Butsuchvoluntaryobedienceevaporateswiththefirsttransportsofzeal；andRienzifelttheimportanceofjustifyinghisusurpationbyaregularformandalegaltitle。Athisownchoice，theRomanpeoplewouldhavedisplayedtheirattachmentandauthority，bylavishingonhisheadthenamesofsenatororconsul，ofkingoremperor:hepreferredtheancientandmodestappellationoftribune；theprotectionofthecommonswastheessenceofthatsacredoffice；andtheywereignorant，thatithadneverbeeninvestedwithanyshareinthelegislativeorexecutivepowersoftherepublic。Inthischaracter，andwiththeconsentoftheRoman，thetribuneenactedthemostsalutarylawsfortherestorationandmaintenanceofthegoodestate。Bythefirsthefulfilsthewishofhonestyandinexperience，thatnocivilsuitshouldbeprotractedbeyondthetermoffifteendays。Thedangeroffrequentperjurymightjustifythepronouncingagainstafalseaccuserthesamepenaltywhichhisevidencewouldhaveinflicted:thedisordersofthetimesmightcompelthelegislatortopunisheveryhomicidewithdeath，andeveryinjurywithequalretaliation。Buttheexecutionofjusticewashopelesstillhehadpreviouslyabolishedthetyrannyofthenobles。Itwasformallyprovided，thatnone，exceptthesuprememagistrate，shouldpossessorcommandthegates，bridges，ortowersofthestate；thatnoprivategarrisonsshouldbeintroducedintothetownsorcastlesoftheRomanterritory；thatnoneshouldbeararms，orpresumetofortifytheirhousesinthecityorcountry；thatthebaronsshouldberesponsibleforthesafetyofthehighways，andthefreepassageofprovisions；andthattheprotectionofmalefactorsandrobbersshouldbeexpiatedbyafineofathousandmarksofsilver。Buttheseregulationswouldhavebeenimpotentandnugatory，hadnotthelicentiousnoblesbeenawedbytheswordofthecivilpower。AsuddenalarmfromthebelloftheCapitolcouldstillsummontothestandardabovetwentythousandvolunteers:thesupportofthetribuneandthelawsrequiredamoreregularandpermanentforce。Ineachharborofthecoastavesselwasstationedfortheassuranceofcommerce；astandingmilitiaofthreehundredandsixtyhorseandthirteenhundredfootwaslevied，clothed，andpaidinthethirteenquartersofthecity:andthespiritofacommonwealthmaybetracedinthegratefulallowanceofonehundredflorins，orpounds，totheheirsofeverysoldierwholosthislifeintheserviceofhiscountry。Forthemaintenanceofthepublicdefence，fortheestablishmentofgranaries，forthereliefofwidows，orphans，andindigentconvents，Rienziapplied，withoutfearofsacrilege，therevenuesoftheapostolicchamber:thethreebranchesofhearth—money，thesalt—duty，andthecustoms，wereeachoftheannualproduceofonehundredthousandflorins；
^26andscandalousweretheabuses，ifinfourorfivemonthstheamountofthesalt—dutycouldbetrebledbyhisjudiciouseconomy。Afterthusrestoringtheforcesandfinancesoftherepublic，thetribunerecalledthenoblesfromtheirsolitaryindependence；requiredtheirpersonalappearanceintheCapitol；
andimposedanoathofallegiancetothenewgovernment，andofsubmissiontothelawsofthegoodestate。Apprehensivefortheirsafety，butstillmoreapprehensiveofthedangerofarefusal，theprincesandbaronsreturnedtotheirhousesatRomeinthegarbofsimpleandpeacefulcitizens:theColonnaandUrsini，theSavelliandFrangipani，wereconfoundedbeforethetribunalofaplebeian，ofthevilebuffoonwhomtheyhadsooftenderided，andtheirdisgracewasaggravatedbytheindignationwhichtheyvainlystruggledtodisguise。Thesameoathwassuccessivelypronouncedbytheseveralordersofsociety，theclergyandgentlemen，thejudgesandnotaries，themerchantsandartisans，andthegradualdescentwasmarkedbytheincreaseofsincerityandzeal。Theysworetoliveanddiewiththerepublicandthechurch，whoseinterestwasartfullyunitedbythenominalassociationofthebishopofOrvieto，thepope\'svicar，totheofficeoftribune。ItwastheboastofRienzi，thathehaddeliveredthethroneandpatrimonyofSt。Peterfromarebelliousaristocracy；andClementtheSixth，whorejoicedinitsfall，affectedtobelievetheprofessions，toapplaudthemerits，andtoconfirmthetitle，ofhistrustyservant。Thespeech，perhapsthemind，ofthetribune，wasinspiredwithalivelyregardforthepurityofthefaith:heinsinuatedhisclaimtoasupernaturalmissionfromtheHolyGhost；enforcedbyaheavyforfeituretheannualdutyofconfessionandcommunion；
andstrictlyguardedthespiritualaswellastemporalwelfareofhisfaithfulpeople。^27
[Footnote*:Etego，Deosemperauctore，ipsadiepristinaleg。