a Gonfalonier of the Republic, Doctors of either faculty, Judges,
Merchants, Money-changers of conspicuous piety, and one or two old
Soldiers of Fortune grown too ancient and feeble for the Wars.

Seeing they were banded together for the purpose of stirring up their
fellow-citizens to goodness and good order, and to bear mutual witness
to the practice of these virtues, they gave themselves the title of _The
Friends of Order_. This name was inscribed on the banner of the
Confraternity, and they were all of one mind to persuade the poor to
follow goodness and good order, to the end no changes might be made in
the Constitution.

Their habit was to meet on the last day of each month, in the Palace of
the Podestà, to make inquiry of each other what of good had been done in
the city during the month. And to such of the poorer citizens as had
done well and orderly, they used to present pieces of money.

Now on a certain day the Friends of Order were holding meeting. At one
end of the Hall was a raised platform covered with velvet, and over the
platform a magnificent canopy of state, held up by four figures carved
and painted. These figures represented Justice, Temperance, Strength and
Chastity; and beneath the canopy sat the Officers of the Brotherhood.
The President, who was entitled the Dean, took his place in the middle
on a golden chair, which in richness was scarce inferior to the throne
that once upon a time the disciple of St. Francis saw prepared in Heaven
for the poor man of the Lord. This seat of state had been presented to
the Dean of the Brotherhood to the end that in him should be honoured
all the goodness done in the city.

And as soon as the Members of the Confraternity were ranged in the