9 o2 Of the Advancement of Learning L i b. VIIL 



tended to matters paji : for the Interpretation doth not then begin to 

 be in force, when it is declared^ but is m3.dc contemporarji with th^, 

 #» Law itfelf. Wherefore never enaft declaratory Laws , but in cafe 

 where Laws may in equity refer and lool(^ back, one upon another. 

 And here we have done with that part which handles the Incertitude of 

 Laws, where no Law is found. It remains, we now fpeal^ of that other 

 part, namely where there is a taw extant, bnt fuch a one as is Perplext 

 and Oblcure. 



o 



of the Obfcurity of Laws. 



APHORISM LIL 



^Bfcurity of Laws ^^xings fromr four caufcs: either from the ex- 

 ceflive accnmulation of Laws, fpecially where there is a mix- 

 ture of Obfolete Laws ; Or from an ambiguous, or not perlpicuous 

 and delucid defcription of Laws : or from the [manner of expounding 

 Law, either altogether neglefted, ornot rightly purfued ; or laftlyj 

 eontradi&ion and incertainty of judgments. 



Of the Ecceflive Accumulation of Laws. 



AF HO RISM LIII. ,., 



I ■ ^ - A. 



'J^He Prophet faith, Pluetfuper eos Laqueos ; now there are no worfe 

 fhares than the fhares of Laws, fpecially Penal ^ if they be/**- 

 menfefor number i, and through the alteratrons of times unprpftabU%, 

 they do not prefent a torch, but fpreada net to ourfe-et. 



A? HO RISM LIV. 



There are two ways in ufe oimz^mg a new Statutci,Uheonee^ab\t- 

 (heth and ftrengthens the Former Statute about the fame fubje(3:j and 

 then adds and changes (bme things: //le ez/j^r abrogates and cancels 

 what was Decreed before, and inh^diuies dcintegro, a new and uni- 

 form Law. The latter way we approve ; for by the former way De- 

 crees become complicate and perplext, yet what is undertaken is 

 indeed purfued , but the Body of Law is in the mean time cor- 

 rupted. But certainly the more diligence is required in the latter, 

 where the Deliberation is of the Law it felfj that is , the Decrees 

 heretofore made, are to be fearched into, and duely weighed and 

 cxamin'd, beforetheLawbe publiftit : but the chief point is, that 

 by this means the Harmony of Laws is notably advanced for the 

 future. I 



A? HO RISM LV. 



It was a cuftom in the State of Athens^ to delegate ^vx. perfons, for 

 forevife and examine every year the contrary Titles of Law, which. 



tbey 



