I Shall endeavour by this FIGƲRE to demonstrate the Manner of the VENETIAN BALLOT (a thing as diffiult in disccourse or writing, as facile in pra­ctice) according to the use of it in OCEANA; whereof the figure represents the Senate, conteining as to the house or form of sittin [...] [...] square and an half; the Tribunal at the upper end, being ascended by four steps. Upon the uppermost of these sit the Magi­strates that constitute the Signory of the Commonwealth, that is to say, (A) the Strategus; (B) the Orator; (C) the three Commissioners of the great Seal; (D) the three Commissioners of the Treasury; whereof one (E) exerciseth (for the pre­sent) the Office of a censor at the middle Ʋrne (F)

To the two upper steps of the tribunal, answer (G G: G G:) the two long benches next the wall on each side of the house; the outward most of which are equal in height to the uppermost step; and the innermost equal in height to the next: of these four benches consisteth the first Seat: as the second Seat consisteth in like manner of those four Benches (H: H: H: H:) which being next the flore are equal in height to the two nethermost steps of the Throne: SO THE WHOLE HOƲSE IS DISTRIBƲTED INTO TWO SEATS, EACH CONSISTING OF FOƲR BENCHES:

This distribution causeth not only the greater convenien­cy, as wil be shewn unto the Senators in the exercise of their Function at the Ballot, but a greater grace to the aspect of the Senate. In the middle of the outward benches stand (I: I:) [...]e chairs of the Censors, those being their ordinary places, though upon occasion of the ballot they descend and fit where they are shewn by (K: K:) at each of the Outward Ʋrnes (L: L:) Those (M: M:) that sit with their tables; and the bowls (N: N:) before them: upon the halfpace or second step of the tribunal from the floor, are the Clerks or Secre­taries of the house. Upon the short seats (O: O:) on the floor (which should have been represented by woolsacks) sit (P:) the two Tribunes of the horse; (Q:) the two Tribunes of the foot; and (R: R: R: R:) the Judges: all which Magistrates are Assistants, but have no sufferage. This posture of the Se­nate considered, the Ballot is performed as followeth.

First, whereas the gold balls are of several suits, and accor­dingly marked with several letters of the Alphabet, a Secre­tary presenteth a little Ʋrne (wherein there is one ball of every suit or mark) unto the Strategus and the Orator; and look, what Letter the Strategus draweth, the same and no other is to be used for that time in the middle Ʋrne (F:) the like for the Letter drawn by the Orator is to be observed for the side Ʋrnes (L: L:) that is to say, if the Strategus drew as ball with an A: all the gold balls in the middle Ʋrne for that day are marked with the letter A: and if the Orator drew a B: all the gold balls in the side Ʋrnes for that day are marked with the letter B: which done immediatly before the Ballot, and so the letter unknown unto the Ballotants, they can use no fraud nor juggling; otherwise a man might carry a gold ball in his hand and seem to have drawn it out of an Ʋrne. He that draws a gold ball at any Ʋrne, delivers it unto the Censor or Assessor of that Ʋrne who views the character, and allows accordingly of his Lot.

The Strategus and the Orators having drawn for the Let­ters, the Ʋrnes are prepared accordingly by one of the Com­missioners and the two Censors: The preparation of the Ʋrnes is after this manner. If the Senate be to elect (for Example) the list called the Tropick of Magistrates: which is this.

• 1: The Lord STRATEGƲS.
• 2. The Lord ORATOR.
• 3. The third COMMISSIONER of the great Seal.
• 4. The third COMMISSIONER of the Treasury
• 5. The first CENSOR.
• 6. The second CENSOR.

