THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 135 



also laws are multiplied in number, and slackened in vigour 

 and execution ; it was not possible but that not only suits 

 in law should multiply and increase, whereof a great part 

 are always unjust, but also that all the indirect courses 

 and practices to abuse law and justice should have been 

 much attempted and put in ure, which no doubt had bred 

 greater enormities, had they not, by the royal policy of 

 your Majesty, by the censure and foresight of your council 

 table and star-chamber, and by the gravity and integrity 

 of your benches, been repressed and restrained : for it may 

 be truly observed, that, as concerning frauds in contracts, 

 bargains, and assurances, and abuses of laws by delays, 

 covms, vexations, and corruptions in informers, jurors, mi 

 nisters of justice, and the like, there have been sundry 

 excellent statutes made in your Majesty s time, more in 

 number, and more politic in provision, than in any your 

 Majesty s predecessors times. 



But I am an unworthy witness to your Majesty of a 

 higher intention and project, both by that which was pub 

 lished by your Chancellor in full parliament from your royal 

 mouth, in the five and thirtieth of your happy reign ; and 

 much more by that which I have been since vouchsafed 

 to understand from your Majesty, imparting a purpose for 

 these many years infused into your Majesty s breast, to 

 enter into a general amendment of the states of your laws, 

 and to reduce them to more brevity and certainty, that the 

 great hollowness and unsafety in assurances of lands and 

 goods may be strengthened, the swarving penalties, that lie 

 upon many subjects, removed, the execution of many profit 

 able laws revived, the judge better directed in his sentence, 

 the counsellor better warranted in his counsel, the student 

 eased in his reading, the contentious suitor, that seeketh 

 but vexation, disarmed, and the honest suitor, that seeketh 

 but to obtain his right, relieved ; which purpose and inten 

 tion, as it did strike me with great admiration when I 

 heard it, so it might be acknowledged to be one of the most 

 chosen works, and of the highest merit and beneficence 

 towards the subject, that ever entered into the mind of any 

 king ; greater than we can imagine, because the imperfec 

 tions and dangers of the laws are covered under the cle 

 mency and excellent temper of your Majesty s government. 

 And though there be rare precedents of it in government, 

 as it cometh to pass in things so excellent, there being no 

 precedent full in view but of Justinian ; yet I must say as 

 Cicero said to Csesar, Nihilvulgatum te dignum videri potest ; 



