Another infirmity of a commonwealth is the immoderate greatness of a town, when it is able to furnish out of its own circuit the number and expense of a great army: as also the great number of corporations; which are as it were many lesser commonwealths in the bowels of a greater, like worms in the entrails of a natural man. To which may be added the liberty of disputing against absolute power, by pretenders to political prudence; which though bred for the most part in the lees of the people, yet animated by false doctrines, are perpetually meddling with the fundamental laws, to the molestation of the commonwealth; like the little worms, which physicians call “ascarides.”

We may further add, the insatiable appetite, or βουλιμια , of enlarging dominion; with the incurable “wounds” thereby many times received from the enemy; and the “wens” of ununited conquests, which are many times a burden, and with less danger lost than kept: as also the “lethargy” of ease and “consumption” of riot and vain expense.