peoples Freedom; and many a shrewd Fit, many Pang and
Throw the Commonwealth had, before it could be brought
forth into the world; which (Gracchus told them) was a fore
affiction from the Gods, that they should suffer so much for
the ignorance or negligence of their Ancestors, who when
they drave out Kings, for got to drive out the mysteries and
Inconveniences of Kingly Power, which were all reserved
within the Bounds of the Senate. By this means, the poor
People missing the first opportunity of setling their Freedom
soon lost it: They were told they were a freestate; and why?
becaus(forsooth) they had no King; They had at length never
a Tarquin to trouble them: But what was that to the purpose
as long as they hand a Cajus and an Appius Claudius, & the rest
of that gang, who infected the Senators with a humor of kinging
it from generation to generation: Alas when the Romans
were at this pass, they were just such another Free State, as
was that of Sparta, in the daies of yore, where they had a
Senate too to pull down the pride of Kings; but the People
were left destitute of power and means they indeed became free
to do what they list, whilst the People were confined in straiter
Bonds than ever. Such another Free State, in these daies,
is that Venice; where the People are free from the Domination
of their Prince or Duke, but little better than Vassals
under the Power of the Senate.
But now, in the Commonwealth of Athens the case was
farr otherwise; where it was the Care of Solon, that famous
Lawgiver, to place both the exercise and Interest of Supremacy
in the hands of the People: so that nothing of a publique
Influence could be imposed, but what passed currant by
vertue of their consent and authority. He instituted that
famous Councell called the Areopagus, for the managing of
State Transactions, but left the Power of legislation, or Law-making,
in a successive Course of the Peoples Assemblies; so
that avoiding Kingly Tyranny on the one side, and Senaticall
encroachments on the other, hee is celebrated by all Posterity
as the man that hath left the only Patern of a free state,
sit for all the world to follow.