AN OFFER TO KING JAMES 



OF 



A DIGEST 



TO BE MADE OK 



THE LAWS OF ENGLAND. 



MOST EXCELLENT SOVEREIGN, 



AMONGST the degrees and acts of sovereign, or rather 

 heroical honour, the first or second is the person and 

 merit of a lawgiver. Princes that govern well are 

 fathers of the people : but if a father breed his son 

 well, or allow him well while he liveth, but leave 

 him nothing at his death, whereby both he and his 

 children, and his childrens children, may be the better, 

 surely the care and piety of a father is not in him 

 complete. So kings, if they make a portion of an 

 age happy by their good government, yet if they do 

 not make testaments, as God Almighty doth, whereby 

 a perpetuity of good may descend to their country, 

 they are but mortal and transitory benefactors. 

 Domitian, a few days before he died, dreamed that 

 a golden head did rise upon the nape of his neck : 

 which was truly performed in the golden age that 

 followed his times for five successions. But kings, 

 by giving their subjects good laws, may, if they will, 

 in their own time, join and graft this golden head 

 VOL. v. A A 



