Edward Coke Quotes

The gladsome light of jurisprudence.

You should trust any man in his own art provided he is skilled in it.

One threatens the innocent who spares the guilty.

The home to everyone is to him his castle and fortress, as well for his defence against injury and violence, as for his repose.

Though the bribe be small, yet the fault is great.

Reason is the life of the law.

Corporations cannot commit treason, nor be outlawed, nor excommunicated, for they have no souls.

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

He is not cheated who knows he is being cheated.

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

Let us now peruse our ancient authors, for out of the old fields must come the new corn.

Precaution is better than a cure.

For a man's house is his castle.

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

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

The house of every one is to him as his castle.

The Law ... is perfection of reason.

Law is the safest helmet.

We should speak as the populace but think as the learned.

Certainty is the mother of quiet and repose, and uncertainty the cause of variance and contentions

Things are worth what they will fetch at a sale

Every libel, which is called famosus libellus, is made either against a private man, or against a public person. If it be against a private man, it deserves a severe punishment.

Those who consent to the act and those who do it shall be equally punished.

Success in crime always invites to worse deeds

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.

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

Trial by jury is a wise distribution of power which exceeds all other modes of trial.

Fraud and deceit abound in these days more than in former times.

For a man's house is his castle, et domus sua cuique tutissimum refugium [and one's home is the safest refuge to everyone].

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

Force ought to follow justice and not to precede.

So use your own property as not to injure that of another

There must have been good grounds for belief in witchcraft; otherwise Parliament would not have legislated against it.

A witch is a person who hath conference with the Devil to consult with him or to do some act.

None shall take advantage of his own wrong.

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

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

We have a saying in the House of Commons; that old ways are the safest and surest ways.

Where there are many counsellors there is safety.

The cause ceasing, the effect ceases also

Don't quote the distinction, for the honour of my lord Coke.

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.

Everyone thirsteth after gaine.

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

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

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

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

Common law is common right.

A corporation has no soul.

Magna Charta is such a fellow, that he will have no sovereign