the commonwealth of oceana-第17章

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！


　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　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；　wou