ror, princes, nobility, and cities have their places in perſon, or by their deputies. All the northern nations which, upon the diſſolution of the Roman empire, poſſeſſed the beſt provinces that had compoſed it, were under that form, which is uſually called the Gothick polity. They had king, lords, commons, diets, aſſemblies of eſtates, cortes, and parliaments, in which the ſovereign powers of thoſe nations did reſide, and by which they were exerciſed. The like was practiced in Hungary, Bohemia, Sweden, Denmark, Poland: and, if things are changed in ſome of thoſe places within theſe few years, they muſt give better proofs of having gained by the change, than are yet ſeen in the world, before I think myſelf obliged to change my opinion.
Some nations, not liking the name of king, have given ſuch a power as kings enjoyed in other places to one or more magiſtrates, either limited to a certain time, or left to be perpetual, as beſt pleaſed themſelves: others, approving the name, made the dignity purely elective. Some have in their elections principally regarded one family as long as it laſted: others conſidered nothing but the fitneſs of the perſon, and reſerved to themſelves a liberty of taking where they pleaſed. Some have permitted the crown to be hereditary as to its ordinary courſe; but reſtrained the power, and inſtituted officers to inſpect the proceedings of kings, and to take care that the laws were not violated. Of this fort were the Ephori of Sparta, the Maires du Palais, and afterwards the conſtable of France, the juſticiar in Arragon, the reichshofmeeter in Denmark, the high ſteward in England; and in all places, ſuch aſſemblies as are beforementioned under ſeveral names, who had the power of the whole nation, &c.
