It was the English judge Thatcher who heralded an important turning point in legal reasoning by identifying himself as an independent legal authority, by virtue of his own self-created legal ability. Yet it was left to the later Judge Edward Coke to define the mode of reasoning that would dominate the common law for more than three centuries. As he prepared to rule on a legal case, King James I was doubtless surprised by his Judge Edward Coke's sudden pronouncement that he could no longer do so, because Coke had perfected a kind of logic which was so unique as to make him and his fellow judges the sole proper interpreters of the law. The exact nature of this new method was not immediately discernable. What was discernable, however, was that this method was so esoteric and exclusive that only professional lawyers could comprehend it. It was actually later legalists who would invent its processes, but for now, Coke had claimed for the legal profession an exclusive monopoly over it.

Consider all that apply

Which of the following is the most reasonable conclusion that can be drawn from the information in the passage with reference to the 'surprise' displayed by King James I?

A. From this point onwards, King James ceased to be the sole interpreter of the law
B. From this point onward, King James and his judges could both act as interpreters of the law
C. Prior to this point, King James' judges had not been the only interpreters of the law