e； as without alteration may secure them of their liberties； seeing it was certain that Lacedaemon； in observing the laws of Lycurgus； continued about 800 years without any dangerous tumult or corruption。〃 My lord general （as it is said of Themistocles； that he could not sleep for the glory obtained by Miltiades at the battle of Marathon） took so new and deep an impression at these words of the much greater glory of Lycurgus； that； being on this side assaulted with the emulation of his illustrious object； and on the other with the misery of the nation； which seemed （as it were ruined by his victory） to cast itself at his feet； he was almost wholly deprived of his natural rest； till the debate he had within himself came to a firm resolution； that the greatest advantages of a commonwealth are； first； that the legislator should be one man； and； secondly； that the government should be made all together； or at once。 For the first； it is certain； says Machiavel； that a commonwealth is seldom or never well turned or constituted； except it has been the work of one man； for which cause a wise legislator； and one whose mind is firmly set； not upon private but the public interest； not upon his posterity but upon his country； may justly endeavor to get the sovereign power into his own hands； nor shall any man that is master of reason blame such extraordinary means as in that case will be necessary； the end proving no other than the constitution of a well…ordered commonwealth。 The reason of this is demonstrable； for the ordinary means not failing； the commonwealth has no need of a legislator； but the ordinary means failing； there is no recourse to be had but to such as are extraordinary。 And； whereas a book or a building has not been known to attain to its perfection if it has not had a sole author or architect； a commonwealth； as to the fabric of it； is of the like nature。 And thus it may be made at once； in which there be great advantages； for a commonwealth made at once； takes security at the same time it lends money； and trusts not itself to the faith of men； but launches immediately forth into the empire of laws； and； being set straight； brings the manners of its citizens to its rule； whence followed that uprightness which was in Lacedaemon。 But manners that are rooted in men； bow the tenderness of a commonwealth coming up by twigs to their； bent； whence followed the obliquity that was in Rome； and those perpetual repairs by the consuls' axes； and tribunes' hammers； which could never finish that commonwealth but in destruction。 My lord general being clear in these points； and of the necessity of some other course than would be thought upon by the Parliament； appointed a meeting of the army； where he spoke his sense agreeable to these preliminaries with such success to the soldiery； that the Parliament was soon after deposed； had he himself； in the great hall of the Pantheon or palace of justice； situated in Emporium； the capital city； was created by the universal suffrage of the army； Lord Archon； or sole legislator of Oceana； upon which theatre you have； to conclude this piece； a person introduced； whose fame shall never draw its curtain。 The Lord Archon being created； fifty select persons to assist him； by laboring in the mines of ancient prudence； and bringing its hidden treasures to new light； were added； with the style also of legislators； and sat as a council； whereof he was the sole director and president。
PART II
THE COUNCIL OF LEGISLATORS
OF this piece； being the greater half of the whole work； I shall be able at this time to give no further account； than very briefly to show at what it aims。 My Lord Archon； in opening the Council of legislators； made it appear how unsafe a thing it is to follow fancy in the fabric of a commonwealth； and how necessary that the archives of ancient prudence should be ransacked before any councillor should presume to offer any other matter in order to the work in hand； or toward the consideration to be had by the Council upon a model of government。 Wherefore he caused an urn to be brought； and every one of the councillors to draw a lot。 By the lots as they were drawn；
The Commonwealth of Fell to
Israel。。。。。。 Phosphorus de Auge Athens。。。。。 Navarchus de Paralo Lacedaemon。。。。。 Laco de Scytale Carthage。。 Mago de Syrtibus The Achaeans； AEtolians； and Lycians。。。。Aratus de Isthmo The Switz Alpester de Fulmine Holland and the United Provinces Glaucus de Ulna Rome。。。。。。 Dolabella de Enyo Venice。。。。。 Lynceus de Stella
