Lord Coke's rules, Co. Litt. 23, b. 24, are
as follows, viz. " First, A person added to a
" person in the line of consanguinity, maketh
" a degree.  And it is to be understood, that a
" line is threefold, viz. the line ascending;
" descending, and collateral:  and first for example;
" of the ascending line, take the son and add
" the father, and it is one degree ascending;
" add the grand father to the father, and
" it is a second degree ascending.  Secondly,
" so as how many persons there be, take
" away one, and you have the number of
" degrees.  If there be four persons, it is the
" third degree, of five, the fourth; for one must
" exceed, and then you have the degree.  Likewise
" by the descending, take the father and
" add the son, and it is one degree; then take
" the son and add the grand child, and it is
" the second degree; and so likewise further.
" Wherein observe, that the father, son and
" grand child, albeit there are three persons,
" yet they make but two degrees, because (as it
" hath been said) one must exceed for making
" a degree.  Thirdly, it is to be noted, that in
" every line the person must be reckoned from
" whom the computation is made.  And there
" is no difference between the canon and civil
" law, in the ascending and descending line;
" for those whom the civilians do reckon in the