HIS LORDSHIP S SPEECH IN THE COMMON-PLEAS, 



TO JUSTICE HUTTON, WHEN HE WAS 



CALLED TO BE ONE OF THE JUDGES OF 



THE COMMON PLEAS. 



MR. SERJEANT HUTTON, 



THE King s most excellent majesty, being duly in 

 formed of your learning, integrity, discretion, expe 

 rience, means, and reputation in your country, hath 

 thought fit not to leave you these talents to be em 

 ployed upon yourself only, but to call you to serve 

 himself, and his people, in the place of one of his jus 

 tices of the court of common-pleas. 



This court where you are to serve, is the local 

 centre and heart of the laws of this realm : here the 

 subject hath his assurance by fines and recoveries ; 

 here he hath his fixed and invariable remedies by 

 &quot; prsecipes&quot; and writs of right ; here justice opens not 

 by a by-gate of privilege, but by the great gate of the 

 King s original writs out of the chancery. Here 

 issues process of outlawry; if men will not answer 

 law in this centre of law, they shall be cast out. And 

 therefore it is proper for you, by all means, with your 

 wisdom and fortitude, to maintain the laws of the 

 realm : wherein, nevertheless, I would not have you 

 head-strong, but heart-strong ; and to weigh and 

 remember with yourself, that the twelve judges of 



