Atrocious Judges: Lives of Judges Infamous as Tools of Tyrants and Instruments of Oppression

John Campbell Baron Campbell

Jan 2005 · The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.

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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ATROCIOUS JUDGES. CHAPTER I. ROGER LE BRABACOH. Roger Le Bbabacon, from the part he took in settling the disputed claim to the crown of Scotland, is an historical character. His ancestor, celebrated as " the great warrior," had accompanied the Conqueror in the invasion of England, and was chief of one of those bands of mercenary soldiers then well known in Europe under the names (for what reason historians are not agreed) of Routiers, Cottereaux, or Brabanfons. Being rewarded with large possessions in the counties of Surrey and Leicester, he founded a family which flourished several centuries in England, and is now represented in the male line by an Irish peer, the tenth Earl of Meath. The name is sometimes spelt Braba9on, Brabaion, Brabason, and Brabanson. t Hume, who designates them " desperate ruffians," says " troops of them were sometimes enlisted in the service of one prince or baron, sometimes in that of another; they often acted in an independent manner, and under leaders of their own. The greatest monarchs were not ashamed, on occasion, to have recourse to their assistance; and as their habits of war and depredation had given them experience, hardiness, and courage, they generally composed the most formidable part of those armies which decided the political quarrels of princes." ?Vol. i. 438. In America we have no mercenary soldiers, but plenty of mercenary politicians, almost as much to be dreaded. ? Ed. The subject of the present sketch, fifth in descent from " the great warrior," changed the military ardor of his race for a desire to gain distinction as a lawyer. He was regularly trained in all the learning of " Essions " and " Assizes," and he had extensive practice as an advocate under Lord Chief Justice de Hengham. On the sweeping removal of almo...