set apart a tenth penny for the poor; which he ever dispensed, with that secrecy, that they who were relieved, seldom or never knew their benefactor. He took more pains, to avoid the honours and preferments of the gown, than others do to compass them. His modesty was beyond all example: for, where some men who never attained to half his knowledge, have been puffed up with a high conceit of themselves, and have affected all occasions of raising their own esteem, by depreciating other men, he, on the contrary, was the most obliging man that ever practised. If a young gentleman happened to be retained, to argue a point in law, where he was on the contrary side, he would, very often, mend the objections, when he came to repeat them, and always commend the gentleman, if there were room for it; and one good word of his, was of more advantage to a young man, than all the favour of the court could be.'* * After a close consideration of sir Matthew Hale's character, as justly and beautifully drawn by Bishop Burnet, it is, perhaps, not too much to say, that Hale has himself, unconsciously, but most graphically described it, in his portraiture of TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION:'.. It teacheth and tutors the soul, to a high reverence and veneration of Almighty God; a sincere and upright walking, as in the presence of the invisible, all-seeing God: it makes a man truly to love, to honour, to obey him; and, therefore, careful to know what HIS will is: it renders the heart highly thankful to him, both as Creator, Redeemer, and Benefactor: it makes a man entirely to depend on him; to seek to him for guidance, and direction, and protection; to submit to his will, with all patience, and resignation of soul it gives the law, not only to his words, and actions; but to his very thoughts and purposes; so that, he dares not entertain a very thought, unbecoming the sight and presence of that God, to whom all our thoughts are legible: it teacheth, and bringeth a man to, such a deportment, both of external, and internal sobriety, as may be decent, in the presence of God, and Having thus far, pursued his history and character, in the public and exemplary parts of his life, without interrupting the thread of the relation, with what was private and domestic, I shall conclude with a short account of these. He was twice married: his first wife was Anne, daughter of sir Henry Moore, of Faly in Berkshire, grandchild to sir Francis Moore, serjeant at law. By her, he had ten children; the four first died young, the other six lived to be all married; and he outlived them all, except his eldest daughter, and his youngest son, who are yet alive. all his holy angels: it crusheth, and casts down, all pride and haughtiness, both in a man's heart, and carriage; and gives him an humble frame of soul and life, in the sight both of God, and men: it regulates and governs the passions of the mind; and brings them into due moderation and frame: it gives a man a right estimate of this present world, and sets his heart and hopes above it; so that he never loves it more, than it deserves: it makes the wealth and glory of this world, high places, and great preferments, but of a low, and little value to him; so that, he is neither covetous, nor ambitious, nor over solicitous for the advantages of it: it brings a man to that frame,.. that righteousness, justice, honesty, and fidelity, are, as it were, parts of his nature; he can sooner die, than commit, or purpose, that which is unjust, dishonest, or unworthy of a good man: it makes him value the love of God, and peace of conscience, above all the wealth and honour in the world; and be very vigilant, to keep it inviolably: though he be under a due apprehension of the love of God to him, yet, it keeps him humble and watchful, and free from all presumption; so that he dares not, under a vain confidence of the indulgence, and mercy, and favour of God, turn aside, to commit, or purpose, even the least injury to man: he performs all his duties to God, in sincerity, integrity, and constancy; and, while he lives on earth, yet his conversation, his hopes, his treasure, and the flower of his expectation, are in heaven; and he entirely endeavours to live suitably to such a hope: in sum, it restores the image of God unto the soul, in righteousness, and true holiness: .. Compositum jus, fasque animi, sanctosque recessus A Discourse of Religion. Works, vol. i. p. 303. His eldest son, Robert, married Frances, the daughter of sir Francis Chock, of Avington in Berkshire; and they both dying, in a little time one after another, left five children; two sons, Matthew and Gabriel; and three daughters, Anne, Mary, and Frances: and, by the judge's advice, they both made him their executor; so he took his grandchildren into his own care, and among them he left his estate. His second son, Matthew, married Anne, the daughter of Mr. Matthew Simmonds, of Hilsley in Gloucestershire, who died soon after, and left one son behind him, named Matthew. His third son, Thomas, married Rebecca, the daughter of Christian Le Brune, a Dutch merchant, and died without issue. His fourth son, Edward, married Mary, the daughter of Edmund Goodyere, Esq. of Heythorp in Oxfordshire, and still lives; he has two sons, and three daughters. His eldest daughter, Mary, was married to Edward Alderley, son of Edward Alderley, of Innishannon in the county of Cork, in Ireland; who dying, left her with two sons, and three daughters. She is since married, to Edward Stephens, son to Edward Stephens, Esq. of Cherington in Gloucestershire. His youngest daughter, Elizabeth, was married to Edward Webb, Esq. barrister at law; she died, leaving two children, a son and a daughter. His second wife was Anne, the daughter of Mr. Joseph Bishop, of Faly in Berkshire, by whom he had no children. He gives her a great character in his will, as a most dutiful, faithful, and loving wife, and, therefore, trusted the breeding of his grandchildren to her care, and left her one of his executors; to whom he joined Sir Robert Jenkinson, and Mr. Gibbon. So much may suffice, of those descended from him. In after-times, it is not to be doubted, but it will be reckoned no small honour, to derive from him and this has made me more particular, in reckoning up his issue.* I shall next give an account of the issues of his mind, his books, that are either printed, or remain in manuscript: for the last of these, by his will he has forbid the printing of any of them after his death, except such as he should give order for in his life. But, he seems to have changed his mind afterwards, and to have left it to the discretion of his executors, which of them might be printed: for, though he does not express that, yet, he ordered, by a codicil, that, if any book of his writing, as well touching the common law, as other subjects, should be printed; then, what should be given for the consideration of the copy, should be divided into ten shares, of which he appointed seven to go among his servants, and three to those who had copied them out, and were to look after the impression.' The reason, as I *The male line of the family became extinct in 1784., by the death of his great grandson, Matthew Hale, Esq. barrister at law.' - Biogr. Dict. have understood it, that made him so unwilling to have any of his works printed after his death, was, that he apprehended in the licensing them, (which was necessary, before any book could be lawfully printed, by a law then in force, but since his death determined,) some things might have been struck out, or altered: which he had observed, not without some indignation, had been done to a part of the Reports of one whom he had much esteemed. This, in matters of law,' he said, 'might prove to be of such mischievous consequence, that he, thereupon, resolved none of his writings should be at the mercy of licensers:' and therefore, because he was not sure that they should be published without expurgations or interpolations, he forbad the printing of any of them; in which he, afterwards, made some alteration; at least, he gave occasion, by his codicil, to infer that he altered his mind. This I have the more fully explained, that his last will may be no way misunderstood; and that his worthy executors, and his hopeful grandchildren, may not conclude themselves to be under an indispensable obligation, of depriving the public of his excellent writings. * Thus lived and died sir Matthew Hale, the renowned lord chief justice of England. He had one of the blessings of virtue, in the highest measure of any of the age, that does not always * Dr. Burnet here gives a list of his works, for a corrected account of which, see a subsequent page. |