To the Right Honourable
Sir HENRY MOUNTAGUE, Kt.
Lord Chief Juſtice of the Pleas, holden before the KING'S MAJESTY.
My Honourable good Lord,
AFTER I had ſpent many Tears in the Study of the Laws of this Realm, and was called to the Miniſtration of Juſtice in my Country, I thought it not ſumcient to apply my ſelf only to the Precepts and Directions of former Times, but to obſerve ſuch new Accidents as daily happened within my Experience, the better to perform the Duties of my Place. Whilſt I thus endeavoured my ſelf, I obſerved that Juſtices of Peace in their Places grew in Neglect, and many Times were overſwayed by ſuperior Solicitations, and ſometimes ſo diſgraced, that I could have been content rather to have fat down in Quiet, than with Study and Pains to incur ſuch Hazards and Diſcontentments. But again, whilſt I ſtood thus doubtful, it pleaſed the Fountain of Juſtice (I mean, His Royal Majeſty) ſo to grace, and to ſhew his high Eſteem of the Authority of Juſtices of Peace, not only (in his Majeſty's late Speech in the Star-Chamber,) valuing them with the neareſt employed about him, but (to the great Honour of this Realm, and of the Government thereof) alſo eſtablishing this Country Government by Jufſices of Peace in his Majeſty's Native Country of Scotland; ſo as I ſaw the Current of Juſtice to run clear through the Land, and my ſelf to receive new Vigour and Encouragement: Whereupon I began to recoiled: my confuſed Notes and Obſervations, willing, for my private Help, to digeſt them intoſome Order and Method, ſuch as my Understanding could beſt contrive. Thus prepared, I yet queſtioned with my ſelf, whether it were better to adventure the Publiſhing of theſe my Labours, or to keep them for my private Uſe. In this unſettled Conſultation,
