the commonwealth of oceana-第38章

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ken　by　the　blow　in　one　of　those　cases；　or　by　herself；　while　it　startles　her　out　of　her　orders。　And　indeed　a　commonwealth　is　like　a　greyhound；　which；　having　once　coasted；　will　never　after　run　fair；　but　grow　slothful；　and　when　it　comes　to　make　a　common　practice　of　taking　nearer　ways　than　its　orders；　it　is　dissolved：　for　the　being　of　a　commonwealth　consists　in　its　orders。　Wherefore　at　this　list　you　will　be　exposed　to　danger；　if　you　have　not　provided　beforehand　for　the　safety　of　your　resort　in　the　like　cases：　nor　is　it　sufficient　that　your　resort　be　safe；　unless　it　be　as　secret　and　quick；　for　if　it　be　slow　or　open；　your　former　inconveniences　are　not　remedied。　　　　　〃Now　for　our　imitation　in　this　part；　there　is　nothing　in　experience　like　that　of　the　Council　of　Ten　in　Venice；　the　benefit　whereof　would　be　too　long　to　be　shown　in　the　whole　piece；　and　therefore　I　shall　take　but　a　pattern　out　of　Janotti。　In　the　war；　says　he；　which　the　Venetians　had　with　Florence　in　Casentin；　the　Florentines；　finding　a　necessity　in　their　affairs　far　from　any　other　inclination　in　themselves　to　ask　their　peace；　sent　ambassadors　about　it　to　Venice；　where　they　were　no　sooner　heard；　than　the　bargain　was　struck　up　by　the　Council　of　Ten：　and　everybody　admiring　（seeing　this　commonwealth　stood　upon　the　higher　ground）　what　should　be　the　reason　of　such　haste；　the　council　upon　the　return　of　the　ambassadors　imparted　letters　to　the　Senate；　whereby　it　appeared　that　the　Turks　had　newly　launched　a　formidable　fleet　against　their　State；　which；　had　it　been　understood　by　the　Florentines；　it　was　well　enough　known　they　would　have　made　no　peace。　Wherefore　the　service　of　the　Ten　was　highly　applauded　by　the　Senate；　and　celebrated　by　the　Venetians。　Whereby　may　appear　not　only　in　part　what　use　there　is　of　dictatorian　power　in　that　government；　but　that　it　is　assumed　at　the　discretion　of　that　Council；　whereas　in　this　of　Oceana　it　is　not　otherwise　intrusted　than　when　the　Senate；　in　the　election　of　nine　knights…extraordinary；　gives　at　once　the　commission；　and　takes　security　in　a　balance；　added　to　the　Council　of　War；　though　securer　before　by　the　tribunes　of　the　people　than　that　of　Venice；　which　yet　never　incurred　jealousy；　for　if　the　younger　nobility　have　been　often　girding　at　it；　that　happened　not　so　much　through　the　apprehension　of　danger　in　it　to　the　commonwealth；　as　through　the　awe　of　it　upon　themselves。　Wherefore　the　graver　have　doubtlessly　shown　their　prudence　in　the　law　whereby　the　magistracy　of　these　councillors　being　to　last　till'　their　successors　be　created；　the　council　is　established。〃

　　　　The　instructions　of　the　councils　for　their　matter　being　shown；　it　remains　that　I　show　the　instructions　for　the　manner　of　their　proceeding；　as　they　follow　in　　　　　　The　twentieth　order；　〃Containing　the　method　of　debates　to　be　observed　by　the　magistrates　and　the　councils　successively　in　order　to　a　decree　of　the　Senate。　　　　　〃The　magistrates　of　the　signory；　as　councillors　of　this　commonwealth；　shall　take　into　their　consideration　all　matters　of　state　or　of　government；　and；　having　right　to　propose　in　any　council；　may；　any　one　or　more　of　them；　propose　what　business　he　or　they　please　in　that　council　to　which　it　most　properly　belongs。　And；　that　the　councils　may　be　held　to　their　duty；　the　said　magistrates　are　superintendents　and　inspectors　of　the　same；　with　right　to　propose　to　the　Senate。　　　　　〃The　censors　have　equal　power　with　these　magistrates；　but　in　relation　to　the　Council　of　Religion　only。　　　　　〃Any　two　of　the　three　provosts　in　every　council　may　propose　to；　and　are　the　more　peculiar　proposers　of；　the　same　council；　to　the　end　that　there　be　not　only　an　inspection　and　superintendency　of　business　in　general；　but　that　every　work　be　also　committed　to　a　peculiar　hand。　　　　　〃Any　one　or　more　of　the　magistrates；　or　any　two　of　the　provosts　respectively　having　proposed；　the　council　shall　debate　the　business　so　proposed；　to　which　they　of　the　third　region　that　are　willing　shall　speak　first　in　their　order；　they　of　the　second；　next；　and　they　of　the　first；　last；　and　the　opinions　of　those　that　proposed　or　spoke；　as　they　shall　be　thought　the　most　considerable　by　the　council；　shall　be　taken　by　the　secretary　of　the　same　in　writing；　and　each　of　them　signed　with　the　name　of　the　author。　　　　　