Biography of George "Hanging Judge" Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys 1645-1689

1683 Indemnity and Oblivion Act

1685 Popish Plot

On 15 May 1645 George "Hanging Judge" Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys was born to John Jeffreys (age 37) at Acton Park.

In 1667 George "Hanging Judge" Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys (age 21) and Sarah Needham were married.

On 16 Jul 1673 [his son] John Jeffreys 2nd Baron Jeffreys was born to George "Hanging Judge" Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys (age 28) and [his wife] Sarah Needham.

Around 1675 John Michael Wright (age 57). Portrait of George "Hanging Judge" Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys (age 29).

In 1678 [his wife] Sarah Needham died.

Evelyn's Diary. 04 Oct 1683. I went to London, on receiving a note from the Countess of Arlington (age 49), of some considerable charge or advantage I might obtain by applying myself to his Majesty (age 53) on this signal conjuncture of his Majesty (age 53) entering up judgment against the city charter; the proposal made me I wholly declined, not being well satisfied with these violent transactions, and not a little sorry that his Majesty (age 53) was so often put upon things of this nature against so great a city, the consequence whereof may be so much to his prejudice; so I returned home. At this time, the Lord Chief-Justice Pemberton (age 59) was displaced. He was held to be the most learned of the judges, and an honest man. Sir George Jeffreys (age 38) was advanced, reputed to be most ignorant, but most daring. Sir George Treby, Recorder of London, was also put by, and one Genner, an obscure lawyer, set in his place. Eight of the richest and chief aldermen were removed and all the rest made only justices of the peace, and no more wearing of gowns, or chains of gold; the Lord Mayor and two sheriffs holding their places by new grants as custodes, at the King's (age 53) pleasure. The pomp and grandeur of the most august city in the world thus changed face in a moment; which gave great occasion of discourse and thoughts of hearts, what all this would end in. Prudent men were for the old foundations.

Indemnity and Oblivion Act

Evelyn's Diary. 05 Dec 1683. I was this day invited to a wedding of one Mrs. Castle, to whom I had some obligation, and it was to her fifth husband, a lieutenant-colonel of the city. She was the daughter of one Burton, a broom-man, by his wife, who sold kitchen stuff in Kent Street, whom God so blessed that the father became a very rich, and was a very honest man; he was Sheriff of Surrey, where I have sat on the bench with him. Another of his daughters was married to Sir John Bowles; and this daughter was a jolly friendly woman. There was at the wedding the Lord Mayor, the Sheriff, several Aldermen and persons of quality; above all, Sir George Jeffreys (age 38), newly made Lord Chief Justice of England, with Mr. Justice Withings, danced with the bride, and were exceedingly merry. These great men spent the rest of the afternoon, till eleven at night, in drinking healths, taking tobacco, and talking much beneath the gravity of judges, who had but a day or two before condemned Mr. Algernon Sidney (age 60), who was executed the 7th on Tower Hill [Map], on the single witness of that monster of a man, Lord Howard of Escrick, and some sheets of paper taken in Mr. Sidney's (age 60) study, pretended to be written by him, but not fully proved, nor the time when, but appearing to have been written before his Majesty's (age 53) Restoration, and then pardoned by the Act of Oblivion; so that though Mr. Sidney was known to be a person obstinately averse to government by a monarch (the subject of the paper was in answer to one by Sir E. Filmer), yet it was thought he had very hard measure. There is this yet observable, that he had been an inveterate enemy to the last king, and in actual rebellion against him; a man of great courage, great sense, great parts, which he showed both at his trial and death; for, when he came on the scaffold, instead of a speech, he told them only that he had made his peace with God, that he came not thither to talk, but to die; put a paper into the sheriff's hand, and another into a friend's; said one prayer as short as a grace, laid down his neck, and bid the executioner do his office.

Evelyn's Diary. 26 Jul 1684. I return'd home where I found my Lord Cheife Justice [Jefferies] (age 39), the Countesse of Clarendon, and Lady Cath. Fitz-Gerald, who dined with me.

Around 1685 Godfrey Kneller (age 38). Portrait of George "Hanging Judge" Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys (age 39).

In 1685 George "Hanging Judge" Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys (age 39) was created 1st Baron Jeffreys.

Popish Plot

In 1685, following his accession, King James II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 51) had Titus Oates (age 35) retried. He was found guilty of perjury on two separate indictments.

His sentence read ... First, The Court does order for a fine, that you pay 1000 marks upon each Indictment. Secondly, That you be stript of all your Canonical Habits. Thirdly, the Court does award, That you do stand upon the Pillory, and in the Pillory, here before Westminster-hall gate, upon Monday next, for an hour's time, between the hours of 10 and 12; with a paper over your head (which you must first walk with round about to all the Courts in Westminister-hall) declaring your crime. And that is upon the first Indictment.

Fourthly, (on the Second Indictment), upon Tuesday, you shall stand upon, and in the Pillory, at the Royal Exchange in London, for the space of an hour, between the hours of twelve and two; with the same inscription. You shall upon the next Wednesday be whipped from Aldgate to Newgate. Upon Friday, you shall be whipped from Newgate to Tyburn [Map], by the hands of the common hangman.

According to his sentence, Oates was to stand every year of his life in the pillory on five different days: before the gate of Westminster Hall on the 9th of August, at Charing Cross on the 10th, at the Temple on the 11th, at the Royal Exchange on the 2nd of September, and at Tyburn [Map] on the 24th of April; but, fortunately for the infamous creature, the Revolution deprived his determined enemies of power, and turned the criminal into a pensioner on Government."

