； as they shall be thought the most considerable by the council； shall be taken by the secretary of the same in writing； and each of them signed with the name of the author。 〃The opinions being thus prepared； any magistrate of the signory； the censors； or any two of the provosts of that council； upon this occasion may assemble the Senate。 〃The Senate being assembled； the opinions （for example； if they be four） shall be read in their order； that is； according to the order or dignity of the magistrates or councillors by which they were signed。 And being read； if any of the council introducing them will speak； they； as best acquainted with the business； shall have precedence； and after them the senators shall speak according to their regions； beginning by the third first； and so continuing till every man that will has spoken； and when the opinions have been sufficiently debated； they shall be put all together to the ballot after this manner： 〃Four secretaries； carrying each of them one of the opinions in one hand； with a white box in the other； and each following the other； according to the order of the opinions； shall present his box； naming the author of his opinion to every senator； and one secretary or ballotin with a green box shall follow the four white ones； and one secretary or ballotin with a red box shall follow the green one； and every senator shall put one ball into some one of these six boxes。 The suffrage being gathered and opened before the signory； if the red box or non…sincere had above half the suffrages； the opinions shall be all cast out； for the major part of the house is not clear in the business。 If no one of the four opinions had above half the suffrages in the affirmative； that which had fewest shall be cast out； and the other three shall be balloted again。 If no one of the three had above half； that which had fewest shall be cast out； and the other two shall ballot again。 If neither of the two had above half； that which had fewest shall be cast out； and the remaining opinion shall be balloted again。 And if the remaining opinion has not above half； it shall also be cast out。 But the first of the opinions that arrives at most above half in the affirmative； is the decree of the Senate。 The opinions being all of them cast out by the non…sincere； may be reviewed； if occasion permits； by the council； and brought in again。 If they be cast out by the negative； the case being of advice only； the house approves not； and there is an end of it： the case being necessary； and admitting delay； the council is to think again upon the business； and to bring in new opinions； but the case being necessary； and not admitting delay； the Senate immediately electing the juncta shall create the Dictator。 'And let the Dictator；' as the Roman saying is； 'take care that the commonwealth receives no harm。'〃 This in case the debate concludes not in a decree。 But if a decree be passed； it is either in matter of state or government according to law enacted already； and then it is good without going any further。 or it is in matter of law to be enacted； repealed； or amended； and then the decree of the Senate； especially if it be for a war； or for a levy of men or money； is invalid； without the result of the commonwealth； which is in the prerogative tribe； or representative of the people。 〃The Senate having prepared a decree to be proposed to the people； shall appoint their proposers； and no other may propose for the Senate to the people but the magistrates of the house； that is to say； the three commissioners of the seal； or any two of them； the three of the Treasury； or any two of them； or the two censors。 〃The Senate having appointed their proposers； shall require of the tribunes a muster of the people at a set time and place： and the tribunes or any two of them having mustered the people accordingly； the proposers shall propose the sense or decree of the Senate by clauses to the people。 And that which is proposed by the authority of the Senate； and resolved by the command of the people； is the law of Oceana。〃 To this order； implicitly containing the sum very near of the whole civil part of the commonwealth； my Lord Archon spoke thus in council：
〃MY DEAR LORDS： 〃There is a saying； that a man must cut his coat according to his cloth。 When I consider what God has allowed or furnished to our present work； I am amazed。 You would have a popular government； he has weighed it to you in the present balance； as I may say； to a drachm； you have no more to do but to fix it。 For the superstructures of such a government they require a good aristocracy： and you have； or have had a nobility or gentry the best studied； and the best writers； at least next that of Italy； in the whole world； nor have they been inferior； when so exercised； in the leading of armies。 But the people are the main body of a commonwealth； show me from the treasuries of the snow （as it is in Job） to the burning zone a people whose shoulder so universally and so exactly fits the corselet。 Nevertheless； it were convenient to be well provided with auxiliaries。 