names if they write matters of fact 't is a sign they cannot make them good and all men are agreed to reject their Testimony except such as resolve to deny others common justice but the ill opinion of these prejudic'd persons can no more injure any man than their good opinion will do him honor Besides other reasons of mentioning my suppos'd designs one is to disabuse several people who as I am told are made to believe that in the History of SOCRATES I draw a Parallel between that Philosopher and JESUS CHRIST This is a most scandalous and unchristian calumny as will more fully appear to the world whenever the Book it self is publish'd for that I have bin som time about it I freely avow yet not in the manner those officious Informers report but as becoms a disinterested Historian and a friend to all mankind The Inscription on the Monument of Sir JAMES HARRINGTON and his three Sons at Exton in Rutlandshire HERE lieth Sir James Harrington of Exton Kt. with a And Sister to Sir Philip Sidney Kt. Lucy his Wife Daughter to Sir William Sidney Kt. by whom he had 18 Children wherof three Sons and 8 Daughters marry'd as follows THE eldest Son Sir b Who was afterwards created Ld Harrington and his Lady was Governess to the Queen of Bohemia His Family is extinct as to Heirs Male One of his Daughters was marry'd to the Earl of Bedford and was Groom of the Stole to Q. Ann. The other was marry'd to a Scotch Lord whose name was Lord Bruce Earl of Elgin his Grandson now Lord Alisbury John marry'd the Heiress of Robert Keylwoy Surveyor of the Court of Wards and Liverys The 2 d Son Sir c Who happen'd to be President of Ireland and from him descended my Lady Fretchavil's Father my Lady Morison and my Lord Falkland's Lady Henry took to Wife one of the Coheirs of Francis Agar one of his Majesty's Privy Council in Ireland the 3 d Son James d Afterwards Baronet To him were born Sir Edward Harrington Sir Sapcotes Harrington and Mr. John Harrington who had Issue both Sons and Daughters Harrington Esq had to Wife one of the Coheirs of Robert Sapcotes Esq The eldest Daughter Elizabeth was married to Sir Edward e Who was Father to the Lord Montague the Earl of Manchester and Lord Privy Seal and Sir Sidney Montague who was afterwards created Earl of Sandwich and to the Earl of Rutlana's Lady and Judg Montague Montague Kt. The 2 d Frances to Sir William f Who was afterwards created Lord Chichester and Earl of Dunsmore and marry'd one of his Daughters to the Earl of Southamton by whom he had the present Lady Northumberland And his other Daughter marry'd her self to Col. Villâ—rs and is now Governess to the Lady Mary the Duke of York's eldest Daughter Lee Kt. The 3 d Margaret to Don g Which Dukedom afterwards fell to him and by this Lady he had one sole Daughter and Heir who is said to have marry'd the Duke of Ferio and by him to have had one Daughter who is marry'd to a King of Portugal Bonitto de Sisnores of Spain of the Family of the Dukes of Frantasquo The 4 th Katherine to Sir Edward h Of Lincolnshire the King's Standard-bearer Dimmock Kt. The 5 th Mary to Sir Edward i An antient noble Family in Kent Wingâ—ield Kt. The 6 th Maball to Sir Andrew k Now Lord Cambden Owner of the place where this Monument is â—oell Kt. The 7 th Surah was marry'd to the Lord Hastings Heir to the Earl of Huntingdon The 8 th Theodosia l One of whose Daughters marry'd the Earl of Hume in Scotland and had by him two Daughters one married my Lord Morrice and the other my Lord Maitland now Duke of Lauderdale The other Daughter of my Lady Dudley was Heir to the Honour of Dudley Castle of whose Issue by the Mother's side is the present Lord Dudley to the Lord Dudley of Dudley Castle THE same Sir James and Lucy were marry'd fifty years She died first in the 72 d year of her Age he shortly after yielded to Nature being 80 years old in the year of our Lord 1591 and of Queen Elizabeth's Reign 34. their Son James being made sole Executor to them both who that he might as well perform to his Parents their Rites as leave a Testimony of his own Piety to Posterity hath erected and dedicated this Monument to their eternal Memory The Mechanics of Nature OR An Imperfect Treatise written by JAMES HARRINGTON during his sickness to prove against his Doctors that the Notions he had of his own Distemper were not as they alleg'd Hypocondriac Whimsys or Delirious Fancys The PREFACE HAVING bin about nine months som say in a Disease I in a Cure I have bin the wonder of Physicians and they mine not but that we might have bin reconcil'd for Books I grant if they keep close to Nature must be good ones but I deny that Nature is bound to Books I am no study'd Naturalist having long since given over that Philosophy as inscrutable and incertain for thus I thought with my self Nature to whom it is given to work as it were under her Veil or behind the Curtain is the Art of God now if there be Arts of Men who have wrought openly enough to the understanding for example that of TITIAN nevertheless whose excellency I shall never reach How shall I thus sticking in the Bark at the Arts of Men be able to look thence to the Roots or dive into the Abyss of things in the Art of God And nevertheless Si placidum caput undis extulerit should Nature afford me a sight of her I do not think so meanly of my self but that I would know her as soon as another tho more learn'd man Laying therfore Arts wholly and Books almost all aside I shall truly deliver to the world how I felt and saw Nature that is how she came first into my senses and by the senses into my understanding Yet for the sake of my Readers and also for my own I must invert the order of my Discourse For theirs because till I can speak to men that have had the same Sensations with my self I must speak to such as have a like understanding with others For my own because being like in this Discourse to be the Monky that play'd at Chess with his Master I have need of som Cushion on my head that being in all I have spoken hitherto more laid at than my Reason My Discourse then is to consist of two parts the first in which I appeal to his understanding who will use his Reason is a Platform of Nature drawn out in certain Aphorisms and the second in which I shall appeal to his senses who in a Disease very common will make further trial is a Narrative of my Case A Platform or Scheme of Nature 1. NATURE is the Fiat the Breath and in the
most of his Materials are pleas'd to bestow on them there being no mention of the name of Scot in any Authentic Writer till four hundred years after CHRIST No we shall no more envy these old Heroes to them than their placing the Red Lion in the dexter Point of their Escucheon But tho we might in justice reject them as fabulous and monkish yet since they themselves acknowlege them and they equally make against them we shall run them over like genuin History The first of this blessed Race was FERGUS first General and afterward got himself made King but no sooner cast away on the Coast of Ireland but a Contention arises about the validity of their Oath to him and Uncles are appointed to succede which argues it Elective so FERITHARIS Brother to FERGUS is King but his Nephew forms a Conspiracy against him forces him to resign and fly to the Iles where he dy'd FERITHARIS dying soon after was suspected to be poison'd After him coms in MAIN FERGUS'S second Son who with his Son DORNADILLA reign'd quietly fifty seven years But REUTHER his Son not being of age the People make his Uncle NOTHAT take the Government but he misruling REUTHER by the help of one DOUAL rais'd a Party against him and beheads him makes himself King with the indignation of the People that he was not elected so that by the Kindred of NOTHAT he is fought taken and displac'd but afterwards makes a Party and regainâ— His Son THEREUS was too young so that his Brother RHEUTHA succeeded but after seventeen years was glad to resign Well THEREUS reigns but after six years declines to such Leudness that they force him to fly and govern by a Prorex After his Death JOSINA his Brother and his Son FINAN are Kings and quietly dy so BUT then coms DURST one who slays all the Nobility at a Banquet and is by the People slain After his Death the validity of the Oath to FERGUS is call'd in question and the elective Power vindicated but at length EVEN his Brother is admitted who tho he rul'd valiantly and well yet he had GILLUS a Bastard Son Vafer Regni cupidus The next of the Line are Twins DOCHAM and