Cowper's time, lawyers about to mount the woolsack, insisted on having
terms that should compensate them for loss of practice. Lord
Macclesfield had a special salary of L4000 per annum, during his
occupancy of the marble chair, and obtained a grant of L12,000 from the
king;--a tellership in the Exchequer being also bestowed upon his eldest
son. Lord King obtained even better terms--a salary of L6000 per annum
from the Post Office, and L1200 from the Hanaper Office; this large
income being granted to him in consideration of the injury done to the
Chancellor's emoluments by the proceedings against Lord
Macclesfield--whereby it was declared illegal for chancellors to sell
the subordinate offices in the Court of Chancery. This arrangement--giving
the Chancellor an increased salary in _lieu_ of the sums which he could
no longer raise by sales of offices--is conclusive testimony that in
the opinion of the crown Lord Macclesfield had a right to sell the
masterships. The terms made by Lord Northington, in 1766, on
resigning the Seals and becoming President of the Council, illustrate
this custom. On quitting the marble chair, he obtained an immediate
pension of L2000 per annum; and an agreement that the annual payment
should be made L4000 per annum, as soon as he retired from the
Presidency: he also obtained a reversionary grant for two lives of the
lucrative office of Clerk of the Hanaper in Chancery.

In Lord Chancellor King's time, amongst the fees and perquisites which
he wished to regulate and reform were the supplies of stationery,
provided by the country for the great law-officers. It may be supposed
that the sum thus expended on paper, pens, and wax was an insignificant
item in the national expenditure; but such was not the case--for the
chief of the courts were accustomed to place their personal friends on
the free-list for articles of stationery. The Archbishop of Dublin, a
dignitary well able to pay for his own writing materials, wrote to Lord
King, April 10, 1733: "MY LORD,--Ever since I had the honor of being
acquainted with Lord Chancellors, I have lived in England and Ireland
upon Chancery paper, pens, and wax. I am not willing to lose an old
advantageous custom. If your Lordship hath any to spare me by my
servant, you will oblige your very humble servant,

"JOHN DUBLIN."

So long as judges or subordinate officers were paid by casual
perquisites and fees, paid directly to them by suitors, a taint of
corruption