them remember that acquisitions made in any other way are the ruin of
republics, and so set bounds to their ambition, wisely regulating the
internal government of their country by suitable laws and ordinances,
forbidding extension, and looking only to defence, and taking heed that
their defences are in good order, as do those republics of Germany which
live and for long have lived, in freedom.

And yet, as I have said on another occasion, when speaking of the
difference between the methods suitable for acquiring and those suitable
for maintaining, it is impossible for a republic to remain long in the
peaceful enjoyment of freedom within a restricted frontier. For should
it forbear from molesting others, others are not likely to refrain from
molesting it; whence must grow at once the desire and the necessity to
make acquisitions; or should no enemies be found abroad, they will be
found at home, for this seems to be incidental to all great States. And
if the free States of Germany are, and have long been able to maintain
themselves on their present footing, this arises from certain conditions
peculiar to that country, and to be found nowhere else, without which
these communities could not go on living as they do.

The district of Germany of which I speak was formerly subject to the
Roman Empire, in the same way as France and Spain; but on the decline
of the Empire, and when its very name came to be limited to this one
province, its more powerful cities taking advantage of the weakness and
necessities of the Emperors, began to free themselves by buying from
them their liberty, subject to the payment of a trifling yearly tribute;
until, gradually, all the cities which held directly from the Emperor,
and were not subject to any intermediate lord, had, in like manner,
purchased their freedom. While this went on, it so happened that certain
communities subject to the Duke of Austria, among which were Friburg,