An elegy on that famous oracle of law, and unbias'd dispenser of justice, the most learned and no less religious Sr. Matthew Hale, Kt. The late lord chief justice of England, who departed this life on Christmas-day last, at his house in Atherly in Glocester-shire. 1677 Approx. 7 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2009-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). B03155 15613901 Wing E361 Interim Tract Supplement Guide C.20.f.2[110] ESTC R36173 99890171 ocm99890171 181437

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 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. B03155) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 181437) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books; Tract supplement ; A1:1[111]) An elegy on that famous oracle of law, and unbias'd dispenser of justice, the most learned and no less religious Sr. Matthew Hale, Kt. The late lord chief justice of England, who departed this life on Christmas-day last, at his house in Atherly in Glocester-shire. 1 sheet ([1] p.). Printed for Ben. Harris, in Sweethings-Ally, by the Royal Exchange, London, : 1677. "Licensed, Roger L'Estrange, January 8th, 1677." Verse: "Great Hale a fortnight dead! and none proclaim". Within mourning borders. Reproduction of original in the British Library.

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 eng Hale, Matthew, -- Sir, 1609-1676 -- Poetry -- Early works to 1800. 2008-05 Assigned for keying and markup 2008-09 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-12 Sampled and proofread 2008-12 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
AN ELEGY ON That famous ORACLE of LAW, and unbiaſs'd Diſpenſer of JUSTICE, the moſt Learned and no leſs Religious SR Matthew Hale, KT. The late LORD Chief Juſtice of ENGLAND, Who departed this Life on Chriſtmas-day laſt, at his Houſe in Atherly in Gloceſter-ſhire. GReat HALE a fortnight Dead! and none Proclaim Our Loſs, in ſtrains Immortal as his Name? Has the late Froſt Crampt all the Wits? or Vice Congeal'd their Brains with a more fatal Ice? Shall each ſmall Miſs uſurp the Muſes Arms, And fill the Town with painted Celia's Charms? Shall every Silken Fopp, and trivial Herſe Be double-daub'd with Mercenary Verſe; And ſuch a Patriot unregarded dye Without the Tribute of an Elegy? Ungrateful Age! though Art pretend not to it Juſt Indignation ſure may make a Poet; Nor need we pray in Aid of Fancy here Where loftieſt Praiſe does ſober Truth appear; For whoſoe're indeed would do HALE Right Muſt Hiſtory, and not a Poem, write; He muſt draw Cato, Solon, Cicero, The Ancient Sages and the Modern too; He muſt Limn Spirits never tyr'd, ſuch parts As held in Fee th'whole Magazin of Arts; He that would ſearch all Glories of the Gown And Steps of all rais'd Servants of the Crown Shall n'ere find one Amongſt that Glittering Store Whom Fortune aided leſs, or Virtue more; Who ſhall diſcover now thoſe flouriſh't Sleights Which Lawyers offer for pretended Rights? Who ſhall, like Virgo in the Zodiack, fit Between bold Leo and Juſt Libra ſit; Who at firſt opening of a Cauſe ſhall ſpye The Knot, And that not Cut, but well untye? Who can diſpatch ſo much, ſo well, ſo free From Fear, from Favour, Stain or Bribery; You might the Sun out oth' Ecleptick hurl Unhinge from Natures Poles the tottering World; Stop Primum Mobile, ſooner than wreſt Or Divorce Juſtice from his Candid Breſt; Trace his Beginning, when at firſt his Good In others Evil beſt was underſtood, When being the Strangers help, The Poor mans aid His Juſt defences made th' unjuſt afraid; Th' unfriended's Patron, The oppreſſed's ſhield, The Fort of Truth untaught by Charms to yeild, Such was his Progreſs that Integrity And Skill (even then) became Authority; And Clients ſtrove in Queſtion of the Laws More for his Patronage, than for their Cauſe, Such too at laſt his Stand, whilſt he did deal Deſired Juſtice to the Publick Weal; Through all the Three High Courts of Common Law We ſaw him loud Applauſe and Wonder draw, The Good to Cheriſh and the Bad to Awe Nor were his Courts alone, but Readings where, The Barr was Throng'd as much to Learn, as Hear: Council he did but Rectify, not Bite; Nor were men Checkt, or Jeſted from their Right, So Grave! ſo mild his Judgments did appear, As rais'd at once the Guilties Love and Fear; Nor was his life leſs Glorious, Bright and Clean In his Receſs, than on the publick Scene; Surviving not his Honours though his place, He left the Bench in Favour, not Diſgrace; His King and Country ſerv'd, a wiſe Retreat, To ſerve his God, renders his Courſe Compleat; So like the Lamp of Heaven he poſſeſt The greateſt Luſtre, haſtning to his weſt; Thoſe few remaining Sands were wholly Given, Peace to promote on Earth, Glory to Heaven; Though Envy oft on Virtue doth attend, He forced Envy's ſelf to be his friend; Reading his works, next Age may doubt (Each Line With ſuch bright rays of Piety doth ſhine) Whether he was more Lawyer or Divine; After the vaſt Turmoils of many years, Unwearied Studies, and Conſuming Cares. He now is gone, Mounted on Angels wings, To the Tribunal of the King of Kings; Where Thron'd in Bliſs, has chang'd his Scarlet Gown For th'long white Robe, and an eternal Crown.
EPITAPH. WEep Reader! weep for if we ſee Thy Fountains dry, No man well be So kind to ſhed a Tear for Thee; An upright Judges ſacred Duſt, Committed to this Tomb-ſtones Truſt; Expects the Riſing of the Juſt. Join Learned Cook, and Littleton, And Twice Twelve more, when all is done, You ſcarce expreſs this Sngle one. Nay, If you'l ranſack Earth and Skies For all that worth which good men prize, Look no further—Here it lies. Then let us leave him to his Ʋrn, And hope when Enoch ſhall return, To ſee his LIKE,—But till then Mourn.

Licenſed,

Roger L'eſtrange, January 8th, 1677.

FINIS.

London, Printed for Ben. Harris, in Sweethings-Ally, by the Royal Exchange, 1677.