten as soup at Christmas, at St. James's, during the reign of George II.; and a portion of it was sent to the different officers of the royal household. The following were the ingredients of the Christmas stock:Leg of veal, 40 lbs. 6 shins of beef. 50 fourpenny loaves. 6 dozen old hock. 6 dozen sherry. I oz. nutmegs. THE FORTUNE OF LAW. I WAS chatting on day with an old schoolfellow of mine, who, though young, was a barrister of some eminence, when the conversation turned upon his own career. People," he said, "give me credit for much more than I deserve. They compliment me on having attained my position by talent, and sagacity, and all that; but the fact is, I have been an extremely lucky man-I mean as regards opportunities. The only thing for which I really can consider myself entitled to any credit is, that I have always been prompt to take advantage of them." "But," I observed, "you have a high reputation for legal knowledge and acumen. I have heard several persons speak in terms of great praise of the manner in which you conducted some of your last cases" "Ah! yes," he returned; "when a man is fortunate, the world soon finds fine things in him. There is nothing like gilding to hide imperfections and bring out excellencies. But I will just give you one instance of what I call my luck. It happened a year or two ago, and before I was quite as well known as I am now: it was a trivial thing in itself, but very important in its consequences to me, and has ever since been very fresh in my memory. I had been retained on behalf of a gentlemen who was defendant in an action for debt, brought against him by a bricklayer, to recover the amount of a bill, stated to be due for building work done on the gentleman's premises. The owner refused payment on the ground that a verbal contract had been made for the execution of the work, at a price less by onethird than the amount claimed. Unfortunately he had no witnesses to the fact. The man denied the contract, alleged that no specification had been made, and pleaded, finally, that if such contract had been entered into, it was vitiated by alterations, to all of which he was prepared to swear, and had his assistant also ready to certify the amount of labour and material expended. I gave my opinion that it was a hopeless case, and that the defendant had better agree to a compromise than incur any further expense. However, he would not, and I was fain to trust to the chapter of accidents for any chance of suc cess, "Near the town where the trial was to take place, lived an old friend of mine, who, after the first day's assize, carried me off in his carriage to dine and sleep at his house, engaging to drive me over next morning in time for this case, which stood next on the list. Mr. Tritten, the gentleman in question, was there also, and we had another discussion as to the prospects of his defence. 'I know the fellow,' said he, 'to be a thorough rascal, and it is because I feel so confident that something will come out to prove it, that I am determined to persist.' I said I hoped it might be so, and we retired to rest. "After breakfast the next morning, my host drove over in his dog-cart to the assize town. We were just entering the outskirts, when, from a turning down by the old inn and posting-house, where the horse was usually put up, there came running towards us a lad pursued by a man, who was threatening him in a savage manner. Finding himself overtaken, the lad, after the custom of small boys in such circumstances, lay down, curling himself up, and holding his hands clasped over his head. The man approached, and after beating him roughly with his fist, and trying to pull him up without success, took hold of the collar of the boy's coat and knocked his head several times on the ground. We were just opposite at the moment, and my friend bade him let the lad alone, and not be such a brute. The fellow scowled, and telling us, with an oath, to mind our own business, for the boy was his own, and he had a right to beat him if he pleased, walked off, and his victim scampered away in the opposite direction. "The dog-cart was put up, and we presently went on to the court. The case was opened in an off-hand style by the opposite council, who characterised the plea of a contract as a shallow evasion, and called the plaintiff as his principal witness. What was my surprise to see get into the box the very man whom we had beheld hammering the boy's head on the kerb-stone an hour before! An idea occurred to me at the moment, and I half averted my face from him; though, indeed, it was hardly likely he would recognise me under my forensic wig. He gave his evidence in a positive, defiant sort of way. but very clearly and decisively. He had evidently got his story well by heart, and was determined to stick to it. I rose and made a show of cross-examining him till I saw that he was getting irritated and denying things in a wholesale style. He had been drinking too, I thought, just enough to make him insolent and restless. So, after a few more unimportant questions, I asked, in a casual tone "You are married, Mr. Myers?' ""Yes, I am.' "And you are a kind husband, I suppose ?' "I suppose so: what then?' "Have any children blessed your union, Mr. Myers?' "The plaintiff's counsel here called on the judge to interfere. The ques tions were irrelevant and impertinent in the matter in question. "I pledged my word to the Court that they were neither, but had a very important bearing on the case, and was allowed to proceed. I repeated my question. "I've a boy and a girl.' "Pray, how old are they?' "The boy's twelve, and the girl nine, I b'lieve.' "Ah! Well, I suppose you are an affectionate father, as well as a kind husband. You are not in the habit of beating your wife and children, are you?' of yours. "I don't see what business it is No! I ain't. "You don't knock your son about, for example?' "No! I don't. (He was growing downright savage, especially as the people in the court began to laugh.) "You don't pummel him with your fist, eh ?' "No! I don't.' "Or knock his head upon the ground, in this manner?' (and I rapped the table with my knuckles). "No!' (indignantly). "You never did such a thing?' "You swear to that?' "All this time I had never given him an opportunity of seeing my face : I now turned towards him and said— "Look at me, sir! Did you ever see me before?' "He was about to say No again : but all at once he stopped, turned very white, and made no answer. 666 "That will do,' I said; 'stand down, sir.-My lord, I shall prove to you that this witness is not to be believed on his oath.' "I then related what we had seen that morning, and putting my friend, who had been sitting behind me all the while, into the witness-box, he of course confirmed the statement. "The Court immediately decided |