Law, Title page – To the reader
LAVV, OR, A DISCOVRSE THEREOF, IN foure Bookes.
Written in French by Sir HENRIE FINCH Knight, his Maiesties Serieant at LAW. And done into Engliſh by the ſame Author.
CICERO.
Leges nobis charae eſſe debent, Non propter literas, ſed propter earum rerum quibus deſcriptum eſt vtilitatem, & eorum qui ſcripſerunt ſapientiam.
LONDON, Printed for the Societie of Stationers. 1627.
To the READER.
THis Booke, being formerly publiſhed in the proper and genuine Language, had, as it well deſerued, good acceptation; the Author and the Work mutually adding to each others Eſteeme. And herein the Matter was no leſſe profitable, than the Manner vſefull and ingenious: ſo that this onelyonly of al the Bookes of Law (as concerning the Method) is without Preſident. Herein you may finde a triple relation diſtinguiſhed by the various Print. In the firſt, you hauehave the Maximes and poſitiue grounds of the Law, with whatſoeuer is added or explaned by Statutes concerning the ſame; Which taken apart will afford a continued ſenſible diſcourſe. In the ſecond is contained the proofes and examples of thoſe Maximes. And becauſe that precious Flower of the Crowne, the Kings Prerogatiue, may not bee valued in the hands of a common perſon, ſuch caſes as concerne the King are ſeuered from the reſt.
To impart good is to improoue it, which was one cauſe of the tranſlation of this Book: yet is it not thereby made ſo facile as to deſcend to vulgar capacities; witneſſe the verie phraſe, the termes of Art, excluding all hope of accrue to Lay-conceited opinions. Neither ſpeaketh it at aduenture, but as the Author taught, and no otherwiſe; whoſe fame will affirme, and none wil denie, but that he beſt knew how to fit and adorne his owne worke.
Now remaineth onelyonly to ex…enuat the faults, either thoſe material in the copie, or literall …n the Print, the firſt a iudicious Reader is able to ſupplie, a litle …abour will correct the reſt: He …hat is curteous wil remit both. To plot and to perfect at once …s to bee more than man. Such was the paine to compoſe that …he child waſted its owne pa…ent, therein neuertheleſſe be…ng vnhappie preuenting the …leſſing of Perfection, and be…omming an Abrotiue; But be …ou the Guardian, ſo much It inuites, the Author merits more. His propoſed end was to enrich others by this expreſſion of his LoueLove, couer therfore the faults occaſioned by an Error of LoueLove, and redeeme Him that for your ſake is imbarque… in the common Cenſure of al… Men.
J. L.