A PREPARATION FOR THE UNION OF LAWS. 85 



make account, I might incur in theirs. And there 

 fore, as I take it, the right way is, that the lawyers 

 of either nation do set down in brief articles what the 

 law is of their nation, and then after, a book of two 

 columns, either having the two laws placed respec 

 tively, to be offered to your majesty, that your 

 majesty may by a ready view see the diversities, and 

 so judge of the reduction, or leave it as it is. 



&quot; Jus publicum&quot; I will divide, as I hold it fittest for 

 the present purpose, into four parts. The first, con 

 cerning criminal causes, which with us are truly ac 

 counted &quot; publici juris,&quot; because both the prejudice 

 and the prosecution principally pertain to the crown 

 and public estate. The second, concerning the 

 causes of the church. The third, concerning magis 

 trates, officers, and courts : wherein falleth the con 

 sideration of your majesty s regal prerogative, where 

 of the rest are but streams. And the fourth, 

 concerning certain special and politic laws, usages* 

 and constitutions, that do import the public peace, 

 strength, and wealth of the kingdom. In which 

 part I do comprehend not only constant ordinances 

 of law, but likewise forms of administration of law, 

 such as are the commissions of the peace, the visita 

 tions of the provinces by the judges of the circuits, 

 and the like. For these in my opinion, for the pur 

 pose now in hand, deserve a special observation, be 

 cause they being matters of that temporary nature, 

 as they may be altered, as I suppose, in either king 

 dom, without parliament, as to your majesty s wisdom 

 may seem best ; it may be the most profitable and 



