(3) To pass laws. The President Il Proposto, one of the Signory, changed every third day, laid the law before the Signory and the Collegi. If they approved it might be submitted to a Practica of selected members of the Consiglio d’Ottanta. Thence it went before the Ottanta, and then to the Consiglio Generale. Here laws could not be discussed, though Signory might call on some one to speak in support, but were voted on.
C. Dieci di Libertà e Pace (called also Dieci di Balía), again restored in place of the Otto di Pratica. The Signory, the Courts of the Capitano and of the Podestà, the Mercatanzia, and the Otto di Balía remained as before. The Dieci di Pace e Libertà restored.
In 1498. The Courts of the Podestà and the Capitano del Popolo were restored.
This Government lasted till 1512, with these exceptions:—
(i) In 1502.
(a) The Gonfalonier to be elected for life, by a double system of nomination and election. Piero Soderini elected. (Guicciardini, iii. 281; Villari, Life of Machiavelli, ii. 102; Perrens, Hist. Flor. ii. 408.)
(b) Courts of Podestà, of the Capitano del Popolo, and of Mercatanzia abolished. Instead, the Ruota della Justizia composed of five Doctors of Law with civil and criminal jurisdiction. These to be foreigners elected by Signory and the College for three years, and paid, one of whom was to be Podestà. The Mercatanzia, however, continued as a Board of Trade.
(ii) 1506. A militia instituted at suggestion of Machiavelli.
All males from 15—50 years of age to serve, but only from the city and country district (contado) of Florence. Not from her subject cities. (Burd, 126.)
The militia placed under a new board of nine, Nove della Milizia, which however was under the Dieci di Libertà e Pace in time of war.