whereon there hang 1；000 bucklers and shields of mighty men。 Let me hear thy voice in the morning； whom my soul loves。 The south has dropped； and the west is breathing upon thy garden of spices。 Arise； queen of the earth； arise； holy spouse of Jesus； for lo； the winter is past； the rain is over and gone； the flowers appear on the earth； the time for the singing of birds is come； and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land。 Arise； I say； come forth； and do not tarry： ah！ wherefore should my eyes behold thee by the rivers of Babylon； hanging thy harps upon the willows； thou fairest among women？ 〃Excellent patriots； if the people be sovereign； here is that which establishes their prerogative； if we be sincere； here is that which disburdens our souls； and makes good all our engagements； if we be charitable； here is that which embraces all parties； if we would be settled； here is that which will stand； and last forever。 〃If our religion be anything else but a vain boast； scratching and defacing human nature or reason； which； being the image of God； makes it a kind of murder； here is that empire whence 'justice shall run down like a river； and judgment like a mighty stream。' Who is it then that calls us？ or； what is in our way？ A lion！ Is it not the dragon； that old serpent？ For what wretched shifts are these？ Here is a great deal； might we not have some of this at one time； and some at another？
〃My lords； permit me to give you the sum； or brief
EPITOME OF THE WHOLE COMMONWEALTH
〃The centre or fundamental laws are； first； the agrarian； proportioned at ？；000 a year in land； lying and being within the proper territory of Oceana； and stating property in land at such a balance； that the power can never swerve out of the hands of the many。 〃Secondly； the ballot conveying this equal sap from the root； by an equal election or rotation； into the branches of magistracy or sovereign power。 〃The orbs of this commonwealth being civil； military； or provincial； are； as it were； cast upon this mould or centre by the divisions of the people； first； into citizens and servants； secondly； into youth and elders； thirdly； into such as have ？00 a year in lands； goods； or moneys； who are of the horse； and such as have under； who are of the foot； fourthly； they are divided by their usual residence into parishes； hundreds； and tribes。 〃The civil orbs consist of the elders； and are thus created： every Monday next ensuing the last of December； the elders in every parish elect the fifth man to be a deputy； which is but half a day's work； every Monday next ensuing the last of January； the deputies meet at their respective hundred； and elect out of their number one justice of the peace； one juryman； one coroner； and one high constable of the foot； one day's work。 〃Every Monday next ensuing the last of February； the hundreds meet at their respective tribe； and there elect the lords high sheriff； lieutenant； custos rotulorum； the conductor； the two censors out of the horse； the magistrates of the tribe and of the hundreds； with the jurymen constituting the phylarch； and who assist in their respective offices at the assizes； hold the quarter…sessions； etc。 The day following the tribe elects the annual galaxy； consisting of two knights and three deputies out of the horse； with four deputies out of the foot； thereby endued with power； as magistrates of the whole nation； for the term of three years。 An officer chosen at the hundred may not be elected a magistrate of the tribe； but a magistrate or officer either of the hundred or of the tribe； being elected into the galaxy； may substitute any one of his office in the hundred or in own order to his magistracy or office in the hundred or in the tribe。 This of the muster is two days' work。 So the body of the people is annually； at the charge of three days' work and a half； in their own tribes； for the perpetuation of their power； receiving over and above the magistracies so divided among them。 〃Every Monday next ensuing the last of March； the knights； being 100 in all the tribes； take their places in the Senate。 The knights； having taken their places in the Senate； make the third region of the same； and the house proceeds to the senatorian elections。 Senatorian elections are annual； biennial； or emergent。 〃The annual are performed by the tropic。 〃The tropic is a schedule consisting of two parts； the first by which the senatorian magistrates are elected； and the second； by which the senatorian councils are perpetuated。 〃The first part is of this tenor：
The lord strategus； The lord orator； The first censor； The second censor； Annual magistrates and therefore such as may be elected out of any region； the term of every region having at the tropic one year at the least unexpired。
The third commissioner of the seal； The third commissioner of the Treasury。 Triennial magistrates； and therefore such as can be chosen out of the third region only； as that alone which has the term of three years unexpired。
