Edward Coke Law Quotations

The gladsome light of jurisprudence.

Law is the safest helmet.

Common law is common right.

It is a fiction, a shade, a nonentity, but a reality for legal purposes. A corporation aggregate is only in abstracto—it is invisible, immortal, and rests only in intendment and consideration of the law.

There is no jewel in the world comparable to learning; no learning so excellent as knowledge of laws.

The law compells no man to impossible things. The argument ab impossibili is forcible in law.

Reason is the life of the law.

The agreement of the parties cannot make that good which the law maketh void.

For when the law doth give any thing to one, it giveth impliedly whatsoever is necessary for the taking and enjoying of the same.

The law doth never enforce a man to doe a vaine thing.

The King himself should be under no man, but under God and the Law.

Reason is the life of the law; nay, the common law itself is nothing else but reasonThe law, which is perfection of reason.

And the law, that is the perfection of reason, cannot suffer anything that is inconvenient.

It is better, saith the law, to suffer a mischief that is peculiar to one, than an inconvenience that may prejudice many.

The Law ... is perfection of reason.

A thing which is not in esse but in apparent expectancy is regarded in law.

There is no jewel in the world comparable to learning; no learning so excellent both for Prince and subject, as knowledge of laws; and no knowledge of any laws so necessary for all estates and for all causes, concerning goods, lands or life, as the common laws of England.

There be three kinds of unhappie men. 1. Qui scit & non docet, Hee that hath knowledge and teacheth not. 2. Qui docet & non vivit, He that teacheth, and liveth not thereafter. 3. Qui nescit, & non interrogat, He that knoweth not, and doth not enquire to understand.

So as grave and learned men may doubt, without any imputation to them; for the most learned doubteth most, and the more ignorant for the most part are the more bold and peremptory.

In the meane time know this, that the learning of warranties is one of the most curious and cunning learnings of the law, and of great use and consequence.

The Common lawes of the Realme should by no means be delayed for the law is the surest sanctuary, that a man should take, and the strongest fortresse to protect the weakest of all, lex et tutissima cassis.

Six hours in sleep, in law's grave study six,Four spend in prayer, the rest on Nature fix.

The law of the realm cannot be changed but by Parliament.

No man can be a compleat Lawyer by universalitie of knowledge without experience in particular cases, nor by bare experience without universalitie of knowledge; he must be both speculative & active, for the science of the laws, I assure you, must joyne hands with experience.