the commonwealth of oceana-第48章

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　matters；　for　many　are　perfect　in　men's　humors　that　are　not　greatly　capable　of　the　real　part　of　business；　which　is　the　constitution　of　one　that　has　studied　men　more　than　books。　But　there　is　nothing　more　hurtful　in　a　State　than　that　cunning　men　should　pass　for　wise。'　His　words　are　an　oracle。　As　Dionysius；　when　he　could　no　longer　exercise　his　tyranny　among　men；　turned　schoolmaster；　that　he　might　exercise　it　among　boys。　Allow　me　but　these　orders；　and　your　grandees；　so　well　skilled　in　the　baits　and　palates　of　men；　shall　turn　rat…catchers。　　　　　〃And　whereas　'councils　（as　is　discreetly　observed　by　the　same　author　in　his　time）　are　at　this　day；　in　most　places；　but　familiar　meetings　（somewhat　like　the　Academy　of　our　provosts）；　where　matters　are　rather　talked　on　than　debated；　and　run　too　swift　to　order　an　act　of　council；'　give　me　my　orders；　and　see　if　I　have　not　puzzled　your　demagogues。　　　　　〃It　is　not　so　much　my　desire　to　return　upon　haunts；　as　theirs　that　will　not　be　satisfied；　wherefore　if；　notwithstanding　what　was　said　of　dividing　and　choosing　in　our　preliminary　discourses；　men　will　yet　be　returning　to　the　question；　Why　the　Senate　must　be　a　council　apart　（though　even　in　Athens；　where　it　was　of　no　other　constitution　than　the　popular　assembly；　the　distinction　of　it　from　the　other　was　never　held　less　than　necessary）　this　may　be　added　to　the　former　reasons；　that　if　the　aristocracy　be　not　for　the　debate；　it　is　for　nothing；　but　if　it　be　for　debate；　it　must　have　convenience　for　it；　and　what　convenience　is　there　for　debate　in　a　crowd；　where　there　is　nothing　but　jostling；　treading　upon　one　another；　and　stirring　of　blood；　than　which　in　this　case　there　is　nothing　more　dangerous？　Truly；　it　was　not　ill　said　of　my　Lord　Epimonus；　that　Venice　plays　her　game；　as　it　were；　at　billiards　or　nine…holes；　and　so　may　your　lordships；　unless　your　ribs　be　so　strong　that　you　think　better　of　football：　for　such　sport　is　debate　in　a　popular　assembly　as；　notwithstanding　the　distinction　of　the　Senate；　was　the　destruction　of　Athens。〃　　　　　This　speech　concluded　the　debate　which　happened　at　the　institution　of　the　Senate。　The　next　assembly　is　that　of　the　people　or　prerogative　tribe。　　　　　The　face；　or　mien；　of　the　prerogative　tribe　for　the　arms；　the　horses；　and　the　discipline；　but　more　especially　for　the　select　men；　is　that　of　a　very　noble　regiment；　or　rather　of　two；　the　one　of　horse；　divided　into　three　troops　（besides　that　of　the　provinces；　which　will　be　shown　hereafter）；　with　their　captains；　cornets；　and　two　tribunes　of　the　horse　at　the　head　of　them；　the　other　of　foot　in　three　companies　（beside　that　of　the　provinces）；　with　their　captains；　ensigns；　and　two　tribunes　of　the　foot　at　the　head　of　them。　The　first　troop　is　called　the　Phoenix；　the　second　the　Pelican；　and　the　third　the　Swallow。　The　first　company　the　Cypress；　the　second　the　Myrtle；　and　the　third　the　Spray。　Of　these　again　（not　without　a　near　resemblance　of　the　Roman　division　of　a　tribe）　the　Phoenix　and　the　Cypress　constitute　the　first　class；　the　Pelican　and　the　Myrtle　the　second；　and　the　Swallow　with　the　Spray　the　third；　renewed　every　spring　by　　　　　　The　one…and…twentieth　order；　〃Directing；　that　upon　every　Monday　next　ensuing　the　last　of　March；　the　deputies　of　the　annual　galaxy　arriving　at　the　pavilion　in　the　halo；　and　electing　one　captain　and　one　cornet　of　the　Swallow　（triennial　officers）　by　and　out　of　the　cavalry　at　the　horse　urn；　according　to　the　rules　contained　in　the　ballot　of　the　hundred；　and　one　captain　with　one　ensign　of　the　Spray　（triennial　officers）　by　and　out　of　the　infantry　at　the　foot　urn；　after　the　same　way　of　balloting；　constitute　and　become　the　third　classes　of　the　prerogative　tribe。〃　　　　　Seven　deputies　are　annually　returned　by　every　tribe；　whereof　three　are　horse　and　four　are　foot；　and　there　be　fifty　tribes：　so　the　Swallow　must　consist　of　150　horse；　the　Spray　of　200　foot。　And　the　rest　of　the　classes　being　two；　each　of　them　in　number　equal；　the　whole　prerogative　（beside　the　provinces；　that　is；　the　knights　and　deputies　of　Marpesia　and　Panopea）　must　consist　of　1；050　deputies。　And　these　troops　and　companies　may　as　well　be　called　centuries　as　those　of　the　Romans；　for　the　Romans　related　not；　in　so　naming　theirs；　to　the　number。　And　whereas　they　were　distributed　according　to　the　valuation　of　their　estates；　so　are　these；　which；　by　virtue　of　the　last　order；　are　now　accommodated　with　their　triennial　officers。　But　there　be　others　appertaining　to　this　tribe　whose　election；　being　of　far　greater　importance；　is　annual；　as　follows　in　　　　　The　twenty…second　order；　〃Whereby　the　first　class　having　elected　their　triennial　officers；　and　made　oath　to　the　old　tribunes；　that　they　will　neither　introduce；　cause；　nor　to　their　power　suffer　debate　to　be　introduced　into　any　popular　assembly　of　this　government；　but　to　their　utmost　be　aiding　and　assisting　to　seize　and　deliver　any　person　or　persons　in　that　way　offending；　and　striking　at　the　root　of　this　commonwealth；　to　the　Council　of　War；　are　to　proceed　with　the　other　two　classes　of　the　prerogative　tribe　to　election　of　the　new　tribunes；　being　four　annual　magistrates；　whereof　two　are　to　be　elected　out　of　the　cavalry　at　the　horse　urn；　and　two　out　of　the　infantry　at　the　foot　urn；　according　to　the　common　ballot　of　the　tribes。　And　they　may　be　promiscuously　chosen　out　of　any　classes；　provided　that　the　same　person　shall　not　be　capable　of　bearing　the　tribunitian　honor　twice　in　the　term　of　one　galaxy。　The　tribunes　thus　chosen　shall　receive　the　tribe　（in　reference　to　the　power　of　mustering　and　disciplining　the　same）　as　commanders…in…chief；　and　for　the　rest　as　magistrates；　whose　proper　function　is　prescribed　by　the　next　order。　The　tribunes　may　give　leave　to　any　number　of　the　prerogative；　not　exceeding　100　at　a　time；　to　be　absent；　so　they　be　not　magistrates　nor　officers；　and　return　within　three　months。　If　a　magistrate　or　officer　has　a　necessary　occasion；　he　may　also　be　absent　for　the　space　of　one　month；　provided　that　there　be　not　above　three　cornets　or　ensigns；　two　captains；　or　one　tribune　so　absent　at　one　time。〃

