concerning civil government-第12章

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lived　in　troops；　as　they　do　this　day　in　Florida…　the　Cheriquanas；

those　of　Brazil；　and　many　other　nations；　which　have　no　certain

kings；　but；　as　occasion　is　offered　in　peace　or　war；　they　choose

their　captains　as　they　please〃　（lib。　i。　cap。　25）。　If　it　be　said；

that　every　man　there　was　born　subject　to　his　father；　or　the　head　of

his　family。　that　the　subjection　due　from　a　child　to　a　father　took　away

not　his　freedom　of　uniting　into　what　political　society　he　thought　fit；

has　been　already　proved；　but　be　that　as　it　will；　these　men；　it　is

evident；　were　actually　free；　and　whatever　superiority　some　politicians

now　would　place　in　any　of　them；　they　themselves　claimed　it　not；　but；

by　consent；　were　all　equal；　till；　by　the　same　consent；　they　set　rulers

over　themselves。　So　that　their　politic　societies　all　began　from　a

voluntary　union；　and　the　mutual　agreement　of　men　freely　acting　in

the　choice　of　their　governors　and　forms　of　government。

　　103。　And　I　hope　those　who　went　away　from　Sparta；　with　Palantus；

mentioned　by　Justin；　will　be　allowed　to　have　been　freemen

independent　one　of　another；　and　to　have　set　up　a　government　over

themselves　by　their　own　consent。　Thus　I　have　given　several　examples

out　of　history　of　people；　free　and　in　the　state　of　Nature；　that；　being

met　together；　incorporated　and　began　a　commonwealth。　And　if　the　want

of　such　instances　be　an　argument　to　prove　that　government　were　not　nor

could　not　be　so　begun；　I　suppose　the　contenders　for　paternal　empire

were　better　let　it　alone　than　urge　it　against　natural　liberty；　for

if　they　can　give　so　many　instances　out　of　history　of　governments　begun

upon　paternal　right；　I　think　（though　at　least　an　argument　from　what

has　been　to　what　should　of　right　be　of　no　great　force）　one　might；

without　any　great　danger；　yield　them　the　cause。　But　if　I　might

advise　them　in　the　case；　they　would　do　well　not　to　search　too　much

into　the　original　of　governments　as　they　have　begun　de　facto；　lest

they　should　find　at　the　foundation　of　most　of　them　something　very

little　favourable　to　the　design　they　promote；　and　such　a　power　as　they

contend　for。

　　104。　But；　to　conclude：　reason　being　plain　on　our　side　that　men　are

naturally　free；　and　the　examples　of　history　showing　that　the

governments　of　the　world；　that　were　begun　in　peace；　had　their

beginning　laid　on　that　foundation；　and　were　made　by　the　consent　of　the

people；　there　can　be　little　room　for　doubt；　either　where　the　right　is；

or　what　has　been　the　opinion　or　practice　of　mankind　about　the　first

erecting　of　governments。

　　105。　I　will　not　deny　that　if　we　look　back；　as　far　as　history　will

direct　us；　towards　the　original　of　commonwealths；　we　shall　generally

find　them　under　the　government　and　administration　of　one　man。　And　I　am

also　apt　to　believe　that　where　a　family　was　numerous　enough　to　subsist

by　itself；　and　continued　entire　together；　without　mixing　with

others；　as　it　often　happens；　where　there　is　much　land　and　few

people；　the　government　commonly　began　in　the　father。　For　the　father

having；　by　the　law　of　Nature；　the　same　power；　with　every　man　else；

to　punish；　as　he　thought　fit；　any　offences　against　that　law；　might

thereby　punish　his　transgressing　children；　even　when　they　were　men；

and　out　of　their　pupilage；　and　they　were　very　likely　to　submit　to

his　punishment；　and　all　join　with　him　against　the　offender　in　their

turns；　giving　him　thereby　power　to　execute　his　sentence　against　any

transgression；　and　so；　in　effect；　make　him　the　law…maker　and

governor　over　all　that　remained　in　conjunction　with　his　family。　He　was

fittest　to　be　trusted；　paternal　affection　secured　their　property　and

