A T H E R T O N. 367 of his body which he had fo pampered, as a means to effect the ("or row of his foul; and alfo to get his coffin made, and have it in his chamber. Aiherton became exceeding peni- tent, and with abundance of te.us and groans bewailed the fins of his part life; often exclaiming, in imitation of Car- dinal Wol ley's memorable Ipeech, that had he been as con- verfant in the Gofpel for the inlt ruction of men, as he had been in the law for the fettling of lands, he had not by the law fo defervedly loft lands, body, and eftate all at once. He was hanged on Gallows-green, at Dublin, on the 5th of December, 1640. ATKINS (fir ROBERT), lord chief baron of the ex- Atkins's chequer, was defcended of a very ancient family in Glocefter- fhire, and fon of fir Edward Atkins, one of the barons of" 6 e , r s> " the exchequer, by Urfula, daughter of fir Thomas Dacres, of Chefhunt in Hertfordshire He was born in the yearibid. 1621, and, after being inftru&ed in grammar-learning jn Du .& da ' c '. s . his father's houfe, was tent to Baliol college, Oxford. R G " p . aJuu moving thence to one of the inns of court, he applied bitnfelf edit. 1671. very clofely to theltudy of the law. In April 1661, at the^ Vond ' s /-! /-.i ir i I-L ri_ Fdfti Oxon. coronation of king Charles 11. he was made a knight or the vo]>;i> bath; and in September the fame year, created mafter of arts, col. 155. in full convocation at Oxford, in 1671, he was appointed a king's ferjeant at law; and in 1672, a judge of the court of common pleas. In 1679, from a forefight of very trouble- fome times, he refigned his office, and retired info the coun- try. In July 1683, when lora Ruifel was firft imprifoned, on account of that confpiracy for which he Afterwards fuf- fered, fir Robert Atkins, being applied to for his advice, gave it in the following letter, which manifefts his courage and integrity, as well as his prudence and learning: " Sir, I am not without the apprehenfions of danger that " may arife by advifmg in, or fo much as difcourfmg of, public affairs; yet no fear of danger (hall hinder me from performing the duty we owe one to another, to counlel " thole that need our advice, how to make their juft de-
- ' fence when they are called in queftion for their Jives,
" efpecially if they are perfons that have, by their general
- ' carriage and converfation, appeared to be men of worth,
' and lovers of their king and coi.ntry, and of the reli- " gion eftablifhed amonj us. I will follow the method you
- ' u(e, and anlvver what you afk, in trie order 1 find it in
" your kilers.
- ' I cannot
