L I B. VIII. Of the Advancement of Learning. 295 



APHORISM XIL 



A fingular PubJick Good doth neceflarily introduce Cafes pre" 

 termitted. Wherefore when a Law doth notably and extraordinarily 

 refpeft, and procure the profit and advantage of a State, Let the in- 

 terpretation be ample and extenjive. 



APHORISM XIII. 



• It if A hard Cafe to torture Lavps^ that they may torture Men. We 

 would not therefore .'A^/L-iWJ Penal^ much lef Capital, pould be ex- 

 tended to nerv Offences : yet if it bean old Grime, and known to the 

 Laws, but the Profecution thereof falls upon a new Cafe, not fore- 

 feen by the Laws ; we rauft by all means depart from the Placits of 

 LaWi rather than that offences pafs unpunifht. 



APHORISM XIV. 



In thofe ftatutes, which the Common Latp (fpecially concerning 

 cafes frequently incident, and are of long continuance) doth abfb- 

 lutely repeal ; We like not the proceeding byffmilitude^ unto cafes omj-t' 

 ted : for when a State hath for a long time wanted a whole Law, and 

 that, in Cafes expreji j there is no great danger if the cafes omittedcx" 

 ped a remedy by a netoftatnte. 



APHORISM XV. 



Such conftitutions as were manifefltly, the Laws ofTime,and fprung 

 up from emergent Occafion , then prevailing in the Common-wealth 5 

 the ftate of times once changed, they are reverenc'd enough, if they 

 may conferve their authority within the limits of their own pro» 

 per cafes : and it were prepofterous any way to extend and apply 

 them to Cafes omitted. 



APHORISM XVL 



There can be no Sequel of a Sequel , but the extention muft be 

 arrefted within the limits of immediate Cafes : otherwife we fall 

 by degrees upon unrefembling Cafes ; and the fubtilty of wit will be 

 of more force, than the Authority of Law. 



APHORISM XVIL 



In Laws and Statutes of a compendious Uile^extention may be made 

 more freely , but in thofe Laws which are punftual in the enumera- 

 tion of Cafes Particular, more verily : for as exception ftrengthens 

 the force of a Law, in Cafes not excepted 5 fb enumeration weakens hj 

 in Cafes not enumerated* 



APHO" 



