the commonwealth of oceana-第27节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
little better than the cattle of the nobility； you must not wonder if； according as these can make their markets with foreign princes； you find those to be driven upon your grounds。 And if you be so tender； now you have it in your power； as not to hold a hand upon them that may prevent the slaughter which must otherwise ensue in like cases； the blood will lie at your door。 But in holding such a hand upon them； you may settle the agrarian； and in settling the agrarian； you give that people not only liberty； but lands； which makes your protection necessary to their security； and their contribution due to your protection； as to their own safety。 〃For the agrarian of Panopea； it allowing such proportions of so good land； men that conceive themselves straitened by this in Oceana； will begin there to let themselves forth； where every citizen will in time have his villa。 And there is no question； but the improvement of that country by this means must be far greater than it has been in the best of former times。 〃I have no more to say； but that in those ancient and heroic ages （when men thought that to be necessary which was virtuous） the nobility of Athens； having the people so much engaged in their debt that there remained no other question among these than which of those should be king； no sooner heard Solon speak than they quitted their debts； and restored the commonwealth； which ever after held a solemn and annual feast called the Sisacthia； or Recision； in memory of that action。 Nor is this example the phoenix； for at the institution by Lycurgus； the nobility having estates （as ours here） in the lands of Laconia； upon no other valuable consideration than the commonwealth proposed by him； threw them up to be parcelled by his agrarian。 But now when no man is desired to throw up a farthing of his money； or a shovelful of his earth； and that all we can do is but to make a virtue of necessity； we are disputing whether we should have peace or war。 For peace you cannot have without some government； nor any government without the proper balance。 Wherefore if you will not fix this which you have； the rest is blood； for without blood you can bring in no other。〃
By these speeches made at the institution of the agrarian you may perceive what were the grounds of it。 The next is The fourteenth order； 〃Constituting the ballot of Venice； as it is fitted by several alterations； and appointed to every assembly； to be the constant and only way of giving suffrage in this commonwealth； according to the following scheme。〃 I shall endeavor by the following figure to demonstrate the manner of the Venetian ballot （a thing as difficult in discourse or writing； as facile in practice） according to the use of it in Oceana。 The whole figure represents the Senate； containing； as to the house or form of sitting； a square and a half； the tribunal at the upper end being ascended by four steps。 On the uppermost of these sit the magistrates that constitute the signory of the commonwealth； that is to say； A the strategus； B the orator； C the three commissioners of the great seal； D the three commissioners of the Treasury； whereof one； E； exercises for the present the office of a censor at the middle urn； F To the two upper steps of the tribunal answer G； G…G； G； the two long benches next the wall on each side of the house； the outwardmost of which are equal in height to the uppermost step； and the innermost equal in height to the next。 Of these four benches consists the first seal； as the second seat consists in like manner of those four benches H； H…H； H； which being next the floor； are equal in height to the two nethermost steps of the throne。 So the whole house is distributed into two seats； each consisting of four benches。 This distribution causes not only the greater conveniency； as will be shown； to the senators in the exercise of their function at the ballot； but a greater grace to the aspect of the Senate。 In the middle of the outward benches stand I； 12 the chairs of the censors； those being their ordinary places； though upon occasion of the ballot they descend； and sit where they are shown by K； K at each of the outward urns L； L。 Those M； M that sit with their tables； and the bowls N； N before them； upon the halfspace or second step of the tribunal from the floor； are the clerks or secretaries of the house。 Upon the short seats O； O on the floor （which should have been represented by woolsacks） sit： P； the two tribunes of the horse。 Q； the two tribunes of the foot； and R； R…R； R the judges； all which magistrates are assistants； but have no suffrage。 This posture of the Senate considered； the ballot is performed as follows： First； whereas the gold balls are of several suits； and accordingly marked with several letters of the alphabet； a secretary presents a little urn （wherein there is one ball of every suit or mark） to the strategus and the orator； and look what letter the strategus draws； the same and no other is to be used for that time in the middle urn F； the like for the letter drawn by the orator is to be observed for the side urns L； L； that is to say if the strategus drew a ball with an A； all the gold balls in the middle urn for that day are marked with the letter A； and if the orator drew a B； all the gold balls in the side urn for that day are marked with the letter B； which done immediately before the ballot； and so the letter unknown to the ballotants； they can use no fraud or juggling； otherwise a man might carry a gold ball in his hand； and seem to have drawn it out of an urn。 He that draws a gold ball at any urn； delivers it to the censor or assessor of that urn； who views the character； and allows accordingly of his lot。 The strategus and the orator having drawn for the letters； the urns are prepared accordingly by one of the commissioners and the two censors。 The preparation of the urns is After this manner。 If the Senate be to elect； for example； the list called the tropic of magistrates； which is this：
1。 The Lord Strategus； 2。 The Lord Orator； 3。 The Third Commissioner of the Great Seal； 4。 The Third Commissioner of the Treasury； 5。 The First Censor； 6。 The Second Censor；
this list or schedule consists of six magistracies； and to every magistracy there are to be four competitors； that is； in all four…and…twenty competitors proposed to the house。 They that are to propose the competitors are called electors； and no elector can propose above one competitor： wherefore for the proposing of four…and…twenty competitors you must have four…and…twenty electors； and whereas the ballot consists of a lot and of a suffrage； the lot is for no other use than for the designation of electors； and he that draws a gold ball at the middle urn is an elector。 Now； as to have four…and…twenty competitors proposed； you must have four…and…twenty electors made； so to have four…and…twenty electors made by lot； you must have four…and…twenty gold balls in the middle urn； and these （because otherwise it would be no lot） mixed with a competent number of blanks； or silver balls。 Wherefore to the four…and…twenty gold balls cast six…and…twenty silver ones； and those （reckoning the blanks with the prizes） make fifty balls in the middle urn。 This done （because no man can come to the middle urn that has not first drawn a gold ball at one of the side urns） and to be sure that the prizes or gold balls in this urn be all drawn； there must come to it fifty persons； therefore there must be in each of the side urns five…and…twenty gold balls； which in both come to fifty； and to the end that every senator may have his lot； the gold balls in the side urns are to be made up with blanks equal to the number of the ballotants at either urn； for example； the house consisting of 300 senators； there must be in each of the side urns 125 blanks and twenty…five prizes； which come in both the side urns to 300 balls。 This is the whole mystery of preparing the urns； which the censors having skill to do accordingly； the rest of the ballot； whether the parties balloting understand it or not must of necessary consequence come right； and they can neither be out； nor fall into any confusion in the exercise of this art。 But the ballot； as I said； is of two parts； lot and suffrage； or the proposition and result。 The lot determines who shall propose the competitors； and the result of the Senate； which of the competitors shall be the magistrates。 The whole； to begin with the lot； proceeds in this manner： The first secretary with an audible voice reads first the list of the magistrates to be chosen for the day； then the oath for fair election； at which the senators hold up their hands； which done； another secretary presents a little urn to the strategus； in which are four balls； each of them having one of these four inscriptions： 〃First seat at the upper end；〃 〃First seat at the lower end；〃 〃Second seat at the upper end；〃 〃Second seat at the lower end。〃 And look which of them the strategus draws； the secretary pronouncing the inscription with a loud voice； the seat so called comes accordingly to the urns： this in the figure is the second seat at the upper end。 The manner of their coming to the side urns is in double files； that being two holes in
