Government Described: Viz. What 

Monarchy,  
Aristocracy,  
oligarchy, And  
Democracie,   is. TOGETHER With a Brief MODEL OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE Commonwealth, OR, Free-State of RAGOUSE. Fit for View at this present Juncture of Settlement.  
By J. S.  
London, Printed MDCLIX.   

THE GOVERNMENT OF Monarchy, Aristocracy, oligarchy, and Democracie, Described.  
GOvernment hath in it this Order, Commanding and Obeying: The first Government was paternal, when the Fathers or the Eldest of the Family did command the rest, which lasted all the time that men lived to a great Age. Whilst this Government continued, Law was not invented, because that the Father of the Family, by the Institutions of Nature, could do nothing but what was good for the whole Family; therefore they were not necessitated to seek for Laws to secure them. The first, that broke this Order of Government was Nimrod, who usurped absolute Power, and held people to servitude by Force and Policy. Besides, Families did so much increase, they were necessitated to join several small ones together to oppose more powerful and mighty Families who sought for Sovereignty and Dominion. In these Confederacies they united themselves; some Families under one, as their Captain, or Prince, or Monarch: Others, into a Democracy, or Number of Magistrates, that were to consult the good of that Confederacy or Society.  
It would take up a Volume, to give the several Instances that are in H story, of this Nature, the which shall be waved; only remember, that Abraham did of his own Household arm such a number of men, that He gave Battle to the Kings of the Plain, and recovered Lot from his Captivity. Paternal Government ceasing, people cast themselves into several Forms of Government, and they received their Denomination from those that were Chief, and their variety of Forms; either from their Opinion of such a Form to be best; or, because that, at the Institutio, none person, or the Nobility, or the eminentest amongst the people, or the people themselves, had m●st power. Even so upon a Change of Government it falleth out, that the Government receiveth its Form from them in whom Power is. The chief of the Forms of Government are, first, Monarchy, that is, by a single person, who is bound by virtue of his Office, to rule according to the Laws of the People for the profit of all: But it often falleth out, that that sort of Government degenerateth, and cannot be kept within its Limits and Bounds: But, on the contrary, conspiring in behalf of its own Interest, against the Interest of the people, it thereby converteth itself into Tyranny, the worst of Governments. The Tyrant ruleth by his Will, and layeth aside the Laws, and consulteth not the Interest of a people. A Monarchy is a dangerous Government in regard it can so readily make or itself a Tyranny. It is the desire of Mankind to be absolute, and a Monarch shall never want Flatterers to prompt and hasten him to a Tyranny; because, under a Tyranny, they can the better oppress the People, and arrive to Greatness and Wealth by the People's Ruin. They hold the people by their own Arms and Treasure, in Obedience to the Tyrant, only for his Profit and Commodity, because he only communicates the benefit of his power to such as conspire and are Confederates with him, in holding the people to their Servitude.  
Aristocratical Government, is when the Noblemen bear sway, or such a number of men, as at the first founding, or constituting of that Government, were Chief, and had Presidency of the rest. Such is the State of Venice at this day, which suiteth well with its Situation, and the distance of the rest of its Seignory; but it would scarce serve any either Commonwealth; in regard that the rest of the Seignory are Foreigners either under their Protection or Obedience, they being Subjects to the Government, not Members of it; and there is but few in the City, but what have share in the Government. This sort of Government would not be durable in a large Commonwealth, because that the Policy of this Government naturally must prevent and suppress the increase of other Noble Family, in order to its own preservation. Thoseh●at are excluded, when once grown rich, and thereby attained to Education, do desire to have share in the Government, and shake off Servitude, which causeth Changes: Besides, the great men in this Government do create a distinct Interest from that of the public, by fortifying the Security of their own Families; and if once they should fall into Factions, immediately the most powerful Faction setteth up one of their own Faction to be Prince, or at least the Leader thereof hath opportunity, thereby to make himself Prince; as it fell out by the House of the Medici at Florence; and also at Rome, by Sylla, who was head of the Faction of the Nobility, against that of Marius, the Head of the popular Faction.  
There are Aristocracies mixed with Democracies; as that of the United Provinces. The Great men Consult of the Affairs of the Commonwealth with the People's Deputies, who are Annually Chosen.  