DORGAL Sons of DURST they while they disputed about priority of Age are by the artifice of GILLUS slain in a Tumult who makes a strong Party and seizing of a Hold says he was made Supervisor by his Father and so becoms King cuts off all the Race of DURST but is after forc'd out of the Kingdom and taken by EVEN the Second his Successor who was chosen by the People and by him put to death in Ireland After EVEN coms EDER after EDER his Son EVEN the Third who for making a Law that the Nobility should have the enjoyment of all new marry'd Women before they were touch'd by their Husbands was doom'd to Prison during his Life and there strangl'd His Successor was his Kinsman METELLAN after whom was elected CARATAC whom his Brother CORBRET succeded But then came DARDAN whom the Lords made to take on him the Government by reason of the Nonage of CORBRET'S Son who for his Leudness was taken by the People and beheaded AFTER him CORBRET the Second whose Son LUCTAC for his Leudness was by the People put to death then was elected MOGALD who following his vitious Predecessors steps found his Death like theirs violent HIS Son CONAR one of the Conspirators against him succeded but misgoverning was clapt in Prison and there dy'd ETHODIUS his Sister's Son succeded who was slain in the night in his Chamber by his Piper HIS Son being a Minor SATRAEL his Brother was accepted who seeking to place the Succession in his own Line grew so hateful to the People that not daring to com abroad he was strangl'd in the night by his own Servants which made way for the youngest Brother DONALD who outdid the others Vices by contrary Virtues and had a happy Reign of one and twenty years ETHODIUS the Second Son of the first of that name was next a dull inactive Prince Familiarium tumultu occisus HIS Son ATHIRCO promis'd fair but deceiv'd their expectations with most horrid Leudness and at length vitiated the Daughters of NATHALOCK a Nobleman and caus'd them to be whipt before his eys but seeing himself surrounded by Conspirators eluded their Fury with his own Sword his Brother and Children being forc'd to fly to the Picts NATHALOCK turning his Injury into Ambition made himself King and govern'd answerably for he made most of the Nobility to be strangl'd under pretence of calling them to Council and was after slain by his own Servants AFTER his Death ATHIRCO'S Children were call'd back and FINDOC his Son being of excellent hopes accepted who made good what his Youth promis'd he beat in sundry Battels DONALD the Ilander who seeing he could not prevail by force sent two as Renegados to the King who being not accepted conspire with his Brother by whose means one of them slew him with a Spear when he was hunting HIS Brother DONALD succedes the youngest of the three who about to revenge his Brother's Death hears the Ilander is enter'd Marray whom he incountring with inequal Forces is taken Prisoner with thirty of the Nobility and whether of Grief or his Wounds dy's in Prison THE Ilander that had before usurp'd the Name now assum'd the Power the Nobles by reason of their kindred Prisoners being over-aw'd This man wanting nothing of an exquisit Tyrant was aster twelve years Butcherys slain by CRATHLINTH Son of FINDOC who under a disguise found Address and Opportunity The brave Tyrannicid was universally accepted and gave no cause of Repentance his Reign is famous for a War begun between the Scots and Picts about a Dog as that between the Trojans and Italians for a white Hart and the defection of CARAUSIUS from DIOCLESIAN which happen'd in his time HIS Kinsman FINCORMAC succeded worthy of memory for little but the Piety of the Culdys an Order of religious Men of that time overborn by others succeding He being dead three Sons of his three Brothers contended for the Crown ROMACH as the eldest strengthen'd by his Alliance with the Picts with their assistance seiz'd on it forcing others to fly but proving cruel the Nobility conspir'd and slew him ANGUSIAN another Pretender succedes who being assail'd by NECTHAM King of the Picts who came to revenge ROMACH routed his Army in a pitcht Battel but NECTHAM coming again he was routed and both he and NECTHAM slain FETHELMAC the third Pretender came next who beating the Picts and wasting their Fields HERGUST when he saw there could be no advantage by the Sword suborn'd two Picts to murder him who drawing to conspiracy the Piper that lay in his Chamber as the manner was then he at the appointed time admitted them and there slew him THE next was EVGEN Son of FINCORMAC who was slain in a Battel with the Picts to the almost extirpation and banishment of the
years and yet die in peace ALEXANDER his Son succeded famous for little except som Expeditions against our King JOHN som Insurrections and a Reign two years longer than his Father's His Son was the third of that name a Boy of eight years old whose Minority was infested with the turbulent CUMMINS who when he was of age being call'd to account not only refus'd to appear but surpriz'd him at Sterling governing him at their pleasure But soon after he was awak'd by a furious Invasion of ACHO King of Norway under the pretence of som Islands given him by MACBETH whom he forc'd to accept a Peace and spent the latter part amidst the Turbulencys of the Priests drunk at that time with their Wealth and Ease and at last having seen the continu'd Funerals of his Sons DAVID ALEXANDER his Wife and his Daughter he himself with a fall from Horse broke his neck leaving of all his Race only a Grandchild by his Daughter which dy'd soon after THIS Man's Family being extinguish'd they were forc'd to run to another Line which that we may see how happy an expedient immediat Succession is for the Peace of the Kingdom and what Miseries it prevents I shall as briefly and as pertinently as I can set down DAVID Brother to K. WILLIAM had three Daughters MARGARET married to ALLAN Lord of Galloway ISABEL married to ROBERT BRUCE Lord of Annandale and Cleveland ADA married to HENRY HASTINGS Earl of Huntingdon Now ALLAN begot on his Wife DORNADILLA married to JOHN BALIOL afterwards King of Scotland and two other Daughters BRUCE on his Wife got ROBERT BRUCE Earl of Carick having married the Heretrix therof As for HUNTINGDON he desisted his claim The question is whether BALIOL in right of the eldest Daughter or BRUCE being com of the second but a Man should have the Crown he being in the same degree and of the more worthy Sex The Controversy being tost up and down at last was refer'd to EDWARD the First of that name King of England He thinking to fish in these troubled waters stirs up eight other Competitors the more to entangle the business and with twenty four Counsellors half English half Scots and abundance of Lawyers fit enough to perplex the matter so handled the business after cunning delays that at length he secretly tampers with BRUCE who was then conceiv'd to have the better right of the business that if he would acknowlege the Crown of him he would adjudg it for him but he generously answering that he valu'd a Crown at a less rate than for it to put his Country under a foren Yoke He made the same motion to BALIOL who accepted it and so we have a King again by what Right we all see but it is good reason to think that Kings com they by their Power never so unjustly may justly keep it BALIOL having thus got a Crown as unhappily kept it for no sooner was he crown'd and had don homage to EDWARD but the ABERNETHYS having slain MACDUF Earl of Fife he not only pardon'd them but gave them a piece of Land in controversy wherupon MACDUF'S Brother complains against him to EDWARD who makes him rise from his Seat in Parlament and go to the Bar He hereupon enrag'd denies EDWARD assistance against the French and renounces his Homage EDWARD immediatly coms to Berwiâ— takes and kills seven thousand most of the Nobility of Fife and Lowthian and afterwards gave them a great Defeat at Dunbar whose Castle instantly surrender'd After this he march'd to Montrose where BALIOL resign'd himself and Crown all the Nobility giving homage to EDWARD BALIOL is sent Prisoner to London and from thence after a years detention into France While EDWARD was possest of all Scotland one WILLIAM WALLACE arose who being a privat man bestir'd himself in the Calamity of his Country and gave the English several notable foils EDWARD coming again with an Army beat him that was already overcom with Envy and Emulation as well as Power upon which he laid