The English Law Courts. in Lincoln's Inn, and soon acquired so high a reputation in this recondite and now obso lete branch of legal science, that he was en abled to start practice at the bar. He was engaged in many famous cases, notably that of Ashford v. Thornton, which led to the abolition of the old wager of battle and the defense of Queen Caroline in 1820. In 1826 he was raised to the Solicitor-General ship and the honor of knighthood on the recommendation of one of his former pupils, Lord Brougham. In 1829 he was made Chief-Justice of the Common Pleas, and held this office with dignity, efficiency and urban ity till almost the eve of his death, which occurred on July 6, 1846. The most inter esting trial over which Tyndal presided was that of Macnaughton in 1843.
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torney-General, Lord Tenterden died and Denman succeeded him as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench. He held this office till 1850, when he retired in favor of Lord Campbell. He died in 1854. Lord Bramwell said that Chief-Justice Denman always exhibited signs of uneasiness when a really knotty point of law came before him, and it is quite true that, in spite of his early training, Denman was not a great lawyer. But he was a most upright, en lightened, courteous and independent judge. He may be seen at his best in the leading case of Stockdale v. Hansard.
MR. JUSTICE BYLES.
The late Sir John Barnard Byles was born at Stowmarket in Suffolk in 1801, and was called to the bar in 183 1 . He soon acquired CHIEF-JUSTICE DENMAN. an enormous practice, and although he was Thomas Denman, the son of a physician not only a Tory but an uncompromising of considerable reputation in his day, was anti-Free-Trader, Lord Cranworth raised born in London in February, 1779, and him to the bench of the Common Pleas. He educated at Eton and St. John's College, died on Feb. 3, 1884. Mr. Justice Byles Cambridge. He learned the mysteries of is best remembered by two circumstances. special pleading under the famous Mr. Tidd, He was the author of a standard work on and of conveyancing under the equally fa Bills of Exchange (Byles on Bills, libra mous Mr. Charles Butler, and first made his rians call it). He was also the owner of a mark at the bar (he was called in 1806) horse called Business. Clients inquiring for by his argument, sustained and carried to a him while he was indulging in horse exer successful issue against so redoubtable an cise are said to have been put off with the adversary as Copley — afterwards Lord equivoque that " Mr. Byles was away on busi Lyndhurst — in Doe v. Colyear (1809, 11 ness." East. 548), as to the interpretation of the Limits of space compel us to pass a num rule in Shelley's case. In 18 17 he defended ber of other eminent judicial worthies the Luddites at Derby. In 1820 he under briefly under review. Among the justices took, along with Brougham and Tyndal, of the Queen's Bench must be noted Sir the defense of Queen Caroline, and main William Shee, the first Roman Catholic tained the cause of that unfortunate lady judge since the revolution, and the advocate with a strenuousness which aroused the deep who defended Palmer against Cockburn displeasure of her worthless husband, and ( 1804-1 868); Sir George Hayes ( 805postponed his elevation to the attorney-gen- 1869), a man of infinite wit (his best alship till the accession of William IV in spe«ch at the bar was delivered in the Mat 1830. If Denman had to wait long for his lock will case, of the facts of which readers first great honor, the second came speedily of the Green Bag do not require to be enough. Two years after he became At reminded), and Sir Henry Jackson; an