〃The strategus and the orator sitting； are consuls； or presidents of the Senate。 〃The strategus marching is general of the army； in which case a new strategus is to be elected in his room。 〃The strategus sitting with six commissioners； being councillors of the nation； are the signory of the commonwealth。〃 The censors are magistrates of the ballot； presidents of the Council for Religion； and chancellors of the universities。 〃The second part of the tropic perpetuates the Council of State； by the election of five knights out of the first region of the Senate； to be the first region of that council consisting of fifteen knights； five in every region。 〃The like is done by the election of four into the Council of Religion； and four into the Council of Trade； out of the same region in the Senate； each of these councils consisting of twelve knights； four in every region。 〃But the Council of War； consisting of nine knights； three in every region； is elected by and out of the Council of State； as the other councils are elected by and out of the Senate。 And if the Senate add a juncta of nine knights more； elected out of their own number； for the term of three months； the Council of War； by virtue of that addition； is Dictator of Oceana for the said term。 〃The signory jointly or severally has right of session and suffrage in every senatorial council； and to propose either to the Senate； or any of them。 And every region in a council electing one weekly provost； any two of those provosts have power also to propose to their respective council； as the proper and peculiar proposers of the same； for which cause they hold an academy； where any man； either by word of mouth or writing； may propose to the proposers。 〃Next to the elections of the tropic is the biennial election of one ambassador…in…ordinary； by the ballot of the house； to the residence of France； at which time the resident of France removes to Spain； he of Spain to Venice； he of Venice to Constantinople； and he of Constantinople returns。 So the orb of the residents is wheeled about in eight years； by the biennial election of one ambassador…in…ordinary。 〃The last kind of election is emergent。 Emergent elections are made by the scrutiny。 Election by scrutiny is when a competitor； being made by a council； and brought into the Senate； the Senate chooses four more competitors to him； and putting all five to the ballot； he who has most above half the suffrages is the magistrate。 The polemarchs or field officers are chosen by the scrutiny of the Council of War； an ambassador…extraordinary by the scrutiny of the Council of State； the judges and sergeants…at…law by the scrutiny of the seal； and the barons and prime officers of the Exchequer； by the scrutiny of the Treasury。。 〃The opinion or opinions that are legitimately proposed to any council must be debated by the same； and so many as are resolved upon the debate are introduced into the Senate； where they are debated and resolved； or rejected by the whole house； that which is resolved by the Senate is a decree which is good in matters of state； but no law； except it be proposed to and resolved by the prerogative。 〃The deputies of the galaxy being three horse and four foot in a tribe； amount in all the tribes to 150 horse and 200 foot； which； having entered the prerogative； and chosen their captains； cornet； and ensign （triennial officers）； make the third class； consisting of one troop and one company； and so； joining with the whole prerogative； elect four annual magistrates； called tribunes； whereof two are of the horse and two of the foot。 These have the command of the prerogative sessions； and suffrage in the Council of War； and sessions without suffrage in the Senate。 〃The Senate having passed a decree which they would propose to the people； cause it to be printed and published； or promulgated for the space of six weeks； which； being ordered； they choose their proposers。 The proposers must be magistrates； that is； the commissioners of the seal； those of the Treasury； or the censors。 These being chosen； desire the muster of the tribunes； and appoint the day。 The people being assembled at the day appointed； and the decree proposed； that which is proposed by authority of the Senate； and commanded by the people； is the law of Oceana； or an act of Parliament。 〃So the Parliament of Oceana consists of the Senate proposing； and the people resolving。 〃The people or prerogative are also the supreme judicatory of this nation； having power of hearing and determining all causes of appeal from all magistrates； or courts provincial or domestic； as also to question any magistrate； the term of his magistracy being expired； if the case be introduced by the tribunes； or any one of them。 〃The military orbs consist of the youth； that is； such as are from eighteen to thirty years of age； and are created in the following manner： 〃Every Wednesday next ensuing the last of December； the youth of every parish； assembling； elect the fifth of their number to be their deputies； the deputies of the youth are called stratiots； and this is the first essay。 〃Every Wednesday next ensuing the last of January； the stratiots； assembling at the