law is a word properly used by the grand inquest empanelled in the inquisition of causes criminal and public, and written upon the bill whereby any crime is offered to their consideration, when as they dislike their evidence as defective or too weak to make good the presentment; the effect of which word so written is, that all farther inquiry upon that party for that fault is thereby stopped, and he delivered without farther answer. It hath a resemblance with that custom of the ancient Romans, where the judges, when they absolved a person accused, did write A. upon a little table provided for that purpose, i.e. absolvimus; if they judged him guilty, they wrote C. i.e. condemnamus; if they found the cause difficult and doubtful, they wrote N. L. i.e. non liquet.