The presiding judge was George "Hanging Judge" Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys (age 39). Robert Sawyer (age 52) acted for the prosecution.

Evelyn's Diary. 06 Sep 1685. About 6 o'clock came Sl Dudley (age 44) and his brother Roger North (age 32), and brought the greate seale from my Lord Keeper (age 47), who died ye day before at his house [Map] in Oxfordshire. the King went immediately to Council; every body guessing who was most likely to succeed this greate officer; most believing it could be no other than my Lord Chief Justice Jefferies (age 40), who had so vigorously prosecuted the late rebells, and was now gone the Western circuit, to punish the rest that were secur'd in the several counties, and was now neere upon his returne. I tooke my leave of his Ma* (age 51), who spake very graciously to me, and supping that night at Sr Stephen Fox's (age 58), I promis'd to dine there the next day.

Evelyn's Diary. 31 Oct 1685. I din'd at our greate Lord Chancellor Jefferies (age 40), who us'd me with much respect. This was the late Chief Justice who had newly ben the Western Circuit to try the Monmouth conspirators, and had formerly don such severe justice amongst the obnoxious in Westmr Hall [Map], for which his Ma* (age 52) dignified him by creating him first a Baron, and now Lord Chancellor. He had some years past ben conversant at Deptford; is of an assur'd and undaunted spirit, and has serv'd the Court interest on all the hardiest occasions; is of nature cruel and a slave of the Court.

Evelyn's Diary. 22 Dec 1685. Our patent for executing the office of Privy Seal during the absence of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, being this day seal'd by the Lord Chancellor (age 40), we went afterwards to St James's, where the Court then was on occasion of building at Whitehall; his Ma* (age 52) deliver'd the seale to my Lord Tiviot and myselfe, the other Commissioners not being come, and then gave us his hand to kisse. There were the two Venetian Ambassadors, and a world of company; amongst the rest the first Popish Nuncio that had ben in England since the Reformation, so wonderfully were things chang'd, to the universal jealousy.

Evelyn's Diary. 24 Dec 1685. We were all three Commissioners sworne on our knees by the Cleark of the Crowne, before my Lord Chancellor (age 40), three severall oathes; allegiance, supremacy, and the oath belonging to ye Lord Privy Seal (age 52), wch last we tooke standing. After this the Lord Chancellor (age 40) invited us all to dinner, but it being Christmas-eve we desir'd to be excus'd, intending at three in ye afternoone to seale divers things which lay ready at ye office; so attended by three of the Clearks of ye Signet, we met and seal'd. Amongst other things was a pardon to West, who being privy to the late conspiracy, had reveal'd the accomplices to save his owne neck. There were also another pardon and two indenizations; and so agreeing to a fortnight's vacation, I return'd home.

Evelyn's Diary. 12 Feb 1686. My greate cause was heard by my Lord Chancellor (age 40), who granted me a re-hearing. I had 6 eminent lawyers, my antagonists 3, whereof one was the smooth-tong Solicitor, whom my Lord Chancellor (age 40) reprov'd in greate passion for a very small occasion. Blessed be God for his greate goodnesse to me this day.

Evelyn's Diary. 14 Jul 1686. Was sealed at our office the constitution of certain commissioners to take upon them full power of all Ecclesiastical affairs, in as unlimited a manner, or rather greater, than the late High Commission-Court, abrogated by Parliament; for it had not only faculty to inspect and visit all Bishops' dioceses, but to change what laws and statutes they should think fit to alter among the colleges, though founded by private men; to punish, suspend, fine, etc., give oaths and call witnesses. The main drift was to suppress zealous preachers. In sum, it was the whole power of a Vicar-General-note the consequence! Of the clergy the commissioners were the Archbishop of Canterbury [Sancroft] (age 69), Bishop of Durham [Crewe] (age 53), and Rochester [Sprat] (age 51); of the Temporals, the Lord Treasurer, the Lord Chancellor [Jefferies] (age 41) (who alone was ever to be of the quorum), the Chief justice [Herbert] (age 38), and Lord President [Earl of Sunderland] (age 44).

Evelyn's Diary. 08 Sep 1686. Dr. Compton, Bishop of London (age 54), was on Monday suspended, on pretense of not silencing Dr. Sharp (age 41) [NOTE. Assumed to be the subsequent Archbishop?] at St. Giles's [Map], for something of a sermon in which he zealously reproved the doctrine of the Roman Catholics. The Bishop having consulted the civilians, they told him he could not by any law proceed against Dr. Sharp (age 41) without producing witnesses, and impleaded according to form; but it was overruled by my Lord Chancellor (age 41), and the Bishop sentenced without so much as being heard to any purpose. This was thought a very extraordinary way of proceeding, and was universally resented, and so much the rather for that two Bishops, Durham (age 53) and Rochester (age 51), sitting in the commission and giving their suffrages the Archbishop of Canterbury (age 69) refused to sit among them. He was only suspended ab officio, and that was soon after taken off. He was brother to the Earl of Northampton, had once been a soldier, had traveled in Italy, but became a sober, grave, and excellent prelate.

Evelyn's Diary. 14 Jun 1688. Dined with the Lord Chancellor (age 43).

On 18 Apr 1689 George "Hanging Judge" Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys (age 43) died. His son [his son] John Jeffreys 2nd Baron Jeffreys (age 15) succeeded 2nd Baron Jeffreys.

Ancestors of George "Hanging Judge" Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys 1645-1689

GrandFather: John Jeffreys

Father: John Jeffreys

George "Hanging Judge" Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys