OF THE UNION OF LAWS. 81 



can have either of these causes of bounty towards 

 that nation in so ample degree as his majesty hath. 

 And these be the two objections, which seemed to me 

 most material, why the &quot; post-nati&quot; should be left 

 free, and not to be concluded in the same restrictions 

 with the &quot; ante-nati ; whereunto you have heard the 

 answers. 



The two reasons, which I will use on the other 

 side, are briefly these : the one being a reason of 

 common sense ; the other, a reason of estate. 



We see, Mr. Speaker, the time of the nativity is 

 in most cases principally regarded. In nature, the 

 time of planting and setting is chiefly observed ; and 

 we see the astrologers pretend to judge of the 

 fortune of the party by the time of the nativity. In 

 laws, we may not unfitly apply the case of legitima 

 tion to the case of naturalization ; for it is true that 

 the common canon law doth put the &quot; ante-natus&quot; 

 and the &quot; post-natus&quot; in one degree. But when 

 it was moved to the parliament of England, &quot;Barones 

 &quot; una voce responderunt, Nolumus leges Angliee 

 &quot; mutare.&quot; And though it must be confessed that 

 the &quot; ante-nati&quot; and &quot; post-nati&quot; are in the same de 

 gree in dignities ; yet were they never so in abilities - 

 for no man doubts, but the son of an earl or baron, 

 before his creation or call, shall inherit the dignity, 

 as well as the son born after. But the son of an at 

 tainted person, born before the attainder, shall 

 not inherit, as the after-born shall, notwithstanding 

 charter of pardon. 



The reason of estate is, that any restriction of the 



VOL. v. G 



