THE DECLINE AND FALL

278

CHAP.

LXIX.

A. D.1198-1216.

Numberand choiceof die se-nate.

citizen or a subject; and, after the first fervourof rebellion, they consented without reluctanceto the restoration of the prefect. About fiftyyears after this event, Innocent the third, themost ambitious, or at least the most fortunate,of the pontiffs, delivered the Romans and him-self from this badge of foreign dominion; he in-vested the prefect with a banner instead of asword, and absolved him from all dependence ofoaths or service to the German emperors.* Inhis place an ecclesiastic, a present or future car-dinal, was named by the pope to the civil govern-ment of Rome; but his jurisdiction has been re-duced to a narrow compass; and in the days offreedom, the right or exercise was derived fromthe senate and people. IV. After the revival ofthe senate , 11 the conscript fathers (if I may usethe expression) were invested with the legisla-tive and executive power; but their views sel-dom reached beyond the present day; and thatday was most frequently disturbed by violenceand tumult. In its utmost plenitude, the orderor assembly consisted of fifty-six senators , 1 themost eminent of whom were distinguished bythe title of counsellors: they were nominated,perhaps annually, by the people; and a previ-

* Urbis praefoetum ad ligiam fidelilatcm rrrepit, et per mantnmquod illi donavit de preefecturfc eum pubtire inveMivit, qui usque adid tenipus juraruento fidelitatis imperatori fuit obligatus et ab eo piie-fecturte tenuit houorem (Gesta Innocent III , in Muratoii, tom iii, p.ij p. 487).

u See Otho Prising. Chron. vii, 31, de Gest. Frederic I , 1. i, c. 27.

* Our countryman, Roger Hovcden, speaks of the single senators,of the Cflj)« 22 t family, &c- quorum temporibus melius regebalur Ro-ma attain mine (a. d 1194) est temporibus Ivi senatorum (Ducange,Gloss tom. vi, p, 191, ■SVmtfores).