The Last or Schedule consisteth of six Magistracies, and unto every Magistracy there are to be four C [...]mpetit [...]rs, that is in all four and twenty Competitors proposed unto the house They that are to propose the Competitors are called Electors, and no Elector can propose above one Competitor: wherefore for the pr [...]posing of four and twenty Competitors you must have four and twenty Electors: and whereas the Ball [...]t con­sisteth of a LOT and of a SƲFFERAGE; the L [...]t is for no other use then for the designation of Electors; and he that draweth a gold ball at the middle Ʋrne is an Elector. Now as to have four and twenty competitors proposed, you must have four and twenty Electors made; so to have four and twenty Electors made by lot, you must have four and twenty gold balls in the middle Ʋrne, and these (because otherwise it would be no Lot) mixed with a competent number of blanks, or silver balls; wherefore to the four and twenty gold balls cast six and twenty silver ones, and that (reckoning the blanks with the prizes) makes fifty balls in the middle Ʋrne. This done, because no man can come unto the middle Ʋrne that hath not first drawn a golden ball at one of the side Ʋrnes; and to be sure that the prizes or gold balls in this Ʋrne be all drawn, there must come unto it fifty persons; therefore there must be in each of the side Ʋrnes five and twenty gold balls, which in both come to fifty; and to the end that every Senator may have his Lot, the gold balls in the side Ʋrnes are to be made up with blanks equal unto the number of the Ballotants at either Ʋrn [...]; for Example, the house consisting of 300. Senators, there must be in each of the side Ʋrnes 125. blanks and 25. prizes, which comes in both the side Ʋrnes to 300. balls This is the whole mystery of preparing the Ʋrnes, which the Censors having the skill to do accordingly, the rest of the Ballot, whether the parties balloting understand it or no, must of necessary consequence come right; and they can neither be out, nor fall into any confusion in the exercise of this Art.

But the Ballot, as I said, is of two parts; the LOT and the SƲFFERAGE, or PROPOSITION and RESƲLT; the Lot determines who shall propose the Competitors; and the result of the Senate which of the Competitors shall be the Magi­strates. The whole to begin with the lot proceedeth in this manner.

The first Secretary with an audible voice reads first the List of the Magistrates to be chosen for the day; then the Oath for fair Election, at which the Senators bold up their hands; which done, another Secretary presents a little Ʋrne unto the Strategus, in which are four balls, each of them having one of these Inscriptions; FIRST SEAT AT THE ƲPPER END; FIRST SEAT AT THE LOWER END; SECOND SEAT AT THE ƲPPER END; SECOND SEAT AT THE LOWER END; and look which of them the Strategus draweth, the Secretary pronouncing the Inscrition with a loud voice, the SEAT so called cometh accordingly unto the Ʋrnes; this in the Figure is the SECOND SEAT AT THE ƲPPER END: The manner of their coming unto the side Ʋrnes is in double files, there being two holes in the cover of each side Ʋrne, by which means two may draw at once; the Senators therefore (S:S:) are coming from the upper end of their Seat (H: H: H: H:) to the side Ʋrnes (L: L:) The Senators (T: T: T:) are drawing The Senator (V:) hath drawn a gold ball at his side Ʋrne, and is going unto the middle Ʋrne (F:) where the Senator (W:) having done the like at the other side Ʋrne is already draw­ing. But the Senators (X: X: X: X:) having drawn blanks at their side Ʋrnes and thrown them into the Bowls (Y: Y:) standing at the feet of the Ʋrnes, are marching by the lower end into their seats again; the Senator (a) having done the like at the middle Ʋrne, is also throwing his blank into the bowle (b) and marching to his seat again; for a man by a prize at a side Ʋrne, gains no more then right to come unto the middle Ʋrne; where if he draw a blank, his for­tune at the side Ʋrne comes to nothing at all, wherefore he also returns to his place: But the Senator (c) hath had a prize at the middle Ʋrne, where the Commissioner having viewed his ball, and found the mark to be right, he mar­cheth up the steps to the seat of the Electors, which is the form (d) set cross the Tribunal, where he placeth himself according as he was drawn with the other Electors (e e e) drawn before him: These are not to look back, but sit with their faces towards the Signory or State, till their number amount unto that of the Magistrates to be that day chosen; which for the present, as was shewn, is six; wherefore six Electors being made, they are reckoned accor­ding as they were drawn: First: Second: Third: Fourth: Fifth: Sixth: in their Order, and the first six that are chosen are the FIRST ORDER OF ELECTORS.

THE FIRST ORDER OF ELECTORS being made, are conducted by a Secretary with a copie of the List to be chosen, out of the Senate and into a Committee or Councel-chamber, being neither suffered by the way, nor in their room (till the Ballot be ended) to have conference with any but themselves; wherefore the Secretary having given them their Oath, that they shall make Election according unto the law and their conscience, delivereth them the list, and seateth himself at the lower end of the table with his pen and paper, while another Secretary keepeth the door.

