lled to elect some judges in peace, and some leaders in war: the
nobles assembled to deliberate, and their resolves could not be executed
without the union and consent of the multitude. The style of the Roman
senate and people was revived, [45] but the spirit was fled; and
their new independence was disgraced by the tumultuous conflict of
vicentiousness and oppression. The want of laws could only be supplied
by the influence of religion, and their foreign and domestic counsels
were moderated by the authority of the bishop. His alms, his sermons,
his correspondence with the kings and prelates of the West, his recent
services, their gratitude, and oath, accustomed the Romans to consider
him as the first magistrate or prince of the city. The Christian
humility of the popes was not offended by the name of Dominus, or Lord;
and their face and inscription are still apparent on the most ancient
coins. [46] Their temporal dominion is now confirmed by the reverence
of a thousand years; and their noblest title is the free choice of a
people, whom they had redeemed from slavery.

[Footnote 42: I have traced the Roman duchy according to the maps, and
the maps according to the excellent dissertation of father Beretti,
(de Chorographia Italiae Medii Aevi, sect. xx. p. 216-232.) Yet I must
nicely observe, that Viterbo is of Lombard foundation, (p. 211,) and
that Terracina was usurped by the Greeks.]

[Footnote 43: On the extent, population, &c., of the Roman kingdom,
the reader may peruse, with pleasure, the Discours Preliminaire to the
Republique Romaine of M. de Beaufort, (tom. i.,) who will not be accused
of too much credulity for the early ages of Rome.]

[Footnote 44: Quos (Romanos) nos, Longobardi scilicet, Saxones, Franci,
Locharingi, Bajoarii, Suevi, Burgundiones, tanto dedignamur ut inimicos
nostros commoti, nil aliud contumeliarum nisi Romane, dicamus: hoc solo,
id est Romanorum nomine, quicquid ignobilitatis, quicquid timiditatis,
quicquid avaritiae, quicquid luxuriae, quicquid mendacii, immo quicquid
vitiorum est comprehendentes, (Liutprand, in Legat Script. Ital. tom.
ii. para i. p. 481.) For the sins of Cato or Tully Minos might have
imposed as a fit penance the daily perusal of this barbarous passage.]

[Footnote 441: Yet this contumelious sentence, quoted by Robertson
(Charles V note 2) as well as Gibbon, was applied by the angry bishop
to the Byzantine Romans, whom, indeed, he admits to be the genuine
descendants o