might operate under one of them. And as happens in republics, after
any disturbance, some old laws are annulled and others renewed, so
on this occasion, as it had been previously customary to appoint the
Signory for a time only, the then existing Signors and the Colleagues,
feeling themselves possessed of sufficient power, assumed the authority
to fix upon the Signors that would have to sit during the next forty
months, by putting their names into a bag or purse, and drawing them
every two months. But, before the expiration of the forty months, many
citizens were jealous that their names had not been deposited among
the rest, and a new emborsation was made. From this beginning arose the
custom of emborsing or enclosing the names of all who should take office
in any of the magistracies for a long time to come, as well those whose
offices employed them within the city as those abroad, though previously
the councils of the retiring magistrates had elected those who were to
succeed them. These emborsations were afterward called Squittini, or
pollings,--and it was thought they would prevent much trouble to the
city, and remove the cause of those tumults which every three, or at
most five, years, took place upon the creation of magistrates, from the
number of candidates for office. And not being able to adopt a better
expedient, they made use of this, but did not observe the defects which
lay concealed under such a trivial accommodation.

In 1325, Castruccio, having taken possession of Pistoia, became so
powerful that the Florentines, fearing his greatness, resolved, before
he should get himself firmly seated in his new conquest, to attack him
and withdraw it from his authority. Of their citizens and friends they
mustered an army amounting to 20,000 foot and 3,000 horse, and with this
body encamped before Altopascio, with the intention of taking the place
and thus preventing it from relieving Pistoia. Being successful in the
first part of their design, they marched toward Lucca, and laid the
country waste in their progress; but from the little prudence and less
integrity of their leader, Ramondo di Cardona, they made but small
progress; for he, having observed them upon former occasions very
prodigal of their liberty, placing it sometimes in the hands of a king,
at others in those of a legate, or persons of even inferior quality,
thought, if he could bring them into some difficulty, it might easily
happen that they would make