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The LXXX. ADVERTISEMENT.
The People of Lesbos, after Cornelius Tacitus ran away from them, chuse Anna Momorancy, by Apollos appoint∣ment, for their Prince.
AFter the unhappy success which (as you heard by some of our last) Cornelius Tacitus had in his Principality of Lesbos, and his flight from that State, nothing was left unindeavored, neither by himself, nor by o∣ther Princes who were his friends, to induce Apollo to work so with the people of Lesbos, as that he might again return to his Principality, but all to no purpose; for his Majestie was ever constant in his assertion, that no good was ever to be hoped from the Government of Princes, who for such like offences grew bitter to their people. But for satisfaction to the men of Lesbos, who continually prest him by their Ambassadors, that he would propound unto them a new Prince; he nominated Anna Momo∣rancy, an honorable French Baron; who was received with great satisfa∣ction to the people of Lesbos, and proclaimed Prince of that State. 'Tis certainly true, that some Vertuosi who were very well acquainted with the affairs of Lesbos, made a long, and an exact series of many abuses which reigned in that State, from whence they said grew great inconveniences, and did accurately name the waies which were to be held to reduce the af∣fairs of Lesbos to a much better condition: And this they gave to Momo∣rancy, who told those his friends, that the amending of disorders in a Prin∣cipality by new Laws and Magistrates, was to be undertaken only in here∣ditary States, where the children, and other successors of the defunct Prince, did usually so tenaciously inherit their predecessors thoughts, as they esteemed it a secure foundation of their Government, and a necessa∣ry piece of Policy, to be very jealous in the observancy thereof; but that in elective Principalities, wherein successors used often to undo what their predecessors had done, either out of curiosity, or to cast dirt in the faces of former Princes, it was a difficult business to begin to reform those things which wholly depending upon an exquisite and exact obser∣vancy of giving orders, required that many successive Princes should be of the same mind; which being hard to be found in elective States, he said that the best advice which could be given to such an one as he in the Government of Lesbos, was to shun novelty, and resolve to live accor∣ding to the ancient Laws, whatsoever they were; and to leave things as he found them; for in houses that are rented, wise men are contented to live in the old rooms; and they are over-curious who build new apartements, which 'tis ods but that they will be thrown down, either out of the capri∣chiousness or ill-will of the next comer.