by his Command and never acted more but only in slight Incursions But the English being beaten at Roslin EDWARD coms in again takes Sterling and makes them all render Homage but at length BRUCE seeing all his Promises nothing but smoke enters into League with CUMMIN to get the Kingdom but being betray'd by him to EDWARD he stab'd CUMMIN at Drumfreis and made himself King This man tho he came with disadvantage yet wanted neither Patience Courage nor Conduct so that after he had miserably lurk'd in the Mountains he came down and gathering together som Force gave our EDWARD the Second such a defeat near Sterling as Scotland never gave the like to our Nation and continu'd the War with various fortune with the Third till at last Age and Leprosy brought him to his Grave His Son DAVID a Boy of eight years inherited that which he with so much danger obtain'd and wisdom kept In his Minority he was govern'd by THOMAS RANDOLF Earl of Murray whose severity in punishing was no less dreaded than his Valor had bin honor'd But he soon after dying of poison and EDWARD BALIOL Son of JOHN coming with a Fleet and stâ—engthn'd with the assistance of the English and som Robbers the Governor the Earl of Mar was routed so that BALIOL makes himself King and DAVID was glad to retire into France Amidst these Parties EDWARD the Third backing BALIOL was Scotland miserably torn and the BRUCES in a manner extinguish'd till ROBERT after King with them of Argile and his own Family and Friends began to renew the claim and bring it into a War again which was carried on by ANDREW MURRAY the Governor and afterwards by himself So that DAVID after nine years banishment durst return where making frequent Incursions he at length in the fourth year of his return march'd into England and in the Bishoprick of Durham was routed and fled to an obscure Bridg shew'd to this day by the Inhabitants There he was by JOHN COPLAND taken prisoner where he continu'd nine years and in the thirty ninth year of his Reign he dy'd ROBERT his Sisters Son whom he had intended to put by succedes and first brought the STUARTS which at this day are a plague to the Nation into play This man after he was King whether it were Age or Sloth did little but his Lieutenants and the English were perpetually in action He left his Kingdom to JOHN his Bastard Son by the Lady MORE his Concubin whom he marry'd either to legitimat the three Children as the manner was then he had by her or else for old Acquaintance his Wife and her Husband dying much about time This JOHN would be crown'd by the name of ROBERT his own they say being unhappy for Kings a wretched inactive Prince lame and only govern'd by his brother WALTER who having DAVID the Prince upon complaint of som Exorbitancys deliver'd to his care caus'd him to be starv'd upon which the King intending to send
that they were forc'd to bring him in a Horslitter to Edinburg where she cherish'd him extremely till the credulous young man began to lay aside suspicion and to hope better So she puts him into a ruinous house near the Palace from whence no news can be had brings in her own bed and lys in the house with him and at length when the design was ripe causes him one Sunday night with his Servant to be strangl'd thrown out of the Window and the house to be blown up with Gunpowder her own rich Bed having bin before secretly convey'd away This and other performances made her favor upon BOTHWEL so hot that she must marry him the only obstacle was he had a Wife already but she was compel'd to sue for a Divorce which so great Persons being concern'd it was a wonder it should be granting so long as ten days Well she marrys but the more honest Nobility amaz'd at those Exorbitancys assemble together and with Arms in their hands begin to expostulat The newmarry'd Couple are forc'd to make back Southwards where finding but slender assistance and the Queen foolishly coming from Dunbar to Leith was glad at last to delay a parly till her Dear was escap'd and then clad in an old tatter'd coat to yield her self a Prisoner BEING brought to Edinburg and us'd rather with hate of her former Enormitys than pity of her present Fortune she receiv'd a Message that she must either resign the Crown to her Son JAMES that was born in the time of her marriage with DARNLY or else they would procede to another Election and was forc'd to obey So the Child then in his Cradle was acknowleg'd JAMES the Sixth better known afterwards by the Title of Great Britain THE wretched Mother flying after into England was entertain'd tho with a Guard by Queen ELIZABETH but after that being suborn'd by the Papists and exasperated by the GUIZES she enter'd into Plots and Machinations so inconsistent with the Safety of England that by an Act of Parlament she was condemn'd to death which she receiv'd by a Hatchet at Fotheringay Castle THE Infancy of her Son was attended with those domestic Evils that accompany the Minority of Kings In his Youth he took to Wife the Daughter of Denmark a Woman I hear little of saving the Character SALUST gives SEMPRONIA that she could dance better than became a virtuous Woman with whom he supposing the Earl GOWRY too much in League caus'd him and his Brother to be slain at their own house whither he was invited he giving out that they had an intent to murder him and that by miracle and the assistance of som men whom he had instructed for that purpose and taught their tale he escap'd For this Deliverance or to say better Assassination he blasphem'd God with a solemn Thanksgiving once a Year all the remainder of his Life WELL had it bin for us if our Forefathers had laid hold of that happy opportunity of ELIZABETH'S Death in which the TEUTHORS took a period to have perform'd that which perhaps in due punishment has cost us so much blood and sweat and not have bow'd under the sway of a Stranger disdain'd by the most generous and wise at that time and only supported by the Faction of som and the Sloth of others who brought but a slender Title and however the flattery of the times cry'd him up for a SOLOMON weak Commendations for such an advancement HIS Title stood thus MARGARET eldest Daughter to HENRY the Seventh was marry'd to JAMES the Fourth whose Son JAMES the Fifth had MARY the Mother of JAMES the Sixth MARGARET after her first Husband's death marrys ARCHIBALD DOUGLAS Earl of Angus who upon her begot MARGARET Wife of MATTHEW Earl of Lenox and Mother of that HENRY DARNLY whose tragical End we just now mention'd Now upon this slender Title and our internal Dissensions for the Cecilians and Essexians for several ends made perpetual Applications got JAMMY from a Revenue of 30000 l. to one of almost two Millions tho there were others that had as fair pretences and what else can any of them make the Statute of 25 Edw. 3. expresly excluding Foreners from the Crown and so the Children of CHARLES BRANDON by MARY the second Daughter Dowager of France being next to com in And the Lady ARABELLA being sprung from a third Husband the Lord STUART of the said MARGARET and by a Male Line carry'd surely so formidable a pretension it should seem that even that Iniquity which was personally inherent to her made her days very unhappy and for most part captive and her death 't is thought somwhat too early so cruel are the Persecutions of cowardly minds even against the weakest and most unprotected Innocence AND indeed his Right to the Crown was so unsatisfactory even to the most judicious of those days that TOBY MATTHEWS having suit about som Privileges which he claim'd to his Bishoprick which was then Durham wherin the King oppos'd him and having one day stated the Case before som of his Friends who seem'd to approve of it yes says he I could wish he had but half so good a Title to the Crown And 't is known that some Speeches of Sir WALTER RAWLEY too generous and English for the times was that which brought him to Trial and Condemnation for a seign'd Crime and afterwards so facilitated that barbarous Design of GUNDAMAR to cut of his Head for a Crime for which he was condemn'd fourteen years before and which by the Commissions he after receiv'd according to the opinion of the then Lord Chancellor and the greatest Lawyers was in Law pardon'd THIS may appear besides our purpose but we could not sever this consideration unless we would draw him with a half face and leave as much in umbrage as we exprest That which most solemniz'd his Person was first the consideration of his adhering to the Protestant Religion wheras we are to consider that those slight Velitations he had with BELLARMIN and the Romanists tended rather to make his own Authority more intrinsically intense and venerable than to confute any thing they said for he had before shak'd them of as to foren Jurisdiction and for matter of Popery it appear'd in his latter time that he was no such enemy to it both by his own compliances with the Spanish Embassadors the design of the Spanish Match in which his Son was personally imbarkt and the slow assistances sent to his Daughter in whose safety and protection Protestantism was at that time so much concern'd FOR his Knowlege he had some glancings and niblings which the Severity of the excellent BUCHANAN forc'd into him in his younger time and after conversation somwhat polish'd But tho I bear not so great a contemt to his other Works as BEN JOHNSON did to his Poetry yet if they among many others were going to the fire they would not be one of the first I should rescue as possibly expecting a more severe
