Sir Matthew Hale (1609–1676) is widely regarded as one of the greatest jurists of the common law tradition. He studied law at Lincoln’s Inn, was an avid and lifelong student of theology, and was deeply influenced by his Puritan upbringing. Hale’s monumental legal treatises, including the posthumously published Historia placitum coronae and History of the Common Law of England, shaped two centuries of legal scholarship, and his several religious treatises reflect his profound grasp of scholastic theology. Hale reached the pinnacle of the English legal profession in 1671 when he was appointed Chief Justice of the King’s Bench.
