second treatise of government-第24章

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be　monarchical；　but　to　appoint　no　way　to　design　the　person　　that　shall　have　the　power；　and　be　the　monarch。　　Hence　all　　commonwealths；　with　the　form　of　government　established；　have　　rules　also　of　appointing　those　who　are　to　have　any　share　in　the　　public　authority；　and　settled　methods　of　conveying　the　right　to　　them：　for　the　anarchy　is　much　alike；　to　have　no　form　of　　government　at　all；　or　to　agree　that　it　shall　be　monarchical；　but　　to　appoint　no　way　to　know　or　design　the　person　that　shall　have　　the　power；　and　be　the　monarch。　　Whoever　gets　into　the　exercise　of　　any　part　of　the　power；　by　other　ways　than　what　the　laws　of　the　　community　have　prescribed；　hath　no　right　to　be　obeyed；　though　the　　form　of　the　commonwealth　be　still　preserved；　since　he　is　not　the　　person　the　laws　have　appointed；　and　consequently　not　the　person　　the　people　have　consented　to。　　Nor　can　such　an　usurper；　or　any　　deriving　from　him；　ever　have　a　title；　till　the　people　are　both　at　　liberty　to　consent；　and　have　actually　consented　to　allow；　and　　confirm　in　him　the　power　he　hath　till　then　usurped。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAP。　　XVIII。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　TYRANNY。

　　　　　Sec。　199。　　AS　usurpation　is　the　exercise　of　power；　which　　another　hath　a　right　to；　so　tyranny　is　the　exercise　of　power　　beyond　right；　which　no　body　can　have　a　right　to。　　And　this　is　　making　use　of　the　power　any　one　has　in　his　hands；　not　for　the　　good　of　those　who　are　under　it；　but　for　his　own　private　separate　　advantage。　　When　the　governor；　however　intitled；　makes　not　the　　law；　but　his　will；　the　rule；　and　his　commands　and　actions　are　not　　directed　to　the　preservation　of　the　properties　of　his　people；　but　　the　satisfaction　of　his　own　ambition；　revenge；　covetousness；　or　　any　other　irregular　passion。　　　　　　Sec。　200。　　If　one　can　doubt　this　to　be　truth；　or　reason；　　because　it　comes　from　the　obscure　hand　of　a　subject；　I　hope　the　　authority　of　a　king　will　make　it　pass　with　him。　　King　James　the　　first；　in　his　speech　to　the　parliament；　1603；　tells　them　thus；　I　　will　ever　prefer　the　weal　of　the　public；　and　of　the　whole　　commonwealth；　in　making　of　good　laws　and　constitutions；　to　any　　particular　and　private　ends　of　mine；　thinking　ever　the　wealth　and　　weal　of　the　commonwealth　to　be　my　greatest　weal　and　worldly　　felicity；　a　point　wherein　a　lawful　king　doth　directly　differ　from　　a　tyrant：　for　I　do　acknowledge；　that　the　special　and　greatest　　point　of　difference　that　is　between　a　rightful　king　and　an　　usurping　tyrant；　is　this；　that　whereas　the　proud　and　ambitious　　tyrant　doth　think　his　kingdom　and　people　are　only　ordained　for　　satisfaction　of　his　desires　and　unreasonable　appetites；　the　　righteous　and　just　king　doth　by　the　contrary　acknowledge　himself　　to　be　ordained　for　the　procuring　of　the　wealth　and　property　of　　his　people；　And　again；　in　his　speech　to　the　parliament；　1609；　he　　hath　these　words；　The　king　binds　himself　by　a　double　oath；　to　the　　observation　of　the　fundamental　laws　of　his　kingdom；　tacitly；　as　　by　being　a　king；　and　so　bound　to　protect　as　well　the　people；　as　　the　laws　of　his　kingdom；　and　expressly；　by　his　oath　at　his　　coronation；　so　as　every　just　king；　in　a　settled　kingdom；　is　bound　　to　observe　that　paction　made　to　his　people；　by　his　laws；　in　　framing　his　government　agreeable　thereunto；　according　to　that　　paction　which　God　made　with　Noah　after　the　deluge。　　Hereafter；　　seed…time　and　harvest；　and　cold　and　heat；　and　summer　and　winter；　　and　day　and　night；　shall　not　cease　while　the　earth　remaineth。　　　And　therefore　a　king　governing　in　a　settled　kingdom；　leaves　to　be　　a　king；　and　degenerates　into　a　tyrant；　as　soon　as　he　leaves　off　

