Inanaristocracy，whenanyoftheassemblydieth，theelectionofanotherintohisroombelongedtotheassembly，asthesovereign，towhombelongedthechoosingofallcounsellorsandofficers。Forthatwhichtherepresentativedoth，asactor，everyoneofthesubjectsdoth，asauthor。Andthoughthesovereignassemblymaygivepowertootherstoelectnewmen，forsupplyoftheircourt，yetitisstillbytheirauthoritythattheelectionismade；andbythesameitmay，whenthepublicshallrequireit，berecalled。
Thegreatestdifficultyabouttherightofsuccessionisinmonarchy：andthedifficultyarisethfromthis，thatatfirstsight，itisnotmanifestwhoistoappointthesuccessor；normanytimeswhoitiswhomhehathappointed。Forinboththesecases，thereisrequiredamoreexactratiocinationthaneverymanisaccustomedtouse。Astothequestionwhoshallappointthesuccessorofamonarchthathaththesovereignauthority；thatistosay，whoshalldetermineoftherightofinheritanceforelectivekingsandprinceshavenotthesovereignpowerinpropriety，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，becausemenarenaturallyfitterthanwomenforactionsoflabouranddanger。Thirdly，wherehisownissuefaileth，ratherabrotherthanastranger，andsostillthenearerinbloodratherthanthemoreremote，becauseitisalwayspresumedthatthenearerofkinisthenearerinaffection；anditisevidentthatamanreceivesalways，byreflection，themosthonourfromthegreatnessofhisnearestkindred。
Butifitbelawfulforamonarchtodisposeofthesuccessionbywordsofcontract，ortestament，menmayperhapsobjectagreatinconvenience：forhemaysellorgivehisrightofgoverningtoastranger；which，becausestrangersthatis，mennotusedtoliveunderthesamegovernment，norspeakingthesamelanguagedocommonlyundervalueoneanother，mayturntotheoppressionofhissubjects，whichisindeedagreatinconvenience：butitproceedethnotnecessarilyfromthesubjectiontoastranger’sgovernment，butfromtheunskillfulnessofthegovernors，ignorantofthetruerulesofpolitics。AndthereforetheRomans，whentheyhadsubduedmanynations，tomaketheirgovernmentdigestiblewerewonttotakeawaythatgrievanceasmuchastheythoughtnecessarybygivingsometimestowholenations，andsometimestoprincipalmenofeverynationtheyconquered，notonlytheprivileges，butalsothenameofRomans；andtookmanyofthemintotheSenate，andofficesofcharge，evenintheRomancity。Andthiswasitourmostwiseking，KingJames，aimedatinendeavouringtheunionofhistworealmsofEnglandandScotland。Which，ifhecouldhaveobtained，hadinalllikelihoodpreventedthecivilwarswhichboththosekingdoms，atthispresent，miserable。Itisnotthereforeanyinjurytothepeopleforamonarchtodisposeofthesuccessionbywill；thoughbythefaultofmanyprinces，ithathbeensometimesfoundinconvenient。Ofthelawfulnessofit，thisalsoisanargument；thatwhatsoeverinconveniencecanarrivebygivingakingdomtoastranger，mayarrivealsobysomarryingwithstrangers，astherightofsuccessionmaydescenduponthem：yetthisbyallmenisaccountedlawful。
OFDOMINIONPATERNALANDDESPOTICAL
ACOMMONWEALTHbyacquisitionisthatwherethesovereignpowerisacquiredbyforce；anditisacquiredbyforcewhenmensingly，ormanytogetherbypluralityofvoices，forfearofdeath，orbonds，doauthorisealltheactionsofthatman，orassembly，thathaththeirlivesandlibertyinhispower。
Andthiskindofdominion，orsovereignty，differethfromsovereigntybyinstitutiononlyinthis，thatmenwhochoosetheirsovereigndoitforfearofoneanother，andnotofhimwhomtheyinstitute：butinthiscase，theysubjectthemselvestohimtheyareafraidof。Inbothcasestheydoitforfear：whichistobenotedbythemthatholdallsuchcovenants，asproceedfromfearofdeathorviolence，void：which，ifitweretrue，nomaninanykindofCommonwealthcouldbeobligedtoobedience。ItistruethatinaCommonwealthonceinstituted，oracquired，promisesproceedingfromfearofdeathorviolencearenocovenants，norobliging，whenthethingpromisediscontrarytothelaws；butthereasonisnotbecauseitwasmadeuponfear，butbecausehethatpromisethhathnorightinthethingpromised。Also，whenhemaylawfullyperform，anddothnot，itisnottheinvalidityofthecovenantthatabsolvethhim，butthesentenceofthesovereign。Otherwise，whensoeveramanlawfullypromiseth，heunlawfullybreaketh：butwhenthesovereign，whoistheactor，acquittethhim，thenheisacquittedbyhimthatextortedthepromise，asbytheauthorofsuchabsolution。
