THE TRUE PATRIOT's SPEECH TO THE People of Rome.  
From SALLUST.  
Indignatio & Dolour Omnibus,  
Vis ad Resistendum Nelli aderat.  Vell. Paterc. 
ROMANS,  
THE Present Circumtances of our Affairs, the Power of the Prevailing Faction, Your Tame Submission, the Loss of all Justice, and the Danger of Speaking Truth, are such Discouragements, that I should be Silent, as well as Others, at this Time, if my Concern for my Country were not above all other Considerations. 'Tis hardly worth While, Fellow-Citizens, to put You in mind of the Indignities You have received of late Years, and the ill Treatment the Bravest Assertors of Your Privileges have met with, from some of the Nobility, when We are now reduced so low, that a Few Great and Ill Men govern Us, whose Right it Is, and whose Chief Business it Should be, to Watch and Keep such Miscreants in Awe. However, for my Part, I have resolved to make War upon this powerful and pernicious Cabal, and will use that Liberty, which, as a Freeman of Rome, I am legally entitled to; but 'tis in Your Power only, to make my good Endeavours effectually serviceable to You. I would not be understood to excite You to any kind of Force: Not; Let Us fight 'em with their own Weapons. The same Engines which they have always made Use of, to raise themselves, will, I doubt not, if rightly employed, even yet be sufficient to pull 'em down. Not long since, We thought We had Reason to complain of the Squand'ring the Public Money, and of the Exorbitant Richeses, and Excessive Power, of some Particular People; but Now, those Very People are so far from being contented to go of with Impunity, that They have again worked Themselves into Power. They have their Pontificates, their Governments of Provinces, and their Triumphal Processions: They strut; They domineer; and treat Us with such Scorn, and Insclence, as if They thought it not Robbery, but an Honour, to have cheated the Commonwealth. Our Slaves, My Countrymen, Our purchased Slaves have Spirit enough to disobey the unjust Commands of their Masters: Shall We, that were Born Free, stand Still, and patiently suffer the Yoke to be put about Our Necks? But, pray, Let Us consider, a little, what sort of Men These are, that have thus seized upon the Government? Why, they are Men of Evil Principles, and Worse Practices, Designing, Proud, Rapacious, Violent, and Unforgiving; Determined, by all Methods, to prosecute their Interest, and postpone to That all Regards to Religion and Honour. And this Society, this Cabal, What shall I call it? This junto, are firmly and strongly united, by that Wicked Tie, of having All been involved in the Same, or in Equal Crimes! However, if We had been as Careful to Preserve our Liberties as They have been Industrious to Wrist 'em from Us, Our Constitution had not been so Shocked and Unsettled as 'tis now; nor would so many great Posts of the Commonvealth have been in the Hands of the most Forward, instead of the most Deserving. Our Ancestors ventured their Lives and their Fortunes, to preserve their Privileges, and to keep up a proper Balance in the Government; And shall We Not stir One Step, Not dare to run the Lest Risque, to deliver down those Privileges to Our Posterity, which We have received from those Ancestors? Surely, We aught the Moore Resolutely to Contend for 'em, as 'tis Moore Dishonourable to Loose 'em, than Never to have Had 'em. But, perhaps, it may be asked, What is it proper for Us to do, in this Situation? Shall We address? Shall We impeach? I will not take upon Me to prescribe to You a Particular Method of Proceeding; but I will be bold to say, That Some Stand aught Immediately to be made, Some Stop, if possible, to be put, to the growing Tyranny of this junto; that the Commons of Rome may never have This Reproach, That They, who used to Oppose and Condemn the Lest Irregular Step, or Encroachment, even in their Kings, now Lie down, Easy and Satisfied, under the Heavy'st, and Most Arbitrary Oppression, of Five or Six of their Own Fellow-Subjects! If We have not Spirit enough to rouse Ourselves upon this important Occasion, Our Condition is very Wretched, and almost Desperate; For, Whilst We are subdued at Home, faster than We conquer Abroad; Whilst no Man is allowed a Place in the Senate-House, that is not thought, by These Masters, Lesle likely to Defend the People's Liberties, than to Give up his Own; Whilst hardly any One can be secure from Punishment, that does not deserve it; Whilst we give such Immense Taxes, without Appropriation; and let 'em be distributed, without Account; Whilst We have not Courage enough even to own our Fears; Whilst We are forced to magnify Successful Blunders: In a Word, Whist we lavish our Treasure, and husband the War; a Man may venture to prophecy, without being a Conjurer, That, unless the Gods are pleased to work a Miracle for Us at Home, as they have done Many Abroad, the Time is not far of, in which this Ancient and Noble Frame of Government will be Totally demolished; and We, that have been so often Conquerors, shall be not longer Freemen.  
Dixi C. MEMMIUS.   

Amsterdam: Printed in the Year 1656.