　　　　To　this　the　Archon　spoke　at　the　institution　after　this　manner：

〃MY　LORDS：　　　　　〃It　is　affirmed　by　Cicero；　in　his　oration　for　Flaccus；　that　the　commonwealths　of　Greece　were　all　shaken　or　ruined　by　the　intemperance　of　their　Comitia；　or　assemblies　of　the　people。　The　truth　is；　if　good　heed　in　this　point　be　not　taken；　a　commonwealth　will　have　bad　legs。　But　all　the　world　knows　he　should　have　excepted　Lacedaemon；　where　the　people；　as　has　been　shown　by　the　oracle；　had　no　power　at　all　of　debate；　nor　（till　after　Lysander；　whose　avarice　opened　a　gulf　that　was　not　long　ere　it　swallowed　up　his　country）　came　it　ever　to　be　exercised　by　them。　Whence　that　commonwealth　stood　longest　and　firmest　of　any　other　but　this；　in　our　days；　of　Venice；　which；　having　underlaid　herself　with　the　like　institution；　owes　a　great；　if　not　the　greater；　part　of　her　steadiness　to　the　same　principle；　the　great　Council；　which　is　with　her　the　people；　by　the　authority　of　my　Lord　Epimonus；　never　speaking　a　word。　Nor　shall　any　commonwealth；　where　the　people　in　their　political　capacity　is　talkative；　ever　see　half　the　days　of　one　of　these；　but；　being　carried　away　by　vainglorious　men　（that；　as　Overbury　says；　void　more　than　they　drin