A LORD CHIEF JUSTICE AT THE BAR
In the reign of William and Mary, the great sinecure of chief clerk of the Court of King’s Bench, compensated by a pension of £ 9000 a year, falling vacant, Sir John Holt granted it to his brother Roland. Hereupon the question arose whether the patronage belonged to the chief justice or the king. This came to be tried by a trial at bar before three puisne judges and a jury. A chair was placed on the floor of the court for Lord Chief Justice Holt, on which he sat uncovered near his counsel. It was then proved that the chief justices of the King’s Bench had appointed to the office from the earliest times, till a patent was granted irregularly by Charles II. to his natural son the Duke of Grafton. In consequence of this there was a verdict against the Crown, which was confirmed on appeal by the House of Lords.
