Solon his follie, or a politique discourse, touching the reformation of common-weales conquered, declined or corrupted. By Richard Beacon ...

CAP. 2. What common-weale may be restored vnto his first perfection by ap∣plying thereunto this manner of reformation.

EPI:

No verily: for Quae primis institutis omninò corrupta fuerit, eanunquam in tales casus incidet, propter quos novis legibus institui queat. For this cause the first institution of Athens being meer∣ly popular, corrupt, and vnperfit, coulde never after by any lawes made for the reformation thereof, be defended from the tyrannie of such as did aspire vnto the principalitie, or from the ruine first conceived in the corrupt institution thereof. For notwithstanding they established many lawes for the reformation of the insolencie of the noble men, as also to restraine the libertie of the people, non eam tamen conservare supra centessimum annum potuerunt. But such common-weals as have their first institution and foundation good▪ though not altogether perfit and complete, at any time declining from the first state and perfection, may by this manner of reforma∣tion (made by profitable laws as occasion shal them require) be not only restored to their first perfection, but the happie estate there∣of may thereby belong continued and augmented: such was the

common-wealth of Rome, whose first institution and foundation was so wel laid by Romulus & Numa, as that after by new laws made for the reformation thereof, as the necessity of that common weale did require, the same was rendered long, happy, and prosperous, in so much as it attained at the last an happy temper and forme of go∣vernement, compounded of three sortes and kindes of gouerne∣ment, namely the Monarchia, Aristocratia, and Democratia: so that wee maie conclude, that those common-weales which have their foundation good, though not perfit and complete, ex ijs quae subin∣de occurrunt, emendari & perfici queant ad exemplum Romae: for it is saide, non prima illa Romanae reip: institutio tantum a recta via aberra∣bat, vt perfici non posset. Lastly such common-weales which in al the parts thereof are found corrupted and declined from their first in∣stitution, maie not by profitable lawes made and established as oc∣casion shal them require, be reformed; whereof sometimes the Ci∣tie of Rome and nowe the state of Salamina may be vnto vs an ex∣ample: sith neither the one after her finall declination, which did chiefely growe by a general corruption of manners in the people, could be reformed by the lawes against Captainship, against Coyney, and Lyvery, or against the vnlawefull custome of supporting and maintaining of rebels or any other new lawe whatsoever; nor the other by their lawes sumptuarij ambitus, and such like, the reason whereof shall more at large appeare in this discourse following.

Sol:

There remaineth nowe the discipline of lawes as the second parte and member of this particuler reformation not as yet con∣sulted of.