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Indiana University Studies 
Magdalen Hall, Oxford. He was an athlete and sought pleas- 
ures, but not vices. He thought at first of being a divine, 
then a soldier; but on the advice of Sergeant Glanville chose 
the law; entered Lincoln’s Inn; and was called to the bar, 
when he forsook his former vanities. He became proficient 
in mathematics, philosophy, medicine, history, theology, and 
in the practice of the law. He was a loyalist, defended eleven 
members in 1647, offered to plead for the king and gave him 
his line of defense (jurisdiction), and defended others ac- 
cused of high treason. He subscribed to be true to the Com- 
monwealth because it was the existing government, and was 
therefore allowed to appear before the High Court of Justice. 
Parliament put him at the head of a committee to prevent 
delays and expense of the law. Cromwell made him a judge 
of the Common Pleas in 1654, but he refused to try offenders 
against the state, convicted one of Cromwell’s soldiers of mur- 
der, and dismissed a jury returned by Cromwell instead of the 
sheriff. Protector Richard refused him a commission. He 
then was returned to Parliament, first from the University 
of Oxford, then from Gloucestershire, and was manager of 
the conference which led to the return of the king. He was 
confirmed as sergeant and member of the commission for the 
trial of the Regicides. In 1660 he was made chief baron 
of the Exchequer, and knighted by surprise. In 1671 he was 
made chief justice of the King’s Bench, but resigned in 1676 
on account of ill health. He wrote a History of the Pleas of 
the Crown, Preface to Rolle’s Abridgement, and an Analysis 
of Law, which was the basis of Blackstone’s Commentaries, 
and a treatise called De Portibus (Jure) Maris', and was 
more than anyone else the founder of the law of public call- 
ings. He was a man of the finest character, and one of the 
brightest luminaries of the law. He ranks with Holt and 
Mansfield. 
Holt (1642-1710). John Holt was another common law 
judge in the same class with Sir Matthew Hale. He was 
the son of a lawyer. He attended Oriel College, Oxford, but 
was idle and dissolute. Later he reformed and devoted him- 
self to his profession. He entered Gray’s Inn and was called 
to the bar at a very early age. From 1679 till James’s reign 
he was engaged in most of the state trials, at first for the 
prosecution ; but later, because of his disgust over the govern- 
