50 COMPLETE PEERAGE abinger at about ^^2 8,000 a year ; viz., above 8,000 in Oxon, rather less than 8,000 in Berks, and 66 acres in Bucks (which 16,000 acres or so were of the annual value of about j^23,ooo) ; also above 4,500 acres in co. Lancaster, and 500 in co. York (part of the Towneley property), of the annual value (exclusive of mine rents) of about ;^5,ooo in addition. Total 21,276 acres valued at ^^28,248 a year. Principal Residence. — Wytham Abbey, Berks. ABINGER BARONY. I. James Scarlett, 2nd s. of Robert S., of Duckett's Spring, in St. James's Parish, Jamaica, by Elizabeth I. 1835 Wright, widow, da. of Philip Anglin, of Paradise estate in that island, was i>. there 1769 ; entered as a Fellow Commoner at Trin. Coll., Cambridge, at the age of fifteen ; B.A. 1790 ; M.A. 1794 ; LL.D. 1835 ; Barrister (Inner Temple) 1791 : King's Counsel 1816 ; M.P. for Peterborough 1819-30 (having been defeated, in 1822, for the University of Cambridge) ; M.P. for Malton 1830-31 : for Cockermouth 1831-32; and for Norwich 1832-34; Knighted 30 Apr. 1827; Attorney-Gen. for a short time in 1827, and again in 1829. On 24 Dec. 1834 (Sir Robert Peel being then Prime Minister), he was made Lord Chief Baron OF THE Exchequer, and a few weeks afterwards, 12 Jan. 1835, was cr. BARON ABINGER, (") of Abinger, (") in Surrey, and of the city of Norwich ; being the first Chief Baron who ever received a Peerage while in office. P.C. (") He m., istly, 22 Aug. 1792, Louise (") The Scarletts, Lords Abinger, bear arms of Cheeky gold and gules with a lion rampant ermine and a quarter azure charged with a castle of three turrets silver. A grant of these arms was made to the first peer in 1835. The castle differences them from those borne in the 17th Century by Scarlett of Nayland and Copford, to whom this family, although descended out of Sussex, would seem to be of kin. {ex inform. Oswald Barron.) V.G. () This estate, which had been purchased by him, was sold by his grandson, and the proceeds invested in an estate in Scotland. C^) An amiable, popular man, of respectable character and genial disposition. His voice was low and mellifluous, his manner persuasive and easy, his face was round, jolly, rubicund, and intelligent in expression. In later life he became very portly. "Cautious, wary, astute, clear in his discernment, almost infallible in his judgment, " he was an unrivalled nisi prius counsel, and his success with juries was almost mira- culous, though not given to oratorical or any other form of display. He is the " Mr. Subtle " of Warren's Novel Ten Thousand a year. Like so many distinguished lawyers, he was not very successful in the House of Commons. He made a fairly good judge, though too much of the advocate still remained in him after his elevation. He is stated to have expressed his ability to convince any 12 jurymen of the truth of the Christian religion. When this was repeated to another judge now (1909) living, he retorted that if the case came before him he should stop it as there was no evidence to go to a jury ! He began life as a Whig, but changed sides during the Reform aijitation in 1830. A Memoir of him by the Hon. Peter Scarlett was pub. in 1877. V.G.
