Description

George III. 1760-1820. Silver Medal 1794, 35.94 g. Thomas Erskine and Vicary Gibbs. By J. Milton. Busts, conjoined. HON . T . ERSKINE . V . GIBBS . ESQ. PATRIOTS WHO FOR SACRED FREEDOM STOOD. Rv. Justice assists the falling figure of Britannia. RETURNING JUSTICE LIFTS ALOFT HER SCALE. In exergue: MDCCXCIV. Plain edge. 43.8 mm. Eimer 859. BHM 376. Gutes sehr schön / Good Very Fine. Kleine Kratzer / Small scratches.

Purchased from S & B, Amersham, July 1991, lot M21.

Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine (10 January 1750 - 17 November 1823) was a British Whig lawyer and politician. He served as Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain between 1806 and 1807 in the Ministry of All the Talents.

Sir Vicary Gibbs (27 October 1751 - 8 February 1820) was an English judge and politician. He was known for his caustic wit, which won for him the sobriquet of "Vinegar Gibbs".

In 1794, William Pitt's government, fearful of a revolution, decided to take action against people who were campaigning for parliamentary reform. Habeas corpus was suspended and twelve members of radical societies were imprisoned and charged with a variety of offences amounting to high treason. Erskine and Gibbs were assigned as counsel to seven of them. After eight days of evidence and speeches, including Erskine's seven-hour speech on the final day, and several hours deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. Erskine was hailed as a hero by the crowds outside who unharnessed his horses (which he never saw again) and pulled his carriage through the streets.