Adde hereunto that the Maior exercising his office but
during one yeere, for the first halfe thereof is commonly to learne
what he ought to doe, & in the other halfe, feeling his authoritie
to wane, maketh friends of that Mammon, & serueth others turnes,
to be requited with the like, borrowing from iustice, what hee may
lend to his purse, or complices: for as it hath bene well sayd,
He cannot long be good, that knowes not why he is good. They
conclude, how from these imperfect associations, there spring pride
amongst themselues, disdayne at their neighbours, and Monopolies
against the Commonwealth.
This inuectiue is somewhat deeply steeped in gall, & must therefore
bee interpreted, not of all, but the worst. Surely, for mine owne
part, I am of opinion, that how commodious soeuer this iurisdiction
may proue amongst themselues, it falleth out sundry times very
distastefull and iniurious towards strangers; and strangers they
reckon all that are not Burgesses. Now, let such a one bee arrested
within their corporations, no sureties but townsmen can finde
acceptance, be his behauiour neuer so honest, [88] his cause neuer
so iust, his calling neuer so regardfull, & his ability neuer so
sufficient; yet if he haue none acquaintance in the towne, if the
action brought, carry a shew of waight, if the bringer be a man of
sway, in, or neere the towne, if any other townsman of the higher
sort beare him an old grudge, he must be contented to fret the colde
yrons with his legges, and his heart with griefe: for what one,
amongst them, will procure an euerlasting enemy at his doore,
by becomming surety for a party, in whom he possesseth none,
or little interest? The ancients vsed to grace their Cities with
seuerall titles, as Numantia bellicosa, Thebae superbae, Corinthus
ornata, Athenae doctae, Hierusalem sancta, Carthago emula, &c.
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