the preface of sir Edward coke knight lord chief justice of England of plea  before the king himself to be hold assign and one of the lord of his majesty  most honourable privycouncil a god native land flute he that due consider  learned reader the theoric and practic part of the law of England that be the  knowledge in universality and the practice in particular shall find that most  apt to be apply to this profession that long since be speak of another ars  long vita short catalog studium difficile opportunity headlong trial dangerous  a learned man in the law of this realm be long in make the student thereof  have fatigue from sitting vine be not common long live the study abstruse and  difficult the occasion sudden the practice dangerous many have write of the  former part only one of the late unless you will account that ancient little  treatise call Le novel tale or novae narrative to be one and yet the active  part be as necessary as the speculative for use a trial to be lord in arm and  certain it be that no be can be perfect attain unto by read without use and  exercise what avail the sergeant or apprentice the general knowledge of the  law if he know not withal the from and order of legal proceed in particular  case and how to plead and handle the same sound and most for his client  advantage good plead have three excellent quality that be to say as Littleton  say it be honourable laudable and profitable honourable for he can be a good  pleader but he must be of excellency in judgement honour be prooemium  excellence laudable for the fame and estimation of the professor Laus be  sermon elucida magnitudinemscientiae and profitable for three respect first  for that good plead be lapis lidius the touchstone of the true sense of the  law second to the client who good cause be often lose or long delay for want  of good plead for herein be opportunity headlong trial dangerous last to the  professor himself who be for skill therein exalt above other tanquam inter  guelder rose cypresstree it can be unto he but exceed profitable it be true  that of ancient time judge give no way to nice and overcurious exception to  from of count or plead nay before the reign of king Edward they sometime give  too much way to the neglect of legal from in plead and that make sir William  de Thirning chief justice of the court of common plea to say in Henry and  devant Le reign deal roy Edward Le manner de pleader no to be chance feeble  eyant regard and to be unques puis in temps de cel roy and I be of opinion  that the neglect of essential from will bring in ignorance and confusion yet  do I well allow that man shall not be fine pro non fine placitando or as some  record say pro silly talk because the same have be forbid by act of parliament  videlicet marlebridge cap Westminster cap and Edward cap vide Registr Edward  title attachment f n b Inter placita de banc termin mich and Henry  to take hold rot Dors Essex radulfus de Bardfield who to make known pro  own brother son Turoldi in pity pro silly talk which and many other record do  prove that the fine in those day be set upon the councillor and not upon the  client for it be not hold just that the client shall be fine for the  councillor fault and that have be to have add affliction to the afflict  videlicet to fine the client for erroneous plead who therefore lose his cause  and sir Robert de Wilby in year  Edward fol speak to the councillor at the bar  ieo ay vieu Le temps and si vous vibes plead un erroneous plea and vous  alastes all prison and even as he that have a long journey upon weighty affair  that require present dispatch especial si way fit full of roughness stone  uneven place thorn to draw before whirlpool to cut asunder torrent  tearing away c will be glad of a sure guide that by approve experience can  lead he in the right way both to avoyddangers and to come with speed to his  journey end so the professor of the law that be present to plead his client  cause which many time be full of obscurity and difficulty in the plead whereof  if there be find error though the right be good the cause quail will I  persuade my self be glad of this book contain many excellent precedent of  count plead and all other matter fit almost every particular case that can  fall out which be upon mature deliberation sift examine and approve in the  high court of justice videlicet the chancery king bench common plea and  exchequer may serve for well experience guide in his client cause to conduct  he in such a way as his client may avoid danger and attain to his desire end  what reverence have be give by the most reverend sage of the law to judicial  precedent appear among many other in Ellice case in h fol where the opinion of  learned Prisot chief justice of the court of common plea and other justice be  that in a writ of Mesne quele pl covient de fine force de surmitter Le tenure  inter Le mesne signior paramout en son count you auterment ill ne serra bone  puis quant Prisot avoit demand de less prothonotaries Le from de less novel  tale ensement and ils avoyent view and less tale ne fesoient mention de  nultenure in tiel case and cest from avoiet tout foits este use ils ne  voillont changer cest use nient obstant and lour opinion to be all contrary  because non valet ratio contra trial no man can be a complete lawyer by  universality of knowledge without experience in particular case nor by bear  experience without universality of knowledge he must be both speculative  active for the science of the law I assure you must join hand with experience  a trial say the great philosopher be getting to know  one by one ars yes of  the learned sage of the law do find their judgement upon legal reason and  judicial precedent the one they find in our book of year and term the other  out of record former examine and allow these two reason and precedent be clear  clean lumina whereby all the wise man of the world be direct but in these day  of many it may be just say quoth at once to taste of at once to know all  no one to reverence to imitate no one Self Himself exempla are but it be safe  for the client and for the councillor also if he respect his conscience to  follow precedent former approve and allow and not to trust to any new frame  carve out of his own invention for nothing simul invention a finishing be the  former book of entry be publish at that time when the author be beyond the sea  as in his preface he confess can not so exact and perfect be do though it be  for many precedent therein very profitable and of good use as if he have be at  the fountain head it self and may have have conference with the grave judge  and well experiensed Prothonotaries officer and clerk in this book six thing  be worthy of observation first that none of the precedent herein have be by  any publish heretofore that they be of great authority and use and fit for the  modern practice of the law for that they be for the most part of late time and  principal of the reign of our late sovereign lady of ever bless memory queen  Elizabeth and of his most excellent majesty the king that now be that for thy  further satisfaction learned reader every precedent have a true reference to  the court year term number roll and record where the precedent it self be to  be find in this work be contain the record of diverse of the case which in the  nine former part of my commentary I have publish with a certain reference to  the report it self here shall you find precedent adjudge upon demurrer wherein  lie hide many matter of law and excellent point of learning which be never  report here be for thy better light studious reader a short touch give of the  reason and cause whereupon they be adjudge last there be a exact and plain  table of title without perplex and intricate divsions or subdivision or  tedious referments every man own method and observation in read be ever the  best and ready of all other for himself read these precedent learned reader  and reap in this fair and large field the delectable and profitable fruit of  reverend experience and knowledge which you may do with great ease for that  more easy shall you learn by pattern than by precept and they have be so  painful and diligent weed as it can be say that in this fruitful field  infoelix darnel or unfruitful to be lord avena your true and faithful friend  Edward coke