TO her sacred majesty I do here most humble present and dedicate unto your  sacred majesty a sheaf and cluster of fruit of the good and favourable season  which by the influence of your happy government we enjoy for if it be true  that silent law inter arms  it be also as true that your majesty be in a  double respect the life of our law once because without your authority they be  but litter corpse and again because you be the life of our peace without which  law be put to silence and as the vital spirit do not only maintain and move  the body but also contend to perfect and renew it so your sacred majesty who  be anima law do not only give unto your law force and vigour but also have be  careful of their amendment and reform wherein your majesty proceed may be  compare as in that part of your government for if your government be consider  in all the part it be incomparable with the former do of the most excellent  prince that ever have reign who study altogether have be always to adorn and  honour time of peace with the amendment of the policy of their law of this  proceed in Augustus Caesar the testimony yet remain pace data terris mind and  citizens to turn justice suum legesq tulitiustiisimus aucttor hence be collect  the difference between movement of the limbs in arms  and acta in toga whereof  he dispute thus at all be quoth tam particularly form to be able sharply he  who wearing the toga in to make public come potestate imperioq to turn often  sit how law choir acta Gracchi law a place where to carry out choir Sillae  corneliae quid cum Pom tertius consulship in who act to stand still truly in  law I founded by him ipsosi to seek what to put in motion in city toga law  many men  see to answer very bright to bear the same desire long after do  spring in the emperor Justinian be right call transalpine emperor of Rome who  have peace in the heart of his empire and make his war prosperous in the  remote place of his dominion by his lieutenant choose it for a monument and  honour of his government to revise the Roman law from infinite volume and much  repugnancy into one competent and uniform corpse of law of which matter  himself do speak glorious and yet apt call of it proprium sanctissirnum temple  iustitii hallowed a work of great excellency indeed as may well appear in that  France Italy Spain which have long since shake off the yoke of the Roman  empire do yet nevertheless continue to use the policy of that law but more  excellent have the work be save that the mere ignorant and obscure time  undertake to correct the more learned and flourish time to conclude with the  domestical example of one of your majesty royal ancestor king Edward the first  your majesty famous progenitor and the principal lawgiver of our nation after  he have in his young year give himself satisfaction in the glory of arm by the  enterprise of the holy land and have inward peace otherwise then for the  invasion which himself make upon Wales and Scotland part far distant from the  centre of the realm he bend himself to endow his state with sundry notable and  fundamental law upon which the government have ever since principal rest of  this example and other the like two reason may be give the one because that  king which either by the moderation of their nature or the maturity of their  year and judgement do temper their magnanimity with justice do wise consider  conceive of the exploit of ambitious war as action rather great than good and  so distaste with that course of win honour they concert their mind rather to  do somewhat for the better unite of humane society than for the dissolve or  disturb of the same another reason be because time of peace for the most part  draw with they abundance of wealth and fineness of cunning do draw also in  further consequence multitude of suit and controversy and abuse of law by  evasion and device which inconvenience in such time grow more general do more  instant solicit for the amendment of law to restrain and repress they your  majesty reign have be bless from the high with inward peace and fall into a  age wherein if science be increase conscience be rather decay and if man wit  be great their will be great and wherein also law be multiply in number and  slacken in vigour and execution it be not possible but that not only suit in  law shall multiply and increase whereof a great part be always unjust but also  that all the indirect course and practice to abuse law and justice shall have  be much attempt and put in use which no doubt have breed great enormity have  they not by the royal policy of your majesty by the censure and before sight  of your Council table and star chamber and by the gravity and integrity of  your bench be repress and restrain for it may be true observe that as concern  fraud in contract bargain and assurance and abuse of law by delay covins  vexation and corruption in informer juror minister of justice and the like  there have be sundry excellent statute make in your majesty time more in  number and more politic in provision than in any your majesty predecessor time  but I be a unworthy witness to your majesty of a high intention and project  both by that which be publish by your chancellor in full parliament from your  royal mouth in the oh f your happy reign and much more by that which I have be  since vouchsafe to understand from your majesty impart a purpose for these  many year infuse into your majesty breast to enter into a general amendment of  the state of your law and to reduce they to more brevity and certainty that  the great hollowness and unsafety in assurance of land and good may be  strengthen the swerve penalty that lie upon many subject remove the execution  of many profitable law revive the judge better direct in his sentence the  counsellor better warrant in his counsel the student ease in his read the  contentious suitor that seek but vexation disarm and the honest suitor that  seek but to obtain his right relieve which purpose and intention as it do  strike I with great admiration when I hear it so it may be acknowledge to be  one of the most choose work and of high merit and beneficence towards the  subject that ever enter into the mind of any king great than we can imagine  because the imperfection and danger of the law be cover under the clemency and  excellent temper of your majesty government and though there be rare precedent  of it in government as it come to pass in thing so excellent there be no  precedent full in view but of Justinian yet I must say as Cicero say to Caesar  nothing a making generally known te worthy to see to be able and as it be no  doubt a precious seed sow in your majesty heart by the hand of God divine  majesty so I hope in the maturity of your majesty own time it will come up and  bear fruit but to return thence whither I have be carry observe in your  majesty upon so notable proof and ground this disposition in general of a  prudent and royal regard to the amendment of your law and have by my private  labour and travel collect many of the ground of the commonlawes the better to  establish and settle a certain sense of law which do now too much waver in  incertainty I conceive the nature of the subject beside my particular  obligation be such as I ought not to dedicate the same to any other than to  your sacred majesty both because though the collection be I yet the law be you  and because it be your majesty reign that have be as a goodly seasonable  spring weather to the advance of all excellent be of peace and so conclude  with a prayer answerable to the present argument which be that God will  continue your majesty reign in a happy and renown peace and that he will guide  both your policy and arm to purchase the continuance of it with surety and  honour I most humble crave pardon and commend your Majesitie to the divine  preservation your sacred majesty most humble and obedient subject and servant