110 CASE OF THE POST-NATI OF SCOTLAND. 



lowed in those two points, than doth the present case 

 in question. And first of the king. 



It is evident that all other commonwealths, mo 

 narchies only excepted, do subsist by a law prece 

 dent. For where authority is divided amongst many 

 officers, and they not perpetual, but annual or tem 

 porary, and not to receive their authority but by 

 election, and certain persons to have roice only to 

 that election, and the like ; these are busy and 

 curious frames, which of necessity do pre-suppose a 

 law precedent, written or unwritten, to guide and 

 direct them : but in monarchies, especially heredi 

 tary, that is, when several families, or lineages of 

 people do submit themselves to one line, imperial or 

 royal, the submission is more natural and simple, 

 which afterwards by laws subsequent is perfected 

 and made more formal ; but that is grounded upon 

 nature. That this is so, it appeareth notably in two 

 things ; the one the platforms and patterns which 

 are found in nature of monarchies ; the original sub 

 missions, and their motives and occasions. The 

 platforms are three : 



The first is that of a father, or chief of a family ; 

 who governing over his wife by prerogative of sex, 

 over his children by prerogative of age, and because 

 he is author unto them of being, and over his ser 

 vants by prerogative of virtue and providence (for he 

 that is able of body, and improvident of mind, is 

 &quot; natura servus&quot;) that is the very model of a king. 

 So is the opinion of Aristotle, lib. iii. Pol. cap. 14. 

 where he saith, &quot; Verum autem regnum est, cum 