interest　under　his　care；　and　the　custom　of　obeying　him　in　their

childhood　made　it　easier　to　submit　to　him　rather　than　any　other。　If；

therefore；　they　must　have　one　to　rule　them；　as　government　is　hardly　to

be　avoided　amongst　men　that　live　together；　who　so　likely　to　be　the　man

as　he　that　was　their　common　father；　unless　negligence；　cruelty；　or　any

other　defect　of　mind　or　body；　made　him　unfit　for　it？　But　when　either

the　father　died。　and　left　his　next　heir…　for　want　of　age；　wisdom；

courage；　or　any　other　qualities…　less　fit　for　rule；　or　where　several

families　met　and　consented　to　continue　together；　there；　it　is　not　to

be　doubted；　but　they　used　their　natural　freedom　to　set　up　him　whom

they　judged　the　ablest　and　most　likely　to　rule　well　over　them。

Conformable　hereunto　we　find　the　people　of　America；　who…　living　out　of

the　reach　of　the　conquering　swords　and　spreading　domination　of　the　two

great　empires　of　Peru　and　Mexico…　enjoyed　their　own　natural　freedom；

though；　caeteris　paribus；　they　commonly　prefer　the　heir　of　their

deceased　king；　yet；　if　they　find　him　any　way　weak　or　incapable；　they

pass　him　by；　and　set　up　the　stoutest　and　bravest　man　for　their　ruler。

　　106。　Thus；　though　looking　back　as　far　as　records　give　us　any　account

of　peopling　the　world；　and　the　history　of　nations；　we　commonly　find

the　government　to　be　in　one　hand；　yet　it　destroys　not　that　which　I

affirm…　viz。；　that　the　beginning　of　politic　society　depends　upon　the

consent　of　the　individuals　to　join　into　and　make　one　society；　who；

when　they　are　thus　incorporated；　might　set　up　what　form　of

government　they　thought　fit。　But　this　having　given　occasion　to　men

to　mistake　and　think　that；　by　Nature；　government　was　monarchical；

and　belonged　to　the　father；　it　may　not　be　amiss　here　to　consider　why

people；　in　the　beginning；　generally　pitched　upon　this　form；　which；

though　perhaps　the　father's　pre…eminency　might；　in　the　first

institution　of　some　commonwealths；　give　a　rise　to　and　place　in　the

beginning　the　power　in　one　hand；　yet　it　is　plain　that　the　reason

that　continued　the　form　of　government　in　a　single　person　was　not　any

regard　or　respect　to　paternal　authority；　since　all　petty　monarchies…

that　is；　almost　all　monarchies；　near　their　original；　have　been

commonly；　at　least　upon　occasion；　elective。

　　107。　First；　then；　in　the　beginning　of　things；　the　father's

government　of　the　childhood　of　those　sprung　from　him　having　accustomed

them　to　the　rule　of　one　man；　and　taught　them　that　where　it　was

exercised　with　care　and　skill；　with　affection　and　love　to　those

under　it；　it　was　sufficient　to　procure　and　preserve　men　（all　the

political　happiness　they　sought　for　in　society）；　it　was　no　wonder　that

they　should　pitch　upon　and　naturally　run　into　that　form　of

government　which；　from　their　infancy；　they　had　been　all　accustomed　to；

and　which；　by　experience；　they　had　found　both　easy　and　safe。　To

which　if　we　add；　that　monarchy　being　simple　and　most　obvious　to　men；

whom　neither　experience　had　instructed　in　forms　of　government；　nor　the

ambition　or　insolence　of　empire　had　taught　to　beware　of　the

encroachments　of　prerogative　or　the　inconveniencies　of　absolute　power；

which　monarchy；　in　succession；　was　apt　to　lay　claim　to　and　bring

upon　them；　it　was　not　at　all　strange　that　they　should　not　much　trouble

themselves　to　think　of　methods　of　restraining　any　exorbitances　of

those　to　whom　they　had　given　the　authority　over　them；　and　of　balancing

the　power　of　government　by　placing　several　parts　of　it　in　different

hands。　They　had　neither　felt　the　oppression　of　tyrannical　dominion；

nor　did　the　fashion　of　the　age；　nor　their　possessions　or　way　of

living；　which　afforded　little　matter　for　covetousness　or　ambition；

give　them　any　reason　to　apprehend　or　provide　against　it；　and；