he shall not leave or give to any one of them in Marriage or otherwise for her Portion above the value of one thousand five hundred Pounds in Lands Goods and Monys Nor shall any Friend Kinsman or Kinswoman add to her or their Portion or Portions that are so provided for to make any one of them greater Nor shall any man demand or have more in marriage with any Woman Nevertheless an Heiress shall enjoy her lawful Inheritance and a Widow whatsoever the Bounty or Affection of her Husband shall bequeath to her to be divided in the first Generation wherin it is divisible according as has bin shewn SECONDLY For Lands lying and being within the Territorys of Marpesia the Agrarian shall hold in all parts as it is establish'd in Oceana except only in the Standard or Proportion of Estates in Land which shall be set for Marpesia at five hundred Pounds And THIRDLY For Panopea the Agrarian shall hold in all parts as in Oceana And whosoever possessing above the proportion allow'd by these Laws shall be lawfully convicted of the same shall forfeit the Overplus to the use of the State AGRARIAN Laws of all others have ever bin the greatest Bugbears and so in the Institution were these at which time it was ridiculous to see how strange a fear appear'd in every body of that which being good for all could hurt no body But instead of the proof of this Order I shall out of those many Debates that happen'd e're it could be past insert two Speeches that were made at the Council of Legislators the first by the Right Honorable PHILAUTUS DE GARBO a young Man being Heir apparent to a very Noble Family and one of the Counsillors who exprest himself as follows May it please your Highness my Lord ARCHON of Oceana IF I did not to my capacity know from how profound a Counsillor I dissent it would certainly be no hard task to make it as light as the day First That an Agrarian is altogether unnecessary Secondly That it is dangerous to a Commonwealth Thirdly That it is insufficient to keep out Monarchy Fourthly That it ruins Familys Fifthly That it destroys Industry And last of all that tho it were indeed of any good use it will be a matter of such difficulty to introduce in this Nation and so to settle that it may be lasting as is altogether invincible FIRST That an Agrarian is unnecessary to a Commonwealth what clearer Testimony can there be than that the Commonwealths which are our Cotemporarys Venice to which your Highness gives the upper hand of all Antiquity being one have no such thing And there can be no reason why they have it not seeing it is in the Soverain Power at any time to establish such an Order but that they need it not wherfore no wonder if ARISTOTLE who pretends to be a good Commonwealthsman has long since derided PHALEAS to whom it was attributed by the Greecs for his invention SECONDLY That an Agrarian is dangerous to a Common-wealth is affirm'd upon no slight Authority seeing MACCHIAVEL is positive that it was the Dissension which happen'd about the Agrarian that caus'd the Destruction of Rome nor do I think that it did much better in Lacedemon as I shall shew anon THIRDLY That it is insufficient to keep out Monarchy cannot without impiety be deny'd the holy Scriptures bearing witness that the Commonwealth of Israel notwithstanding her Agrarian submitted her neck to the arbitrary Yoke of her Princes FOURTHLY Therfore to com to my next Assertion That it is destructive to Familys this also is so apparent that it needs pity rather than proof Why alas do you bind a Nobility which no Generation shall deny to have bin the first that freely sacrific'd their Blood to the antient Libertys of this People on an unholy Altar Why are the People taught That their Liberty which except our noble Ancestors had bin born must have long since bin bury'd cannot now be born except we be bury'd A Common-wealth should have the innocence of the Dove Let us leave this purchase of her Birth to the Serpent which eats it self out of the womb of its Mother FIFTHLY But it may be said perhaps that we are fallen from our first Love becom proud and idle It is certain my Lords that the hand of God is not upon us for nothing But take heed how you admit of such assaults and sallys upon Mens Estates as may slacken the Nerve of Labor and give others also reason to believe that their Sweat is vain or else whatsoever be pretended your Agrarian which is my Fifth Assertion must indeed destroy Industry For that so it did in Lacedemon is most apparent as also that it could do no otherwise where every Man having his 40 Quarters of Barly with Wine proportionable supply'd him out of his own Lot by his Laborer or Helot and being confin'd in that to the scantling above which he might not live there was not any such thing as a Trade or other Art except that of War in exercise Wherfore a Spartan if he were not in Arms must sit and play with his fingers whence insu'd perpetual War and the Estate of the City being as little capable of increase as that of the Citizens her inevitable Ruin Now what better ends you can propose to your selves in the like ways I do not so well see as I perceive that there may be worse For Lacedemon yet was free from Civil War But if you imploy your Citizens no better than she did I cannot promise you that you shall fare so well because they are still desirous of War that hope it may be profitable to them and the strongest Security you can give of Peace is to make it gainful Otherwise Men will rather chuse that wherby they may break your Laws than that wherby your Laws may break them Which I speak not so much in relation to the Nobility or such as would be holding as to the People or them that would be getting the passion in these being so much the stronger as a Man's felicity is weaker in the fruition of things than in their prosecution and increase TRULY my Lords it is my fear that by taking of more hands and the best from Industry you will further indamage it than can be repair'd by laying on a few and the worst while the Nobility must be forc'd to send their Sons to the Plow and as if this were not enough to marry their Daughters also to Farmers SIXTHLY But I do not see to com to the last point how it is possible that this thing should be brought about to your good I mean tho it may to the destruction of many For that the Agrarian of Israel or that of Lacedemon might stand is no such miracle the Lands without any consideration of the former Proprietor being survey'd and cast into equal Lots which could neither be bought nor sold nor multiply'd so that they knew wherabout to have a Man But
