When the messenger delivered the order to him, as he lay on his bed suffering under acute pain, Clarendon exclaimed, "You must bring your orders from God Almighty as well as from your King, before I can obey. Your King," continued he, "is a very great and powerful prince, yet not so omnipotent as to give a dying man strength for his journey."

A sudden change in the temper of the French Court, occasioned by political considerations, led to an immediate permission for him to reside in any part of that kingdom. On his way through Normandy, he was attacked by a furious rabble of English sailors, and owed his life to the gallantry of some gentlemen who happened to be his guests. He fixed his residence at Montpelier, where his health was so recruited and his mind so tranquillized, that he resumed his literary labours, and completed a very valuable Continuation of his History. He likewise drew up some very interesting memoirs of his own life, and an account of the troubles in Ireland. He also composed some lesser works, chiefly religious, which show a sound and extensive knowledge of divinity, to the study of which he had always allotted a large portion of his time.

Towards the close of his life he suffered an addi tional sorrow, which gave him great concern, in the apostacy of his daughter to the Church of Rome. On this occasion he wrote a solemn remonstrance, and at the same time addressed a letter to her husband, the Duke of York, warning him of the dangers which threatened his future inheritance of the crown of England, if he persisted in abandoning the Protestant faith. These remonstrances, which proved prophetic, were, like most other such attempts, ineffectual: but he relieved his own conscience, by disburthening himself of a sacred duty which he owed to that Church of which he himself was so faithful' a member.

It may well be conceived, that so true a Patriot could never reconcile himself to a separation from his native land. Amidst all the injustice and cruelty he had experienced, he felt no resentment, but looked upon his countrymen with a mingled sentiment of affection and

pity. He never ceased to regard the King as the son of one whom he dearly loved and seriously lamented; and he still cherished a hope, that he might be permitted to lay his bones in British ground. After seven years of banishment, he urged his humble request in a pathetic letter to the King, which contained the following sentence:

"Since it will be in nobody's power long to keep me from dying, methinks the desiring a place to die in should not be thought a great presumption, nor unrea sonable for me to beg leave to die in my own country, and among my own children." This petition was never granted; and shortly after this great man breathed his last, at Rouen, in Normandy, on the 7th December, 1674, in the 65th year of his age.

In submitting to our readers this very imperfect sketch, it is hoped, at least, that we have redeemed our promise to show them a true-born English Patriot, worthy of the name, and well deserving of their admiration. The British government, now so much respected by other nations for the probity and disinterestedness of its ministers, at the time when the Earl of Clarendon lived, was notorious for its corruption; and to have remained pure, amidst the general contagion, required no ordinary degree of integrity and firmness in the character of this illustrious statesmen.

E. H. L.

LIFE OF SIR MATTHEW HALE, LORD CHIEF JUSTICE OF ENGLAND.

Frw men have been placed in more difficult circumstances than Sir Matthew Hale; nor can any one be pointed out who has maintained more successfully a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man. There can be none of our readers disinclined to take an interest in this good man's story.

Matthew Hale was born at Alderly, in Gloucestershire, the 1st of November, 1609. His grandfather was Robert Hale, an eminent clothier at Wotton

under-Edge, in the same county, who acquired by trade a large property, which he divided equally amongst his five sons. Robert, the second of them, studied the law; but feeling an objection in conscience to the practice of the courts in some points, he quitted the profession, and betook himself to his estate in the country, where the subject of our narrative was born. He lost his mother before he was three years old, and his father before he was five, and was committed to the guardianship of his near kinsman, Anthony Kingscot, Esq., of Kingscot. Great care was taken of his education, as he was intended for holy orders; and his guardian being inclined to the way of those who were then called Puritans, put him to school with some members of that party. In his 17th year he was sent to Magdalen-Hall, Oxford, where he proved himself a good scholar; but the stage-players coming there, he was so much corrupted by intercourse with them, that he almost forsook his studies. He was afterwards so sensible of the evil which be had suffered in this matter, that upon coming to London he resolved never to see a play again, to which resolution he steadily adhered.

