220

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

crap.

V.

Rapacityof theQueenandofherladies.

higher class of Whigs. He traded largely in pardons. Hismost lucrative transaction of this kind was with a gentlemannamed Edmund Prideaux. It is certain that Prideaux hadnot been in arms against the government; and it is probablethat his only crime was the wealth which he had inheritedfrom his father, an eminent lawyer who had been high inoffice under the Protector. No exertions were spared to makeout a case for the crown. Mercy was offered to some prisonerson condition that they would bear evidence against Prideaux.The unfortunate man lay long in gaol, and at length, over-come by fear of the gallows, consented to pay fifteen thousandpounds for his liberation. This great sum was received byJeffreys. He bought with it an estate, to which the peoplegave the name of Aceldama, from that accursed field whichwas purchased with the price of innocent blood.*

He was ably assisted in the work of extortion by the crewof parasites who were in the habit of drinking and laughingwith him. The office of these men was to drive hard bargainswith convicts under the strong terrors of death, and withparents trembling for the lives of children. A portion of thespoil was abandoned by Jeffreys to his agents. To one of hisboon companions, it is said, he tossed a pardon for a richtraitor across the table during a revel. It was not safe to haverecourse to any intercession except that of his creatures; forhe guarded his profitable monopoly of mercy with jealouscare. It was even suspected that he sent some persons to thegibbet solely because they had applied for the royal clemencythrough channels independent of him.**

Some courtiers nevertheless contrived to obtain a smallshare of this traffic. The ladies of the Queen’s householddistinguished themselves preeminently by rapacity and hard-

* Commons’ Journals, Oct. 9., Nov. 10., Dec. 26. 1690; Oldmixon,106.; Panegyric on Jeffreys.

** Life and Death of Lord Jeffreys; Panegyric on Jeffreys; Baffin'sMemoirs.