Chapter Habington to Hale of H by Biographical Dictionary of English Literature

Habington to Hale

Habington, William (1605-1654).—Poet, son of a Worcestershire Roman Catholic gentleman, was educated at St. Omer’s, but refused to become a Jesuit. He married Lucia, daughter of Lord Powis, whom he celebrated in his poem Castara (1634), in which he sang the praises of chaste love. He also wrote a tragi-comedy, The Queen of Arragon (1640), and a Historie of Edward IV. His verse is graceful and tender.

Hailes, Dalrymple David, Lord (1726-1792).—Scottish judge and historical writer, was born at Edinburgh Belonging to a family famous as lawyers, he was called to the Bar in 1748, and raised to the Bench in 1766. An excellent judge, he was also untiring in the pursuit of his favourite studies, and produced several works of permanent value on Scottish history and antiquities, including Annals of Scotland (1776), and Canons of the Church of Scotland (1769). He was a friend and correspondent of Dr. Johnson.

Hake, Thomas Gordon (1809-1895).—Poet, born at Leeds, educated at Christ’s Hospital, was a physician, and practised at various places. His books include Madeline (1871), Parables and Tales (1873), The Serpent Play (1883), New Day Sonnets (1890), and Memoirs of Eighty Years (1893).

Hakluyt, Richard (1553?-1616).—Collector of voyages, belonged to a good Herefordshire family of Dutch descent, was born either at Eyton in that country or in London, and educated at Westminster School and Oxford The sight of a map of the world fired his imagination and implanted in his mind the interest in geography and the lives and adventures of our great navigators and discoverers, which became the ruling passion of his life; and in order to increase his knowledge of these matters he studied various foreign languages and the art of navigation. He took orders, and was chaplain of the English Embassy in Paris, Rector of Witheringsett, Suffolk, 1590, Archdeacon of Westminster, 1602, and Rector of Gedney, Lincolnshire, 1612. After a first collection of voyages to America and the West Indies he compiled, while at Paris, his great work, The Principal Navigations, Voyages…and Discoveries of the English Nation made by Sea or over Land to the Remote and Farthest Distant Quarters of the Earth…w ithin the Compass of these 1500 Years. It appeared in its final form (three folio vols.) in 1599. Besides it he published A Discourse of Western Planting, and he left a vast mass of MS. afterwards used (in far inferior style) by S. Purchas (q.v.). In all his work Hakluyt was actuated not only by the love of knowledge, but by a noble patriotism: he wished to see England the great sea-power of the world, and he lived to see it so. His work, as has been said, is “our English epic.” In addition to his original writings he translated various works, among them being The Discoveries of the World, from the Portuguese of Antonio Galvano.

Hale, Sir Matthew (1609-1676).—Jurist and miscellaneous writer, has left a great reputation as a lawyer and judge. Steering a neutral course during the political changes of his time, he served under the Protectorate and after the Restoration, and rose to be Chief Justice of the King’s Bench. He is mentioned here as the author of several works on science, divinity, and law. Among them are The Primitive Origination of Mankind, and Contemplations, Moral and Divine. His legal works are still of great authority. Though somewhat dissipated in early youth, he has handed down a high reputation for wisdom and piety.