besides their Beauty view'd and try'd at the Tower of Emporium shall be expos'd by the Justice of Peace appertaining to that Hundred the said Justice with the Jurymen being Judges of the Game and the Judges shall deliver to the Horsman that gains the Prize at the Career one sute of Arms being of the value of twenty Pounds to the Pikeman that gains the Prize at throwing the Bullet one sute of Arms of the value of ten Pounds to the Musketeer that gains the Prize at the Mark with his Musket one sute of Arms of the value of ten Pounds and to the Cannoneer that gains the Prize at the mark with the Cannon Culverin or Saker a Chain of Silver being of the value of ten Pounds provided that no one man at the same Muster plays above one of the Prizes Whosoever gains a Prize is bound to wear it if it be his lot upon Service and no man shall sell or give away any Armor thus won except he has lawfully attain'd to two or more of them at the Games THE Games being ended and the Muster dismist the Captain of the Troop or Company shall repair with a Copy of the List to the Lord Lieutenant of the Tribe and the High Constable with a Duplicat of the same to the Custos Rotulorum or Mustermaster General to be also communicated to the Censors in each of which the Jurymen giving a note upon every name of an only Son shall certify that the List is without subterfuge or evasion or if it be not an account of those upon whom the Evasion or Subterfuge lys to the end that the Phylarch or the Censors may animadvert accordingly AND every Wednesday next insuing the last of February the Lord Lieutenant Custos Rotulorum the Censors and the Conductor shall receive the whole Muster of the Youth of that Tribe at the Rendevouz of the same distributing the Horse and Foot with their Officers according to the Directions given in the like case for the distribution of the Elders and the whole Squadron being put by that means in Battalia the second Game of this Commonwealth shall begin by the exercise of the Youth in all the parts of their military Disciplin according to the Orders of Parlament or direction of the Council of War in that case And the hundred Pounds allow'd by the Parlament for the Ornament of the Muster in every Tribe shall be expended by the Phylarch upon such artificial Castles Citadels or the like Devices as may make the best and most profitable sport for the Youth and their Spectators Which being ended the Censors having prepar'd the Vrns by putting into the Horse Vrn 220 Gold Balls wherof ten are to be mark'd with the letter M and other ten with the letter P into the Foot Vrn 700 Gold Balls wherof 50 are to be mark'd with the letter M and 50 with the letter P and after they have made the Gold Balls in each Vrn by the addition of Silver Balls to the same in number equal with the Horse and Foot of the Stratiots the Lord Lieutenant shall call the Stratiots to the Vrns where they that draw the Silver Balls shall return to their places and they that draw the Gold Balls shall fall off to the Pavilion where for the space of one hour they may chop and change their Balls according as one can agree with another whose Lot he likes better But the hour being out the Conductor separating them whose Gold Balls have no letter from those whose Balls are mark'd shall cause the Cryer to call the Alphabet as first A wherupon all they whose Gold Balls are not mark'd and whose sirnames begin with the letter A shall repair to a Clerc appertaining to the Custos Rotulorum who shall first take the names of that letter then those of B and so on till all the names be alphabetically inrol'd And the Youth of this List being six hundred Foot in a Tribe that is 30000 Foot in all the Tribes and two hundred Horse in a Tribe that is 10000 Horse in all the Tribes are the second Essay of the Stratiots and the standing Army of this Commonwealth to be always ready upon command to march They whose Balls are mark'd with M amounting by 20 Horse and 50 Foot in a Tribe to 2500 Foot and 500 Horse in all the Tribes and they whose Balls are mark'd with P in every point correspondent are parts of the third Essay they of M being straight to march for Marpesia and they of P for Panopea to the ends and according to the further directions following in the Order for the provincial Orbs. IF the Polemarchs or Field Officers be elected by the scrutiny of the Council of War and the Strategus commanded by the Parlament or the Dictator to march the Lords Lieutenants who have power to muster and disciplin the Youth so often as they receive Orders for the same from the Council of War are to deliver the second Essay or so many of them as shall be commanded to the Conductors who shall present them to the Lord Strategus at the time and place appointed by his Excellency to be the general Rendevou of Oceana where the Council of War shall have the accommodation of Horses and Arms for his men in readiness and the Lord Strategus having arm'd mounted and distributed them whether according to the recommendation of their Prize Arms or otherwise shall lead them away to his Shipping being also ready and provided with Victuals Ammunition Artillery and all other necessarys commanding them and disposing of the whole Conduct of the War by his sole Power and Authority And this is the third Essay of the Stratiots which being ship'd or march'd out of their Tribes the Lord Lieutenants shall reelect the second Essay out of the remaining part of the first and the Senat another Strategus IF any Veteran or Veterans of this Nation the term of whose Youth or Militia is expir'd having a desire to be entertain'd in the further service of the Commonwealth shall present him or themselves at the Rendevou of Oceana to the Strategus it is in his power to take on such and so many of them as shall be agreed by the Polemarchs and to send back an equal number of the Stratiots AND for the better managing of the proper Forces of this Nation the Lord Strategus by appointment of the Council of War and out of such Levys as they shall have made in either or both of the Provinces to that end shall receive Auxiliarys by Sea or elswhere at som certain place not exceding his proper Arms in number AND whosoever shall refuse any one of his three Essays except upon cause shewn he be dispens'd withal by the Phylarch or if the Phylarch be not assembled by the Censors of his Tribe shall be deem'd a Helot or public Servant shall pay a fifth part of his yearly Revenue besides all other Taxes to the Commonwealth for his Protection and be incapable of bearing any Magistracy
except such as is proper to the Law Nevertheless if a man has but two Sons the Lord Lieutenant shall not suffer above one of them to com to the Vrn at one Election of the second Essay and tho he has above two Sons there shall not com above half the Brothers at one Election and if a man has but one Son he shall not com to the Vrn at all without the consent of his Parents or his Guardians nor shall it be any reproach to him or impediment to his bearing of Magistracy THIS Order with relation to foren Expeditions will be prov'd and explain'd together with 27. Order THE twenty seventh ORDER providing in case of Invasion apprehended that the Lords High Sherifs of the Tribes upon Commands receiv'd from the Parlament or the Dictator distribute the Bands of the Elders into divisions after the nature of the Essays of the Youth and that the second Division or Essay of the Elders being made and consisting of 30000 Foot and 10000 Horse be ready to march with the second Essay of the Youth and be brought also by the Conductors to the Strategus THE second Essay of the Elders and Youth being march'd out of their Tribes the Lords High Sherifs and Lieutenants shall have the remaining part of the annual Bands both of Elders and Youth in readiness which if the Beacons be fir'd shall march to the Rendevou to be in that case appointed by the Parlament or the Dictator And the Beacons being fir'd the Curiata Comitia or Parochial Congregations shall elect a fourth both of Elders and Youth to be immediatly upon the Guard of the Tribes and dividing themselves as aforesaid to march also in their Divisions according to Orders which method in case of extremity shall procede to the election of a third or the levy of a second or of the last man in the Nation by the Power of the Lords High Sherifs to the end that the Commonwealth in her utmost pressure may shew her trust that God in his Justice will remember Mercy by humbling her self and yet preserving her Courage Disciplin and Constancy even to the last drop of her blood and the utmost farthing THE Services perform'd by the Youth or by the Elders in case of Invasion and according to this Order shall be at their proper cost and charges that are any ways able to indure it but if there be such as are known in their Parishes to be so indigent that they cannot march out of their Tribes nor undergo the burden in this case incumbent then the Congregations of their Parishes shall furnish them with sufficient sums of Mony to be repaid upon the Certificat of the same by the Parlament when the Action shall be over And of that which is respectively injoin'd by this Order any Tribe Parish Magistrat or Person that shall fail is to answer for it at the Council of War as a Deserter of his Country THE ARCHON being the greatest Captain