with the congregation, therefore he would administer it to him in his own house; but Sir Matthew answered "no; my heavenly Father has prepared a feast for me, and therefore I will go to my Father's house to partake of it."

He had, according to his biographer, some unaccountable presages of his death; for he said, that if he did not die on the 25th of November, he believed he should live a month longer, and he accordingly died on that day month.

His remains were deposited in the church-yard of Alderly, among his ancestors, and his monu. ment, which is of black marble, has a plain inscription in Latin, composed by himself.

Sir Matthew Hale, says the author of his life, had a soul enlarged and raised above the mean appetite of loving money. He did not take the profits he might have had by his practice; for in common cases, when those who came to ask counsel gave him a piece,* he used to return one half, so making ten shillings his fee in ordinary matters that did not require much time and study; if he saw a cause was unjust, he would not meddle with it, saying, that it was as great a dishonour as a man could be capable of, that for a little money he was to be hired to say or do otherwise than he thought."

The piece of money so called at that time, was worth twenty shillings.

When

When he was a practitioner, differences were often referred to him, which he settled, but would accept of no reward for his pains, though offered by both parties together, after the agreement was made; for he said, "In these cases he was made a judge, and a judge ought to take no money." If they told him he lost much of his time in considering their business, and so ought to be acknowleged for it; his answer was, "Can I spend my time better than to make people friends? Must I have no time allowed me to do good in?"

He laid aside the tenth penny of all he got for charitable purposes, and he took care to be well informed of proper objects: and after he was a judge, many of the perquisites of his office were sent by him to the gaols to discharge poor debtors, who never knew from whose hands their deliverance came.

It was a custom for the Marshal of the King's Bench to present the judges of that court with a piece of plate for a new-year's gift, that for the chief-justice being larger than the rest; this he intended to have refused, but the other judges told him that it belonged to his office, and the refusing it would be a prejudice to his successors, so he was persuaded to take it; but he sent word to the marshal, "that instead of plate, he should bring him the value in money:" which, when he received, he immediately sent to the prison for the relief and the discharge of poor persons confined there.

why

He usually invited his poor neighbours to dine with him and if any of them were sick and could not come, he would send them food from his table. If any common beggars met him in his walks when he lived in the country, he would ask such as were capable of working, they went about so idly ?" and if they answered, it was because they had no employ, he would send them to some of his fields to gather all the stones into a heap, and then pay them for their labour. This being done, he used to send his carts, and cause the stones to be carried to those places in the highway which needed repair.

When he was in town his charities were very liberal even ainong the street beggars; and when some friends told him that he thereby encouraged idleness, and that most of them were notorious cheats; he used to answer, "that he believed most of them were such; but that among them there were some great objects, and pressed with grievous necessities; and that he would rather give his alms to twenty, who might perhaps be rogues, than that one of the other sort should perish for want of his small relief."

Another instance of his justice and goodness. was, that when he received bad money, he would never attempt to pass it again, which, being known, induced many crafty persons to impose upon him. He had a large heap of base money in his chamber, which being observed by some thieves, they contrived to steal the whole, think

ing they had got a great prize. This circumstance the judge used to relate, and with much pleasantry remark on the disappointment which the thieves must have experienced, when they found what kind of a booty they had obtained.

He had so completely gained the government of his passions, that though naturally of a quick temper, he was never seen in a passion; nor did he ever resent injuries. Of the noble generosity of his mind, the following is a striking instance. A person who had done him a great injury, afterwards came to him for his advice in the settlement of his estate, which he very frankly gave him, but would accept no fee for it; and when he was asked how he could use a man so kindly who had wronged him so much, his answer was, "I thank God I have learned to forget injuries."

His mercifulness extended itself to his beasts, for when his horses grew aged and incapable of labour, he would not suffer them to be sold, but turned them loose into his grounds; he also used his old dogs with the samne care, and he was scarcely ever seen more angry, than with one of his servants for neglecting a bird that he kept, so that it died for want of food.

His equanimity was so great, that no accidents, how sudden soever, could discompose him.

In the year 1666 an opinion was prevalent in the nation, that the end of the world would be that year, which spread great consternation among

the people; and Judge Hale going the western circuit in the summer, it happened that, as he was on the bench, a most terrible storm came on very unexpectedly, accompanied with dreadful flashes of lightning and claps of thunder, which made such an impression upon the people, that they went to prayers: this, added to the horror raised by the storm, made a very dismal scene; but the judge was not at all affected, and went on with the business of the court in his ordinary

manner.

This great man was twice married; by his first wife he had ten children, all of whom he outlived except his eldest daughter and his youngest

son.

His literary character was highly respectable. His work on the Pieas of the Crown is still a standard performance, and the author an oracle in all our courts. His Moral and Theological Pieces are written in a style of great plainness, but they are addressed to the heart. His folio volume against Atheism, entituled, "The Primitive Origination of Mankind," is replete with various erudition and sound argument. Dr. Paley, in his Natural Theology, has adopted an illustration from it, without any acknowlegement.

ANDREW