the Law.  I have my self been frequently present, when the Caja has been sitting to hear and determine Causes, and have observ’d, that when the Cacklogallinian Advocates have been setting forth the Merit of their Cause, and one of them has produced a Precedent, to shew, that such a Caja in former Times, put such a Construction upon such a Law, yet the Caja then presiding has determined the thing quite otherwise, giving for a Reason, That might be his Opinion, but this is ours.

Upon the whole, the Property of private Birds, which they would make you believe was much safer amongst them, than under any other Government in the World, appeared to me to stand upon a very precarious Foot, since it was always at the Mercy of the Law, and the most cunning and sagacious amongst them could never pretend to be sure what Law was:  Nay, it was often found by Experience, that what was Law one Day amongst them, was not so another; so that I could not help thinking, that whenever Party and Party differr’d concerning Matters of Property, the least expensive, and most prudent Method would have been, to have referr’d the Decision of the Cause to some Game of Hazard.

This Ambiguity of the Law makes a corrupt Caja a terrible Plague to the Subject; and it is a Plague which they have often felt, as I found, by consulting their Annals; for frequently, under bad Ministers, Birds have been chosen out for Caja’s, not for their Integrity or Knowledge, but for their Obsequiousness to the Commands of those who chose them; and my Patron, the first Minister, was censured for endeavouring to corrupt, and making them as bad as he could.  By which Means, and by retaining Spies in the Houses of all Fowl of great Interest and Figure in their Country, it was reported he awed them from attempting any Measures against his Interest, or that of his Family, and that he had threaten’d several with Confiscation and Banishment, when he found them attempting to introduce better Schemes than his own, because such Proceedings might tend to overthrow him.

But this I speak from common Report; for I cannot give any Instances of Corruption in any of the Caja’s from my own personal Knowledge; for I conceived so dreadful a Notion of their Laws, that I endeavoured to avoid all Converse with any who belong’d to it.

How often have I reflected on the Happiness of my dear Country, in that Liberty there enjoy’d, where none are oppress’d by Force, or allured by Bribes, to give up their native Freedom; where a self-interested and designing Minister is sure to answer for his Administration to a Parliament freely chosen, consisting of Gentlemen of publick Spirits, Honour, known Probity and Wisdom; whose Fortunes put them above a servile Dependence; who have an Eye to nothing but the publick Good, and exact from the Ministers a just Account of the Publick Treasure!  When I have seen the Fowl of Honour thrust out to