of his own if not of any age added much to the Glory of this Commonwealth by interweaving the Militia with more Art and Luster than any Legislator from or before the time of SERVIUS TULLIUS who constituted the Roman Militia But as the Bones or Skeleton of a man tho the greatest part of his Beauty be contain'd in their Proportion or Symmetry yet shewn without Flesh are a spectacle that is rather horrid than entertaining so without Discourses are the Orders of a Commonwealth which if she gos forth in that manner may complain of her Friends that they stand mute and staring upon her Wherfore this Order was thus flesh'd by the Lord ARCHON My Lords DIOGENES seeing a young Fellow drunk told him that his Father was drunk when he begot him For this in natural Generation I must confess I see no reason but in the Political it is right The Vices of the People are from their Governors those of their Governors from their Laws or Orders and those of their Laws or Orders from their Legislators * * Ut male posuimus initia sic catera sequuntur Cic. Whatever was in the Womb imperfect as to her proper work coms very rarely or never at all to perfection afterwards and the formation of a Citizen in the Womb of the Commonwealth is his Education EDUCATION by the first of the foregoing Orders is of six kinds At the School in the Mechanics at the Universitys at the Ins of Court or Chancery in Travels and in military Disciplin som of which I shall but touch and som I shall handle more at large Schools THAT which is propos'd for the erecting and indowing of Schools throout the Tribes capable of all the Children of the same and able to give to the Poor the Education of theirs gratis is only matter of direction in case of very great Charity as easing the needy of the charge of their Children from the ninth to the fifteenth year of their age during which time their work cannot be profitable and restoring them when they may be of use furnish'd with tools wherof there are advantages to be made in every work seeing he that can read and use his Pen has som convenience by it in the meanest Vocation And it cannot be conceiv'd but that which coms tho in small parcels to the advantage of every man in his Vocation must amount to the advantage of every Vocation and so to that of the whole Commonwealth Wherfore this is commended to the Charity of every wisehearted and welminded man to be don in time and as God shall stir him up or inable him there being such provision already in the case as may give us leave to procede without obstruction Mechanics in general PARENTS under animadversion of the Censors are to dispose of their Children at the fifteenth year of their age to somthing but what is lest according to their abilitys or inclination at their own choice This with the multitude must be to the Mechanics that is to say to Agriculture or Husbandry to Manufactures or to Merchandize Husbandry AGRICULTURE is the Bread of the Nation we are hung upon it by the teeth it is a mighty Nursery of Strength the best Army and the most assur'd Knapsac it is manag'd with the least turbulent or ambitious and the most innocent hands of all other Arts. Wherfore I am of ARISTOTLE'S opinion that a Commonwealth of Husbandmen and such is ours must be the best of all others Certainly my Lords you have no measure of what ought to be but what can be don for the incouragement of this Profession I could wish I were Husband good enough to direct somthing to this end but racking of Rents is a vile thing in the richer sort an uncharitable one to the poorer a perfect mark of Slavery and nips your Commonwealth in the fairest Blossom On the other side if there should be too much ease given in this kind it would occasion Sloth and so destroy Industry the principal
Conductors and the Censors and having bin disciplin'd and entertain'd with other Games are call'd to the Vrns where they elect the second Essay consisting of two hundred Horse and six hundred Foot in a Tribe that is of ten thousand Horse and thirty thousand Foot in all the Tribes which is the Standing Army of this Nation to march at any warning They also elect at the same time a part of the third Essay by the mixture of Balls marked with the letter M and the letter P for Marpesia and Panopea they of either mark being ten Horse and fifty Foot in a Tribe that is five hundred Horse and two thousand five hundred Foot in all the Tribes which are forthwith to march to their respective Provinces BVT the third Essay of this Nation more properly so call'd is when the Strategus with the Polemarchs the Senat and the People or the Dictator having decreed a War receive in return of his Warrants the second Essay from the hands of the Conductors at the Rendevous of Oceana which Army marching with all Accommodations provided by the Council of War the Senat elects a new Strategus and the Lords Lieutenants a new second Essay A YOVTH except he be an only Son refusing any one of his three Essays without sufficient cause shewn to the Phylarch or the Censors is incapable of Magistracy and is fin'd a fifth part of his yearly Rent or of his Estate for Protection In case of Invasion the Elders are oblig'd to like duty with the Youth and upon their own charge THE Provincial Orb consisting in part of the Elders and in part of the Youth is thus created FOVR Knights out of the first Region falling are elected in the Senat to be the first Region of the Provincial Orb of Marpesia these being triennial Magistrats take their places in the Provincial Council consisting of twelve Knights four in every Region each Region chusing their weekly Provosts of the Council thus constituted One Knight more chosen out of the same Region in the Senat being an annual Magistrat is President with Power to propose and the Opinions propos'd by the President or any two of the Provosts are debated by the Council and if there be occasion of farther Power or Instruction than they yet have transmitted to the Council of State with which the Provincial is to hold Intelligence THE President of this Council is also Strategus or General of the Provincial Army wherfore the Conductors upon notice of his Election and appointment of his Rendevous deliver to him the Stratiots of his Letter which he takes with him into his Province and the Provincial Army having receiv'd the new Strategus with the third Classis the Council dismisses the old Strategus with the first Classis The like is don for Panopea or any other Province BVT wheras the term of every other Magistracy or Election in this Commonwealth whether annual or triennial requires an equal Vacation the term of a Provincial Counsillor or Magistrat requires no Vacation at all The Quorum of a Provincial as also that of every other Council and Assembly requires two thirds in a time of health and one third in a time of sickness I THINK I have omitted nothing but the Props and Scaffolds which are not of use but in building And how much is here Shew me another Commonwealth in this compass How many things Shew me another intire Government consisting but of thirty Orders If you now go to Law with any body there ly to som of our Courts two hundred Original Writs If you stir your hand there go more Nerves and Bones to that motion If you play you have more Cards in the pack nay you could not sit with your ease in that Chair if it consisted not of more parts Will you not then allow to your Legislator what you can afford your Upholdster or to the Throne what is necessary to a Chair MY LORDS If you will have fewer Orders in a Common-wealth you will have more for where she is not perfect at first every day every hour will produce a new Order the end wherof is to have no Order at all but to grind with the clack of som Demagog Is he providing already for his golden Thum Lift up your heads Away with Ambition that fulsom complexion of a Statesman temper'd like SYLLA'S with blood and muck And the Lord give to his Senators Wisdom and make our faces to shine that we may be a Light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death to guide their feet in the way of Peace In the name of God what 's the matter PHILADELPHUS the Secretary of the Council having perform'd his task in reading the several Orders as you have seen upon the receit of a Packet from his Correspondent BOCCALINI Secretary of Parnassus in reading one of the Letters burst forth into such a violent passion of weeping and downright howling that the Legislators being startled with the apprehension