Page:Marvin, Legal Bibliography, 1847.djvu/587

PLO wards, it is certain that the principles and great leading rules of law are opened and explained with an acuteness rarely discovered in other books ; and points are maintained and canvassed with a certain wary closeness of reasoning peculiar to this wiiter ; so that altogether it is one of the most instructive and most entertaining books in the law." The Reporter originally collected the cases for his own improvement in the law, " mean- ing nothing less than to set them forth in print, but having loaned his MS. to some lawyers, whose clerks were so diligent in those days as to sit up whole nights to transcribe it, designing it for the press," he says, " I considered with myself whether it was not better for me to put this work in print. During which consideration, letters were sent to me by all the justices of both benches, and by the barons of the exchequer, requesting and encouraging me to make it public. And at last, upon these and other motives, and hoping that it might be of some benefit to the students of the law, I resolved (as you see I have done) to put it in print." The author was at considerable pains to excuse himself for the presumption of publication, and with other assurances says, " I protest before God, that of prepense or malice, I have disgraced noman in these Reports." Plowden is regarded as the most accurate of all reporters, though Lord Coke says he had detected four erroneous cases. Cambden has left the following character of him ; Ui in Juris Jnglicani scientia, de qua scriplis bene meruit, facile Princeps ; ita vitse infegritate inter homines sux prcfessio7iis nulli secundus. Camb. Annal. Eliz. ad An. 1584 ; 4 L. M. 7; (29) 239; Pref. to the Cora. Blaxland's Codex, 140; Pref. 13 Viner; Pref. 10 Coke's Rep. 34; Co. Lit. 23 a. 3 ; Eunomus, 25; North's Disc. 17,87; 1 Kent, 481; Simpson's Reflections, cix. ; 5 Reeves, 241 ; Fulbeck, 69; Barr. Obs. 254. PLOWDEN, EDMUND. Quseries ; or, a Moot Book for Young Students, methodized, &c., by H. B. 12mo. London. 1662 o PLOWDEN, FRANCIS. Jura Anglorum, the Rights of Eng- lishmen. 8vo. London. 1792. . Church and State ; being an Enquiry into the Origin, Nature and Extent of Ecclesiastical and Civil Authority, with reference to the British Constitution. 4to. London. 1795. . Thoughts upon the beneficial Consequences of InroUing all Deeds, Wills, and Codicils affecting Lands through- out England and Wales. 8vo. London. 1789. . Principles and Law of Tithing, adapted to the instruction and convenience not only of Gentlemen of the Profes- sion of the Law, but of all persons interested in Tithes. Bvo. London. 1806. 575