〃The　opinions　being　thus　prepared；　any　magistrate　of　the　signory；　the　censors；　or　any　two　of　the　provosts　of　that　council；　upon　this　occasion　may　assemble　the　Senate。　　　　　〃The　Senate　being　assembled；　the　opinions　（for　example；　if　they　be　four）　shall　be　read　in　their　order；　that　is；　according　to　the　order　or　dignity　of　the　magistrates　or　councillors　by　which　they　were　signed。　And　being　read；　if　any　of　the　council　introducing　them　will　speak；　they；　as　best　acquainted　with　the　business；　shall　have　precedence；　and　after　them　the　senators　shall　speak　according　to　their　regions；　beginning　by　the　third　first；　and　so　continuing　till　every　man　that　will　has　spoken；　and　when　the　opinions　have　been　sufficiently　debated；　they　shall　be　put　all　together　to　the　ballot　after　this　manner：　　　　　〃Four　secretaries；　carrying　each　of　them　one　of　the　opinions　in　one　hand；　with　a　white　box　in　the　other；　and　each　following　the　other；　according　to　the　order　of　the　opinions；　shall　present　his　box；　naming　the　author　of　his　opinion　to　every　senator；　and　one　secretary　or　ballotin　with　a　green　box　shall　follow　the　four　white　ones；　and　one　secretary　or　ballotin　with　a　red　box　shall　follow　the　green　one；　and　every　senator　shall　put　one　ball　into　some　one　of　these　six　boxes。　The　suffrage　being　gathered　and　opened　before　the　signory；　if　the　red　box　or　non…sincere　had　above　half　the　suffrages；　the　opinions　shall　be　all　cast　out；　for　the　major　part　of　the　house　is　not　clear　in　the　business。　If　no　one　of　the　four　opinions　had　above　half　the　suffrages　in　the　affirmative；　that　which　had　fewest　shall　be　cast　out；　and　the　other　three　shall　be　balloted　again。　If　no　one　of　the　three　had　above　half；　that　which　had　fewest　shall　be　cast　out；　and　the　other　two　shall　ballot　again。　If　neither　of　the　two　had　above　half；　that　which　had　fewest　shall　be　cast　out；　and　the　remaining　opinion　shall　be　balloted　again。　And　if　the　remaining　opinion　has　not　above　half；　it　shall　also　be　cast　out。　But　the　first　of　the　opinions　that　arrives　at　most　above　half　in　the　affirmative；　is　the　decree　of　the　Senate。　The　opinions　being　all　of　them　cast　out　by　the　non…sincere；　may　be　reviewed；　if　occasion　permits；　by　the　council；　and　brought　in　again。　If　they　be　cast　out　by　the　negative；　the　case　being　of　advice　only；　the　house　approves　not；　and　there　is　an　end　of　it：　the　case　being　necessary；　and　admitting　delay；　the　council　is　to　think　again　upon　the　business；　and　to　bring　in　new　opinions；　but　the　case　being　necessary；　and　not　admitting　delay；　the　Senate　immediately　electing　the　juncta　shall　create　the　Dictator。　'And　let　the　Dictator；'　as　the　Roman　saying　is；　'take　care　that　the　commonwealth　receives　no　harm。'〃　　　　　This　in　case　the　debate　concludes　not　in　a　decree。　But　if　a　decree　be　passed；　it　is　either　in　matter　of　state　or　government　according　to　law　enacted　already；　and　then　it　is　good　without　going　any　further。　or　it　is　in　matter　of　law　to　be　enacted；　repealed；　or　amended；　and　then　the　decree　of　the　Senate；　especially　if　it　be　for　a　war；　or　for　a　levy　of　men　or　money；　is　invalid；　without　the　result　of　the　commonwealth；　which　is　in　the　prerogative　tribe；　or　representative　of　the　people。　　　　　〃The　Senate　having　prepared　a　decree　to　be　proposed　to　the　people；　shall　appoint　their　proposers；　and　no　other　may　propose　for　the　Senate　to　the　people　but　the　magistrates　of　the　house；　that　is　to　say；　the　three　commissioners　of　the　seal；　or　any　two　of　them；　the　three　of　the　Treasury；　or　any　two　of　them；　or　the　two　censors。　　　　　〃The　Senate　having　appointed　their　proposers；　shall　require　of　the　tribunes　a　muster　of　the　people　at　a　set　time　and　place：　and　the　tribunes　or　any　two　of　them　having　mustered　the　people　accordingly；　the　proposers　shall　propose　the　sense　or　decree　of　the　Senate　by　clauses　to　the　people。　And　that　which　is　proposed　by　the　authority　of　the　Senate；　and　resolved　by　the　command　of　the　people；　is　the　law　of　Oceana。〃　To　this　order；　implicitly　containing　the　sum　very　near　of　the　whole　civil　part　of　the　commonweal