of som horrid news one of them had no sooner snatch'd the Letter out of his hand than the rest crying Read Read he obey'd in this manner THE 3d instant his Phoebean Majesty having taken the nature of Free States into his Royal consideration and being steddily perswaded that the Laws in such Governments are incomparably better and more surely directed to the good of Mankind than in any other that the Courage of such a Trajano Boccalini Centuria 1. Raggual 21. People is the aptest tinder to noble fire that the Genius of such a Soil is that wherin the roots of good Literature are least worm-eaten with Pedantism and where their Fruits have ever com to the greatest maturity and highest relish conceiv'd such a loathing of their Ambition and Tyranny who usurping the liberty of their native Countrys becom slaves to themselves inasmuch as be it never so contrary to their own Nature or Consciences they have taken the earnest of Sin and are ingag'd to persecute all Men that are good with the same or greater rigor than is ordain'd by Laws for the wicked For * Nemo unquam imperium flagitio quaesitum bonis artibus exercuit none ever administer'd that Power by good which he purchas'd by ill Arts PHOEBUS I say having consider'd this assembl'd all the Senators residing in the learned Court at the Theater of MELPOMENE where he caus'd CAESAR the Dictator to com upon the stage and his Sister ACTIA his Nephew AUGUSTUS JULIA his Daughter with the Children which she had by MARCUS AGRIPPA LUCIUS and CAIUS CAESARS AGRIPPA POSTHUMUS JULIA and AGRIPPINA with the numerous Progeny which she bore to her renown'd Husband GERMANICUS to enter A miserable Scene in any but most deplorable in the eys of CAESAR thus beholding what havock his prodigious Ambition not satisfy'd with his own bloody Ghost had made upon his more innocent Remains even to the total extinction of his Family For it is seeing where there is any humanity there must be som
could be no more in the point of Lawgiving than to propose to the People Nor will it be found in Scripture that the Sanhedrim ever made any Law without the People yet it is found in Scripture that the People made a Law without the Sanhedrim or levy'd War without them which is all one for where there is a power to levy War there will be the power of making Law And the occasion upon which this is found is the War levy'd against BENJAMIN by the Congregation consisting of four hundred Judg. 20. thousand Again If the Sanhedrim inherited the whole power of MOSES and yet had no larger power in Lawmaking than to propose to the People then had MOSES never any larger power in Law-making than to propose to the People Now where there is no King Book II or no King in a distinct capacity from the Senat and where the Senat has no farther power in Lawmaking than to propose to the free suffrage of the People the Government there is a Commonwealth Thus having shewn that Israel was a Commonwealth I com next to shew what Commonwealth Israel was CHAP. II. Shewing what Commonwealth Israel was Sect. 1 Division of the Children of Israel first Genealogical ALL Political Methods that are collective of the People must necessarily begin with a distribution or division of the People FOR the division of the People of Israel it was first Genealogical and then local Now these are the Names of the Ancestors of the Exod. 1. Tribes or of the Children of Israel which came into Egypt every man and his Houshold came with JACOB REUBEN SIMEON LEVI and JUDAH ISSACHAR ZEBULUN and BENJAMIN DAN and NAPHTALI GAD and ASHER These being eleven in number were the Sons of JACOB who had also one more Gen. 41. 50 51 52. namely JOSEPH And to JOSEPH were born two Sons before the years of Famin came which ASENAH the Daughter of POTIPHERAH Priest of On bore to him And JOSEPH call'd the name of the first-born MANASSEH and the name of the second call'd he EPHRAIM Which two tho but Grandchildren were adopted by JACOB for Gen. 48. 16. his Sons in these words Let my name be nam'd on them and the name of my Fathers ABRAHAM and ISAAC and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the Earth From which addition to the former came the Tribes of Israel genealogically reckon'd to be in number thirteen In the genealogical distribution of the Tribes there were also observ'd certain Ranks Qualitys or Degrees as appears by the Poll Num. 1. made of Israel in the Wilderness of Sinai and in the Tabernacle of the Congregation by MOSES These Degrees were of two sorts first Phylarchs or Princes of Tribes and secondly Patriarchs or Princes of Familys all hereditary Honors and pertaining to the Firstborn of the Tribe or of the Family respectively That this Poll be more perfectly understood will be useful for which cause I shall be somwhat more particular First for the Phylarchs or Princes of the Tribes and then for the Patriarchs or Princes of Familys To begin with the Princes of the Tribes Sect. 2 Num. 1. 17 18. Of the Princes of â—â—ibes or the Muster Roll in Sinai MOSES and AARON assembl'd the Congregation or political Convention of the People together on the first day of the second month after their Familys by the house of their Fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward by the poll Where every Phylarch or Prince of a Tribe with the number of men at the age mention'd and upward throout his Tribe are listed much after this manner 1. OF the Tribe of REUBEN ELIZUR Prince The men of military age in his Tribe forty six thousand five hundred 2. OF the Tribe of SIMEON SHELAMIEL Prince The men of military age in his Tribe fifty nine thousand three hundred 3. OF the Tribe of JUDAH NASHON Prince The men of military Chap. 2 age in his Tribe threescore and fourteen thousand six hundred 4. OF the Tribe of ISSACHAR NETHANIEL Prince The men of military age in his Tribe fifty four thousand four hundred 5. OF the Tribe of ZEBULUN ELIAB Prince The men of military age in his Tribe fifty seven thousand four hundred 6. OF the Tribe of EPHRAIM ELISHAMA Prince The men of military age in his Tribe forty thousand five hundred 7. OF the Tribe of MANASSEH GEMALIEL Prince The men of military age in his Tribe thirty two thousand two hundred 8. OF the Tribe of BENJAMIN ABIDAN Prince The men of military age in his Tribe thirty five thousand four hundred 9. OF the Tribe of DAN AHIEZER Prince The men of military age in his Tribe threescore and two thousand seven hundred 10. OF the Tribe of ASHER PAGIEL Prince The men of military age in his Tribe forty one thousand five hundred 11. OF the Tribe of GAD ELIASAPH Prince The men of military age in his Tribe forty five thousand six hundred and fifty 12. OF the Tribe of NAPHTALI AHIRA Prince The men of military age in his Tribe fifty three thousand four hundred THE total sum of which Musterroll in the twelve Tribes amounts to Princes twelve and men of military age six hundred three thousand five hundred and fifty besides the Levits The Levits Call Order or Tribe Num. 3. 12 13. ALL the firstborn says God are mine In which words is imply'd Sect. 3 that the Priesthood or right of preaching instructing or administring divine things belong'd as it were of natural right to Fathers of Familys or the Firstborn till the Lord took the Levits from among the Children of Israel instead of the Firstborn These being thus taken were set apart and so listed by themselves to omit their several Familys Functions and Orders in the service of the Tabernacle and afterwards of the Temple which would require a Volum much after this manner OF the Tribe of LEVI AARON High Priest The number of all the Males of this Tribe from a month old and upwards twenty v. 39. and two thousand The manner how God took the Levits is thus express'd Thou shalt bring the Levits before the Tabernacle of the Congregation Num. 8. 9 10 11 12. and thou shalt gather the whole Assembly together and the Children of Israel after the manner that the Levits lay their hands upon the Bullocks or Sacrifice shall put their hands upon the Levits in token that they are sacrific'd or separated by the free suffrage of the People to the Lord. For lest the suffrage of the People be thought hereby to have bin excluded so DAVID and the Captains of the Host or Army 1 Chr. 25. which Army was the Representative of the People separated to the service som of the Sons of ASAPH of HEMAN and of JEDUTHUN who should prophesy with Harps But of the Congregations of the People more in due place The Military Orders Grot. ad Num. 10.
