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Christian faith, now, alas, decayed! the pilgrimages and the visitation for indulgences, and to the shrines of the most holy apostles, Peter and Paul, our citizens and chiefs, and of other holy apostles, eight of whose bodies rest in this city, and of innumerable holy martyrs and virgins, in whose blood the very city itself is founded, became as it were totally abandoned: nor was it to be wondered at that the holy city itself, which was made for the comfort of our souls, and should be the refuge of all the faithful, became a forest of crimes, and resembled a den of thieves more than a city: ye also and others of our devoted people were not able to obtain counsel, or assistance, or favour from the city, but were oppressed and oftentimes unjustly injured, first by what was called a Senate, then under the name of a Capitanate, and with the pretext of military service.

Wherefore our aforesaid Father and Lord Jesus Christ, moved with compassion, as we believe, by the prayers of the blessed apostles, Peter and Paul, our chief citizens and guardians, hath (for the comforting not only of our Roman citizens, but of all the provinces and counties, and of all pilgrims and other faithful Christians) recalled this very Roman people to truth and concord by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and hath inflamed them with a desire of liberty and justice, and enlightened them for their security, for their own and our defence, and for the perpetual observance of good will, of holy and upright judgment. And this same people hath, of their own free will and unanimous accord in their public and most solemn parliament, granted and entrusted to us, though unworthy, full and free power and authority to reform and preserve the tranquil state of the said city and of the whole Roman province-and, notwithstanding we feel our shoulders insufficient and too weak for so great a load, yet, seeing most clearly that it is the work of the Lord, and is a miracle in our eyes, and trusting, through the grace of God and the blessed Peter and Paul, to his grace and favour, and relying on the followers and suffrages of the Roman people and of the whole Roman province, we have with a devout heart and manly resolution

taken upon ourselves the aforesaid authority and power, and have directed the eyes of our mind to the reform and regeneration of justice, liberty, security, and tranquillity of the aforesaid Roman city and whole province, and we will resolutely and strenuously follow up the order of ancient justice, by virtue of a constitutional and moderately strong

army.

We therefore recommend it to your dignity, and prudence, and devotion, to return thanks to the most high Saviour and to his holy apostles, because that in the season of affliction and despair they have greeted the Roman people and us with comfort and salvation, partaking and participating with us in this gift of God with exceeding gladness and manifest signs of joy. We exhort you also to subdue and quell the pride, tyranny, and rebellion of those who think to harass and confound this state, granted us by Christ, in whatsoever manner it may be: do you by sounding the alarm bell, or by the public criers destined for that purpose, summon the people and Commune to equip themselves with arms, horses, and other warlike materials for the destruction of any such, and for their manifest extermination: so that under the protection of God, and the standard of holy justice in our hands, may their pride and usurpation be confounded, and liberty, peace, and justice, be reformed through the whole Roman province. We no less command and order, by the tenor of these presents, under your faith, loyalty, and for fear of such penalties as may seem fitting, that you send two proper Sindics and Ambassadors of your district to our council and parliament, which we mean to hold in these days, for the welfare of the Romans and the safety and tranquillity of our whole province: and we will, and by these presents do require, as a token of our affection and love, that you specifically appoint for us at least one wise man learned in the law, whom you shall deem eligible, and whom we, from this date, depute among the number of judges of our constitution, with the salaries, profits, and emoluments appertaining.

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Given in the Capitol the 24th day of May, 15th indiction.

Responsio Domini Tribuni transmissa amicó suo in Romana Curia commoranti, eo quod primo sibi scripserat, quod dicebatur per Curiam quod terrore preteriti volebat dimittere officium Tribu

natus.

Amice Karissime. Inter causas alias, quibus multiplicitur vobis afficimur, continue obligamur, et tenemur vobis de frequentia literarum, quas nobis ita sollicite direxistis, et si ad ea non hucusque rescripsimus, non processit ex alia quam ex diversitate ardua, et arduitate diversa negociorum, quibus persona nostra continue occupatur. Scire tamen vos cupimus, et tenere certissimum, quod urbs sic reducta est ad statum, Spiritu Sancto faciente, pacificum, liberum, et felicem, quod non videntibus impossibile foret credi: nemo enim credere posset Romanum populum plenum dissidiis, hactenus sordidum omni genere viciorum, reductum ad tante unitatis effectum, ad tantumque amorem justicie, et honeste virtutis, et pacis in tanta temporis brevitate .