Oligarchy, is the Government of a Commonwealth by a small Number, who either hold by Policy or Force, the Supremacy; or who have absolute Authority given to them. Such were the Triumvirate and the Dec●mviri amongst the Romans; Such also were the Thirty Tyrants at Athens: this kind of Government was upon special occasions Erected amongst the Ancients, to carry on some Notable Undertaking, or to Determine and Arbitrate some difference as was blown big by Factions in the Commonwealth: the which power proveth Immediately dangerous, if not called in, and Nulled, so soon as the occasion is over, for which it was ordained; No Government can be more dangerous than this is, where the People are divided either in Civil or Religious Respects: in such a Case there shall be nothing but Changes, Murder, Miseries of all kinds, and destruction produced, in the Commonwealth; it only Respecteth me good of those that Have the Government, and those that adhere to them: For the rest of the people, they must bereave them of their Wit, Money, and Arms. That was an Excellent Oligarchy Erected by John of Leydon at Munster; and was like to have been here in England, by a certain People▪ that are unconstant, unlimited, spiritually proud, and notoriously Ignorant; who think none to have Right in Government, but themselves.  
Democracy is a Government, where the Governors are Elected by the People out of themselves; sometimes called Free-State, or Popular State, or Commonwealth: This kind of Government by the People, is the most Natural, and best sort of all Governments; they Elect their Magistrates, which are to continue in power but one year, or less; they Trust not their Arms in the hands of one Person, but they are managed by a Council: This is the best sort of Government, because that the persons do not continue long in Trust: the which is the only means to keep them from Corruption or Oppression. When they shall be reduced to a private Capacity, and be subject to give an Account of their Trust, doth not that Commonwealth stand better Assured to be free from Corruption, than that Constitution that shall secure the persons Governing, and protect them from Justice: He who doth continue always in power, is enabled by virtue of his power to secure himself from being questioned; and maketh use of his Authority that should be to discourage Evil doers, to defend himself in Evil doing. But when the Commonwealth is large, and they send their Deputies, and Invest them with their Legislative power, who meet and Consult about making Laws, Peace and War, and the management of other State-Affairs; it is more orderly and freer from all manner of Faction, than it would be, if the People should meet all in one Body, and make Laws as they did at Rome, Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Thebes, and other Grecian States. Although the People have not an Immediate hand in the Supreme management of Affairs; yet they have the virtual power in them by Election, which is the Original of the being of Supreme Authority, and also a possibility for every one that can arrive to Credit by his Parts, to be Chosen and Elected for the Next Representative: the which will animate an hundred in this Government (to one in any other sort of Government) to put themselves forth to acquire Parts, and to fit themselves with Abilities to serve the Public, either by Council or Arms.  
I will here say nothing at all of the Defects of this Government, and the Remedies; nor of any other Government: it shall be done shortly in a Volume. But here I will give you a brief Model of the Government of the Commonwealth or Free-State of Ragouse, situated in Dalmatia, near the Bottom of the Adriatic or Gulf of Venice. Reader, here take notice, That a Commonwealth thus Constituted, though small, is able to preserve itself against the most powerful Princes; The Counsels proportionably of such a Commonwealth, are more strong, and their Swords more sharp, than a Prince's. This Commonwealth or Free-State maintaineth its self by its Just Impartial Policy, in perfect Freedom and Strength, notwithstanding they border on the Tyrannical Turk's Dominions.   

The Government of the Commonwealth of Ragouse.  
RAgouse hath nor been always a Common-weal, for that it hath obeyed divers Lords ac divers times; sometimes Grecians, sometimes Albanians. But since it hath embraced this kind of Government, they have been in some reputation. The Ragousans, when as they sought to reduce the Town to a Common-weal, followed (for the most part) the order of the State of Venice. Being thus resolved, they first instituted a Great Council, knowing, that it was the foundation of a Common-weal, and as it were the firm Basis or Groundwork of their City. All Gentlemen of the City enter into this Council, having attained to the age of Twenty years, and they are admitted proving their Gentry. In this Council they create all the Magistrates of the City, which are such as I will set down.  
There are first the Pregadi, or Great Council, which should be commonly Sixty. There may be many Gentlemen of one Family; for the Families in time are reduced into a small number. These have charge of the Affairs of the Common-weal, and do judge of Civil Causes; they also judge of Criminal Causes which are of Importance in regard of the persons, as if any Gentleman be accused, or hath committed any Crime. They continue a year in this Charge, and are changed, as they are void, for that they are not all created at one instant, but one after another, as they end.  
The Petty Council (so called in regard of the Great) is the Council of the Rector, which consists of eleven Persons, all of divers Families; who assist the Rector or Head of this Common-weal. They receive and hear the Petitions and Demands of strangers, and private men, Letters, Ambassadors, and such like like; and are as a hand that presents the things which come before them, to other Magistrates, and go afterwards to Officers appointed for such matters. And these decide some of those things which are presented to them, and report the rest to the Pregadi or Great Council. They continue but one year in this Charge, and go out together; and the others which are created by the Great Council, enter into this Office with the new Rector, the first day of January.  
