ther as Municipia, Colonia, Præfectura, or Civitates fæderata. The Colonie were the most numerous in the prefent Kingdom of Naples: Neither were wanting Civitates fœderate; fuch was Naples itself, Reggio, Locri, Tarento, Capua, &c. Thefe, excepting the Tribute which they paid, as a token of the Confederacy, were entirely free, had their own Government, their own Magiftrates, and their own Laws; which as they were Greek Cities, were the fame with the Laws of Athens. This State of the Regiones of Italy continued to the time of Adrian, who divided Italy not into Regiones, but Provinces, as Auguftus had divided his foreign Acquifitions; of the eleven Regiones he made feventeen Provinces, four of which confifted of that part of Italy, now called the Kingdom of Naples; and were govern'd by new Magistrates. 1. A part of Campania by a Confularis. 2. Puglia and Calabria. 3. Lucania and the Brutii by Correctores. 4. Samnium by a Præfes; which were Names of Magiftrates of different dignities. As the Authority of these Governors was great, fo the Cities of Italy loft much of their ancient Liberty; but the finishing stroke to the ruin of Italy, was given by Constantine the Great, when he tranflated the Imperial Seat to the Eaft; and having brought in a new Form of Government, left that of the Western Pravinces entirely to his Officers. But before our Author treats of this new Form of Government, he gives us a more useful than diverting Account of the Civilians, who flourish'd from Auguftus down to Conftantine the Great, and their Books, of the Conftitutions of thofe Princes, out of which the Papirian, Gregorian, and Hermoginian Codes were form'd; as alfo of the

two

vernment.

two celebrated Academies of the World, that The Ecclefi of Rome in the Weft, and the Schola of Berytisaftical Goin the Eaft. From the ftate of the Law, he paffes to that of the Church, fhewing us how at first the Churches were, by one common Confent, govern'd by Presbyters like an Ariftocracy; but afterwards, the number of the Faithful encreafing, altho' the Government was continued in the Presbytery, they gave the Superintendency to one of the Priefts, whom they called Bishop, that is to fay Supervisor; so that the Government of the Church became mix'd of. Monarchy and Aristocracy.

introduc'd

FROM the Ecclefiaftical Government, our The new Hiftorian goes back to the Temporal, beginning Form of Gowith the new Form of Government introduc'd vernment by Conftantine the Great. This Prince divided by Conftan the whole Roman Empire into four Prefectures, tine the of which the Prefecture of Italy was one, but Great. divided into two Vicariatus or Lieutenancies; the one, of Rome, which comprehended ten Provinces, and amongst them the four, which now make the Kingdom of Naples, all under the Vicarius of Rome, and therefore call'd Provincia Suburbicarice; the other of Italy, under which were feven Provinces govern'd by the Vicarius of Italy, who refided at Milan; whence they were fimply call'd Provinces of Italy. Each Province in particular was govern'd more immediately by the fame Officers that Adrian inftituted, who were fubordinate to the Vicarii, as the Vicarii to the Præfect.

Here the Author, after having briefly treated of the Officers of the Empire in general, and particularly of the Magiftrates, to whom the Government of the prefent Kingdom of Naples was committed, fhews that thefe Provinces were

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never yielded up, or given away to any Perfon; by evidently convincing us, that the fo much boasted Donation of all Italy, fuppos'd to have been made by Conftantine, in the Spring of the year 324, to Sylvester Pope of Rome, four days after he had been baptiz'd by him, is a Forgery, His Proofs are, 1. That there are found more than twelve Copies of the Inftrument of this Donation, each of them differing from one another. 2. That it is clearly prov'd by two Constitutions of Conftantine, still to be feen in the Theodofian Code, that Conftantine was not at Rome, but Theffalonica, during these fuppos'd Months of the Year 324. 3. That neither Eufebius of Cæfarea, who has given us a minute and particular Account of the Actions of that Prince, nor any of the other contemporary Writers, have fo much as mention'd fo memorable a Fact. 4. That all the ancient Authors, both Greek and Latin, are unanimous, that Conftantine receiv'd Baptism not at Rome, but in Nicomedia, when he lay at the point of death.