to　rule　according　to　his　laws；　And　a　little　after；　Therefore　all　　kings　that　are　not　tyrants；　or　perjured；　will　be　glad　to　bound　　themselves　within　the　limits　of　their　laws；　and　they　that　　persuade　them　the　contrary；　are　vipers；　and　pests　both　against　　them　and　the　commonwealth。　　Thus　that　learned　king；　who　well　　understood　the　notion　of　things；　makes　the　difference　betwixt　a　　king　and　a　tyrant　to　consist　only　in　this；　that　one　makes　the　　laws　the　bounds　of　his　power；　and　the　good　of　the　public；　the　end　　of　his　government；　the　other　makes　all　give　way　to　his　own　will　　and　appetite。　　　　　　Sec。　201。　　It　is　a　mistake；　to　think　this　fault　is　proper　　only　to　monarchies；　other　forms　of　government　are　liable　to　it；　　as　well　as　that：　for　wherever　the　power；　that　is　put　in　any　hands　　for　the　government　of　the　people；　and　the　preservation　of　their　　properties；　is　applied　to　other　ends；　and　made　use　of　to　　impoverish；　harass；　or　subdue　them　to　the　arbitrary　and　irregular　　commands　of　those　that　have　it；　there　it　presently　becomes　　tyranny；　whether　those　that　thus　use　it　are　one　or　many。　　Thus　we　　read　of　the　thirty　tyrants　at　Athens；　as　well　as　one　at　Syracuse；　　and　the　intolerable　dominion　of　the　Decemviri　　at　Rome　was　　nothing　better。　　　　　　Sec。　202。　　Where…ever　law　ends；　tyranny　begins；　if　the　law　　be　transgressed　to　another's　harm；　and　whosoever　in　authority　　exceeds　the　power　given　him　by　the　law；　and　makes　use　of　the　　force　he　has　under　his　command；　to　compass　that　upon　the　subject；　　which　the　law　allows　not；　ceases　in　that　to　be　a　magistrate；　and；　　acting　without　authority；　may　be　opposed；　as　any　other　man；　who　　by　force　invades　the　right　of　another。　　This　is　acknowledged　in　　subordinate　magistrates。　　He　that　hath　authority　to　seize　my　　person　in　the　street；　may　be　opposed　as　a　thief　and　a　robber；　if　　he　endeavours　to　break　into　my　house　to　execute　a　writ；　　notwithstanding　that　I　know　he　has　such　a　warrant；　and　such　a　　legal　authority；　as　will　impower　him　to　arrest　me　abroad。　　And　　why　this　should　not　hold　in　the　highest；　as　well　as　in　the　most　　inferior　magistrate；　I　would　gladly　be　informed。　　Is　it　　reasonable；　that　the　eldest　brother；　because　he　has　the　greatest　　part　of　his　father's　estate；　should　thereby　have　a　right　to　take　　away　any　of　his　younger　brothers　portions？　or　that　a　rich　man；　　who　possessed　a　whole　country；　should　from　thence　have　a　right　to　　seize；　when　he　pleased；　the　cottage　and　garden　of　his　poor　　neighbour？　　The　being　rightfully　possessed　of　great　power　and　　riches；　exceedingly　beyond　the　greatest　part　of　the　sons　of　Adam；　　is　so　far　from　being　an　excuse；　much　less　a　reason；　for　rapine　　and　oppression；　which　the　endamaging　another　without　authority　　is；　that　it　is　a　great　aggravation　of　it：　for　the　exceeding　the　　bounds　of　authority　is　no　more　a　right　in　a　great；　than　in　a　　petty　officer；　no　more　justifiable　in　a　king　than　a　constable；　　but　is　so　much　the　worse　in　him；　in　that　he　has　more　trust　put　in　　him；　has　already　a　much　greater　share　than　the　rest　of　his　　brethren；　and　is　supposed；　from　the　advantages　of　his　education；　　employment；　and　counsellors；　to　be　more　knowing　in　the　measures　　of　right　and　wrong。　　　　　　Sec。　203。　　May　the　commands　then　of　a　prince　be　opposed？　may　　he　be　resisted　as　often　as　any　one　shall　find　himself　aggrieved；　　and　but　imagine　he　has　not　right　done　him？　　This　will　unhinge　and　　overturn　all　polities；　and；　instead　of　government　and　order；　　leave　nothing　but　anarchy　and　confusion。　　　　　　Sec。　204。　　To　this　I　answer；　that　force　is　to　be　opposed　to　　nothing；　but　to　unjust　and　unlawful　force；　whoever　makes　any　　opposition　in　any　other　case；　draws　on　himself　a　just　　condemnation　both　from　God　and　man；　and　so　no　such　danger　or　　confusion　will　follow；　as　is　often　suggested：　for；　　　　　　Sec。　205。　　First；　As；　in　some　countries；　the　person　of　the　　prince　by　the　law　is　sacred；　and　so；　whatever　he　commands　or　　does；　his　person　is　still　free　from　all　question　or　violence；　not　　liable　to　force；　or　any　judicial　censure　or　condemnation。　　But　