This Rector, who is head of all the Counsels, is chosen in the Grea● Council by three Elections, as they do in all other Offices; and of these Elections, the one is made by scrutiny by three Councillors of the Rector▪ and the two others are made by Lot. The Rector remaineth but on● Month in Charge, and he is bound, during that month, to live in the Palace. He wears the habit of a Duke, tint is, a Robe with open sleeves, different from others by reason of his Authority. They give seven ducats a month for his entertainment: yet when he is one of the Pr●gadi, he hath a Ducat every day to assist.  
This Rector assembles with the Counsellors upon working-days af●er d●nner, and on Festival days on some occasions. But if the Rector be not there, the most ancient Counsellor enters into his place, yet they dispatch not any thing without his presence. They give this Rector a Lieutenant, who hath Jurisdiction in matters which do not exceed three ducats of Gold, and he is for Civil matters only: The Counsellors cannot be chosen Rectors the years, that they are in their Magistracy.  
Next, there are five Purveyors, who are fifty years old and upwards, and must be of divers Families. They have authority to cause all exped●tions made by any Magistrate whatsoever, to be received, and they must be present when as the Counsels assemble. These may be made Rectors during their Magistracy, and are so commonly. They are of the Chief of the Town, of great authority, and in a manner always of the Council.  
After these, are the six Consuls which hear Civil Causes, at first for any sum whatsoever. They are most commonly men of great authority, and which enter into Council with the Pregadi, and they frame the process of such things as they judge. The parties are not accustomed to make allegations; but these Consuls, hearing the matter in question, determine what Justice requires, and draw from every Cause two ducats in the hundred. They cannot be Rectors for the space of two years, left they should alter their proceed in Civil Causes, and to the end the people might be soon dispatched in their Suits; For they do continually attend them.  
There are also five Criminal Judges, and Expeditions go from them, atcording to the Judgements which they make Gentlemen are excepted; for that in Criminal Causes they go before the Great Council, and they that have Fees of the Commonweal answer before the petty Council. Th●se Judges are made Rectors, as the Purveyors be.  
There are moreover three Offices upon the Art of Wool; these do commonly hear the differences that grow betwixt men which exercise that Trade. They enter into the Great Council, and may be made Rectors.  
This Common-weal hath also a College of 30: into which there may enter many persons of one Family. They take knowledge of Appellations unto the sum of three hundred ducats, and every o●e of them hath three ducats yearly for their Wages; which is done, for that all O ficers are finable, if they attend not their Charges; for other wife they would not accept them, for they are of small profit. When any Office is void, it is supplied by one that is in some other Office. If one of the Pregadi dies, they supply his place by one of the Purveyors, or of his College.  
There are six Captains of the Night, who, one after another, have the Guard of the City in the Night, with the Ho●garians, who are about one hundred, with their Captains, and they obey these, who open and shut the Gates of the City. They remain two months in this Charge, and they observe this order, that They which shut the City Gates at Night, do not, open them in the Morning, for they change them at Midnight.  
The Captains and Earls, which go into Governments abroad throughout the Estate of this Commonwealth, are all created by the Great Council, and some of them remain in charge seven months, and others twelve  
By this often changing of Officers, they preserve themselves: This is the true Emblem of a Free-State. The continuation of any Persons, or Counsels, or Senates, are but Defects; unless that the Senate were also to be elected, as well as the Great Council, or Parliament; it is hard if the people cannot be trusted with Election. It's true, the people of England would, if entrusted now at this Juncture of time, elect such as would deprive than of the blessed Government of a Free-State; but that must not be an Argument to deprive them of their Right: they must be entrusted with Election with such Qualifications, as may preserve the Interest of the Commonwealth. Those that allege, that a Free people ought not to be limited in that Case, may also allege, That a Physician must not hinder his Patient of such meat or drink as will ruin him, nor force him to take such medicines, as will cure him. Liberty consisteth not in every one's doing what he listeth; but true Liberty is such a thing, as a convenient and necessary Bondage; that is, I ought to be limited in such a thing: If not, it will be to the detriment of another; this Liberty would not consist with Society. He that would assassinate himself, must be deprived of his Liberty to do so horrid an act. England yet was never a Free-State; but it will be, if the L●g●slators can hit upon the Mark of denying themselves, in perpetuating their Power. No doubt but the People may be trusted with their Liberty in that point, and that with safety, if they bade tasted once of the blessed Fruits of the Government intended, and much pretended to.  
FINIS.