But your
commonwealth is founded upon an equal agrarian; and if the earth
be given to the sons of men, this balance is the balance of
justice, such a one as in having due regard to the different
industry of different men, yet faithfully judges the poor' And
the king that faithfully judges the poor, his throne shall be
established forever;, much more the commonwealth, seeing that
equality, which is the necessary dissolution of monarchy, is the
generation, the very life and soul, of a commonwealth. And now,
if ever, I may be excusable, seeing my assertion, that the throne
of a commonwealth may be established forever, is consonant to the
holy Scriptures.
"The balance of a commonwealth that is equal is of such a
nature that whatever falls into her empire must fall equally; and
if the whole earth falls into your scales, it must fall equally,
and so you may be a greater people and yet not swerve from your
principles one hair. Nay, you will be so far from that that you
must bring the world in such a case to your balance, even to the
balance of justice. But hearken, my lords; are we on earth, do we
see the sun, or are we visiting those shady places which are
feigned by the poets?
"'Continuo auditoe voces, vagitus et ingens.'
These Gothic empires that are yet in the world, were at the
first, though they had legs of their own, but a heavy and
unwieldy burden; but their foundations being now broken, the iron
of them enters even into the souls of the oppressed; and hear the
voice of their comforters: 'My father hath chastised you with
whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
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