OF A DIGEST OF LAWS. 355 



and companies in decay: so that his bounty did 

 strive with the ruins of time. But yet this, though 

 it were an excellent disposition, went but in effect 

 to the cases and shells of a commonwealth. It was 

 nothing to virtue or vice. A bad man might in 

 differently take the benefit and ease of his ways and 

 bridges, as well as a good ; and bad people might 

 purchase good charters. Surely the better works of 

 perpetuity in princes are those, that wash the inside 

 of the cup ; such as are foundations of colleges and 

 lectures for learning and education of youth ; like 

 wise foundations and institutions of orders and fra 

 ternities, for nobleness, enterprise, and obedience, 

 and the like. But yet these also are but like plan 

 tations of orchards and gardens, in plots and spots of 

 ground here and there ; they do not till over the 

 whole kingdom, and make it fruitful, as doth the 

 establishing of good laws and ordinances ; which 

 makes a whole nation to be as a well-ordered college 

 or foundation. 



This kind of work, in the memory of times, is 

 rare enough to shew it excellent : and yet not so 

 rare, as to make it suspected for impossible, incon 

 venient, or unsafe. Moses, that gave laws to the 

 Hebrews, because he was the scribe of God himself, 

 is fitter to be named for honour s sake to other law 

 givers, than to be numbered or ranked amongst 

 them. Minos, Lycurgus, and Solon, are examples 

 for themes of grammar scholars. For ancient per 

 sonages and characters now-a-days use to wax 

 children again ; though that parable of Pindarus be 