By such time as the first Order of Electors are thus seated, the the second Order of Electors is drawn, who with a second copie of the same List are conducted into another Committee-chamber by other Secretaries, performing the same Office with the former.

The like exactly is done by the third and by the fou [...]th Orders (or HANDS, as the Venetians call them) of Electors; by which means you have the FOUR AND TWENTY ELECTORS DIVIDED ACCORDING TO THE FOUR COPIES OF THE SAME LIST, BY SIX, INTO FOUR HANDS OR ORDERS; and every one of these Orders nameth one competitor unto every Magistracy in their List; that is to say, the first Elector nameth to the first Magistracy; the second Elector to the second Magistracy; and so forth; but albeit the Electors, as hath been shewn, are cho­sen by meer lot, yet the Competitors by them named are not chosen by any Lot, but by the Sufferage of the whole Order: For Exam­ple; The first Elector in the first Order proposeth a name to be Stra­t [...]s; which name is ballotted by himself and the other five Ele­ctors; and if the name so ballotted attain not to above half the suf­ferages, it is laid aside, and the first Elector names another unto the same Magistracy; and so in case this also fail, another, till one that he hath named, whether it be himself, or some other, have attained unto above HALF THE SUFFERAGES IN THE AF­FIRMATIVE; and the ram so attaining to above half the Suffe­rages in the affirmative is written to the first Magistracy in the List by the Secretary; which being done, the second Elector of the first Older rameth unto the second Magistracy till one of h [...] nomination be chosen unto the same; the like is done by the rest of the Electors of the first Order, till one competitor be chosen and written un­to every Magistracy in their List: Now the second, third, and f [...]orth Orders of Electors doing exactly a [...]te [...] the same manner, to comes to pas [...] that one competit [...]r unto every Magist [...] being [...]h [...]sen in each Order; there be in all four C [...]mp [...]tit [...]s ch [...]s [...]n to every Ma [...] ­stra [...]y.

If any controversie arise [...] of E [...]ctor [...], one o [...] [...] C [...]n­sors (these being a [...] th [...] [...]me the [...]) advertised b [...] the [...], who b [...]ingeth him [...] [...]nd the E [...]ct [...]r [...] [...] bound to acquiesce in hi [...] [...]nt [...]r [...]. [...] which [...] the [...] th [...] Cons [...] do not ball [...]t a [...] the [...] also a [...] stan [...]th [...] it should deform the house; wherefore blanks in the side Ʋrns are by so many the fewer. And so much or the Lot, which is of the greater Art but less Consequence, becase it concern [...] [...] p [...]p [...]si­tion only: But all (except the Tribunes [...] the Judges, which being but Assista [...]ts, have no Suffe [...]ge) are o [...] ballot at the Result, unto which I now come.

The four Orders of Electors hav [...]ng perfected their Lists, the face of the H [...]use is changed; for the Ʋrnes are taken away, and every Senator and Magistrate is seated in his proper place, saving the E­lectors, who having given their Suffrages already, may not stir out of their chambers till the house has given theirs and the rest of the Ballot be performed; which fol [...]ws in this manner.

The four Lists being presented b [...] [...]he Secretaries of each Councel of Electors unto the Signory, are fit read according unto their Order unto the H [...]use in an audible o [...]e; and then the Competi­tors are PUT UNTO TO THE BALLO [...] OR SUFFERAGE OF THE WHOLE SENATE in this manner [...] A▪ A: named to be [...]trat [...]g [...] in the first Order; whereupon eigh [...] B [...]ll [...]tin [...] or Pa [...]s▪ such a [...] [...]e expressed by the figure [...] (s s) take [...]ight of the [...] represented, th [...]ugh [...]del [...], by the figures (g g) [...]dgo f [...]ur on the [...]n [...], and f [...]ur on the other [...] of the House, that [...] to every bench, sing [...]g, A. A: named: be the Strategus in th [...] first Order; and every Ma [...]i­strat [...] and [...] beginning by the [...], and the Orator first holds up a little pell [...]t of Linnen as th [...] [...] palleth▪ between his sin­ger and hi [...] thumb, that men may [...] ha [...]h but one, and then put it into the same; the [...] co [...]s [...]g in the inner part of two [...] painted on the outside [...] and [...], to distinguish the Affirmative from the Negative [...] so m [...]ie, that when your hand [...], no man can see to w [...]ich of the sides you put the Sufferage, not hear to which it falls, [...]use the pell [...]t being [...]nn [...]n maketh no noise, the Strategus and he Orat [...] having began, all the rest do the like.