to the Lord to Mizpeh The political Assembly or Congregation of the People Book II of Israel was call'd Ecclesia Dei the Congregation of the Lord as it Judg. 20. Deut. 23. ought to have bin exprest in the Trial of BENJAMIN and is in som places by our Translation as where an Eunuch or one unfit for marriage with a Daughter of Israel which capacity was necessary to the being inrol'd of a Tribe a Bastard as dishonorable an Ammonite or Moabite as descended of perfidious Nations shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord that is shall not have right of suffrage with the People of Israel So SAMUEL by calling For the Assembly of the Congregation at Mizpeh see Judg. 10. 17. 11. 11. 20. 1. 21. 1. 1 Sam. 7. 6 16. the Congregation of the Lord or the People together to the Lord in Mizpeh the place before the taking of Jerusalem where they always held their Parlaments or political Assemblys did the office of the like Magistrats in Commonwealths The People being thus assembl'd for to be brief I must procede with conjectures which at first sight will seem bolder than really they are SAMUEL causing the Urns to be set forth pronounc'd the solemn form of words in use upon the like 1 Sam. 10. 19. occasion which were these Present your selves before the Lord by your The Military Order of Political Congregations in Israel see Chap. 3. Tribes and by your thousands The political Assemblys of the Children of Israel were held or gather'd as we say with Drums beating and Colors flying and if it were an extraordinary Congregation that is a Congregation consisting of the whole People as this and that for the trial of BENJAMIN the Princes of the Tribes with their Staves and the Standards of the Camp in the order shewn led up the People to the Urns or Ballot Wherfore upon these words of SAMUEL the Princes march'd in their known disciplin to the Urns. The Urns were two in the one were twelve Lots inscrib'd with the names of the twelve Tribes in the other were also twelve other Lots wherof eleven were Blanks and the twelfth inscrib'd with som word What the Israelitish word was dos not appear the Roman word upon the like occasion was Prerogative wherfore seeing that which is lost must have bin of a like nature we may for discourse sake presume it to have bin the same in Israel V. 20. The Prerogative Tribe as in Rome And when SAMUEL had caus'd all the Tribes of Israel to com near the Tribe of BENJAMIN was taken That is the name of this Tribe being drawn out of the one Urn to it was drawn the word Prerogative out of the other Urn which being don the Urns were chang'd or at least the Lots And wheras in the enumeration of the Patriarchs I shew'd by a catalog of their Names that the whole Tribe of BENJAMIN consisted of seven Familys seven names by that account should have bin cast into the one Urn and as many Lots into the other one of them being inscrib'd with the word Prerogative and the other six being Blanks But both the names and the number of Familys at this Ballot are most likely to have bin quite otherwise than in the Judg. 20. 2. Catalog because since that time the Tribe of BENJAMIN had in the far greater part bin destroy'd and piec'd up again out of a Remnant so for the number of the Familys or the names of them I can say nothing But the Urns being thus prepar'd came BENJAMIN as now the Prerogative Tribe to the Urns by Familys And when SAMUEL had caus'd the Tribe of BENJAMIN to com near by their Familys the Family of MATRI which is a new one was taken that is lighting in the manner shewn upon the Prize became the Prerogative Family This don the Lots were again chang'd and so many others as there were Housholds in the Family of MATRI for Jâ—â—â— 7. 14 16 17 18. so you will find it in the trial of ACHAN were cast into the Urns. Thus the Houshold of KISH coming to be the Prerogative Houshold Chap. 1 and so many Lots as there were men of that Houshold being cast into the Urns wherof the Prize was inscrib'd King came the Houshold of KISH man by man and SAUL the Son of KISH was taken That miraculous designation of Magistats in a Common-wealth was never understood to exclude the free Suffrage of the People in their Election WE find it recorded by LIVY of TARQUINIUS PRISCUS Sect. 8 and of SERVIUS TULLIUS that before either of them was King the one had his hat taken off and carry'd up by an Eagle the other had a flame resting upon his forehead by which it was firmly believ'd that each of them was design'd of the Gods to be King yet was this never so understood by themselves or any other as to exclude the right of popular Suffrage in their Election by which PRISCUS reign'd or to create an opinion that any man ought to be King of Rome whom the People had not first commanded to reign over them to whose Election therfore SERVIUS tho in possession of the Throne thought it his best way to refer himself Far be it from me to compare Prodigys among Heathens to Miracles in the Church But each People had of each a like opinion Both Israel and the Heathens began their popular Assemblys with Sacrifice In order to the election of SOLOMON the Representative of Israel 1 Chron. 29. 21 22. sacrific'd Sacrifices to the Lord even a thousand Bullocks a thousand Rams and a thousand Lambs with their Drink-offerings and Sacrifices in abundance for all Israel And when they had thus don what Magistrats soever the Israelits or the Heathens elected they always understood to be elected by God The Lot is cast into the lap but the Prov. 10. 33. whole disposing therof is of the Lord. And indeed wheras in this manner they made SOLOMON King and ZADOC to be Priest if we will hold otherwise we must think that neither the King nor the Priest was elected by God A man that is elected to som great Office by a King rightly qualify'd must have little Religion or hold himself to be rais'd up by God Why then should it be otherwise when a Magistrat is elected by a People rightly qualify'd Or what consequence is there in saying that SAUL was anointed by SAMUEL before he was elected by the People or that God rais'd them up Judges therfore neither SAUL nor the Judges were elected by the People That God elected the Kings in Israel is certain and that the People no less for that did also elect the Kings is as certain One from among thy Brethren shalt thou that is thou the People of Israel Deut. 17. 15. set King over thee That God rais'd up Judges in Israel is certain and that the People no less for that did also elect the Judges is