第25章

Inanaristocracy，whenanyoftheassemblydieth，theelectionofanotherintohisroombelongedtotheassembly，asthesovereign，towhombelongedthechoosingofallcounsellorsandofficers。Forthatwhichtherepresentativedoth，asactor，everyoneofthesubjectsdoth，asauthor。Andthoughthesovereignassemblymaygivepowertootherstoelectnewmen，forsupplyoftheircourt，yetitisstillbytheirauthoritythattheelectionismade；andbythesameitmay，whenthepublicshallrequireit，berecalled。

Thegreatestdifficultyabouttherightofsuccessionisinmonarchy：andthedifficultyarisethfromthis，thatatfirstsight，itisnotmanifestwhoistoappointthesuccessor；normanytimeswhoitiswhomhehathappointed。Forinboththesecases，thereisrequiredamoreexactratiocinationthaneverymanisaccustomedtouse。Astothequestionwhoshallappointthesuccessorofamonarchthathaththesovereignauthority；thatistosay，whoshalldetermineoftherightofinheritance(forelectivekingsandprinceshavenotthesovereignpowerinpropriety，butinuseonly)，wearetoconsiderthateitherhethatisinpossessionhasrighttodisposeofthesuccession，orelsethatrightisagaininthedissolvedmultitude。

Forthedeathofhimthathaththesovereignpowerinpropertyleavesthemultitudewithoutanysovereignatall；thatis，withoutanyrepresentativeinwhomtheyshouldbeunited，andbecapableofdoinganyoneactionatall：andthereforetheyareincapableofelectionofanynewmonarch，everymanhavingequalrighttosubmithimselftosuchashethinksbestabletoprotecthim；or，ifhecan，protecthimselfbyhisownsword；whichisareturntoconfusionandtotheconditionofawarofeverymanagainsteveryman，contrarytotheendforwhichmonarchyhaditsfirstinstitution。

Thereforeitismanifestthatbytheinstitutionofmonarchy，thedisposingofthesuccessorisalwayslefttothejudgementandwillofthepresentpossessor。

Andforthequestionwhichmayarisesometimes，whoitisthatthemonarchinpossessionhathdesignedtothesuccessionandinheritanceofhispower，itisdeterminedbyhisexpresswordsandtestament；orbyothertacitsignssufficient。

Byexpresswords，ortestament，whenitisdeclaredbyhiminhislifetime，vivavoce，orbywriting；asthefirstemperorsofRomedeclaredwhoshouldbetheirheirs。Forthewordheirdoesnotofitselfimplythechildrenornearestkindredofaman；butwhomsoeveramanshallanywaydeclarehewouldhavetosucceedhiminhisestate。Ifthereforeamonarchdeclareexpresslythatsuchamanshallbehisheir，eitherbywordorwriting，thenisthatmanimmediatelyafterthedeceaseofhispredecessorinvestedintherightofbeingmonarch。

Butwheretestamentandexpresswordsarewanting，othernaturalsignsofthewillaretobefollowed：whereoftheoneiscustom。Andthereforewherethecustomisthatthenextofkindredabsolutelysucceedeth，therealsothenextofkindredhathrighttothesuccession；forthat，ifthewillofhimthatwasinpossessionhadbeenotherwise，hemighteasilyhavedeclaredthesameinhislifetime。Andlikewisewherethecustomisthatthenextofthemalekindredsucceedeth，therealsotherightofsuccessionisinthenextofthekindredmale，forthesamereason。Andsoitisifthecustomweretoadvancethefemale。Forwhatsoevercustomamanmaybyawordcontrol，anddoesnot，itisanaturalsignhewouldhavethatcustomstand。

Butwhereneithercustomnortestamenthathpreceded，thereitistoheunderstood；first，thatamonarch’swillisthatthegovernmentremainmonarchical，becausehehathapprovedthatgovernmentinhimself。Secondly，thatachildofhisown，maleorfemale，bepreferredbeforeanyother，becausemenarepresumedtobemoreinclinedbynaturetoadvancetheirownchildrenthanthechildrenofothermen；andoftheirown，ratheramalethanafemale，becausemenarenaturallyfitterthanwomenforactionsoflab