hapned in Free-States, have been occasioned by the ambitious,
treacherous, and indirect practises of such persons
admitted into power, as have not been firm in their hearts
to the Interest of Liberty. The truth of this is (omitting
many others) to be seen in the whole Series of affairs in the
Roman State, after its Liberty was fully setled in a succession
of the Peoples supreme Assemblies: For the Nobility in the
Senate, being men of another interest (however they pretended)
and sometimes by cunning and corruption getting
trust from the people, did by combination and compliance
with their Fellow-Senators, so garble, perplex and turmoile
the peoples affairs, concernments, and understandings, that
at length, what they could never have done by Force, as opposits,
they effected by fraud as friends, to deprive the people
of a quiet and comfortable enjoyment of their Freedom.
A Third Caution is; That in all their elections of any into
the Supreme Court, or into Councels, they be not led by
any heat of Faction, Friendship, Aliance, or Affection; and
that none be taken in, but purely upon the account of Merit.
The former course hath ever been the occasion of discontents,
sidings, and parties: The latter stops the mouths of
men that perhaps are contrary minded, and draws the consent
and approbation of all the world, when they see men
put into Authority that have a clear reputation of transcendant
honesty and wisdom.
A Fourth Caution is; That as it is the great secret of Liberty,
that all Magistrates and Publick Officers be kept in an
accountable state, lyable to render an account of their behaviour
and actions; and also that the people have freedom to
accuse whom they please: so on the other side it concerns
them above all things to avoid false charges, accusations, and
calumniations against persons in Authority, which are the
greatest abuse and blemishes of Liberty, and have been the
most frequent causes of tumult and dissension. The banishment
called Ostracism among the Athenians, was instituted
at first upon a just and noble ground, and so was that called
Petalism among the Lacedemonians, to turn such out of
the Commonweal, who had rendred themselves suspected