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 make Place for a Sycophant,
Court paid to Pandars and lewd Hen