o reason is given for
this exception, except an unintelligible one about preserving the
yearly succession of Judges[461]; but the persons are assured that
their salaries shall be safe[462].

[Footnote 460: 'Omnes apparitiones decet habere judices suos. Nam cui
praesul adimitur et militia denegatur.']

[Footnote 461: 'Ut judicibus annua successione reparatis, vobis
solemnitas non pereat actionis.']

[Footnote 462: 'Vos non patimur emolumentorum commoda perdere.']

BOOK VII.

CONTAINING FORTY-SEVEN FORMULAE.

1. FORMULA OF THE COUNT OF A PROVINCE.

[Sidenote: Comitiva Provinciae.]

'Your dignity, unlike that of most civil officers, is guarded by the
sword of war. See however that this terrible weapon is only drawn on
occasions of absolute necessity, and only wielded for the punishment
of evil-doers. Anyone who is determining a case of life and death
should decide slowly, since any other sentence is capable of
correction, but the dead man cannot be recalled to life. Let the
ensigns of your power be terrible to drivers-away of cattle, to
thieves and robbers; but let innocence rejoice when she sees the
tokens of approaching succour. Let no one pervert your will by bribes:
the sword of justice is sheathed when gold is taken. Receive then for
this Indiction the dignity of Count in such and such a Province. So
use your power that you may be able to defend your actions when
reduced to a private station, though indeed, if you serve us well in
this office, we are minded to promote you to yet higher dignities.'

2. FORMULA OF A PRAESES.

[The Praeses had practically the same powers as the Consularis (v. 20)
and the Rector (v. 21), but occupied a less dignified position, being
only a 'Perfectissimus,' not a 'Clarissimus[463].']

[Footnote 463: See p. 92.]

[Sidenote: Praesidatus.]

'It has been wisely ordered by the Ancients that a Provincial
Governor's term of office should be only annual. Thus men are
prevented from growing arrogant by long tenure of power, and we are
enabled to reward a larger number of aspirants. Get through one year
of office if you can without blame: even that is not an easy matter.
It rests then with us to prolong the term of a deserving ruler[464],
since we are not keen to remove those whom we feel to be governing
justly. Receive then for this Indiction the Praesidatus of such and
such a Province, and so act that the tiller of the soil (possessor)
may bring us thanks along with hi