The golden-groue moralized in three bookes: a worke very necessary for all such, as would know how to gouerne themselues, their houses, or their countrey. Made by W. Vaughan, Master of Artes, and student in the ciuill law,

Of the Common Law in England. Chap. 47.

AS soone as Brutus came into this Realme, hee constituted the Tro∣ians lawes throughout all his dominions. But when diuisions and ciuill broyles hapned a little after his decease, those lawes decayed for a long time, vntill Malmutius reuiued them, enlarging them with many profitable more, and were named Malmutius lawes: vnto which Martia a Queene of this land, ad∣ded the decrees of her time, and were called Martiaes lawes. Besides these, King Lud is reported to amend them. Then in the succession of time, raig∣ned Saint Edward, a right vertuous

Prince, who selected and enacted ex∣cellent good lawes: but within a while after, the Normans conquered this land, and altered the estate thereof, appoyn∣ting new lawes in their owne language, as a people naturally inclined to sophi∣sticall and doubtful sence, whereby they wrested the lawes to all constructions. Yet notwithstanding, King Edward the third was enduced to abrogate many of the Norman lawes, and in their stead to inuest new and wholesome lawes. The method of which, is at this day put in practise among our Sergeants and vtter-Sarristers.

Obiection.

That law which is of no antiquitie, neither grounded vpon any good foun∣dations, nor vsed in any countrey but one, cannot bee good: such is the com∣mon law of England: therefore it is of no effect.

Answere.

Our Common law of England (I con∣fesse) is of no great antiquitie: yet grounded vpon the law of Nature, and approoued by the vniuersall consent of the Prince, Nobles, & Commons, in a

generall Parliament. In briefe, necessity hath no reason.