the commonwealth of oceana-第59部分

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ed　you；　but　whereof　he　will　require　an　account　of　you；　for；　'cursed　is　he　that　does　the　work　of　the　Lord　negligently。'　Wherefore　you　are　to　take　the　course　of　Rome：　if　you　have　subdued　a　nation　that　is　capable　of　liberty；　you　shall　make　them　a　present　of　it；　as　did　Flaminius　to　Greece；　and　AEmilius　to　Macedon；　reserving　to　yourselves　some　part　of　that　revenue　which　was　legally　paid　to　the　former　government；　together　with　the　right　of　being　head　of　the　league；　which　includes　such　levies　of　men　and　money　as　shall　be　necessary　for　the　carrying　on　of　the　public　work。　　　　　〃For　if　a　people　have　by　your　means　attained　to　freedom；　they　owe　both　to　the　cause　and　you　such　aid　as　may　propagate　the　like　fruit　to　the　rest　of　the　world。　But　whereas　every　nation　is　not　capable　of　her　liberty　to　this　degree；　lest　you　be　put　to　doing　and　undoing　of　things；　as　the　Romans　were　in　Macedon；　you　shall　diligently　observe　what　nation　is　fit　for　her　liberty　to　this　degree；　and　what　not；　which　is　to　be　done　by　two　marks；　the　first　if　she　be　willing　to　'help　the　Lord　against　the　mighty；'　for　if　she　has　no　care　of　the　liberty　of　mankind　she　deserves　not　her　own。　But　because　in　this　you　may　be　deceived　by　pretences；　which；　continuing　for　a　while　specious；　may　afterward　vanish；　the　other　is　more　certain；　and　that　is　if　she　be　capable　of　an　equal　agrarian；　which　that　it　was　not　observed　by　excellent　AEmilius　in　his　donation　of　liberty；　and　introduction　of　a　popular　state　among　the　Macedonians；　I　am　more　than　moved　to　believe　for　two　reasons；　the　first；　because　at　the　same　time　the　agrarian　was　odious　to　the　Roman　patricians；　the　second；　that　the　pseudo…Philip　could　afterward　so　easily　recover　Macedon；　which　could　not　have　happened　but　by　the　nobility；　and　their　impatience；　having　great　estates；　to　be　equalled　with　the　people；　for　that　the　people　should　otherwise；　at　the　mere　sound　of　a　name；　have　thrown　away　their　liberty；　is　incredible。　Wherefore　be　assured　that　the　nation　where　you　cannot　establish　an　equal　agrarian；　is　incapable　of　its　liberty　as　to　this　kind　of　donation。　For　example；　except　the　aristocracy　in　Marpesia　be　dissolved；　neither　can　that　people　have　their　liberty　there；　nor　you　govern　at　home；　for　they　continuing　still　liable　to　be　sold　by　their　lords　to　foreign　princes；　there　will　never　（especially　in　a　country　of　which　there　is　no　other　profit　to　be　made）　be　want　of　such　merchants　and　drovers；　while　you　must　be　the　market　where　they　are　to　receive　their　second　payment。　　　　　〃Nor　can　the　aristocracy　there　be　dissolved　but　by　your　means；　in　relation　whereto　you　are　provided　with　your　provincial　orb；　which；　being　proportioned　to　the　measure　of　the　nation　that　you　have　vindicated　or　conquered；　will　easily　hold　it：　for　there　is　not　a　people　in　the　world　more　difficult　to　be　held　than　the　Marpesians；　which；　though　by　themselves　it　be　ascribed　to　their　own　nature；　is　truly　to　be　attributed　to　that　of　their　country。　Nevertheless；　you　having　9；000　men　upon　the　continual　guard　of　it；　that；　threatened　by　any　sudden　insurrection；　have　places　of　retreat；　and　an　army　of　40；000　men　upon　a　day's　warning　ready　to　march　to　their　rescue；　it　is　not　to　be　rationally　shown　which　way　they　can　possibly　slip　out　of　your　hands。　And　if　a　man　should　think　that　upon　a　province　more　remote　and　divided　by　the　sea；　you　have　not　the　like　hold；　he　has　not　so　well　considered　your　wings　as　your　talons；　your　shipping　being　of　such　a　nature　as　makes　the　descent　of　your　armies　almost　of　equal　facility　in　any　country；　so　that　what　you　take　you　hold；　both　because　your　militia；　being　already　populous；　will　be　of　great　growth　in　itself；　and　also　through　your　confederates；　by　whom　in　taking　and　holding　you　are　still　more　enabled　to　do　both。　　　　　〃Nor　shall　you　easier　hold　than　the　people　under　your　empire　or　patronage　may　be　held。　