rit, tunc decanus aut saltarius, qui in
loco ordinatus fuerit, comprehendere eum debeat et ad sculdahis suum
perducat, et ipse sculdahis judici suo consignet." The _saltarius_
seems to have been originally a sort of guardian of forests, "custos
saltuum"[55] or "silvanus";[56] and the name of the _decanus_, like
the Frankish _centenarius_, is a survival of the old decimal division
of the army and people. These minor officers, as well as other
subalterns of the _judex_, are often met with under the common name of
_actionarii_, which includes also the different sorts of _exactores_,
_adores_, _advocati_, and all the lesser officials of the _fiscus_.

In the course of this investigation I have already referred to, and in
a certain measure characterized, the changes introduced into the
Lombard system of government consequent on the kingdom being absorbed
into the great empire of Charlemagne. I have said that, owing to the
similarity of institutions between the Franks and the Lombards, the
changes made consisted rather in differences in the manner of
enforcing the control of the central power than in any alteration in
the institutional life of the people, but that there were certain
exceptions to this general rule, which, in their mode of operation,
though not in the intention of their author, materially affected,
indeed greatly accelerated, the growth of individual life among the
cities. We must now consider the nature of these exceptions.

Under the Lombard system we have seen the administrative unit of the
state to be the _civitas_, with its administrative head, the _dux_, at
different times enjoying a greater or less degree of independence from
control of the central power. We have seen the _dux_ lord as well as
judge in his own jurisdiction, and standing as the successor of the
military leader chosen by the people, instead of holding the position
of king's servant; this place being more properly filled by the
gastald, who cared for the fiscal interests of the central power,
whose appointee he was. Such a form of government, it can be readily
seen, left no room for any strong development of the principle of
centralization, and no scope for the exercise of any decided power or
even of general supervision by the central authority. The heads of the
_civitates_ were the king's _judices_, it is true, and assembled to
assist him in judgments at his general _placita_ in the March of each
year; but they bear the character also o