Buttherightsandconsequencesofsovereigntyarethesameinboth。
Hispowercannot，withouthisconsent，betransferredtoanother：hecannotforfeitit：hecannotbeaccusedbyanyofhissubjectsofinjury：hecannotbepunishedbythem：heisjudgeofwhatisnecessaryforpeace，andjudgeofdoctrines：heissolelegislator，andsupremejudgeofcontroversies，andofthetimesandoccasionsofwarandpeace：tohimitbelongedtochoosemagistrates，counsellors，commanders，andallotherofficersandministers；andtodetermineofrewardsandpunishments，honourandorder。Thereasonswhereofarethesamewhichareallegedintheprecedentchapterforthesamerightsandconsequencesofsovereigntybyinstitution。
Dominionisacquiredtwoways：bygenerationandbyconquest。Therightofdominionbygenerationisthatwhichtheparenthathoverhischildren，andiscalledpaternal。Andisnotsoderivedfromthegeneration，asifthereforetheparenthaddominionoverhischildbecausehebegathim，butfromthechild’sconsent，eitherexpressorbyothersufficientargumentsdeclared。Forastothegeneration，Godhathordainedtomanahelper，andtherebealwaystwothatareequallyparents：thedominionthereforeoverthechildshouldbelongequallytoboth，andhebeequallysubjecttoboth，whichisimpossible；fornomancanobeytwomasters。Andwhereassomehaveattributedthedominiontothemanonly，asbeingofthemoreexcellentsex，theymisreckoninit。Forthereisnotalwaysthatdifferenceofstrengthorprudencebetweenthemanandthewomanasthattherightcanbedeterminedwithoutwar。InCommonwealthsthiscontroversyisdecidedbythecivillaw：andforthemostpart，butnotalways，thesentenceisinfavourofthefather，becauseforthemostpartCommonwealthshavebeenerectedbythefathers，notbythemothersoffamilies。Butthequestionliethnowinthestateofmerenaturewheretherearesupposednolawsofmatrimony，nolawsfortheeducationofchildren，butthelawofnatureandthenaturalinclinationofthesexes，onetoanother，andtotheirchildren。Inthisconditionofmerenature，eithertheparentsbetweenthemselvesdisposeofthedominionoverthechildbycontract，ordonotdisposethereofatall。Iftheydisposethereof，therightpassethaccordingtothecontract。WefindinhistorythattheAmazonscontractedwiththemenoftheneighbouringcountries，towhomtheyhadrecourseforissue，thattheissuemaleshouldbesentback，butthefemaleremainwiththemselves：sothatthedominionofthefemaleswasinthemother。
Iftherebenocontract，thedominionisinthemother。Forintheconditionofmerenature，wheretherearenomatrimoniallaws，itcannotbeknownwhoisthefatherunlessitbedeclaredbythemother；
andthereforetherightofdominionoverthechilddependethonherwill，andisconsequentlyhers。Again，seeingtheinfantisfirstinthepowerofthemother，soasshemayeithernourishorexposeit；ifshenourishit，itowethitslifetothemother，andisthereforeobligedtoobeyherratherthananyother；andbyconsequencethedominionoveritishers。Butifsheexposeit，andanotherfindandnourishit，dominionisinhimthatnourishethit。Foritoughttoobeyhimbywhomitispreserved，becausepreservationoflifebeingtheendforwhichonemanbecomessubjecttoanother，everymanissupposedtopromiseobediencetohiminwhosepoweritistosaveordestroyhim。
Ifthemotherbethefather’ssubject，thechildisinthefather’spower；andifthefatherbethemother’ssubjectaswhenasovereignqueenmarriethoneofhersubjects，thechildissubjecttothemother，becausethefatheralsoishersubject。
Ifamanandawoman，monarchsoftwoseveralkingdoms，haveachild，andcontractconcerningwhoshallhavethedominionofhim，therightofthedominionpassethbythecontract。Iftheycontractnot，thedominionfolloweththedominionoftheplaceofhisresidence。Forthesovereignofeachcountryhathdominionoverallthatresidetherein。
Hethathaththedominionoverthechildhathdominionalsooverthechildrenofthechild，andovertheirchildren’schildren。Forhethathathdominionoverthepersonofamanhathdominionoverallthatishis，withoutwhichdominionwerebutatitlewithouttheeffect。
Therightofsuccessiontopaternaldominionproceedethinthesamemannerasdoththerightofsuccessiontomonarchy，ofwhichI