The difference of these two is observed by Livy in
Evander, of whom he says that he governed rather by the authority
of others than by his own power.
To begin with riches, in regard that men are hung upon these,
not of choice as upon the other, but of necessity and by the
teeth; forasmuch as he who wants bread is his servant that will
feed him, if a man thus feeds a whole people, they are under his
empire.
Empire is of two kinds, domestic and national, or foreign and
provincial.
Domestic empire is founded upon dominion. Dominion is
property, real or personal; that is to say, in lands, or in money
and goods.
Lands, or the parts and parcels of a territory, are held by
the proprietor or proprietors, lord or lords of it, in some
proportion; and such (except it be in a city that has little or
no land, and whose revenue is in trade) as is the proportion or
balance of dominion or property in land, such is the nature of
the empire.
If one man be sole landlord of a territory, or overbalance
the people, for example, three parts in four, he is grand
seignior; for so the Turk is called from his property, and his
empire is absolute monarchy.
If the few or a nobility, or a nobility with the clergy, be
landlords, or overbalance the people to the like proportion, it
makes the Gothic balance (to be shown at large in the second part
of this discourse), and the empire is mixed monarchy, as that of
Spain, Poland, and late of Oceana.
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