Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 29.djvu/282

 hasty composition peculiar to ephemeral literature, are full of vivid and acute remarks, and frequently admirable in style. If he had been less afraid of making blunders, and trusted his natural instincts, he would have left a more permanent reputation, and achieved a less negative result. He was, however, a fair opponent, and never condescended to the brutality too common in his time. Some imputations made upon his personal fairness by Coleridge in the ‘Biographia Literaria’ are sufficiently refuted by Jeffrey in the ‘Edinburgh Review’ for August 1817 (xxviii. 507–512). Jeffrey's ‘Contributions to the “Edinburgh Review,”’ a selection only, were published in four volumes in 1844 and 1853. They are reprinted in the sixth volume of ‘Modern British Essayists,’ Philadelphia, 1848. They include the essay on ‘Beauty’ contributed to the ‘Encyclopædia Britannica.’ Besides these, he published a pamphlet in 1804, defending himself against an absurd charge of having got up a riot in a lecture given by Thelwall at Edinburgh, and misrepresented Thelwall in the third number of the ‘Edinburgh Review;’ another pamphlet on catholic claims in 1808; his addresses at Glasgow on 28 Dec. 1820, 3 Jan. and 15 Nov. 1822; and his speech on the Reform Bill.

 JEFFREY or JEFFERAY, JOHN (d. 1578), judge, of an old Sussex family, was son of Richard Jeffrey of Chiddingly Manor, by Eliza, daughter of Robert Whitfield of Wadhurst. He was admitted a member of Gray's Inn in 1544, called to the bar in 1546, and was Lent reader there in 1561. In Easter term 1567 he became a serjeant-at-law, and on 15 Oct. 1572 a queen's serjeant. In the same year he represented the borough of Arundel in parliament. On 15 May 1576 he was appointed a judge of the queen's bench, and was promoted on 12 Oct. 1577 to succeed Sir Robert Bell as chief baron of the exchequer. In the autumn of 1578 he died at Coleman Street Ward, London, and was buried under a magnificent tomb in Chiddingly Church. He appears, according to the character given of him in Lloyd's ‘State Worthies,’ p. 221, to have been a plodding and studious judge. He was twice married, first to Alice, daughter and heiress of John Apsley, by whom he had one daughter, Elizabeth, who married Edward, first lord Montagu of Boughton; and secondly to Mary, daughter of George Goring.

 JEFFREYS, GEORGE (d. 1685), organist and composer, is said by Wood (Lives of Musicians, Bodleian MS.) to have been descended from Matthew Jeffreys, who graduated Mus. Bac. at Oxford in 1593, composed music, and became vicar-choral of Wells Cathedral. Jeffreys was organist to Charles I at Oxford in 1643. From about 1648 till his death he held the post of steward to the Hattons of Kirby, Northamptonshire. Many of Jeffreys's letters, almost wholly dealing with the Hatton estates, and addressed to Christopher, second baron, afterwards first viscount Hatton [q. v.], and others are preserved in the Hatton-Finch correspondence in the British Museum; they cover a period of nearly forty years. From 1648 Jeffreys resided at Little Weldon in Northamptonshire, displaying great zeal in the interests of his master. In 1667 he was expected to contribute a horse to the muster, but declared himself exempt as not possessing 100l. In 1671 he obtained from Hatton a draft for a protection when ‘our troublesome presbyterian parson’ maliciously set ‘him down to be churchwarden.’ His last letter, dated 11 May, complains of great pain, and he died before 12 July 1685.

Jeffreys's anthem, ‘Erit gloria Domini,’ is printed in the ‘Cantica Sacra’ of 1672. He composed numerous anthems and motets, many of which are in manuscript in the Aldrich collection, Christ Church, Oxford. The library of the Royal College of Music is very rich in music by this composer, possessing (1) an autograph collection (sixty-one numbers) of Latin and English motets and anthems, for one, two, and three voices, with basso continuo. The voice part of the motets for one voice is wanting. (2) An autograph collection (nineteen numbers) of Latin and English motets, anthems, &c., for four voices, with basso continuo. (These are probably similar to the British Museum Addit. MSS. 30829–30 and 17816, from which the cantus part is missing.) (3) ‘Fourteen 