strategus, the mace before the orator, a mace with the seal
before the commissioners of the chancery, the like with the purse
before the commissioners of the treasury, and a silver wand, like
those in use with the universities, before each of the censors,
being chancellors of the same. These, with the knights, in all
300, assemble in the house or hall of the Senate.

The house or hall of the Senate being situated in the
Pantheon or palace of justice, is a room consisting of a square
and a half. In the middle of the lower end is the door, at the
upper end hangs a rich state overshadowing the greater part of a
large throne, or half-pace of two stages; the first ascended by
two steps from the floor, and the second about the middle rising
two steps higher. Upon this stand two chairs, in that on the
right hand sits the strategus, in the other the orator adorned
with scarlet robes, after the fashion that was used by the dukes
in the aristocracy. At the right end of the upper stage stand
three chairs, in which the three commissioners of the seal are
placed; and at the other end sit the three commissioners of the
treasury, every one in a robe or habit like that of the earls. Of
these magistrates of this upper stage consists the signory. At
either end of the lower stage stands a little table, to which the
secretaries of the Senate are set with their tufted sleeves in
the habit of civil lawyers. To the four steps, whereby the two
stages of the throne are ascended, answer four long benches,
which successively deriving from every one of the steps, continue
their respective height, and extend themselves by the side walls
toward the lower end of the house, every bench being divided by
numeral characters into the thirty-seven parts or places. Upon
the upper benches sit the censors in the robes of barons; the