Eligibility (Benefiziati, the Eligible).—This was decided by a Squittino (Scrutiny) conducted by a board—and persons could be considered ineligible ‘messo a sedere,’ for the following reasons (the disenfranchised 9000 out of 100,000):—
| 1. (a) | Grandi.—By Ordini della Guistizia, 1293, nobles could not be members of the Signoria or of the Collegi or of Consiglio del Popolo until 1434, when Cosimo allowed them to enter Guilds. |
| 1. (b) | The Plebe or Ciompi, all not members of Guilds. |
| 1. (c) | Inhabitants of Contado, country districts. |
2. Ammonito.—‘Warned’ for any political offence, e.g. being a Ghibelline, and denounced by the Capitano del Parti Guelfa; disqualification for life or shorter time. This system carried to great extravagance. ‘Hast thou no enemy? Consent to admonish mine and I will do the same by thine.’ Cf. Napier, ii. 235.
3. Moroso di Specchio (mirror).—One who had not paid his taxes. (Netto di Specchio, freed from this ineligibility.) By law of 1421, taxes must have been paid for thirty years by self, father and grandfather.
4. Divieto (prohibited).—Even after names were drawn a man might be disqualified because he or a relation had recently held office—‘veduto ma non seduto.’
The members of the board bound to secrecy, but
(1) As the period for which the purses had been made up drew to its close, it became possible to guess who would be the coming magistrates, and there were charlatans who pretended to foretell this.
(2) The members of the boards of scrutiny were bribed to divulge the names who would be drawn.
Legalised Revolution.—At times of crisis the Signoria would summon a Parlamento nominally of the whole citizens, but generally only of party adherents, who granted exceptional powers (Balía) to a certain number of citizens.
| The Balía | (1) could alter the constitution. |
| (2) Appointed Accopiatori (couplers or joiners) who selected those eligible to office, and sometimes nominated the officials, i.e. appointed ‘a mano’ instead of ‘a sorte.’ |