These contained in them all those excellencies whereof a commonwealth is capable； so that to have added more had been to no purpose。 Upon time given to the councillors； by their own studies and those of their friends； to prepare themselves； they were opened in the order； and by the persons mentioned at the Council of legislators； and afterward by order of the same were repeated at the council of the prytans to the people； for in drawing of the lots； there were about a dozen of them inscribed with the letter P； whereby the councillors that drew them became prytans。 The prytans were a committee or council sitting in the great hall of Pantheon； to whom it was lawful for any man to offer anything in order to the fabric of the commonwealth； for which cause； that they might not be oppressed by the throng； there was a rail about the table where they sat； and on each side of the same a pulpit； that on the right hand for any man that would propose anything； and that on the left for any other that would oppose him。 And all parties （being indemnified by proclamation of the Archon） were invited to dispute their own interests； or propose whatever they thought fit （in order to the future government） to the council of the prytans； who； having a guard of about two or three hundred men； lest the heat of dispute might break the peace； had the right of moderators； and were to report from time to time such propositions or occurrences as they thought fit； to the Council of legislators sitting more privately in the palace called Alma。 This was that which made the people （who were neither safely to be admitted； nor conveniently to be excluded in the framing of the commonwealth） verily believe； when it came forth； that it was no other than that whereof they themselves had been the makers。 Moreover； this Council sat divers months after the publishing and during the promulgation of the model to the people； by which means there is scarce anything was said or written for or against the said model but you shall have it with the next impression of this work； by way of oration addressed to and moderated by the prytans。 By this means the Council of legislators had their necessary solitude and due aim in their greater work； as being acquainted from time to time with the pulse of the people； and yet without any manner of interruption or disturbance。 Wherefore every commonwealth in its place having been opened by due method that is； first； by the people； secondly； by the Senate； and； thirdly； by the magistracy…the Council upon mature debate took such results or orders out of each； and out of every part of each of them； as upon opening the same they thought fit； which being put from time to time in writing by the clerk or secretary； there remained no more in the conclusion； than putting the orders so taken together； to view and examine them with a diligent eye； that it might be clearly discovered whether they did interfere； or could anywise come to interfere or jostle one with the other。 For as such orders jostling or coming to jostle one another are the certain dissolution of the commonwealth； so； taken upon the proof of like experience； and neither jostling nor showing which way they can possibly come to jostle one another； they make a perfect and （for aught that in human prudence can be foreseen） an immortal commonwealth。 And such was the art whereby my Lord Archon （taking council of the Commonwealth of Israel； as of Moses； and of the rest of the commonwealths； as of Jethro） framed the model of the Commonwealth of Oceana。
PART III
THE MODEL OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF OCEANA
WHEREAS my Lord Archon； being from Moses and Lycurgus the first legislator that hitherto is found in history to have introduced or erected an entire commonwealth at once； happened； like them also； to be more intent upon putting the same into execution or action； than into writing； by which means the model came to be promulgated or published with more brevity and less illustration than are necessary for their understanding who have not been acquainted with the whole proceedings of the Council of legislators； and of the prytans； where it was asserted and cleared from all objections and doubts： to the end that I may supply what was wanting in the promulgated epitome to a more full and perfect narrative of the whole； I shall rather take the commonwealth practically； and as it has now given an account of itself in some years' revolutions （as Dicearchus is said to have done that of Lacedaemon； first transcribed by his hand some three or four hundred years after the institution）； yet not omitting to add for proof to every order such debates and speeches of the legislators in their Council； or at least such parts of them as may best discover the reason of the government； nor such ways and means as were used in the institution or rise of the building； not to be so well conceived； without some knowledge given of the engines wherewithal the mighty weight was moved。 But through the entire omission of the Council of legislators or workmen that squared every stone to this structure in the quarries of ancient prudence； the proof of the first part of this discourse will be lame； except I insert； as well for illustration as to avoid frequent repetition； three remarkable testimonies in this place。 The first is taken out of the Commonwealth of Israel： 〃So Moses hearkened to the voice of Jethro； his father…in…law； and did all that he had said。 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel； and made the