READING ON THE STATUTE OF USES. 315 



1. The consideration of the case at the common law. 



2. The consideration of the mischief which the statute 

 intendeth to redress, as also any other mischief, which an 

 exposition of the statute this way or that way may breed. 



3. Certain maxims of the common law, touching exposi 

 tion of statutes. 



Having therefore framed six divisions, according to the 

 number of readings upon the statute itself, I have likewise 

 divided the matter without the statute into six introductions 

 or discourses, so that for every day s reading I have made 

 a triple provision. 



1. A preface or introduction. 



2. A division upon the law itself. 



3. A few brief cases for exercise and argument* 



The last of which I would have forborn ; and, according 

 to the ancient manner, you should have taken some of my 

 points upon my divisions, one, two, or more, as you should 

 have thought good ; save that I had this regard, that the 

 younger sort of the bar were not so conversant in matters 

 upon the statutes; and for that cause I have interlaced 

 some matters at the common law, that are more familiar 

 within the books. 



1 . The first matter I will discourse unto you is the nature 

 and definition of a use, and its inception and progression 

 before the statute. 



2. The second discourse shall be of the second spring of 

 this tree of uses since the statute. 



3. The third discourse shall be of the estate of the assur 

 ances of this realm at this day upon uses, and what kind 

 of them is convenient and reasonable, and not fit to be 

 touched, as far as the sense of law and a natural construc 

 tion of the statute will give leave ; and what kind of them 

 is inconvenient and meet to be suppressed. 



4. The fourth discourse shall be of certain rules and ex 

 positions of laws applied to this present purpose. 



5. The fifth discourse shall be of the best course to 

 remedy the same inconveniences now a foot, by construction 

 of the statute, without offering either violence to the letter 

 or sense. 



6. The sixth and last discourse shall be of the best course 

 to remedy the same inconveniences, and to declare the law 

 by act of parliament ; which last I think good to reserve, 

 and not to publish. 



The nature of a use is best discerned by considering, of the nature of 

 first, what it is not, and then what it is ; for it is the na- uses before the 



statute. 



