Eight, The (Hist.)

Florentine officials who "attended to home discipline" and "presided over the administration of criminal justice". The was the Eight of Guard and Custody (Otto di guardia e balia), a body elected every four months, which acted as a tribunal for criminal and political cases. It could inflict capital punishment by a vote of six out of its eight members. As the vote was taken by beans being placed in a bag the Court became known as the Sei Fave or Six Beans.

<em>Romola</em>

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