WUUs: Anglo-American Law 
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tation as a lawyer and judge was never exceeded by anyone 
except Lord Mansfield. He was probably the greatest Eng- 
lish chancellor, certainly the greatest in the Period of Equity. 
Only Sir N. Bacon, Ellesmere, and Eldon held office longer. 
Thurlow (1732-1806). Edward Thurlow was the last of the 
chancellors in this period. He was a man of great coarse- 
ness and great talent combined, and often ranked with Hard- 
wicke, but he was not entitled to this distinction. His father 
was a rector. As a boy he was contumacious, overbearing, 
and insubordinate, and these characteristics continued thru 
life. He attended Cains College, Cambridge, until he was 
expelled. When once asked if he knew he was talking to 
the “dean”, he answered, Yes, and ever afterwards addressed 
him as “Mr. Dean” even when he appeared in his court when 
he was no longer dean; and he appointed him one. He was 
articled with the poet Cowper to an attorney Chapman and 
became a member of the Inner Temple, where he was dissi- 
pated but studied hard. He was called to the bar; and suc- 
cessively accepted a silk gown (King’s counsel) ; took a seat 
in Parliament ; became solicitor-general ; attorney-general ; 
and in 1778 lord chancellor, which office he held twelve years. 
He supported Lord North in Parliament against the United 
States. He was out of office nine months after the fall of 
North, but resumed office with Pitt. He opposed Pitt and 
negotiated with the prince’s friends during the insanity of 
the king, and when he next opposed Pitt he was exposed and 
removed from office. He was a political chancellor, and failed 
as such. His judgments were excellent, but this may have 
been due to Mr. Hargrave. His features “made him look 
wiser than any man that ever was”. When the Duke of 
Grafton twitted him of plebeian origin, he gave him a won- 
derful rebuke: “The peerage solicited me, not I the peerage. 
As a man I am as respectable and as respected as the proud- 
est peer.” 
Hale (1609-1676). Sir Matthew Hale was a common law 
judge of this period, whose work came shortly after that of 
Lord Coke. Of him a learned American judge once said: 
“In England, even on rights of prerogative, they scan his 
words with as much care as if they had been found in Magna 
Charta, and the meaning once ascertained, they do not trouble 
themselves to search any further .” 46 He was educated at 
6 Cow. (N.Y.) 536, note. 
