following is
told of the Chief Justice's ready wit:

"At a certain trial an extremely pretty girl was called as a witness.
The Lord Chief Justice was very particular about her giving her full
name and address. Of course he took note. So did the sheriff's officer!
That evening they both arrived at the young lady's door simultaneously,
whereupon Sir Alexander tapped the officer on the shoulder, remarking,
'No, no, no, Mr. Sheriff's Officer, judgment first, execution
afterwards!'"

There never was a barrister whose rise at the Bar was more rapid or
remarkable than that of Sir Alexander Cockburn, and along with him was
his friend and close associate as a brother lawyer of the Crown and
Bencher of the same Inn, Sir Richard Bethel, who became Lord Chancellor
a few years after Sir Alexander was made Chief Justice. Sir Richard once
said to his colleague, "My dear fellow, equity will swallow up your
common law."--"I don't know about that," said Sir Alexander, "but you'll
find it rather hard of digestion."

* * * * *

Although the wit of Lord Justice Knight Bruce was somewhat sarcastic it
was rarely so severe as that of Lord Westbury. There was always a tone
of good humour about it. He had indeed a kind of grave judicial waggery,
which is well exemplified in the following judgment in a separation suit
between an attorney and his wife. "The Court has been now for several
days occupied in the matrimonial quarrels of a solicitor and his wife.
He was a man not unaccustomed to the ways of the softer sex, for he
already had nine children by three successive wives. She,
however--herself a widow--was well informed of these antecedents; and it
appears did not consider them any objection to their union; and they
were married. No sooner were they united, however, than they were
unhappily disunited by unhappy disputes as to her property. These
disputes disturbed even the period usually dedicated to the softer
delights of matrimony, and the honeymoon was occupied by endeavours to
induce her to exercise a testamentary power of appointment in his
favour. She, however, refused, and so we find that in due course, at the
end of the month, he brought home with some disgust his still intestate
bride. The disputes continued, until at last they exchanged the
irregular quarrels of domestic strife for the more disciplined warfare
of Lincoln's Inn and Doctors Commons."

Of this judge the story is told that a Chancery