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第23章

the commonwealth of oceana-第23章

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 as there be companies; marked in the same manner; into a little urn; to which he shall call the captains; and the captains drawing the gold balls shall command the horse; and those that draw the silver the foot; each in the order of his lot。 The like shall be done by the conductor at the same time for the ensigns at another urn; and they that draw the gold balls shall be cornets; the left ensigns。〃     This order may puzzle the reader; but tends to a wonderful speed of the muster; to which it would be a great matter to lose a day in ranging and marshalling; whereas by virtue of this the tribe is no sooner in the field than in battalia; nor sooner in battalia than called to the urns or the ballot by virtue of      The ninth order; 〃Whereby the censors (or the orator for the first muster) upon reception of the lists of the hundreds from the high constables; according as is directed by the seventh order are to make their notes for the urns beforehand; with regard had to the lists of the magistrates; to be elected by the ensuing orders; that is to say; by the first list called the prime magnitude; six; and by the second called the galaxy; nine。 Wherefore the censors are to put into the middle urn for the election of the first list twenty…four gold balls; with twenty…six blanks or silver balls; in all sixty; and into the side urns sixty gold balls; divided into each according to the different number of the horse and foot; that is to say; if the horse and the foot be equal; equally; and if the horse and the foot be unequal; unequally; by an arithmetical proportion。 The like shall be done the second day of the muster for the second list; except that the censors shall put into the middle urn thirty…six gold balls with twenty…four blanks; in all sixty; and sixty gold balls into the side urns; divided respectively into the number of the horse and the foot; and the gold balls in the side urns at either ballot are by the addition of blanks to be brought even with the number of the ballotants at either urn respectively。 The censors having prepared their notes; as has been shown; and being come at the day appointed into the field; shall present a little urn to the lord high sheriff; who is to draw twice for the letters to be used that day; the one at the side urns; and the other at the middle。 And the censors having fitted the urns accordingly; shall place themselves in certain movable seats or pulpits (to be kept for that use in the pavilion) the first censor before the horse urn; the second before the foot urn; the lord lieutenant doing the office of censor pro tempore at the middle urn; where all and every one of them shall cause the laws of the ballot to be diligently observed; taking a special care that no man be suffered to come above once to the urn (whereof it more particularly concerns the sub…censors; that is to say; the overseers of every parish; to be careful; they being each in this regard responsible for their respective parishes) or to draw above one ball; which if it be gold; he is to present to the censor; who shall look upon the letter; and if it be not that of the day; and of the respective urn; apprehend the party; who for this or any other like disorder is obnoxious to the phylarch。〃     This order being observed by the censors; it is not possible for the people; if they can but draw the balls; though they understand nothing at all of the ballot; to be out。 To philosophize further upon this art; though there be nothing more rational; were not worth the while; because in writing it will be perplexed; and the first practice of it gives the demonstration; whence it came to pass that the orator; after some needless pains in the explanation of the two foregoing orders; betaking himself to exemplify the same; found the work done to his hand; for the tribe; as eager upon a business of this nature; had retained one of the surveyors; out of whom (before the orator arrived) they had got the whole mystery by a stolen muster; at which in order to the ballot they had made certain magistrates pro tempore。 Wherefore he found not 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

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