Romanæ historiæ anthologia An English exposition of the Romane antiquities, wherein many Romane and English offices are paralleld and divers obscure phrases explained. By Thomas Godwyn Master of Arts: for the vse of Abingdon Schoole.

CHAP. 10.

De Decemviris legibus scribendis.

FOR the better administration of iustice thed 1.1 Romanes appointed three men, namely those who were reputed the gravest and wisest amongst them to goe to Athens there to pervse the Grecian lawes, to the intent that at their returne, both a supply might bee made of those lawes that were wanting in Rome, and the other which were faultie might thereby be rectified and amended. At the returne of those three men, the Consuls were deposed, and both their authority and ensignes given vnto these Decemviri. The lawes which they brought from Athens were written at first in ten tables of brasse: afterward two other tables were added. At which time those lawes began to be knowne & distinguished from others by the name of Leges 12 tabula∣rum. And according to those lawes iustice ever after was administred to the Romane people. At first by these ten mē appointed therevnto, whose autority was as large even as the Kings and Consuls, in old time only it was annuall: one of them only had the ensignes of honor caried before thē; one alone had the authoritie of convocating the Senate, confirming their decrees and the discharge of all state bu∣sinesses. e 1.2 The other did little differ from private mē in their habit; only when the first had ruled a set time, the others succeeded by turnes. This kind of government did not continue long in Rome, for in the third yeare all their pow∣er was abrogated, because of their tyranny and oppression vsed by them towards the Romane people.

Notes

• d 1.1

  Fenest. de mag. Rom. cap. 14.
• e 1.2

  Rosin. ant. Rom. l. 7. c. 19