HAVINGspokenofthegeneration，form，andpowerofaCommonwealth，Iaminordertospeaknextofthepartsthereof。Andfirstofsystems，whichresemblethesimilarpartsormusclesofabodynatural。Bysystems，Iunderstandanynumbersofmenjoinedinoneinterestoronebusiness。Ofwhichsomeareregular，andsomeirregular。Regulararethosewhereoneman，orassemblyofmen，isconstitutedrepresentativeofthewholenumber。Allotherareirregular。
Ofregular，someareabsoluteandindependent，subjecttononebuttheirownrepresentative：suchareonlyCommonwealths，ofwhichIhavespokenalreadyinthefivelastprecedentchapters。Othersaredependent；thatistosay，subordinatetosomesovereignpower，towhicheveryone，asalsotheirrepresentative，issubject。
Ofsystemssubordinate，somearepolitical，andsomeprivate。
PoliticalotherwisecalledbodiespoliticandpersonsinlawarethosewhicharemadebyauthorityfromthesovereignpoweroftheCommonwealth。Privatearethosewhichareconstitutedbysubjectsamongstthemselves，orbyauthorityfromastranger。Fornoauthorityderivedfromforeignpower，withinthedominionofanother，ispublicthere，butprivate。
Andofprivatesystems，somearelawful；someunlawful：lawfularethosewhichareallowedbytheCommonwealth；allotherareunlawful。
Irregularsystemsarethosewhich，havingnorepresentative，consistonlyinconcourseofpeople；whichifnotforbiddenbytheCommonwealth，normadeonevildesignsuchasareconfluxofpeopletomarkets，orshows，oranyotherharmlessend，arelawful。Butwhentheintentionisevil，orifthenumberbeconsiderableunknown，theyareunlawful。
Inbodiespoliticthepoweroftherepresentativeisalwayslimited：
andthatwhichprescribeththelimitsthereofisthepowersovereign。Forpowerunlimitedisabsolutesovereignty。Andthesovereign，ineveryCommonwealth，istheabsoluterepresentativeofallthesubjects；andthereforenoothercanberepresentativeofanypartofthem，butsofarforthasheshallgiveleave：andtogiveleavetoabodypoliticofsubjectstohaveanabsoluterepresentative，toallintentsandpurposes，weretoabandonthegovernmentofsomuchoftheCommonwealth，andtodividethedominion，contrarytotheirpeaceanddefence，whichthesovereigncannotbeunderstoodtodo，byanygrantthatdoesnotplainlyanddirectlydischargethemoftheirsubjection。Forconsequencesofwordsarenotthesignsofhiswill，whenotherconsequencesaresignsofthecontrary；butrathersignsoferrorandmisreckoning，towhichallmankindistooprone。
Theboundsofthatpowerwhichisgiventotherepresentativeofabodypoliticaretobetakennoticeoffromtwothings。Oneistheirwrit，orlettersfromthesovereign：theotheristhelawoftheCommonwealth。
ForthoughintheinstitutionoracquisitionofaCommonwealth，whichisindependent，thereneedsnowriting，becausethepoweroftherepresentativehastherenootherboundsbutsuchasaresetoutbytheunwrittenlawofnature；yetinsubordinatebodies，therearesuchdiversitiesoflimitationnecessary，concerningtheirbusinesses，times，andplaces，ascanneitherberememberedwithoutletters，nortakennoticeof，unlesssuchlettersbepatent，thattheymaybereadtothem，andwithalsealed，ortestified，withthesealsorotherpermanentsignsoftheauthoritysovereign。
Andbecausesuchlimitationisnotalwayseasyorperhapspossibletobedescribedinwriting，theordinarylaws，commontoallsubjects，mustdeterminewhattherepresentativemaylawfullydoinallcaseswherethelettersthemselvesaresilent。AndthereforeInabodypolitic，iftherepresentativebeoneman，whatsoeverhedoesinthepersonofthebodywhichisnotwarrantedinhisletters，norbythelaws，ishisownact，andnottheactofthebody，norofanyothermemberthereofbesideshimself：becausefurtherthanhislettersorthelawslimit，herepresentethnoman’sperson，buthisown。Butwhathedoesaccordingtotheseistheactofeveryone：foroftheactofthesovereigneveryoneisauthor，becauseheistheirrepresentativeunlimited；andtheactofhimthatrecedesnotfromthelettersofthesovereignistheactofthesovereign，andthereforeeverymemberofthebodyisauthorofit。
