English composer Henry

Usage examples of lawes.

For the knowledge of particular Lawes belongeth to them, that professe the study of the Lawes of their several Countries.

For every man seeth, that some Lawes are addressed to all the Subjects in generall.

For having power to make, and repeale Lawes, he may when he pleaseth, free himselfe from that subjection, by repealing those Lawes that trouble him, and making of new.

And therefore if the Soveraign shall have a question of Right grounded, not upon his present Will, but upon the Lawes formerly made.

For the Lawes of Nature, which consist in Equity, Justice, Gratitude, and other morall Vertues on these depending, in the condition of meer Nature (as I have said before in the end of the 15th Chapter,) are not properly Lawes, but qualities that dispose men to peace, and to obedience.

When a Commonwealth is once settled, then are they actually Lawes, and not before.

But the Right of Nature, that is the naturall Liberty of man, may by the Civill Law be abridged, and restrained: nay, the end of making Lawes, is no other, but such Restraint.

If the Soveraign of one Commonwealth, subdue a People that have lived under other written Lawes, and afterwards govern them by the same Lawes, by which they were governed before.

For the Legislator is he, not by whose authority the Lawes were first made, but by whose authority they now continue to be Lawes.

And therefore where there be divers Provinces, within the Dominion of a Commonwealth, and in those Provinces diversity of Lawes, which commonly are called the Customes of each several Province, we are not to understand that such Customes have their force, only from Length of Time.

Seeing then all Lawes, written, and unwritten, have their Authority, and force, from the Will of the Commonwealth.

And as those from whom Nature, or Accident hath taken away the notice of all Lawes in generall.

The Lawes of Nature therefore need not any publishing, nor Proclamation.

And in antient time, before letters were in common use, the Lawes were many times put into verse.

For private men, when they have, or think they have force enough to secure their unjust designed, and convoy them safely to their ambitious ends, may publish for Lawes what they please, without, or against the Legislative Authority.