134 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 



Justinian, being rightly called ultimus imperatorum Ro~ 

 manorum, who, having peace in the heart of his empire, and 

 making his wars prosperously in the remote places of his 

 dominions by his lieutenants, chose it for a monument and 

 honour of his government, to revise the Roman laws, from 

 infinite volumes and much repugnancy, into one competent 

 and uniform corps of law ; of which matter himself doth 

 speak gloriously, and yet aptly calling it, proprium et sanc- 

 tissimum templum justitia consecratum: a work of great 

 excellency indeed, as may well appear, in that France, Italy, 

 and Spain, which have long since shaken off the yoke of 

 the Roman empire, do yet nevertheless continue to use the 

 policy of that law: but more excellent had the work been, 

 save that the more ignorant and obscure time undertook to 

 correct the more learned and flourishing time. To con 

 clude with the domestical exampl e of one of your Majesty s 

 royal ancestors: King Edward I. your Majesty s famous 

 progenitor, and the principal lawgiver of our nation, after 

 he had in his younger years given himself satisfaction in 

 the glory of arms, by the enterprise of the Holy Land, and 

 having inward peace, otherwise than for the invasions which 

 himself made upon Wales and Scotland, parts far distant 

 from the centre of the realm, he bent himself to endow his 

 state with sundry notable and fundamental laws, upon 

 which the government hath ever since principally rested. 

 Of this example, and others the like, two reasons may be 

 given ; the one, because that kings, which, either by the 

 moderation of their natures, or the maturity of their years 

 and judgment, do temper their magnanimity with justice, 

 do wisely consider and conceive of the exploits of ambitious 

 wars, as actions rather great than good ; and so, distasted 

 with that course of winning honour, they convert their 

 minds rather to do somewhat for the better uniting of 

 human society, than for the dissolving or disturbing of the 

 same. Another reason is, because times of peace, for the 

 most part drawing with them abundance of wealth and 

 finesse of cunning, do draw also, in further consequence, 

 multitude of suits and controversies, and abuses of laws 

 by evasions and devices; which inconveniences in such 

 time growing more general, do more instantly solicit for 

 the amendment of laws to restrain and repress them. 



Your Majesty s reign having been blest from the Highest 

 with inward peace, and falling into an age wherein, if 

 science be increased, conscience is rather decayed ; and if 

 men s wits be great their wills be greater; and wherein 



