It appeared, that a suit respecting the right of the vicar of Berkeley
to the great tithes of that town had been long pending in the court of
Chancery, in which the reverend was opposed to his former friend, the
colonel, the churchwardens of Berkeley, and the whole of the surrounding
tenantry. Now this cause was, by direction of the Lord Chancellor, to
be tried at these assizes, and, in consequence, the law agents had been
most industrious in bringing together, by subpoena, all the ancient
authorities of the county, the aged, the blind, and the halt, to give
evidence against their worthy pastor; and as it is most conducive to
success in law, the keeping witnesses secure from tampering, and in
good-humour with the cause, the legal advisers had prepared such festive
cheer at the Bam, for those of the popular interest, as would have done
honour to the colonel's banquet at the castle. Such was the information
we obtained from our host, to whose kind introduction of us to the
lawyers we were afterwards indebted for a very pleasant evening's
amusement.
We were ushered into the room by one of the legal agents as two
gentlemen from London, who, being strangers in the place, were desirous
of being permitted to spend their evening among such a jovial society.
The uproarious mirth, and rude welcome, with which this communication
was received by the company, added to the clouds of smoke which
enveloped their chairman, prevented our immediate recognition of him; but
great and pleasant indeed was our surprise to find the most noble, the
very learned head of the table, to be no other than our old Eton _con.
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