Wilkins, subsequently promoted to the bishopric of Chester; a man of a great mind, true judgement, eminent virtues, and unaffected piety of character." He being determined, as well by his excellent temper, as by his foresight and prudence, by which he early perceived the mischiefs generally accruing to religion, and the dangers likely to be encountered by the Reformation in particular through those divisions, set about the project with a degree of magnanimity that was indeed peculiar to himself: for though he was much censured by many of his own side, and seconded by very few, he yet pushed it as far as he could. After several conferences with two of the most eminent of the Presbyterian divines, heads were agreed upon, some abatements were to be made, and various explanations were to be accepted. The particulars thus concerted were brought to the Lord Chief Baron,

* Though Hale lived in great friendship with some other eminent clergymen, as Ward, Bishop of Salisbury; Barlow, Bishop of Lincoln; Isaac Barrow, Master of Trinity College; Tillotson, Dean of Canterbury, and Stillingfleet, Dean of St. Paul's (men so well known, and so much esteemed, that as it was no wonder the Lord Chief Baron valued their conversation highly, so those of them who are yet alive will think it no lessening of their character, that they are reckoned among his friends) yet there was a peculiar intimacy and freedom in his converse with Bishop Wilkins. He had also, during the preceding wars, lived in a long and entire friendship with the apostolical Primate of Ireland, Archbishop Usher: their curious searches into antiquity, and the sympathy of both their tempers, led them to a great agree. ment almost in every thing: and he held frequent intercourse with Mr. Baxter, his neighbour at Acton, whom he regarded as a person of great devotion and piety, and of a very subtile and quick apprehension. Their conversation lay most in metaphysi cal and abstracted ideas and schemes.

who put them in the form of a bill, to be presented in the next session of parliament.

But this charitable and well arranged project was opposed by some zealous clergymen, who thought it below the dignity of the Church to alter laws, and change settlements, for the sake of those whom they esteemed Schismatics. They believed, indeed, that it was better to keep them out of the Church, than to bring them into it; since a faction might arise upon their introduction, which in their judgement would be more dangerous than the schism itself. They farther remarked, that if some things were now to be changed in compliance with the humour of a party, as soon as that was done, another party might demand other concessions, and there might be as good reasons invented for the latter as for the former: adding that, many such concessions would shake those of our own communion, and tempt them to go over to the Church of Rome, as one that was at least constant and true to herself. These were the reasons chiefly urged against all comprehension; and they wrought with such efficacy upon the greater part of the House of Commons, that they passed a vote against the receiving of any bill for that effect.

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In 1671, he was raised to the office of Chief Justice of England, vacant by the death of Sir John Keyling. This promotion gave great satisfaction to the people, who considered him in his new capacity as the guardian of their liberties, and thought they could not be better deposited than in the hands of a person, who not only thoroughly understood, but also possessed both courage and integrity to maintain, the sacred trust. In this situation, beside enforcing what

the weaker counsel managed but indifferently, he was not satisfied barely to give his judgement; but added, especially in intricate cases, such an account of the reasons which determined his decisions, that the counsel not only acquiesced in his authority, but were frequently induced by the force of his arguments to change their opinions; so that his giving of judgement was, really, a learned lecture upon that point of law. But he held his important post only four years and a half; being suddenly attacked with an inflammation of the diaphragm, in the beginning of the year 1676, which in two days reduced him so low, that finding himself unable to go through the fatigue of public business, he solicited a writ of ease; * and

* He had been a long time wearied with the distractions, which his employment brought upon him, and his profession was become ungrateful to him. He loved, indeed, to apply himself wholly to better purposes, as will appear from a paper written by him upon this subject, which is here subjoined:

First, If I consider the business of my profession, whether as an Advocate or as a Judge, it is true, I do acknowledge, by the institution of Almighty God and the dispensation of his Providence, I am bound to industry and fidelity in it: and as it is an Act of Obedience unto his Will, it carries with it some things of religious duty; and I may and do take comfort in it, and expect a reward of my obedience to him, and the good that I do to mankind therein, from the bounty and beneficence and promise of Almighty God. And it is true also, that without such employments Civil Societies cannot be supported, and great good redounds to mankind from them; and in these respects the conscience of my own industry, fidelity, and integrity in them is a great comfort and satisfaction to me. But yet this I must say concerning these employments, considered simply in themselves, that they are very full of cares, anxieties, and perturbations.

'Secondly, That though they are beneficial to others, yet they are of the least benefit to him that is employed in them.

this being delayed, he resigned in February. In delivering the commission to Lord Chief Justice Rainsford,* who succeeded him, the Lord Chancellor (Finch, Earl of Nottingham) among other things observed:-" Onerosum est succedere bono principi,

Thirdly, That they do necessarily involve the party, whose office it is, in great dangers, difficulties, and calumnies.

Fourthly, That they only serve for the meridian of this life, which is short and uncertain.

Fifthly, That though it be my duty faithfully to serve in them, while I am called to them, and till I am duly called from them, yet they are great consumers of that little time we have here; which, as it seems to me, might be better spent in a pious contemplative life, and a due provision for eternity. I do not know a better temporal employment than Martha had, in testifying her love and duty to our Saviour by making provision for him; yet our Lord tells her, that "though she was troubled about many things, there was only one thing necessary, and Mary had chosen the better part."

Hence the reader will see, that he continued in his station upon no other consideration, than that being set in it by the Providence of God, he judged he could not abandon it without preferring his own private inclination to the choice God had made for him; but now, that same Providence having by his distemper disengaged him from the obligation of holding a place, which he was no longer able to discharge, he resolved to resign it. * This successor, falling into some melancholy, "sent to Baxter for some advice, because Judge Hale desired him so to do!" What a compliment! and how well deserved! Laudari à laudato could never, perhaps, be more appropriately applied. Baxter, on the solicitation of their common friend Mr. Edward Stephens, the publisher of Hale's Contemplations,' drew up the narrative of his short familiarity with him' (during the last nine years of the Judge's life) and closes his preface as follows: "Being half-dead already in those dearest friends who were half myself, I am much the more willing to leave this mole-hill and prison of earth, to be with that wise and blessed society, who being united to their Head in glory do not envy, hate, or persecute each other, nor forsake God, nor shall ever be forsaken by him,"

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was the saying of him in the panegyric: and you will find it so too, that are to succeed such a Chief Justice, of so indefatigable an industry, so invincible a patience, so exemplary an integrity, and so magnanimous a contempt of worldly things, without which no man can be truly great; and to all this, a man that was so absolute a master of the science of the law, and even of the most abstruse and hidden parts of it, that one may truly say of his knowledge in the law, what St. Austin said of St. Hierome's knowledge in divinity, Quod Hieronymus nescivit, nullus mortalium unquam scivit. And therefore the King would not suffer himself to part with so great a man, till he had placed upon him all the marks of bounty and esteem, which his retired and weak condition was capable of."

To this high character, in which the expressions not only well become the eloquence of him who pronounced them, but also exactly suit the subject to whom they were applied without the abatements frequently to be made for rhetorical exaggeration, should be added that part of the Lord Chief Justice's answer, in which he speaks of his predecessor: "a person, in whom his eminent, virtuous, and deep learning have long managed a contest for the superiority, which is not decided to this day; nor will it ever be determined, I suppose, which shall get the upper hand: a person, that has sat in this court these many years, of whose actions there I have been an eye and ear witness, that by the greatness of his learning always charmed his auditors to reverence and attention: a person, of whom I think I may boldly say, that as former times cannot show any superior to him, so I am confident succeeding and