My　lords；　I　would　not　go　to　the　door　to　see　whether　it　be　close　shut；　this　is　no　underhand　dealing；　nor　a　game　at　which　he　shall　have　any　advantage　against　you　who　sees　your　cards；　but；　on　the　contrary　the　advantage　shall　be　your　own：　for　with　18；000　men　（which　number　I　put；　because　it　circulates　your　orb　by　the　annual　change　of　6；000）　having　established　your　matters　in　the　order　shown；　you　will；　be　able　to　hold　the　greatest　province；　and　18；000　men；　allowing　them　greater　pay　than　any　prince　ever　gave；　will　not　stand　the　province　in　？；000；000　revenue；　in　consideration　whereof；　they　shall　have　their　own　estates　free　to　themselves；　and　be　governed　by　their　own　laws　and　magistrates；　which；　if　the　revenue　of　the　province　be　in　dry…rent　（as　there　may　be　some　that　are　four　times　as　big　as　Oceana）　？0；000；000；　will　bring　it　with　that　of　industry；　to　speak　with　the　least；　to　twice　the　value：　so　that　the　people　there；　who　at　this　day　are　so　oppressed　that　they　have　nothing　at　all　whereon　to　live；　shall　for　？；000；000　paid　to　you；　receive　at　least　？9；000；000　to　their　proper　use：　in　which　place　I　appeal　to　any　man；　whether　the　empire　described　can　be　other　than　the　patronage　of　the　world。　　　　　〃Now　if　you　add　to　the　propagation　of　civil　liberty　（so　natural　to　this　commonwealth　that　it　cannot　be　omitted）　the　propagation　of　the　liberty　of　conscience；　this　empire；　this　patronage　of　the　world；　is　the　kingdom　of　Christ：　for　as　the　kingdom　of　God　the　Father　was　a　commonwealth；　so　shall　the　kingdom　of　God　the　Son；　'the　people　shall　be　willing　in　the　day　of　his　power。'　　　　　〃Having　showed　you　in　this　and　other　places　some　of　those　inestimable　benefits　of　this　kind　of　government；　together　with　the　natural　and　facile　emanation　of　them　from　their　fountain；　I　come　（lest　God　who　has　appeared　to　you；　for　he　is　the　God　of　nature；　in　the　glorious　constellation　of　these　subordinate　causes；　whereof　we　have　hitherto　been　taking　the　true　elevation；　should　shake　off　the　dust　of　his　feet　against　you）　to　warn　you　of　the　dangers　which　you；　not　taking　the　opportunity；　will　incur　by　omission。　　　　　〃Machiavel；　speaking　of　the　defect　of　Venice；　through　her　want　of　proper　arms；　cries　out；　'This　cut　her　wings；　and　spoiled　her　mount　to　heaven。'　If　you　lay　your　commonwealth　upon　any　other　foundation　than　the　people；　you　frustrate　yourself　of　proper　arms；　and　so　lose　the　empire　of　the　world；　nor　is　this　all；　but　some　other　nation　will　have　it。　　　　　〃Columbus　offered　gold　to　one　of　your　kings；　through　whose　happy　incredulity　another　prince　has　drunk　the　poison；　even　to　the　consumption　of　his　people；　but　I　do　not　offer　you　a　nerve　of　war　that　is　made　of　purse…strings；　such　a　one　as　has　drawn　the　face　of　the　earth　into　convulsions；　but　such　as　is　natural　to　her　health　and　beauty。　Look　you　to　it；　where　there　is　tumbling　and　tossing　upon　the　bed　of　sickness；　it　must　end　in　death　or　recovery。　Though　the　people　of　the　world；　in　the　dregs　of　the　Gothic　empire；　be　yet　tumbling　and　tossing　upon　the　bed　of　sickness；　they　cannot　die；　nor　is　there　any　means　of　recovery　for　them　but　by　ancient　prudence；　whence　of　necessity　it　must　come　to　pass　that　this　drug　be　better　known。　if　France；　Italy；　and　Spain　were　not　all　sick；　all　corrupted　together；　there　would　be　none　of　them　so；　for　the　sick　would　not　be　able　to　withstand　the　sound；　nor　the　sound　to　preserve　their　health；　without　curing　of　the　sick。　The　first　of　these　nations　（which　if　you　stay　her　leisure；　will　in　my　mind　be　France）　that　recovers　the　health　of　ancient　prudence；　shall　certainly　govern　the　world；　for　what　did　Italy　when　she　had　it？　and　as　you　were　in　that；　so　shall　you　in　the　like　case　be　reduced　to　a　province；　I　do　not　speak　at　random。　Italy；　in　the　consulship　of　Lucius　AEmilius　Papus　and　Caius　Attilius　Regulus；　armed；　upon　the　Gallic　tumult　that　then　happened　of　herself；　and　without　the　aid　of　foreign　auxiliaries；　70；000　horse　and　700；000　foot；　but　as　Italy　is　the　least　of　those　three　countries　in　extent；　so　is　France　now　the　most　populous。

　　　　〃'I；　decus；　I；　nostrum；　melioribus　utere　fatis。'　　　　　〃My　dear　lords；　Oceana　is　as　the　rose　of　Sharon；　and　the　lily　of　the　valley。　As　the　lily　among　thorns；　such　is　my　love　among　the　daughters。　She　is　comely　as　the　tents　of　Kedar；　and　terrible　as　an　army　with　banners。　Her　neck　is　as　the　tower　of　David；　builded　for　an　armory；　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　whe