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。