yet　opposition　may　be　made　to　the　illegal　acts　of　any　inferior　　officer；　or　other　commissioned　by　him；　unless　he　will；　by　　actually　putting　himself　into　a　state　of　war　with　his　people；　　dissolve　the　government；　and　leave　them　to　that　defence　which　　belongs　to　every　one　in　the　state　of　nature：　for　of　such　things　　who　can　tell　what　the　end　will　be？　and　a　neighbour　kingdom　has　　shewed　the　world　an　odd　example。　　In　all　other　cases　the　　sacredness　of　the　person　exempts　him　from　all　inconveniencies；　　whereby　he　is　secure；　whilst　the　government　stands；　from　all　　violence　and　harm　whatsoever；　than　which　there　cannot　be　a　wiser　　constitution：　for　the　harm　he　can　do　in　his　own　person　not　being　　likely　to　happen　often；　nor　to　extend　itself　far；　nor　being　able　　by　his　single　strength　to　subvert　the　laws；　nor　oppress　the　body　　of　the　people；　should　any　prince　have　so　much　weakness；　and　ill　　nature　as　to　be　willing　to　do　it；　the　inconveniency　of　some　　particular　mischiefs；　that　may　happen　sometimes；　when　a　heady　　prince　comes　to　the　throne；　are　well　recompensed　by　the　peace　of　　the　public；　and　security　of　the　government；　in　the　person　of　the　　chief　magistrate；　thus　set　out　of　the　reach　of　danger：　it　being　　safer　for　the　body；　that　some　few　private　men　should　be　sometimes　　in　danger　to　suffer；　than　that　the　head　of　the　republic　should　be　　easily；　and　upon　slight　occasions；　exposed。　　　　　　Sec。　206。　　Secondly；　But　this　privilege；　belonging　only　to　　the　king's　person；　hinders　not；　but　they　may　be　questioned；　　opposed；　and　resisted；　who　use　unjust　force；　though　they　pretend　　a　commission　from　him；　which　the　law　authorizes　not；　as　is　plain　　in　the　case　of　him　that　has　the　king's　writ　to　arrest　a　man；　　which　is　a　full　commission　from　the　king；　and　yet　he　that　has　it　　cannot　break　open　a　man's　house　to　do　it；　nor　execute　this　　command　of　the　king　upon　certain　days；　nor　in　certain　places；　　though　this　commission　have　no　such　exception　in　it；　but　they　are　　the　limitations　of　the　law；　which　if　any　one　transgress；　the　　king's　commission　excuses　him　not：　for　the　king's　authority　being　　given　him　only　by　the　law；　he　cannot　impower　any　one　to　act　　against　the　law；　or　justify　him；　by　his　commission；　in　so　doing；　　the　commission；　or　command　of　any　magistrate；　where　he　has　no　　authority；　being　as　void　and　insignificant；　as　that　of　any　　private　man；　the　difference　between　the　one　and　the　other；　being　　that　the　magistrate　has　some　authority　so　far；　and　to　such　ends；　　and　the　private　man　has　none　at　all：　for　it　is　not　the　　commission；　but　the　authority；　that　gives　the　right　of　acting；　　and　against　the　laws　there　can　be　no　authority。　　But；　　notwithstanding　such　resistance；　the　king's　person　and　authority　　are　still　both　secured；　and　so　no　danger　to　governor　or　　government；　　　　　　Sec。　207。　　Thirdly；　Supposing　a　government　wherein　the　　person　of　the　chief　magistrate　is　not　thus　sacred；　yet　this　　doctrine　of　the　lawfulness　of　resisting　all　unlawful　exercises　of　　his　power；　will　not　upon　every　slight　occasion　indanger　him；　or　　imbroil　the　government：　for　where　the　injured　party　may　be　　relieved；　and　his　damages　repaired　by　appeal　to　the　law；　there　　can　be　no　pretence　for　force；　which　is　only　to　be　used　where　a　　man　is　intercepted　from　appealing　to　the　law：　for　nothing　is　to　　be　accounted　hostile　force；　but　where　it　leaves　not　the　remedy　of　　such　an　appeal；　and　it　is　such　force　alone；　that　puts　him　that　　uses　it　into　a　state　of　war；　and　makes　it　lawful　to　resist　him。　　　A　man　with　a　sword　in　his　hand　demands　my　purse　in　the　high…way；　　when　perhaps　I　have　not　twelve　pence　in　my　pocket：　this　man　I　may　　lawfully　kill。　　To　another　I　deliver　lool。　　to　hold　only　whilst　I　　alig