The General Biographical Dictionary, Vol 10 Containing an Historical and Critical Account of the Lives and Writings of the Most Eminent Persons in the Earliest Accounts to the Present Time

Excerpt from The General Biographical Dictionary, Vol. 10: Containing an Historical and Critical Account of the Lives and Writings of the Most Eminent Persons in Every Nation; Particularly the British and Irish; From the Earliest Accounts to the Present Time

His Institutes are divided into four parts. The first is the translation and comment upon the Tenures of Sir Thomas Littleton, one of the judges of the common-pleas in the reign of edwardiv. It was published in his life time, in 1628; but that edition was vei y incorrect. There was a second published In 1629, said to be revised by the author, and In which this work Is much amended; yet seve ral mistakes remained even in that. The second part of the Institutes gives us magna charta, and other select statutes, in the languages in which they were first enacted, and much more correct than they were to be had any where else. He adds to these a commentary full of excellent learning, wherein he shews how the common law stood be fore those statutes were made, how far they are introduc tory of new laws, and how far declaratory of the old, what were the causes of making them, to what ends they were made, and In what degree, at the time of his writing they were either alteied or repealed. The third part of the Insti tutes contains the criminal law or pleas of the crown where, among other things, he shews, In regard to pardons and restitutions, how far the king may proceed by his pre rogative, and where the assistance of parliament is neces sary. The fourth part of the Institutes c'omprehends the jurisdiction of all the courts in this kingdom, from the high court of parliament down to the court ban. This part not being published till after his decease, there are many inaccuracies and some greater faults In it, which were animadverted upon and amended in a book written by William Prynne, esq. And published in 1669. The thir teenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth editions of the Insti tutes, 17 88 17 89 and 1794, by Hargrave and Butler, are esteemed the best.

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