And those that we have, of the beginning of any polities
in the world, excepting that of the Jews, where God himself
immediately interposed, and which favours not at all paternal
dominion, are all either plain instances of such a beginning as I
have mentioned, or at least have manifest footsteps of it.
Sec. 102. He must shew a strange inclination to deny
evident matter of fact, when it agrees not with his hypothesis,
who will not allow, that shew a strange inclination to deny
evident matter of fact, when it agrees not with his hypothesis,
who will not allow, that the beginning of Rome and Venice were by
the uniting together of several men free and independent one of
another, amongst whom there was no natural superiority or
subjection. And if Josephus Acosta's word may be taken, he tells
us, that in many parts of America there was no government at all.
There are great and apparent conjectures, says he, that these
men, speaking of those of Peru, for a long time had neither kings
nor commonwealths, but lived in troops, as they do this day in
Florida, the Cheriquanas, those of Brazil, and many other
nations, which have no certain kings, but as occasion is offered,
in peace or war, they choose their captains as they please, 1.
i. c. 25. If it be said, that every man there was born subject
to his father, or the head of his family; that the subjection due
from a child to a father took not away his freedom of uniting
into what political society he thought fit, has been already
proved.
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