SUFFRAGIUM;
a Suffrage, given by the Romans either at the Choosing of Magistrates for the Receiving of Laws, or in Judgments: The People for a long time gave their Suffrages by Word of Mouth in Matters relating to the Commonwealth, which were taken by the Offi∣cers of the Tribes, called Rogatores, who after∣wards acquainted the President of the Assembly with the Sentiments of their Tribes: This Me∣thod continued to the Year 615, after the Buil∣ding of Rome, under the Consulship of Q. Cal∣purnius Piso, and M. Popilius Lenas; when Gabi∣nius, Tribune of the People passed the first Law of Ballotting for the Choosing of Magistrates, that enjoyned the People from thence forward no longer to give their Suffrages viva voce, but that they should throw a Ballot into a Box or Urn, whereon the Name of the Person they were minded to choose should be written. This Law they called Tabellaria, because their Ballots were named Tabellae. Papyrius Carbo, who was also Tribune of the People, got another Law passed called Papyria in the Year 625, whereby the People were required to give their Suffrages by Ballots in enacting of Laws: And Cassius, Tribune of the People likewise obliged the Judges by a Law to give their Votes by Ballots in Matters of Judgments. All these Laws were very good for the Commonalty, who before durst not give their Votes freely, for fear of offending the Great ones: And this Cicero tells us in his Oration pro Plancio: Grata est tabella quae frontes aperit, hominum mentes tegit, datque eam libertatem ut quod velint faciant: And 'tis al∣so in the Agrarian Law called Vindex libertatis; and in the Cornelian, Principium justissimae liber∣tatis. Now these Ballots were little pieces of Wood, or other Stuff, made very narrow, and marked with several Letters, according to the Nature of the Business in hand: For Example, if they were about to choose a Magistrate; they wrote down the first Letters of the Candidates Names, and gave as many of them to every one as there were Competitors for the Place. In the Assemblies held for Receiving of a Law, they gave every one two, one of which was marked with these two Letters Ʋ. R. signifying as much as uti ro∣gas, and the other only with an A, which deno∣ted Antiquo, I reject the Law. In Matters of Judgments or Sentences to pass, they gave three of them, one marked with an A, and signified Absolvo, I acquit the Persons accused; the other with a C. Condemno, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 condemn him; and the third with these two Letters L. N. non liquet, Judg∣ment cannot pass, the Matter is not clear enough.
The Ballots were delivered at the Entry of a Bridge by the Distributors of them, who were called Diribitores, and the Place of Office where they were given was named Diribitorium: They went up to the Tribunal of the Consul, or of him who sate as President of the Assembly, qui cistellam deferebat, and threw what Ballot they thought fit into the Urn and then the Centuria or Tribe whose Right it was first to draw the Lots gave its Suffrage, having done, they told the Suffrages; and the Crier said with a loud Voice; Praerogativa renunciat talem Consulem: If the Matter related to the Enacting of a Law; Prae∣rugativa legem jubet, or non accipit: The Magi∣strates afterwards ordered the Centuria of the first Class to be called; those of the Cavalry first and the Infantry next: When there were not a sufficient Number of Suffrages for the en∣tituling of a Person to an Office, the People might chuse whom they pleased, and this in La∣tin they called, Non conficere legitima Suffragia, & non explere trihus.