NOTE C C. 



more excellent had the work been, save that the more ignorant and obscure time 

 undertook to correct the more learned and flourishing time. To conclude with 

 the domestical example of one of your majesty s royal ancestors : King Ed 

 ward 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, other 

 wise 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 mag 

 nanimity with justice, do wisely consider and conceive of the exploits of ambi 

 tious 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 conse 

 quence, 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 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 prac 

 tices 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 con 

 tracts, bargains, and assurances, and abuses of laws by delays, covins, vexa 

 tions, and corruptions in informers, jurors, ministers 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.&quot; 



In other parts of his works he states his opinions as to the persons who are 

 the best legal reformers, viz. 



j T ( 1. Philosophers. 



rlnlosopners not good Improvers. ) o T 



Politicians best Improvers. 



In his tract on Justitia Universalis, in the treatise De Augmentis, vol. ix. 

 he says : &quot; Restat jam desideratum alterum ex iis, quae posuimus, duobus ; 

 nimirum, de Justitia Universal!, sive de Fontibus Juris. 



Qui de legibus scripserunt, omnes vel tanquam philosophi, vel tanquam juris- 

 consulti, argumentum illud tractaverunt. Atque philosophi proponunt multa 

 dictu pulcra, sed ab usu remota. Jurisconsult! autem, sua3 quisque patriae 

 legum (vel etiam Romanarum, aut pontificiarum) placitis obnoxii et addicti, 

 judicio sincero non utuntur, sed tanquam e vinculis sermocinantur. Certe cog- 

 nitio ista ad viros civiles proprie spectat ; qui optime norunt quid ferat societas 

 humana, quid salus populi, quid asquitas naturalis, quid gentium mores, quid 

 rerumpublicarum formae diversae ; ideoque possint de legibus ex principiis et 

 praeceptis, tam aequitatis naturalis quam politices, decernere. Quamobrem id 

 nunc agatur, ut fontes justitiae et utilitatis publicae petantur, et in singulis juris 

 partibus character quidam et idea justi exhibeatur, ad quam particularium reg- 

 norum et rerumpublicarum leges probare, atque inde emendationem moliri quis 

 que, cui hoc cordi erit et curs, possit. Hujus igitur rei, more nostro, exemplum 

 in uno titulo proponemus.&quot; 



