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Edward Coke Quotes

Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales

Edward Coke was a leading legal thinker and the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales in the 17th century. He played a crucial role in the history of English law, particularly in the development of common law. Coke is renowned for his profound understanding of the law and extensive legal reforms.

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Famous Edward Coke Quotes

“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.”

Ifs Men Persons Made Deserve Punishment Severe Libel

Author:Edward Coke

“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.”

Men Should Mean Law Common Protect Strongest Sanctuary Delayed

Author:Edward Coke

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

Men Home House Refuge Castles

Author:Edward Coke

“For a man's house is his castle.”

Men Home House Castles

Author:Edward Coke

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

Men Should Art Trust Skilled Workers

Author:Edward Coke

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

Men Should Law Kings

Author:Edward Coke

“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.”

Men Hands Law Cases Particular Active Lawyer

Book:The selected writings and speeches of Sir Edward Coke

Source: The selected writings and speeches of Sir Edward Coke

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

Men Doe Law

Book:The First Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England, Or, A Commentary Upon Littleton: Not the Name of the Author Only, But of the Law Itself

Source: The First Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England, Or, A Commentary Upon Littleton: Not the Name of the Author Only, But of the Law Itself

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

Men Law Impossible Argument In-laws Impossible Things

Book:The First Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England: Or, A Commentary Upon Littleton. Not the Name of the Author Only, But of the Law Itself ... Hæc Ego Grandævus Posui Tibi, Candide Lector

Source: The First Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England: Or, A Commentary Upon Littleton. Not the Name of the Author Only, But of the Law Itself ... Hæc Ego Grandævus Posui Tibi, Candide Lector

“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.”

Men Kind Law Three

Book:The first part of the Institutes of the laws of England: or, A commentary upon Littleton. Not the name of the author only, but of the law itself ...

Source: The first part of the Institutes of the laws of England: or, A commentary upon Littleton. Not the name of the author only, but of the law itself ...

“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.”

Men May Law Doubt Graves Ignorant

Book:The First Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England: Or, a Commentary Upon Littleton : Not the Name of the Author Only, But of the Law Itself ... : Haec Ego Grandaevus Posui Tibi, Candide Lector

Source: The First Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England: Or, a Commentary Upon Littleton : Not the Name of the Author Only, But of the Law Itself ... : Haec Ego Grandaevus Posui Tibi, Candide Lector