domitis cessantibus odiis, percussionibus, homicidiis, et rapinis. Nec est in urbe qui ludo uti audeat taxillari; qui Deum, vel sanctos audeat lacessire blasphemia; nec laicus quispiam, qui teneat concubinam, inimicantes omnes gaudent; etiam leta pace uxores, diucius a viris abjecte, ad viros reducte sunt. Magnates, quibus inequa rerum communitas causam dissensionis prestabat, ad divisionem, et porcionem equalem; nec non et discordes omnes ad concordiam tempore isto nostri regiminis per Dei gratiam mirabiliter sunt reducti; et totus Romanus populus ad devocionem accensi plusquam nunquam fuerunt a nativitate Domini nostri Jesu Christi gloriosissimi. Quilibet suo gaudet, quilibet de suo vivere est contentus. Securi ad urbem veniunt qui solebant in urbis januis spoliari peregrini cujuslibet nationis. Pax viget, et floret securitas. Non sunt modo Castra Potentum, ut hactenus, spelunce latronum; nec retinent eos silve. Et novit Deus, cui omnia patent, quod non ambicio dignitatis, officii, fame, honoris, vel aure mundialis, quam semper abhorrui, sicut, cenum, sed

desiderium communis boni tocius reipublice hujusque sanctissimi status induxit nos colla submittere jugo adeo ponderoso. . . . nostris humeris non ab homine, sed a Deo, qui novit si officium istud fuit per nos precibus procuratum; si officia, beneficia, et honores consanguineis nostris contulimus; si nobis pecuniam cumulamus; si a veritate recedimus; si homines tenemus in verbis, si nobis, vel heredibus nostris facimus composiciones; si in ciborum dulcedine, aut voluptate aliqua delectamur; et si quidquam gerimus simulatum. Testis est nobis Deus de iis, que fecimus et facimus pauperibus, viduis, orphanis et pupillis. Multo vivebat quietius Cola Laurentius quam Tribunus. Sed pro huius loci beatus amore labores reputamus nobis singulos ad quietem, immo in testimonio Spiritus Sancti, et Beatorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli, quorum causam prosequimur, et tuemur. Hora diei quietem sumere possumus; sed noctem addimus operi, et labori.

TRANSLATION.

Reply of the Lord Tribune sent to his friend in the Roman Court* to that which he had written, mentioning the report that prevailed in the Court that, alarmed at what had happened, he was desirous of resigning the Tribuneship.

Dearest Friend,

Amongst the other causes on account of which we are in innumerable ways affected towards you, we are continually obliged and beholden to you for the frequency of the letters which you have written to us; and if we have not hitherto replied to them, it has only proceeded from the difficult variety and various difficulty of the concerns with which our person is continually occupied.

We are desirous, however, that you should know and be assured that, by the influence of the Holy Spirit, the city

* At Avignon.

;

has been brought back to a state so tranquil, free, and happy, as to be incredible to those who do not witness it for it is not to be believed that the Roman people, till now full of dissension, and corrupted by every description of vice, should be so soon reduced to a state of such unanimity, and to so great a love of justice, honourable virtue, and peace, and that hatred, assaults, murder, and rapine should be subdued and put an end to. Nor is there any person in the city who dares to play at forbidden games, nor to provoke God or his saints with blasphemy; there is no layman who keeps his concubine; all enemies are reconciled; and even wives, who had been long cast off, return to their husbands. The nobles, who had grounds of dissension in the unjust community of property, have consented to an equal division and proportion; all the discontented, through the grace of God, are wonderfully brought to contentment in this period of our government, and the whole Roman people has been animated to a devotion, such as has never been witnessed since the nativity of our most glorious Lord Jesus Christ. Every man enjoys his own every man is content to live on his own. grims of every nation, who used to be plundered at the gates of the city, now come to us in safety. Peace blossoms forth, and security flourishes. The castles of the nobles are not as hitherto dens of thieves; nor do our woods abound with robbers. And God, by whom all things are seen, knows that no ambition for dignity, office, fame, honour, or worldły favour, which I have always abhorred like dirt, but anxiety for the general good of the Republic, and of this holy state, induced us to submit our neck to so ponderous a yoke, placed upon our shoulders not by man but by God, who can testify whether this office was put upon us at our own entreaties; whether we have conferred places, benefits, or honours upon our relations; whether we have heaped up money for ourselves; whether departed from truth; whether we have held men together by words only; whether we compound for ourselves or our heirs; whether we are fond of luxury in our food, or of any

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