Edward Coke Quotes

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

— Edward Coke

Things are worth what they will fetch at a sale.

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

“One threatens the innocent who spares the guilty.”

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

“Where there are many counsellors there is safety.”

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

“How long soever it hath continued, if it be against reason, it is of no force in law.”

— Edward Coke

“Success in crime always invites to worse deeds.”

— Edward Coke

“The cause ceasing, the effect ceases also.”

— Edward Coke

“We have a maxim in the House of Commons, and written on the walls of our houses, that old ways are the safest and surest ways.”

— Edward Coke

He is not cheated who knows he is being cheated.

— 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.”

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

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

— 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.

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

A word must become a friend or you will not understand it. Perhaps you do well to be cool and detached when you are seeking information, but I remind you of the wife who complained, 'When I ask John if he loves me, he thinks I am asking for information'.

— Edward Coke

“For a man's house is his castle.”

— Edward Coke

“That Francis Bacon retains his reputation gained, is not strange to any that knows him. The unusual words wherewith he had spangled his speech, were rather gracious for their propriety than strange for their novelty, and like to serve both for occasions to report and means to remember his argument. Certain sentences of his , somewhat obscure, and as it were presuming upon their capacities will, I fear, make some of them rather admire than commend him. In sum, all is as well as words can make it, and if it please Her Majesty to add deeds, the Bacon may be too hard for the Cook.”

— Edward Coke

It is a fiction, a shade, a nonentity, but a reality for legal purposes. A corporation aggregate is only in abstracto—it is invisible, immortal, and rests only in intendment and consideration of the law.

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

“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.”

— Edward Coke

“Law is the safest helmet.”

— Edward Coke

“None shall take advantage of his own wrong.”

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

Everyone thirsteth after gaine.

— Edward Coke

“A corporation has no soul.”

— Edward Coke

“Common law is common right.”

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

“Precaution is better than a cure.”

— 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].”

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

It is the worst oppression, that is done by colour of justice

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

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

— Edward Coke

Force ought to follow justice and not to precede.

— Edward Coke

“The gladsome light of jurisprudence.”

— Edward Coke