landing in a Fifth? Indeed (Sir) all that we have learnt by travelling
is this, now to live at home and be quiet, having gained so much experience,
as to know there is a necessary of a settlement, and that it
matters not what the Form be, so we attain the ends of Government.
To this purpose, our Senate being Assembled this week, I shall now
performe my promise by giving you some brief Account of their first
daies Transaction.
And in the first place, because the Affairs of Utopia are no less urgent
than arduous, it was thought requisite, for the more quick dispatch,
to resolve. That no man should make a speech above 2 hours long;
in regard our Ancestors thought a quarter, or half an houre long
enough; and truly that was enough for them, because they were so
dull as to pen all, and living in the Infancie of time, were content to
learn to spell before they spake.
This being premised, our Senators presently fell upon their work,
and it was resolved nemine contradicente. That wee Utopians had hitherto
been mistaken touching the notion of Liberty, as of late years
it hath been stated in this Country. Alas (Sir) the High Shoon, the
Leveller, and the Enthusiast, thought it say in having no land-Lord
no Law, no Religion, save his own Phantsie; They thought we ought
to have been as boundless as the Sea as common as the Earth, as free
as the Aire, and as wild as the Fire, that by combustion, like rare
Chymisss, we might extract somwhat more since than ever was known to
our Predccessors; Thus we might have been reduced to our primitive
freedom: for, do you, think fit, that Free, borne man should be pinion'd
with policie seeing of late the whole race of Adam became
Politicians and Princes by the Law of Nature? Indeed, it ought not
so to be; there was a readier way to rule the world by leaving every
man to himself, it being then understood that this only is perfect Liberty,
where none obey, all command, & every one doth what he list.
Yet give me leave to tell you (Sir) for all this, we had no Free State
then, save that the People were free to feed themselves with Phantsies,
and were told that they were the supreme Power, had should come to
use it in a Revolution or Rotation of their Assemble, the consideration
whereof made their Worships giddy, in those days, with expectation,
and the Senate so wise as to hold up the Hurnor.
Thus while they sate still, and the People ran out into endless Factions,
still further and further from a Settlement there was in conclusion
no visible means left, to keep the old Race of Kings from over running
our Estates and Liberties had not the most excellent Basilides, that
Renowned Prince, resolved to encounter all the Monsters of Scandal