Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/21

 of licentiousness and vice; but it falleth out in lawes, no otherwise then it doth in physick, which was at first devised, and is yet daylie ment, and ministred for the health of the patient. But neverthelesse we often see, that either thorough ignorance of the disease, or thorough unseasonable nesse of the time, or other accidents comming betweene, in stead of good, it worketh hurt, and, out of one evill, throweth the patient into many miseries. So the lawes were at first intended for the reformation of abuses, and peaceable continuance of the subject; but are sithence either disannulled, or quite prevaricated thorough change and alteration of times, yet are they good still in themselves; but, in that commonwealth which is ruled by them, they worke not that good which they should, and sometimes also that evill which they would not.

Eudox. Whether doe you mean this by the common-lawes of that realme, or by the Statute Lawes, and acts of Parliaments?

Iren. Surely by them both; for even the common law being that which William of Normandy brought in with his conquest, and laid upon the neck of England, though perhaps it fitted well with the state of England then being, and was readily obeyed thorough the power of the commander, which had before subdued the people unto him, and made easie way to the setling of his will, yet with the state of Ireland