4。 The Third Commissioner of the Treasury； 5。 The First Censor； 6。 The Second Censor；
this list or schedule consists of six magistracies； and to every magistracy there are to be four competitors； that is； in all four…and…twenty competitors proposed to the house。 They that are to propose the competitors are called electors； and no elector can propose above one competitor： wherefore for the proposing of four…and…twenty competitors you must have four…and…twenty electors； and whereas the ballot consists of a lot and of a suffrage； the lot is for no other use than for the designation of electors； and he that draws a gold ball at the middle urn is an elector。 Now； as to have four…and…twenty competitors proposed； you must have four…and…twenty electors made； so to have four…and…twenty electors made by lot； you must have four…and…twenty gold balls in the middle urn； and these （because otherwise it would be no lot） mixed with a competent number of blanks； or silver balls。 Wherefore to the four…and…twenty gold balls cast six…and…twenty silver ones； and those （reckoning the blanks with the prizes） make fifty balls in the middle urn。 This done （because no man can come to the middle urn that has not first drawn a gold ball at one of the side urns） and to be sure that the prizes or gold balls in this urn be all drawn； there must come to it fifty persons； therefore there must be in each of the side urns five…and…twenty gold balls； which in both come to fifty； and to the end that every senator may have his lot； the gold balls in the side urns are to be made up with blanks equal to the number of the ballotants at either urn； for example； the house consisting of 300 senators； there must be in each of the side urns 125 blanks and twenty…five prizes； which come in both the side urns to 300 balls。 This is the whole mystery of preparing the urns； which the censors having skill to do accordingly； the rest of the ballot； whether the parties balloting understand it or not must of necessary consequence come right； and they can neither be out； nor fall into any confusion in the exercise of this art。 But the ballot； as I said； is of two parts； lot and suffrage； or the proposition and result。 The lot determines who shall propose the competitors； and the result of the Senate； which of the competitors shall be the magistrates。 The whole； to begin with the lot； proceeds in this manner： The first secretary with an audible voice reads first the list of the magistrates to be chosen for the day； then the oath for fair election； at which the senators hold up their hands； which done； another secretary presents a little urn to the strategus； in which are four balls； each of them having one of these four inscriptions： 〃First seat at the upper end；〃 〃First seat at the lower end；〃 〃Second seat at the upper end；〃 〃Second seat at the lower end。〃 And look which of them the strategus draws； the secretary pronouncing the inscription with a loud voice； the seat so called comes accordingly to the urns： this in the figure is the second seat at the upper end。 The manner of their coming to the side urns is in double files； that being two holes in the cover of each side urn； by which means two may draw at once。 The senators therefore S； S…S； S are coming from the upper end of their seats H； H…H； H to the side urns L； L。 The senators T T…T are drawing。 The senator V has drawn a gold ball at his side urn； and is going to the middle urn F； where the senator W； having done the like at the other side urn； is already drawing。 But the senators X； X…X； X having drawn blanks at their side urns； and thrown them into the bowls Y Y standing at the feet of the urns； are marching by the lower end into their seats again； the senator a having done the like at the middle urn； is also throwing his blank into the bowl b and marching to his seat again： for a man by a prize at a side urn gains no more than right to come to the middle urn； where； if he draws a blank； his fortune at the side urn comes to nothing at all； wherefore he also returns to his place。 But the senator C has had a prize at the middle urn； where the commissioner； having viewed his ball； and found the mark to be right； he marches up the steps to the seat of the electors； which is the form d set across the tribunal； where he places himself； according as he was drawn； with the other electors e； e； e drawn before him。 These are not to look back； but sit with their faces toward the signory or state； till their number amount to that of the magistrates to be that day chosen； which for the present； as was shown； are six： wherefore six electors being made； they are reckoned according as they were drawn： first； second； third； fourth； fifth； sixth； in their order； and the first six that are chosen are the first order of electors。 The first order of electors being made； are conducted by a secretary； with a copy of the list to be chosen； out of the Senate； and into a committee or council…chamber； being neither suffered by the way； nor in their room （till the ballot be ended）； to have conference with any but themselves； wherefore the secretary； having given them their oath that they shall make election according to the law and their conscience； delivers them the list； and seats himself at the lower end of the table with his pen and paper； while another secretary keeps the door。 