428 Appendix.

undertaking as I conceive, is pregnant with many great benefits to
this Province in particular, taking this to be granted which I believe
will hardly be denied that very few Gentlemen of this Province, nay
not all the Justices of the Provincial and County Courts have yet had
the Body to the Laws by them so as to read, meditate, and digest
them, without which it is impossible rightly to know them, for indeed
they were not to be had but at a great charge and difficult to be got
at any cost, and then but in a ....... hand.

I say, supposing this, and now that the plain print and easy price
will remove the former difficultys, it cannot, I think, be doubted but
that all the Justices of the Provincial and County Courts will have
them in their Studies for the reasons aforesaid and the better to
enable them to give a right judgment of those laws when pleaded
before them and next to them, all other Officers of what nature
soever and others .... and them.

ist In the first place it must needs prevent many tedious and
chargeable actions that Men involve themselves in by ignorance, for
the law informs them what to do and what to avoid, and it will
prevent cunning ill Men from imposing on their Neighbours because
these Neighbours will know the Law as well as themselves, and this
will make Men more peaceble better Neighbours, and easier to the
Courts of Justice.

Secondly, As it will prevent actions and injurys among private
persons, so it will instruct the several officers of Courts their duty
which will prevent many miscarriages in their offices, daily com-
mitted through ignorance, and which give great delays to the Courts,
now the several Officers ready discharge of their dutys will be a
furtherance to the business of the Court.

Thirdly, the Justices perfect knowledge of the laws will be a great
means to the .... the tryal of every such cause and prevent the
turning over books to find out the laws, when they shall know at first
mentioning what the law is and how it stands related to other laws,
and be able to direct the tryal by their own knowledge, and distinguish
in the different arguments of each Party which will be a happyness
no less to themselves than the Suitors.

Fourthly, the grand and petty Jurys also being acquainted and
knowing the laws will more readily and aptly discharge their several
offices, more might be enumerated but if all these benefits, nay if but
some of them answer expectation it will be a considerable advantage
to the Province. One can not but expect some who will censure
and be ready to condemn both the undertaking and the reasons for it,
such (I mean) who know no other way to raise their own Character
than by finding fault with and condemning other Men's actions, but
they should not discourage any one from prosecuting a good design
which .... approve and pray for the success of .... the writer.