The B [...]ll [...]tins having thus gathered the Sufferages, bring them before the Sign [...]y, in whose presence the outward boxes being o­pened, they take out the inner boxes, whereof the affirmative is white, and the negative green, and poure the white into the b [...]wle (N) on the right hand, which is white also, and the green into the bowle (N) on the left, which is also green; these bowles, or ba­sons (better represented at the lower end of the Figure by (h [...]) be­ing upon this occasion set before the tables of the Secretaries at the upper end (N N) the wh [...]te on the right hand, and the green on the left, the Secretaries on each side number the balls; by which it they find that the Affirmatives amount not to above one half, they write not the name that was balloted; but if they amount to above one half, they write it, adding the number of above half of the sufferages unto which it attained; the first name being written, or laid aside, the next that is put is B: B: named to be Strategus in the second Order; the third C: C: named to be Strate­gus in the third Order; the fourth D: D: named to be Strategus in the f [...]u [...]th Order; and he of th [...]se four Competitors that hath m [...]st a­b [...]ve half in the Affirmative, is the Magistrate; or if none of them attain to above half, the nomination for that Magistrates [...]to be re­peated by such new Elector as shall be chosen at the next Ballot. And, as is exemplify'd in the first Magistracy, proceeds the Bal [...]t of the rest; first in the [...]st, then in the second, and so in the third and fourth Orders.

Now whereas it may happen that A: A: (for Example) b [...]ing named Strategus in the fi [...]st Order, may also be named to the same o [...] some one or more other Magistracies, in one or more of the other Orders. His name is first ball [...]tted where it [...] w [...]it­ten, that is, unto the more worthy Magist [...]cy, whereof [...] hee miss, he is ball [...]tted as it comes in course for the next, and so for [...]est, if he miss of that, as often as he is named.

And because to be named, twice, or oftene [...], whether to the same, or some other Magistracy, is the stronger recommendation: The note must not fa [...]l to be given upon the [...]rame, at the pre­position, in this manner.

A: A: named to be Strat [...]us in the first, and in the second Or­der. Or A: A: named to be Strategus in the first and the third; in the first and the f [...]u [...]th, [...]e. but if he be named to the same Ma­gistracy in the first, second, third, and f [...]urth Orders, he can have no Competitor; wherefore attaining to above half the Sufferages, he is the Magistrate.

Or thus: A: A: named to be Strategus in the first, to be Censor in the second, to be Orator in the third, and to be Commissione [...] [...] the Seal in the fourth Order, or the like in more or fewer Or­ders: In which cases if he miss of the first Magistracy, he is ball [...]t [...] to the second; it he miss o [...] the second, to the third; and if he miss of the third, to the f [...]uth.

The Ball [...]t not finished before Sun-set, though the Election of the Mag [...]st [...]a [...] already chosen be [...] the Election of such Competit [...]s a [...] b [...]ing ch [...]sen are not yet furnished with Magistracies a [...] if they had never been named (for th [...] is no JƲGG [...]IN­ [...]N, but an [...] that must see the Sun) and the [...]allot for the [...] maining Ma [...]ist [...]acies i [...] to be repeated the next day by new O [...] ­ [...]r of El [...]ct [...], and such C [...]petit [...] as by them shall be [...] In like manner, [...] of all the [...] proposed unto the same Ma [...] ­stra [...], no one of them a [...]tain unto above half the Sufferages in the Affirmative.

The S [...]rat [...]an Ball to O [...]a [...]a being thus described. Th [...]se of the Pa [...]ul, of the [...]land [...]ed, and of the [...] being so little diffe­rent, that w [...]h [...] they are all contained▪ and by this may be easily understood [...] omitted