Lib. VIII. OftbeAchance7ne}itofLearmn'y. oq*? 



AP HO RISM LXIII. 



In i\{\%NeTP DJgejl cf Laws, upon good advifement a caveat hath 

 been put in j that the Ancient volumes of Law fhould not be utterly 

 extinguiflit, and periQi in oblivion ^ but fhould at lead remain in Li- 

 braries '-, though the common and promifcuous ufe thereof might be ^* 

 retain'd. For in Cafes of weighty confequence , it will not beamifs ' 

 to confult and look into the mutations and continuations of Lawt 

 paji : and indeed it is ufual to fprinkle modern matters with Anti- 

 quity. And this nerv corps of Law, muft be confirmed only by fuch, 

 who in every ftate have the power of making Laws 5 left perchance 

 under colour of Digejiing Ancient Laws, new Laws, under-hand be 

 conveyed in. 



APHORISM LXIV. 



It could be wifht that this Inflauration of Laws, might fall out, and 

 be undertaken in /«cA times, as, for learning and experience ex- 

 cel thofe more Ancient times, whofe Afts and Deeds they recognize ; 

 which fell out otherwife in the works of Jufiinian. For it js a great 

 unhappines, when the works of the Ancient, are maimed, arid re» 

 compiled, by the judgement and choice of a lefs wife and learnec^ 

 Age : but ofc times that is necefl'ary which is not the beft. 



Thus much befpoken of the Obfcurityof Laws, arijing from the exceljive 

 and confufed accumulation thereof Now let usjpe^^ofthe^ d.ar^and 

 doubtful Defcription of them. 



Of the Perplext and Obfcure Defcriptions 

 of LAWS, 



APHORISM LXV. 



Obfcure Deftr^tion of Laws arifes either from the Loquacity Or Ver- 

 bofity of them '-, or again fronl extream Brevity-, or from the Prei 

 amble of a Law repugnant with the Body of a. Law. 



APHORISM LXVI. 



It follows that wfc now fpeakof the obfcurityof Law, arifing from 

 a corrupt and crooked defcription thereof The Loquacity and Prolix^ 

 ity, which hath been ufed in fetting down Laws, we dijlike .• neither 

 doth fuch a writer any way compals what hedefires,and labours for j 

 but rather the quite contrary. For while a man endeavours to pur- 

 fue and exprefs every Particular cafe in apt and proper terms, hoping to 

 gain more Certitude thereby^ contrariwife it falls out,that through 

 many words,multitude of^e^ions are ingendred -, fo as a more found 

 and folidjinterpretation of Law, according tojthe genuine lenfe and 

 mind thereof, is much intercepted through the noife of wortis, 

 ^' Ctq APHO- 



