138 PREFACE. 



foundly into the reason of such j udgments and ruled cases, 

 and thereby to make more use of them for the decision of 

 other cases more doubtful ; so that the incertainty of law, 

 which is the principal and most just challenge that is made 

 to the laws of our nation at this time, will, by this new 

 strength laid to the foundation, be somewhat the more set 

 tled and corrected. Neither will the use hereof be only in 

 deciding of doubts, and helping soundness of judgment, but 

 further in gracing of argument, in correcting unprofitable 

 subtlety, and reducing the same to a more sound and sub 

 stantial sense of law ; in reclaiming vulgar errors, and gene 

 rally the amendment in some measure of the very nature 

 and complexion of the whole law : and, therefore, the con 

 clusions of reason of this kind are worthily and aptly called 

 by a great civilian legum leges, laws of laws, for that many 

 placita legum, that is, particular and positive learnings of 

 laws, do easily decline from a good temper of justice, if 

 they be not rectified and governed by such rules. 



Now for the manner of setting down of them, I have in 

 all points, to the best of my understanding and foresight, 

 applied myself not to that which might seem most for the 

 ostentation of mine own wit or knowledge, but to that which 

 may yield most use and profit to the students and profes 

 sors of our laws. 



And, therefore, whereas these rules are some of them 

 ordinary and vulgar, that now serve but for grounds and 

 plain songs to the more shallow and impertinent sort of 

 arguments ; other of them are gathered and extracted out 

 of the harmony and congruity of cases, and are such as the 

 wisest and deepest sort of lawyers have in judgment and 

 use, though they be not able many times to express and set 

 them down. 



For the former sort, which a man that should rather 

 write to raise a high opinion of himself, than to instruct 

 others, would have omitted, as trite and within every man s 

 compass; yet nevertheless I have not affected to neglect 

 them, but have chosen out of them such as I thought 