There is Marpesia； through her fruitfulness； inexhaustible of men； and men through her barrenness not only enured to hardship； but in your arms。 It may be said that Venice； excepting only that she takes not in the people； is the most incomparable situation of a commonwealth。 You are Venice； taking in your people and your auxiliaries too。 My lords； the children of Israel were makers of brick before they were builders of a commonwealth； but our brick is made； our mortar tempered； the cedars of Lebanon are hewed and squared to our hands。 Has this been the work of man？ Or is it in man to withstand this work？ 'Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct him？ He that reproves God； let him answer it。' For our parts； everything is so laid that when we come to have use of it； it is the next at hand； and unless we can conceive that God and nature do anything in vain； there is no more for us to do but to despatch。 The piece which we have reached to us in the foregoing orders； is the aristocracy。 Athens； as has been shown； was plainly lost through the want of a good aristocracy。 〃But the sufficiency of an aristocracy goes demonstrably upon the hand of the nobility or gentry； for that the politics can be mastered without study； or that the people can have leisure to study； is a vain imagination； and what kind of aristocracy divines and lawyers would make； let their incurable running upon their own narrow bias and their perpetual invectives against Machiavel （though in some places justly reprovable； yet the only politician； and incomparable patron of the people） serve for instruction。 I will stand no more to the judgment of lawyers and divines in this work； than to that of so many other tradesmen； but if this model chances to wander abroad； I recommend it to the Roman speculativi （the most complete gentlemen of this age） for their censure； or with my Lord Epimonus his leave； send 300 or 400 copies to your agent at Venice to be presented to the magistrates there； and when they have considered them； to be proposed to the debate of the Senate； the most competent judges under heaven； who； though they have great affairs； will not refuse to return you the oracle of their ballot。 The councillors of princes I will not trust； they are but journeymen。 The wisdom of these later times in princes' affairs （says Verulamius） is rather fine deliveries and shiftings of dangers when they be near； than solid and grounded courses to keep them off。 Their councillors do not derive their proceedings from any sound root of government that may contain the demonstration； and assure the success of them； but are expedient…mongers； givers of themselves to help a lame dog over a stile； else how comes it to pass that the fame of Cardinal Richelieu has been like thunder； whereof we hear the noise； but can make no demonstration of the reason？ But to return： if neither the people； nor divines and lawyers； can be the aristocracy of a nation； there remains only the nobility； in which style； to avoid further repetition； I shall understand the gentry also； as the French do by the word noblesse。 〃Now to treat of the nobility in such sort as may be less obnoxious to mistake； it will be convenient； and answerable to the present occasion； that I divide my discourse into four parts： 〃The first treating of nobility； and the kinds of it； 〃The second； of their capacity of the Senate； 〃The third。 of the divers kinds of senates； 〃The fourth； of the Senate； according to the foregoing orders。 〃Nobility may be defined divers ways； for it is either ancient riches； or ancient virtue； or a title conferred by a prince or a commonwealth。 〃Nobility of the first kind may be subdivided into two others； such as hold an overbalance in dominion or property to the whole people； or such as hold not an overbalance。 in the former case； a nobility （such was the Gothic； of which sufficient has been spoken） is incompatible with popular government； for to popular government it is essential that power should be in the people； but the overbalance of a nobility in dominion draws the power to themselves。 Wherefore in this sense it is that Machiavel is to be understood； where he says； that these are pernicious in a commonwealth； and of France； Spain； and Italy； that they are nations which for this cause are the corruption of the world： for otherwise nobility may； according to his definition （which is； 'that they are such as live upon their own revenues in plenty； without engagement either to the tilling of their lands； or other work for their livelihood '）； hold an underbalance to the people； in which case they are not only safe； but necessary to the natural mixture of a well…ordered commonwealth。 〃For how else can you have a commonwealth that is not altogether mechanic？ or what comparison is there of such commonwealths as are； or come nearest to mechanic for example； Athens； Switzerland； Holland； to Lacedaemon； Rome； and Venice； plumed with their aristocracies？ Your mechanics； till they have first feathered their nests； like the fowls of the air whose whole employment is to seek their food； are so busied in their private concernments that they have neithe