By such time as the first order of electors are thus seated； the second order of electors is drawn； who； with a second copy of the same list； are conducted into another committee…chamber； by other secretaries performing the same office with the former。 The like exactly is done by the third and by the fourth orders （or hands； as the Venetians call them） of electors； by which means you have the four…and…twenty electors divided according to the four copies of the same list； by six； into four hands or orders； and every one of these orders names one competitor to every magistracy in the list； that is to say； the first elector names to the first magistracy； the second elector to the second magistracy； and so forth。 But though the electors； as has been shown； are chosen by mere lot； yet the competitors by them named are not chosen by any lot； but by the suffrage of the whole order for example； the first elector in the first order proposes a name to be strategus； which name is balloted by himself and the other five electors； and if the name so balloted attain not to above half the suffrages； it is laid aside； and the first elector names another to the same magistracy and so in case this also fails； another； till one he has named； whether it be himself； or some other； has attained to above half the suffrages in the affirmative； and the name so attaining to above half the suffrages in the affirmative is written to the first magistracy in the list by the secretary which being done； the second elector of the first order； names to 'the second magistracy till one of his nomination be chosen to the same。 The like is done by the rest of the electors of the first order； till one competitor be chosen； and written to every magistracy in their list。 Now the second； third； and fourth orders of electors doing exactly after the same manner； it comes to pass that one competitor to every magistracy being chosen in each order； there be in all four competitors chosen to every magistracy。 If any controversy arises in an order of electors； one of the censors （these being at this game the groom…porters） is advertised by the secretary who brings him in； and the electors disputing are bound to acquiesce in his sentence。 For which cause it is that the censors do not ballot at the urns； the signory also abstains； lest it should deform the house： wherefore the blanks in the side urns are by so many the fewer。 And so much for the lot； which is of the greater art but less consequence； because it concerns proposition only： but all （except the tribunes and the judges； which being but assistants have no suffrage） are to ballot at the result； to which I now come。 The four orders of electors having perfected their lists； the face of the house is changed： for the urns are taken away； and every senator and magistrate is seated in his proper place； saving the electors； who； having given their suffrages already； may not stir out of their chambers till the house have given theirs； and the rest of the ballot be performed； which follows in this manner： The four lists being presented by the secretaries of each council of electors to the signory； are first read； according to their order； to the house； with an audible voice； and then the competitors are put to the ballot or suffrage of the whole Senate in this manner： A； A named to be strategus in the first order； whereupon eight ballotins； or pages； such as are expressed by the figures f； f； take eight of the boxes represented； though rudely； by the figures g； g； and go four on the one and four on the other side of the house； that is； one to every bench； signifying 〃A； A named to be the strategus in the first order。。〃 and every magistrate or senator （beginning by the strategus and the orator first） holds up a little pellet of linen； as the box passes； between his finger and his thumb； that men may see he has but one； and then puts it into the same。 The box consisting in the inner part of two boxes； being painted on the outside white and green； to distinguish the affirmative from the negative side； is so made that when your hand is in it； no man can see to which of the sides you put the suffrage； nor hear to which it falls； because the pellet being linen； makes no noise。 The strategus and the orator having begun； all the rest do the like。 The ballotins having thus gathered the suffrages； bring them before the signory； in whose presence the outward boxes being opened； they take out the inner boxes； whereof the affirmative is white； and the negative green； and pour the white in the bowl N on the right hand； which is white also； and the green into the bowl N on the left； which is also green。 These bowls or basins （better represented at the lower end of the figure by h； i） being upon this occasion set before the tables of the secretaries at the upper end N； N； the white on the right hand； and the green on the left； the secretaries on each side