This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1700 Excerpt: ...of the Nobility; in a Commonwealth, upon the Property or native Interest of the People; so these are very natural. But the Balance of absolute Monarchy, partaking of Force as well as Nature, is a mix'd thing, and not much different from the Balance of Provincial Empire, or the manner of holding a Province or conquer'd Country. In a Province, if the Native that is rich be admitted to Power, the Power grows up native, and overtops the foren: therfore you must either not plant your Citizens in your Provinces, where in time they will becom native; or, so planting them, neither trust them with Power nor with Arms. Thus the provincial Balance corns to be contrary to the National. And as where Empire is native or national, the administration of it can be no otherwise than according to the national Balance; so where Empire is foren or provincial, the administration of it can be no otherwise than contrary, to the national Balance. That this may be admitted without opposition theConfiderer is inclining to allow, always provi$$d he be Consid. h 16 fairffd in this demands Whether distinct Balances under the fame Head or -7- Governor, as thoje of Castile and Arragon, the Power of the Kj"g (I presume he means by the Balance of a Nobility) being greater in the one, and thatff the People in the other, may not so poi/e one the other; as to produce a new Balance. To which I answer, That no one Govern-ment whatsoever has any more than one of two Balances; that, ex-cept in the cafes excepted, of Land which is national, or that of Arras which is provincial. Wherfore if the King of Spain by his War a-gainst the Commons alter'd the Balance of Arragon, it must have bin one of two ways, either by strengthning the Balance of the Nobility, and governing the Arragonian ...