The cost of a barrister's wig of frizzed hair is from
five to six guineas.
An eminent counsel in years agone wished to make a motion before Judge
Cockburn, and in his hurry appeared without a wig. "I hear your voice,"
sternly said his Lordship, "but I cannot see you." The barrister had to
obtain the loan of a wig from a learned friend before the judge would
listen to him.
Lord Eldon suffered much from headache, and when he was raised to the
peerage he petitioned the king to allow him to dispense with the wig. He
was refused, his Majesty saying he could not permit such an innovation.
In vain did his lordship show that the wig was an innovation, as the old
judges did not wear them. "True," said the king; "the old judges wore
beards."
In more recent times we have particulars of several instances of both
bench and bar discarding the use of the wig. At the Summer Assizes at
Lancaster, in 1819, a barrister named Mr Scarlett hurried into court,
and was permitted to take part in a trial without his wig and gown.
Pages:
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104