the commonwealth of oceana-第21节
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t only the pavilion (for this time a tent) erected with three posts; supplying the place of pillars to the urns; but the urns being prepared with a just number of balls for the first ballot; to become the field; and the occasion very gallantly with their covers made in the manner of helmets; open at either ear to give passage to the hands of the ballotants; and slanting with noble plumes to direct the march of the people。 Wherefore he proceeded to The tenth order; 〃Requiring of the deputies of the parishes; that upon every Monday next ensuing the last of February; they make their personal appearance; horse and foot in arms accordingly; at the rendezvous of the tribe; where; being in discipline; the horse upon the right; and the foot upon the left; before the pavilion; and having made oath by holding up their hands; upon the tender of it by the lord high sheriff; to make election without favor; and of such only as they shall judge fittest for the commonwealth; the conductor shill take three balls; the one inscribed with these words (outward files); another with these words (inward files); and the third with these (middle files); which balls he shall cast into a little urn; and present it to the lord high sheriff; who; drawing one; shall give the words of command; as they are thereupon inscribed; and the ballot shall begin accordingly。 For example; if the ball be inscribed 'Middle files;' the ballot shall begin by the middle; that is; the two files that are middle to the horse shall draw out first to the horse urn; and the two files that are middle to the foot shall draw out first to the foot urn; and be followed by all the rest of the files as they are next to them in order。 The like shall be done by the inward; or by the outward files in case they be first called。 And the files; as every man has drawn his ball; if it be silver; shall behind at the urn to countermarch to their places; but he that has drawn a gold ball at a side urn shall proceed to the middle urn; where if the balls he draws be silver he shall also countermarch; but if it be gold he shall take his place upon a form set across the pavilion; with his face toward the lord high sheriff; who shall be seated in the middle of the pavilion; with certain clerks by him; one of which shall write down the names of every elector; that is; of every one that drew a gold ball at the middle urn; and in the order his ball was drawn; till the electors amount to six in number。 And the first six electors; horse and foot promiscuously; are the first order of electors; the second six (still accounting them as they are drawn) the second order; the third six the third order; and the fourth six the fourth order of electors; every elector having place in his order; according to the order wherein he was drawn。 But so soon as the first order of electors is complete; the lord high sheriff shall send them with a copy of the following list; and a clerk that understands the ballot; immediately to a little tent standing before the pavilion in his eye; to which no other person but themselves; during the election; shall approach。 The list shall be written in this manner:
Anno Domini
THE LIST OF THE PRIME MAGNITUDE; OR FIRST DAY'S ELECTION OF MAGISTRATES
1。 The Lord High Sheriff; Commander…in…Chief; 2。 Lord Lieutenant; 3。 Lord Custos Rotulorum; Muster…Master…General; 4。 The Conductor; being Quarter…master General; 5。 The First Censor; 6。 The Second Censor;
Of the tribe of Nubia; containing at the present muster 700 horse and 1;500 foot; in all 22;000 deputies。
〃And the electors of the first band or order; being six; shall each of them name to his respective magistracy in the left such as are not already elected in the hundreds; till one competitor be chosen to every magistracy in the list by the ballot of the electors of the first order; which done; the list with the competitors thereunto annexed shall be returned to the lord high sheriff by the clerk attending that order; but the electors shall keep their places; for they have already given their suffrage; and may not enter into the ballot of the tribe。 If there arises any dispute in an order of electors; one of the censors or sub…censors appointed by them in case they be electors; shall enter into the tent of that order; and that order shall stand to his judgment in the decision of the controversy。 The like shall be done exactly by each other order of electors; being sent as they are drawn; each with another copy of the same list; into a distinct tent; till there be returned to the lord high sheriff four competitors to every magistracy in the list; that is to say; one competitor elected to every office in every one of the four orders; which competitors the lord high sheriff shall cause to be pronounced or read by a crier to the congregation; and the congregation having heard the whole lists repeated; the names shall be put by the lord high sheriff to the tribe; one by one; beginning with the first competitor in the first order; thence proceeding to the first competitor in the second order; and so to the first in the third and fourth orders。 And the suffrages being taken in boxes by boys (as has been already shown) shall be poured into the bowls standing before the censors; who shall be seated at each end of the table in the pavilion; the one numbering the affirmatives and the other the negatives; and he of the four competitors to the first magistracy that has most above half the suffrages of the tribe in the affirmative; is the first magistrate。 The like is to be done successively by the rest of the competitors in their order。 But because soon after the boxes are sent out for the first name; there be others sent out for the second; and so for the third; etc。; by which means divers names are successively at one and the same time in balloting; the boy that carries a box shall sing or repeat continually the name of the competitor for whom that box is carrying; with that also of the magistracy to which he is proposed。 A magistrate of the tribe happening to be an elector; may substitute any one of his own order to execute his other function。 The magistrates of the prime magnitude being thus
elected; shall receive the present charge of the tribe。〃 If it be objected against this order that the magistrates to be elected by it will be men of more inferior rank than those of the hundreds; in regard that those are chosen first; it may be remembered that so were the burgesses in the former government; nevertheless the knights of the shire were men of greater quality; and the election at the hundred is made by a council of electors; of whom less cannot be expected than the discretion of naming persons fittest for those capacities; with an eye upon these to be elected at the tribe。 As for what may be objected in point of difficulty; it is demonstrable by the foregoing orders; that a man might bring 10;000 men; if there were occasion; with as much ease; and as suddenly to perform the ballot; as he can make 5;000 men; drawing them out by double files; to march a quarter of a mile。 But because at this ballot; to go up and down the field; distributing the linen pellets to every man; with which he is to ballot or give suffrage; would lose a great deal of time; therefore a man's wife; his daughters; or others; make him his provision of pellets before the ballot; and he comes into the field with a matter of a score of them in his pocket。 And now I have as good as done with the sport。 The next is The eleventh order; 〃Explaining the duties and functions of the magistrates contained in the list of the prime magnitude; and those of the hundreds; beginning with the lord high sheriff; who; over and above his more ancient offices; and those added by the former order; is the first magistrate of the phylarch; or prerogative troop。 The lord lieutenant; over and above his duty mentioned; is commander…in…chief of the musters of the youth; and second magistrate of the phylarch。 The custos rotulorum is to return the yearly muster…rolls of the tribe; as well that of the youth as of the elders; to the rolls in emporium; and is the third magistrate of the phylarch。 The censors by themselves and their sub…censors; that is; the overseers of the parishes; are to see that the respective laws of the ballot be observed in all the popular assemblies of the tribe。 They have power also to put such national ministers; as in preaching shall intermeddle with matters of government; out of their livings; except the party appeals to the phylarch; or to the Council of Religion; where in that case the censors shall prosecute。 All and every one of these magistrates; together with the justices of peace; and the jurymen of the hundreds; amounting in the whole number to threescore and six; are the prerogative troop or phylarch of the tribe。 〃The function of the phylarch or prerogative troop is fivefold: 〃First; they are the council of the tribe; and as such to govern the musters of the same according to the foregoing orders; having cognizance of what has passed in the congregation or elections made in the parishes or the hundreds; with power to punish any undue practices; or variation from their respective rules and orders; under an appeal to the Parliament。 A marri