Butiftherepresentativebeanassembly，whatsoeverthatassemblyshalldecree，notwarrantedbytheirlettersorthelaws，istheactoftheassembly，orbodypolitic，andtheactofeveryonebywhosevotethedecreewasmade；butnottheactofanymanthatbeingpresentvotedtothecontrary；norofanymanabsent，unlesshevoteditbyprocreation。Itistheactoftheassemblybecausevotedbythemajorpart；andifitbeacrime，theassemblymaybepunished，asfarforthasitiscapable，asbydissolution，orforfeitureoftheirletterswhichistosuchartificialandfictitiousbodies，capitalor，iftheassemblyhaveacommonstock，whereinnoneoftheinnocentmembershavepropriety，bypecuniarymulct。Forfromcorporalpenaltiesnaturehathbodiespolitic。Buttheythatgavenottheirvotearethereforeinnocent，becausetheassemblycannotrepresentanymaninthingsunwarrantedbytheirletters，andconsequentlyarenotinvolvedintheirvotes。
Ifthepersonofthebodypolitic，beinginoneman，borrowmoneyofastranger，thatis，ofonethatisnotofthesamebodyfornolettersneedlimitborrowing，seeingitislefttomen’sowninclinationstolimitlending，thedebtistherepresentative’s。
Forifheshouldhaveauthorityfromhisletterstomakethememberspaywhatheborroweth，heshouldhavebyconsequencethesovereigntyofthem；andthereforethegrantwereeithervoid，asproceedingfromerror，commonlyincidenttohumannature，andaninsufficientsignofthewillofthegranter；orifitbeavowedbyhim，thenistherepresentersovereign，andfallethnotunderthepresentquestion，whichisonlyofbodiessubordinate。Nomemberthereforeisobligedtopaythedebtsoborrowed，buttherepresentativehimself：becausehethatlendethit，beingastrangertotheletters，andtothequalificationofthebody，understandeththoseonlyforhisdebtorsthatareengaged；andseeingtherepresentercanengagehimself，andnoneelse，hashimonlydebtor，whomustthereforepayhim，outofthecommonstock，iftherebeany，or，iftherebenone，outofhisownestate。
Ifhecomeintodebtbycontract，ormulct，thecaseisthesame。
Butwhentherepresentativeisanassembly，andthedebttoastranger；allthey，andonlythey，areresponsibleforthedebtthatgavetheirvotestotheborrowingofit，ortothecontractthatmadeitdue，ortothefactforwhichthemulctwasimposed；becauseeveryoneofthoseinvotingdidengagehimselfforthepayment：forhethatisauthoroftheborrowingisobligedtothepayment，evenofthewholedebt，thoughwhenpaidbyanyone，hebedischarged。
Butifthedebtbetooneoftheassembly，theassemblyonlyisobligedtothepayment，outoftheircommonstock，iftheyhaveany：
forhavinglibertyofvote，ifhevotethemoneyshallbeborrowed，hevotesitshallbepaid；ifhevoteitshallnotbeborrowed，orbeabsent，yetbecauseinlendinghevoteththeborrowing，hecontradictethhisformervote，andisobligedbythelatter，andbecomesbothborrowerandlender，andconsequentlycannotdemandpaymentfromanyparticularman，butfromthecommontreasuryonly；
whichfailing，hehathnoremedy，norcomplaintbutagainsthimself，thatbeingprivytotheactsoftheassembly，andtotheirmeanstopay，andnotbeingenforced，didneverthelessthroughhisownfollylendhismoney。
Itismanifestbythisthatinbodiespoliticsubordinate，andsubjecttoasovereignpower，itissometimesnotonlylawful，butexpedient，foraparticularmantomakeopenprotestationagainstthedecreesoftherepresentativeassembly，andcausetheirdissenttoberegistered，ortotakewitnessofit；becauseotherwisetheymaybeobligedtopaydebtscontracted，andberesponsibleforcrimescommittedbyothermen。Butinasovereignassemblythatlibertyistakenaway，bothbecausehethatprotesteththeredeniestheirsovereignty，andalsobecausewhatsoeveriscommandedbythesovereignpowerisastothesubjectthoughnotsoalwaysinthesightofGodjustifiedbythecommand：forofsuchcommandeverysubjectistheauthor。
Thevarietyofbodiesisalmostinfinite：fortheyarenotonlydistinguishedbytheseveralaffairsforwhichtheyareconstituted，whereinthereisanunspeakablediversity；butalsobythetimes，places，andnumbers，subjecttomanylimitations。Andastotheiraffairs，someareordainedforgovernment；asfirst，thegovernmentofaprovincemaybecommittedtoanassemblyofmen，whereinallresolutionsshalldependonthevotesofthemajorpart；andthenthisassemblyisabodypolitic，andtheirpowerlimitedbycommission。
