without the Signory, they were also called the Colleagues, that is, the companions of the Signory, and their title was venerable.  This, after the Signory, was the first and most honorable magistracy of Florence; and after them came the Twelve Buonuomini, also called, for the like reason, Colleagues.  So the Signory with the Gonfalonier of Justice, the Sixteen, and the Twelve were called the Three Greater.  No man was said to have the franchise (aver lo stato), and in consequence to frequent the council, or to exercise any office, whose grandfather or father had not occupied or been passed for (seduto o veduto) one of these three magistracies.  To be passed (veduto) Gonfalonier or Colleague meant this:  when a man’s name was drawn from the purse of the Gonfaloniers or of the College to exercise the office of Gonfalonier or Colleague, but by reason of being below the legal age, or for some other cause, he never sat himself upon the Board or was in fact Gonfalonier or Colleague, he was then said to have been passed; and this held good of all the other magistracies of the city.

It should also be known that all the Florentine burghers were obliged to rank in one of the twenty-one arts:  that is, no one could be a burgher of Florence unless he or his ancestors had been approved and matriculated in one of these arts, whether they practiced it or no.  Without the proof of such matriculation he could not be drawn for any office, or exercise any magistracy, or even have his name put into the bags.  The arts were these:  i.  Judges and Notaries (for the doctors of the law were styled of old in Florence Judges); Merchants, or the Arts of; ii.  Calimala,[1] iii.  Exchange, iv.  Wool; Porta Santa Maria, or the Arts of; v.  Silk; vi.  Physicians and Apothecaries; vii.  Furriers.  The others were viii.  Butchers, ix.  Shoemakers, x.  Blacksmiths, xi.  Linen-drapers and Clothesmen, xii.  Masters, or Masons, and Stone-cutters, xiii.  Vintners, xiv.  Innkeepers, xv.  Oilsellers, Pork-butchers, and Rope-makers, xvi.  Hosiers, xvii.  Armorers, xviii.  Locksmiths, xix.  Saddlers, xx.  Carpenters, xxi.  Bakers.  The last fourteen were called Lesser Arts; whoever was enrolled or matriculated into one of these was said to rank with the lesser (andare per la minore); and though there were in Florence many other trades than these, yet having no guild of their own they were associated to one or other of those that I have named.  Each art had, as may still be seen, a house or mansion, large and noble, where they assembled, appointed officers, and gave account of debit and credit to all the members of the guild.[2] In processions and other public assemblies the heads (for so the chiefs of the several arts were called) had their place and precedence in order.  Moreover, these arts at first had each an ensign for the defense, on occasion, of liberty with arms.  Their origin was when the people in 1282 overcame the nobles (Grandi),