Additional Notes on the Life and Death of Matthew Hale, Title page – To the reader
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE Life and Death OF Sir MATTHEW HALE, THE LATE Universally Honoured and Loved LORD CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE KINGS BENCH.
Written by Richard Baxter, at the request of Edward Stephens, Esq the Publisher of his Contemplations, and his familiar Friend. And Published by the urgency of others.
LONDON: Printed for Richard Janeway, in Queens-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row. 1682.
NOte, that this Narrative was written two years before Dr. Burnet's; and it's not to be doubted, but that he had better information of his Manuscripts, and some other circumstances than I. But of those Manuscripts directed to me, about the souls Immortality, of which I have the Originals under his Hand, and also of his thoughts of the Subjects mentioned by me, from 1671. till he went to die in Gloucestershire, I had the fullest notice.
READER,
SInce the History of Judg Hale's Life is published (written by Dr. Burnet very well), some men have thought, that because my familiarity with him was known, and the last time of a mans Life is supposed to contain his maturest judgment, time, study and experience correcting former oversights: and this great man▪ who was most diligently and thirstily learning to the last, was like to be still wiser, the notice that I had of him in the later years of his Life should not be omitted.
I was never acquainted with him till 1667. and therefore have nothing to say of the former part of his Life; nor of the later, as to any publick affairs, but only of what our familiar converse acquainted me: But the visible effects made me wonder at the industry and unwearied labours of his former Life. Besides the Four Volumes against Atheism and Infidelity, in Folio, which I after mention, when I was desired to borrow a Manuscript of his Law-Collections, he shewed me, as I remember, about Two and Thirty Folio's, and told me, he had no other on that Subject (Collections out of the Tower-Records, &c.) and that the Amanuensis work that wrote them, cost him a Thousand pound. He was so set on study, that he resolvedly avoided all necessary diversions, and so little valued either grandure, wealth, or any worldly vanity, that he avoided them to that notable degree, which incompetent judges took to be an excess. His Habit was so course and plain, that I, who am thought guilty of a culpable neglect therein, have been bold to desire him to lay by some things which seemed too homely. The House which I surrendred to him, and wherein he lived at Acton, was indeed well scituate, but very small, and so far below the ordinary dwellings of men of his rank, as that divers Farmers thereabout had better; but it pleased him. Many censur'd him for choosing his last Wife below his Quality: but the good man more regarded his own daily comfort, than mens thoughts and talk. As far as I could discern, he chose one very suitable to his ends; one of his own judgment and temper, prudent and loving, and fit to please him; and that would not draw on him the trouble of much Acquaintance and Relations. His house-keeping was according to the rest, like his Estate and Mind, but not like his Place and Honour: for he resolved never to grasp at Riches, nor take great fees, but would refuse what many others thought too little. I wondered when he told me how small his Estate was, after such ways of getting as were before him: But as he had little, and desired little, so he was content with little, and suited his Dwelling, Table and Retinue thereto. He greatly shunned the visits of many, or great persons, that came not to him on necessary business, because all his hours were precious to him, and therefore he contrived the avoiding of them, and the free enjoyment of his beloved privacy.
I must with a glad remembrance acknowledg, that while we were so unsuitable in places and worth, yet some suitableness of judgment and disposition made our frequent converse pleasing to us both. The last time, save one, that I was at his house, he made me lodg there, and in the morning, inviting me to more freqnent visits, said, No man shall be more welcome: And he was no dissembler. To signifie his love, he put my name, as a Legatee in his Will, bequeathing me Fourty shillings. Mr. Stephens gave me two Manuscripts, as appointed by him for me, declaring his judgment of our Churchcontentions, and their cure (after mentioned). Though they are imperfect, as written on the same question at several times, I had a great mind to Print them, to try whether the common reverence of the Author would cool any of our contentious Clergy: but hearing, that there was a restraint in his Will, I took out part of a Copy, in which I find these words; I do expresly declare, That I will have nothing of my own Writings Printed after my Death,, but only such as I shall in my Life-time deliver out to be Printed. And not having received this in his Life-time, nor to be Printed in express terms, I am afraid of crossing the Will of the Dead, though he ordered them for me.
It shewed his mean Estate, as to Riches, that in his Will he is put to distribute the profits of a Book or two, when Printed, among his Friends and Servants. Alas! we that are great losers by Printing, know that it must be a small gain that must thus accrue to them. Doubtless, if the Lord Chief Justice Hale had gathered money as other Lawyers do that had less advantage, as he wanted not will, so he would not have wanted power to have left them far greater Legacies. But the Servants of a self-denying mortified Master, must be content to suffer by his Vertues, which yet, if they imitate him, will turn to their final gain.
God made him a Publick Good, which is more than to get Riches. His great judgment, and known integrity, commanded respect from those that knew him; so that I verily think, that no one Subject since the days that History hath notified the affairs of England to us, went off the stage with greater and more Universal Love and Honour; (And what Honour without Love is, I understand not.) I remember, when his Successor, the Lord Chief Justice Rainsford, falling into some melancholy, came, and sent to me for some advice, he did it, as he said, because Judg Hale desired him so to do; and expressed so great respect to his judgment and Writings, as I perceived much prevailed with him. And many have profited by his contemplations, who would never have read them, had they been written by such a one as I. Yet among all his books and discourses, I never knew of these until he was dead.
His resolution for Justice was so great, that I am persuaded, that no wealth nor honour would have hired him knowingly to do one unjust Act.
And though he left us in sorrow, I cannot but acknowledg it a great mercy to him, to be taken away when he was. Alas! what would the good man have done, if he had been put by Plotters, and Traitors, and Swearers, and Forswearers, upon all that his Successors have been put to? In likelihood, even all his great wisdom and sincerity, could never have got him through such a wilderness of thorns, and briars, and wild beasts, without tearing in pieces his entire Reputation, if he had never so well secured his conscience. O! how seasonably did he avoid the tempest, and go to Christ!
And so have so many excellent persons, since then, and especially within the space of one year, as may well make England tremble at the Prognostick, that the righteous are taken as from the evil to come. And alas! what an evil is it like to be? We feel our loss. We fear the common danger. But what Believer can chuse but acknowledg Gods mercy to them, in taking them up to the world of Light, Love, Peace and Order, when confusion is coming upon this world, by Darkness, Malignity, Perfidiousness and cruelty. Some think, that the last conflagration shall turn this Earth into Hell. If so, who would not first be taken from it? And when it is so like to Hell already, who would not rather be in Heaven?
Though some mistook this man for a meer Philosopher or Humanist, that knew him not within; yet his most serious description of the sufferings of Christ, and his copious Volumes to prove the truth of the Scripture, Christianity, our Immortality, and the Deity, do prove so much reality in his Faith and Devotion, as makes us past doubt of the reality of his reward and glory.
When he found his belly swell, his breath and strength much abate, and his face and flesh decay, he chearfully received the sentence of Death: And though Dr. Glisson by meer Oximel squilliticum, seemed a while to ease him, yet that also soon failed him; and he told me, he was prepared and contented comfortably to receive his change. And accordingly he left us, and went unto his native Country of Gloucestershire to die, as the history tells you.
Mr. Edward Stephens being most familiar with him, told me his purpose to write his Life: and desired me to draw up the meer Narrative of my short familiarity with him; which I did, as followeth: but hearing no more of him, cast it by: But others desiring it, upon the sight of the published History of his Life by Dr. Burnet, I have left it to the discretion of some of them, to do with it what they will.
And being half dead already in those dearest friends who were half my self, am much the more willing to leave this molehill, 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.
R. B.