Collection of Statutes and Petitions, Title page – To the reader
IRENARCHES REDIVIVƲS. OR, A briefe Collection of ſundry uſefull and neceſſary Statutes and Petitions in PARLIAMENT (not hitherto publiſhed in Print, but extant onelyonly in the Parliament Rolls) concerning the Neceſſity, Ʋtility, Institution, Qualification, Juriſdiction, Office, Commiſſion, Oath, and againſt the cauſleſſe, clandeſtine diſ-commiſſioning of JUSTICES OF PEACE; fit to be publikely known and obſerved in theſe reforming times. With ſome ſhort Deductions from them; and a touch of the Antiguity and Inſtitution of Aſſertors and Justices of Peace in other forraign Kingdomes.
TOGETHER With a full Refutation of Sir Edward Cooks aſſertion, and the commonly received Erronious opinion, of a Difference between Ordinances and Acts of PARLIAMENT in former AGES; here cleerly manifeſted to be then but one and the ſame in all reſpects, and in point of the threefold Aſſent.
Publiſhed for the common good, By William Prynne of Lincolns-Inne, Eſq.
EXODUS 18. 21, 22.
Thou ſhalt provide out of all the people, able men, ſuch as feare God, men of truth, hating covetouſneſſe, and place ſuch over them, to be Rulers of thouſands, and Rulers of hundreds, and Rulers of fifties, and Rulers of tens; and let them judge them at all times.
JOSH. 24. 25.
So Joſhua made a Covenant with the people that day, and ſet them a STATUTE and an ORDINANCE in Sechem.
LONDON: Printed for Michael Spark at the Bible in Green-Arbor, 1648.
To the READER.
COurteous Reader, I here preſent thee with a briefe collection of ſome concealed uſefull Records, Petitions and Acts of Parliament (not hitherto Printed, and almoſt quite buried in oblivion) concerning Juſtices of the Peace, not altogether unworthy thy knowledge and conſideration; together with ſome deductions from them, and a conciſe Refutation of Sir *4. Inſtit. p. 25.Edward Cookes and others received miſtaken difference between Acts and Ordinances of Parliament in preceding Ages; who neither knew nor made any ſuch diſtinction between them, as is now beleeved. My ſole ayme and intention in reviving and publiſhing them, is, thy information, and the common good and ſettlement, which ignorant or wilfull miſtaks have much interrupted. If thou receive any New light or benefit by them, give God the glory, and let the Author onelyonly enjoy thy favourable acceptance of this weake publicke ſervice for thine and his Countries welfare, to which he hath devoted moſt of his time and ſtudies. And ſo much the rather, to excite and encourage others (eſpecially Inne, of Court Gentlemen, whoſe induſtry and ſtudy of the Records, Laws & Statuts of the Realm, is much declined of late yeers) to apply their minds and ſtudies principally, not to meer private gainfull lucubrations, but to ſubjects of moſt publike concernment, and beſt advantage to the Republike; to prevent the introducing of Tyranny, Anarchy, Arbitrary Government, or any destructive Encroachments upon the peoples Liberties & our Lawes, in this preſent or ſueceeding ages, by any Powers whatſoever; which will inevitably creepe in upon us by degrees, if the ſtudy of the Records & Laws of the Realm be either diſcontinued, neglected, obſtructed; or the ordinary courſe of Law and Juſtice altered or interrupted, by any new arbitrary Ordinances or proceedings before new-erected Committees, which our Anceſtors in former Parliaments never heard of, nor tranſmitted to poſterity.
Farewell.