The works of Richard Hurd, volume 3 (of 8)

by Richard Hurd

[126] The law of Edward the Confessor is express to this purpose, and it was ratified by the Conqueror—“Debet rex omnia ritè facere in regno et per judicium procerum regni.” Sir H. Spelman of Parliaments, p. 58.

[127] M. De Montesquieu observes of the Gothic government—“Il fut d’abord melé de l’aristocratie, et de la monarchie. Il avoit cet inconvenient, que le bas-peuple y étoit esclave: C’étoit un bon gouvernment, qui avoit en soi la capacité de devenir meilleur.” [l. xi. c. 8.]—the very idea, which is here inculcated.

[128] See old Fortescue, in his book De laudibus legum Angliæ, where this sort of analogy is pursued at length through a great part of the XIII^th chapter.

[129] Agreeably to what Sir H. Spelman asserts, in his Glossary, of its parent, the feudal law itself; “De lege feudali—pronunciandum censeo, TEMPORIS eam esse filiam, sensimque succrescentem, EDICTIS PRINCIPUM auctam indies excultam.” In voce Feodum.

[130] Diss. ad Flet. 1091. and William of Malmesbury, lib. iv. 1. 69. Lond. 1596.

[131] Selden’s Works, vol. ii. p. 1082.

[132] Diss. ad Flet. 1078.

[133] Dr. Duck, De usu et authoritate juris civilis, p. 103. Lugd. Batav. 1654.

[134] Policratic. lib. viii. c. 22. p. 672. Lugd. Bat. 1639.

[135] Diss. ad Flet. 1082.