“When public Officers remain long in places of Judicature, they will degenerate from the bounds of humility, honesty and tender care of bretheren, in regard the heart of man is so subject to be overspread with the clouds of covetousness, pride and vain-glory.  For though at the first entrance into places of Rule they be of public spirits, seeking the Freedom of others as their own; yet continuing long in such a place, where honors and greatness come in, they become selfish, seeking themselves, and not Common Freedom; as experience proves it true in these days, according to this common proverb—­’Great offices in a Land and Army have changed the disposition of many sweet spirited men.’

     “And Nature tells us, that if water stand long, it corrupts;
     whereas running water keeps sweet and is fit for common use.

“Therefore, as the necessity of Common Preservation moves the people to frame a Law and to choose Officers to see the Law obeyed, that they may live in peace:  So doth the same necessity bid the people, and cries aloud in the ears and eyes of England, to choose new Officers, and to remove the old ones, and to choose State Officers every year:  and that for these reasons: 

“First, To prevent their own evils:  for when pride and fulness take hold of an Officer, his eyes are so blinded therewith that he forgets he is a servant to the Commonwealth, and strives to lift up himself high above his Bretheren, and oftentimes his fall prove very great:  witness the fall of oppressing Kings, Bishops and other State Officers.

“Secondly,{12} To prevent the creeping of oppression into the Commonwealth again.  For when Officers grow proud and full, they will maintain their greatness, though it be in the poverty, ruin and hardship of their Bretheren:  Witness the practice of Kings and their Laws, that have crushed the Commoners of England a long time.  And have we not experience in these days that some Officers of the Commonwealth have grown so mossy for want of removing that they will hardly speak to an old acquaintance, if he be an inferior man, though they were very familiar before these wars began?  And what hath occasioned this distance among friends and bretheren, but long continuance in places of honor, greatness and riches?”

“Thirdly, Let Officers be chosen new every year in love to our posterity.  For if burdens and oppressions should grow up in our Laws and in our Officers for want of removing, as moss and weeds grow in some land for want of stirring, surely it will be a foundation of misery not easily to be removed by our posterity, and then will they curse the time when we their forefathers had opportunities to set things to rights for their ease, and would not do it.

“Fourthly, To remove Officers of State every year will make them truly faithful, knowing that others are coming after who will look