Thiswordprovincesignifiesachargeorcareofbusiness，whichhewhoseitiscommittethtoanothermantobeadministeredforandunderhim；andthereforewheninoneCommonwealththerebediversecountriesthathavetheirlawsdistinctonefromanother，orarefardistantinplace，theadministrationofthegovernmentbeingcommittedtodiversepersons，thosecountrieswherethesovereignisnotresident，butgovernsbycommission，arecalledprovinces。Butofthegovernmentofaprovince，byanassemblyresidingintheprovinceitself，therebefewexamples。TheRomans，whohadthesovereigntyofmanyprovinces，yetgovernedthemalwaysbypresidentsandpraetors；andnotbyassemblies，astheygovernedthecityofRomeandterritoriesadjacent。Inlikemanner，whentherewerecoloniessentfromEnglandtoplantVirginia，andSummerIslands，thoughthegovernmentofthemherewerecommittedtoassembliesinLondon，yetdidthoseassembliesnevercommitthegovernmentunderthemtoanyassemblythere，butdidtoeachplantationsendonegovernor：forthougheveryman，wherehecanbepresentbynature，desirestoparticipateofgovernment；yetwheretheycannotbepresent，theyarebynaturealsoinclinedtocommitthegovernmentoftheircommoninterestrathertoamonarchical，thanapopular，formofgovernment：whichisalsoevidentinthosementhathavegreatprivateestates；who，whentheyareunwillingtotakethepainsofadministeringthebusinessthatbelongstothem，chooserathertotrustoneservantthananassemblyeitheroftheirfriendsorservants。Buthowsoeveritbeinfact，yetwemaysupposethegovernmentofaprovinceorcolonycommittedtoanassembly：andwhenitis，thatwhichinthisplaceIhavetosayisthis：thatwhatsoeverdebtisbythatassemblycontracted，orwhatsoeverunlawfulactisdecreed，istheactonlyofthosethatassented，andnotofanythatdissented，orwereabsent，forthereasonsbeforealleged。Alsothatanassemblyresidingoutoftheboundsofthatcolonywhereoftheyhavethegovernmentcannotexecuteanypoweroverthepersonsorgoodsofanyofthecolony，toseizeonthemfordebt，orotherduty，inanyplacewithoutthecolonyitself，ashavingnojurisdictionnorauthorityelsewhere，butarelefttotheremedywhichthelawoftheplacealloweththem。Andthoughtheassemblyhaverighttoimposemulctuponanyoftheirmembersthatshallbreakthelawstheymake；yetoutofthecolonyitself，theyhavenorighttoexecutethesame。Andthatwhichissaidhereoftherightsofanassemblyforthegovernmentofaprovince，oracolony，isapplicablealsotoanassemblyforthegovernmentofatown，auniversity，oracollege，orachurch，orforanyothergovernmentoverthepersonsofmen。
Andgenerally，inallbodiespolitic，ifanyifanyparticularmemberconceivehimselfinjuredbythebodyitself，thecognizanceofhiscausebelongedtothesovereign，andthosethesovereignhathordainedforjudgesinsuchcauses，orshallordainforthatparticularcause；andnottothebodyitself。Forthewholebodyisinthiscasehisfellowsubject，which，inasovereignassembly，isotherwise：forthere，ifthesovereignbenotjudge，thoughinhisowncause，therecanbenojudgeatall。
Inabodypolitic，forthewellorderingofforeigntraffic，themostcommodiousrepresentativeisanassemblyofallthemembers；thatistosay，suchaoneaseveryonethatadventurethhismoneymaybepresentatallthedeliberationsandresolutionsofthebody，iftheywillthemselves。Forproofwhereofwearetoconsidertheendforwhichmenthataremerchants，andmaybuyandsell，exportandimporttheirmerchandise，accordingtotheirowndiscretions，doneverthelessbindthemselvesupinonecorporation。Itistrue，therebefewmerchantsthatwiththemerchandisetheybuyathomecanfreightashiptoexportit；orwiththattheybuyabroad，tobringithome；andhavethereforeneedtojointogetherinonesociety，whereeverymanmayeitherparticipateofthegain，accordingtotheproportionofhisadventure，ortakehisown，andsellwhathetransports，orimports，atsuchpricesashethinksfit。Butthisisnobodypolitic，therebeingnocommonrepresentativetoobligethemtoanyotherlawthanthatwhichiscommontoallothersubjects。
Theendoftheirincorporatingistomaketheirgainthegreater；