The corruption of a young man's mind in one particular, generally draws on a great many more after it he quickly gave himself up to all the follies incident to youth, retaining however his outward purity and probity of mind. These courses gradually led him to give up his purpose of becoming a scholar and a divine, so he resolved to be a soldier; and as his tutor and friend, Obadiah Sedgwick, was about to proceed to the Low Countries as chaplain to the famous Lord Vere, who commanded the British troops then serving with the Dutch, he determined to try his fortune as a volunteer in the army. But a happy stop was put to this resolution. He was engaged in a suit of law with Sir William Whitmore, who laid claim to some part of his estate; and his guardian being a man of retired temper, and not liking business, he was forced to leave the University, and go himself to London to manage his own affair. He had been recom

mended to the celebrated Sergeant Glanville for his counsellor, who soon perceiving in him a great fitness for business, took great pains to persuade him to give up his design of turning soldier, and to apply himself to the study of the law. He complied; and at 20 years of age entered himself of Lincoln's Inn, where, being sensible how much time he had lost, he betook himself to his studies with a diligence which could scarcely be believed, if the signal effects of it did not gain it credit. It is recorded of him, that for many years he studied at the rate of sixteen hours a-day: yet he did not at first break off from keeping company with idle people, till a sad accident drove him from it; for being invited with some other young students to a jovial party, one of the company called for so much wine, that notwithstanding all Mr. Hale could do to prevent it, he drank to such excess that he dropped down as dead before them. This awful occurrence particularly affected him, so that he went into another room, and shutting the door, fell on his knees, and prayed earnestly to God that his friend might be restored, and that himself might be forgiven for giving countenance to such excess; and he made a solemn vow that he would never again indulge in that manner, or drink a health whilst he lived. His friend recovered, and he most religiously observed his vow until his dying day. This wrought an entire change in his conduct; he forsook all idle company, and divided himself between the duties of religion and the study of his profession. In the former he was so regular, that for six-and-thirty years he never once failed going to church on the Lord's Day. This observation he made when an ague first interrupted that constant course; and he reflected on it as an acknowledgment of God's great goodness to him in so long a continuance of his health.

Mr. Hale did not long remain undistinguished. Noy, the Attorney-General, who was considered to be one of the profoundest lawyers of his day, soon sought him out; and he likewise formed a friendship with the learned Mr. Selden, which was terminated

only by death. It was this acquaintance that first set Mr. Hale upon a more enlarged pursuit of knowledge; and in time he made himself thoroughly acquainted with all the branches of learning: but his favourite pursuit was the study of divinity, in which he made a progress truly wonderful, as is proved by the writings which he left behind him. But we must call to mind, that as his parts were quick, his memory great, and his judgment strong, so his industry was indefatigable. He rose always betimes in the morning; was never idle; in eating and drinking he observed always the greatest plainness and moderation. He had also an admirable temper, which enabled him to apply himself to whatever studies he thought fit to turn himself to.

About the time he was called to the bar, the troubles of the great Rebellion began to break out, so that it became no easy thing for a man to preserve his integrity, and yet live free from vexation. This he endeavoured to do, by avoiding not only all public employment, but even to talk of news. He shewed himself always favourable and charitable to those who were depressed; and took pains never to utter censures or reflections on any one.

He was engaged in his practice for all the King's party-being assigned as Counsel to the Earl of Strafford, to Archbishop Laud, and afterwards to the King himself, for whom he would doubtless have pleaded with all the courage such a cause should have inspired, but he was not permitted to appear.

Cromwell soon perceiving that he was not only one of the most eminent men at the bar, but that he was not afraid of doing his duty even in the most critical times, resolved to take him off from it by making him a Judge. Mr. Hale saw well enough the snare that was laid for him, but he determined to accept the offer on this ground:-"That it being absolutely necessary to have justice and property kept up at all times, it would be no sin to take a commission from an'usurper, provided he never acknowledged his authority;" which he never did. He discharged the duties of his office till Cromwell's death; and constantly showed