THE Author having thus difcover'd the Forgery of this Donation, and likewife given us a very exact Account of the new State of the Law under Conftantine, and his Succeffors, down to Valentinian III. of the Civilians and their Books, of the Conftitutions of thofe Princes, out of which the Theodofian Code was form'd, and of its Ufe and Authority, in the Weft, &c. proceeds to the Ecclefiaftical Government, and fhews us how the difpofition of the Churches, being made after the Model of the new divifion of the Provinces introduc'd by Conftantine, the Bishops, who prefided in the Metropolitan Cities, began to ufurp a Power over the Bishops

of

of the leffer Sees; and by this means the Bifhop of Rome acquir'd a Power over all the Bifhops of that Vicariate, as the Bishop of Milan over all those of the Vicariate of Italy. The Churches began now to abound with temporal Riches; but the Avarice of the Clergy, always watchful and attentive, in order to take advantage of the Devotion and Simplicity of the People, brought matters to fuch a pafs, that Princes were foon obliged to put a stop to their Acquifitions. From this time Canons took their rife, the firft Collection of which was published about the Year 385; but they were obligatory by meer dint of Religion, and not by any coercive Power, which the Church neither had, nor claim'd in those days, nor down to the Reign of Juftinian.

THE Author here refumes the Thread of the Civil Hiftory. The Form of Government eftablished by Conftantine, was maintain'd down to the Reign of Justin II. but, in the mean time, there happen'd a great Change in their Princes. The Heruli and Thuringi under Odoacer, their The Empire Chief and General, taking advantage of the of the Rointeftine Divifions, that reigned among the Ro- mans extinguifh'd. mans during the Reign of the Emperor Auguftulus, made themselves mafters of Italy, and proclaim'd Odoacer their King, having banish'd Auguftulus to Naples, and confin'd him in the Caitle of Lucullus in the year 476. Odoacer Caftel was foon expell'd by Theodoric the Ostrogoth, in the year 489, whom Zero, Emperor of the Eaft, by an Imperial Decree, declar'd Emperor of Italy, tho' he took no other title upon him, than that of King. The Goths, after reigning 64 years in Italy, were at laft driven out by Narfes in the Reign of Juftinian, in the year 553, 553. and

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dell' Ovo,

476.

489.

The Ecole

fiaftical Polity.

New Polity introduc'd

and Italy was united to the Empire of the East. Of these feveral inteftine Commotions we have an ample detail; as alfo of the Actions both of the Ostrogoths that reign'd in Italy, and the Weftrogoths, who reigned in France and Spain, and of their Laws, as well as thofe of the Emperor. Juftinian, and his two Codes, his Novella, the Pandects and Inftitutions, of the Ufe and Au thority of thefe Books in Italy, &c.

As to the Ecclefiaftical Polity, the Church now began to encroach upon the State, new Canons were established, some of which related to the Authority of Princes. Juftinian in fome cafes granted the Clergy Immunities, which they afterwards claim'd as due by Divine Right. But the Power by them ufurp'd did not keep pace with the Increase of their Wealth; new Funds were establish'd, from which they drew great Riches; fuch were Monafteries, which now began to be founded in the Weft, Sanctuaries, Reliques of Saints, forg'd Miracles, &c. but the most lafting Fund, was the establishing the Cuftom of paying Tithes, which in the firft Centuries were free and voluntary, by Law and Canons,

FROM this account of the Ecclefiaftical Gointo Italy vernment, in this fixth Century, our Historian by Longi- comes to treat of the new Form of it, intronus the first duced into the State, by Longinus the first ExExarch. arch. arch. This Longinus, being fent by Justin II. to fucceed Narfes in the Government of Italy, put down the Confulares, the Correctores and the Præfides in all the Provinces; and in every City and Town of any Moment, appointed Heads, whom he call'd, Dukes, and likewife Judges in each of them for the administration of Juftice: To him, who refided at Ravenna,

and