THE LAWS OF ENGLAND. 31-3 



curse of the prophet, &quot; Pluet super eos laqueos,&quot; of 

 a multitude of penal laws, which are worse than 

 showers of hail or tempest upon cattle, for they fall 

 upon men. 



There are some penal laws fit to be retained, but 

 their penalty too great ; and it is ever a rule, That 

 any over-great penalty, besides the acerbity of it, 

 deadens the execution of the law. 



There is a further inconvenience of penal laws, 

 obsolete, and out of use ; for that it brings a gan 

 grene, neglect, and habit of disobedience upon other 

 wholesome laws, that are fit to be continued in 

 practice and execution ; so that our laws endure the 

 torment of Mezentius : 



&quot; The living die in the arms of the dead.&quot; 



Lastly, There is such an accumulation of statutes 

 concerning one matter, and they so cross and intri 

 cate, as the certainty of law is lost in the heap ; as 

 your majesty had experience last day upon the point, 

 Whether the incendiary of Newmarket should have 

 the benefit of his clergy. 



Obj. II. That it is a great innovation; and in 

 novations are dangerous beyond foresight. 



Resp. All purgings and medicines, either in the 

 civil or natural body, are innovations : so as that 

 argument is a common place against all noble refor 

 mations. But the truth is, that this work ought not 

 to be termed or held for any innovation in the 

 suspected sense. For those are the innovations 

 which are quarreled and spoken against, that concern 



