" et declare lequel ce doit estre ajuge treison ou autre
" Felonie."
   15. The. perpetuating the howses I did ever looke at as the second part of the xxx tyrants of Athens (of whom Xenophon), that would never end unlesse foreced; men in auctority doe not easyly quit that they have possest themselves of, and generally looke rather at what may confirme their power, then the partycular good of those that trusted them, and wthout whom, perhaps, they had not ascended to that pytch. The Consuls and Senat at Rome were not at first lesse burthensome then their Kings; the Ephori of Lacedemon and the Roman Tribuns beecame so. I dare boldly say there is no example in History of any temporary Court, having a perpetuity annexed to it, that did ever end but necessitated;¹ and
I think 'few now doubt this late Parlyament would ever have set a period to their sitting, had there beene a lesse powerfull Sollicitor then my Lord Protector, to whom this nation is infinitely bound for seeing it concluded.²
   16. For avoyding the inconveniences a Republick meets wth, the wisest have prescribed no rule of better eifect then to have not any Offier of long continuance; but as Tully³ says, that he wch obeys may hope to governe, he ye rules expect in short to bee ruled; and therefore that of Livy⁴ with them is most true, to have no great ofiicer remayn long in a place; of wdl Tiberius,⁵ in Tacitus, gives the reason, beecause men will bee proud though annually chosen. I remember that in Dio,⁶ the
   ¹  i. e. Till it was necessitated,
    2  This last sentence, afterwards added, t. Cromwell.—ED.
    ³  Cicero de Legibus, lib. 3, fol. 184 b,185 a, editionis Aldin. Venet. 1545.—T.
    ⁴  " Maxima libertcatis custodia, si magna imperia diuturna non sunt," Lir. lib. iv.—T. [cap. 24.]
    ⁵  " Superbiunt homines etiam annua designatione, quid si honores per quinquennium agitent, etc." (Tacit. Annal, ii.)~T.
    ⁶  Dio, lib. 44, in principio; et Seneca de Beneficiis, lib; 2, cap. 20,"Optimus civitatis status sub Rege justo."—T.