therefore；　it　is　no　wonder　they　put　themselves　into　such　a　frame　of

government　as　was　not　only；　as　I　said；　most　obvious　and　simple；　but

also　best　suited　to　their　present　state　and　condition；　which　stood

more　in　need　of　defence　against　foreign　invasions　and　injuries　than　of

multiplicity　of　laws　where　there　was　but　very　little　property；　and

wanted　not　variety　of　rulers　and　abundance　of　officers　to　direct　and

look　after　their　execution　where　there　were　but　few　trespassers　and

few　offenders。　Since；　then；　those　who　liked　one　another　so　well　as

to　join　into　society　cannot　but　be　supposed　to　have　some

acquaintance　and　friendship　together；　and　some　trust　one　in　another；

they　could　not　but　have　greater　apprehensions　of　others　than　of　one

another；　and；　therefore；　their　first　care　and　thought　cannot　but　be

supposed　to　be；　how　to　secure　themselves　against　foreign　force。　It　was

natural　for　them　to　put　themselves　under　a　frame　of　government　which

might　best　serve　to　that　end；　and　choose　the　wisest　and　bravest　man　to

conduct　them　in　their　wars　and　lead　them　out　against　their　enemies；

and　in　this　chiefly　be　their　ruler。

　　108。　Thus　we　see　that　the　kings　of　the　Indians；　in　America；　which　is

still　a　pattern　of　the　first　ages　in　Asia　and　Europe；　whilst　the

inhabitants　were　too　few　for　the　country；　and　want　of　people　and　money

gave　men　no　temptation　to　enlarge　their　possessions　of　land　or　contest

for　wider　extent　of　ground；　are　little　more　than　generals　of　their

armies；　and　though　they　command　absolutely　in　war；　yet　at　home；　and　in

time　of　peace；　they　exercise　very　little　dominion；　and　have　but　a　very

moderate　sovereignty；　the　resolutions　of　peace　and　war　being

ordinarily　either　in　the　people　or　in　a　council；　though　the　war

itself；　which　admits　not　of　pluralities　of　governors；　naturally

evolves　the　command　into　the　king's　sole　authority。

　　109。　And　thus；　in　Israel　itself；　the　chief　business　of　their

judges　and　first　kings　seems　to　have　been　to　be　captains　in　war　and

leaders　of　their　armies；　which　（besides　what　is　signified　by　〃going

out　and　in　before　the　people；〃　which　was；　to　march　forth　to　war　and

home　again　at　the　heads　of　their　forces）　appears　plainly　in　the

story　of　Jephtha。　The　Ammonites　making　war　upon　Israel；　the

Gileadites；　in　fear；　send　to　Jephtha；　a　bastard　of　their　family；

whom　they　had　cast　off；　and　article　with　him；　if　he　will　assist　them

against　the　Ammonites；　to　make　him　their　ruler；　which　they　do　in　these

words：　〃And　the　people　made　him　head　and　captain　over　them〃　（Judges

11。　11）；　which　was；　as　it　seems；　all　one　as　to　be　judge。　〃And　he

judged　Israel〃　（Judges　12。　7）…　that　is；　was　their　captain…general…

〃six　years。〃　So　when　Jotham　upbraids　the　Shechemites　with　the

obligation　they　had　to　Gideon；　who　had　been　their　judge　and　ruler；

he　tells　them：　〃He　fought　for　you；　and　adventured　his　life　for；　and

delivered　you　out　of　the　hands　of　Midian〃　（Judges　9。　17）。　Nothing

mentioned　of　him　but　what　he　did　as　a　general；　and；　indeed；　that　is

all　is　found　in　his　history；　or　in　any　of　the　rest　of　the　judges。

And　Abimelech　particularly　is　called　king；　though　at　most　he　was　but

their　general。　And　when；　being　weary　of　the　ill…conduct　of　Samuel's

sons；　the　children　of　Israel　desired　a　king；　〃like　all　the　nations；　to

judge　them；　and　to　go　out　before　them；　and　to　fight　their　battles〃

（1　Sam。　8。　20）；　God；　granting　their　desire；　says　to　Samuel；　〃I　will

send　thee　a　man；　and　thou　shalt　anoint　him　to　be　captain　over　my

people　Israel；　that　he　may　save　my　people　out　of　the　hands　of　the

Philistines〃　（ch。　9。　16）。　As　if　the　only　business　of　a　king　had　been

to　lead　out　their　armies　and　fight　in　their　defence；　and；　accordingly；

at　his　inauguration；　pouring　a　vial　of　oil　upon　him