: 
of Plinics Maturall Eitotie. 
A thatthefe knights or gentlemen were laft incorporated into the bodie of the Common-weale, 
this is the onely reafon that even now alfo they are written in all publicke Inftruments, after the 
People. | : 
As touching the name or title, attributed tothis third eftate or degree of Horfemen or men 
of Arms, it hath been chaunged and altered often times: for in the dates of Romulus and other 
KK. of Rome,they were called Celeres, afterwards Flexumines,and in proceffe of time Trofluli, 
by occafion that thefe horfinen without any aid atall of the Infanterie, hadwoona towne in Tuf- 
cane nine miles on this fide Volfinij, called Troffuli: which name continued in the Cavallerie 
of Rome, untill the time of C.Gracchus and afterward, And verely Jusivs (whoupon the great 
amitie betweeeneGracchus and him,was furnamed Gracchanws) hath left thefe words in writing 
as touching this matter : Concerning the degree of Knights (quoth hee):hofe who now are cal- 
led Equites, [?. Horfemen ] beforetime had to name Troffuli :the chaunge of which name arofe 
upon this; That many of thefe Gentlemen, ignorant in the original and firft occafion of the 
forefaid name Troffuli, and what the meaning thereof was,were afhamed fo to be called. He al- 
ledgeth moreover the caufe of the {aid name: And yetnotwithftanding(quoth hee)they cannot 
away with the name at this day, but are fo called againft their wills. . 
To come againe unto our former difcourfe of Gold. There be yet fome other points befides 
to bee confidered therein, which caufe diftin€tion in divers conditions of men: for our aunce- 
ftors, willing atall times to honour thofe fouldiors who had borne themfelves valiantly in wars, 
were woont to beftow chains of gold upon ftraungers and auxiliaries, fuch _Imeane.as came to 
aid and f{uccour the Romans: but unto their owne naturall cittizens they gave none other but of 
filver: and true it is, that Romane cittizens had bracelets given them over and above, which for- 
reiners had not, They were woontalfo(a thing to bee marveiled at) to give untocittizens,coro- 
nets of gold; but who hee was whome they honoured firft with thisreward, L could never findin 
any Chronicle: and yet Z. Pio hath fet downe in his annals, the firft giver thereof: For 4, Poft- 
Smits L, Di&tatour (quoth hee) upon the winning of the fortified campe of the Latinesneare 
thelake Regillus, was the firft that beftowed upon that fouldiour, by whole valorous fervice prin- 
cipally thefaid hold was forced, acoronet of gold; which hee caufed tobe made ofthe pillage 
taken from the enemie. L, Lentulws in like manner,being Confull, gavea crowne of gold unto 
Sergius Cornelius Merenda,at the winning of acertaine towne within the Samnites countrey. 
Semblably Pifofurnamed Fragi, beftowed upon his owne fonne a coronet of gold weighing 
five pound, which hee caufed to be made of hisowneprivat money :and yet among other lega- 
cies in his laft will and teftament, the {aid coronet hee bequeathed tothe ftate and common- 
wealth of Rome. 
Cuap, rit 
ey Other ufes befides of Gold, as well in men aswomen. Of Gold, in money When Brafve 
Silver, and Gold, were firit flamped and coined, Before Braff was converted in- 
to ftamped money, how they ufed it in oldtime, At what rate and pro- 
portion of moncy were affeffed the bef boufes of Rome, at the 
fufilevying of Subjidies, And at what time Gold 
came into credit and requeft: 
LI the goldemploied in facrifices tothe honout of gods, was in guilding the hornes of 
fuch beafts as were to be killed, and thofe onely of the greater fort. But in warfare among 
fouldiours,the vfe of gold grew foexceflive, that the field and campe fhone againe with- 
all : infomuch as at the voyage of Macedonie, where the marfhals of the field and colonels baré 
- armour fetout with rich buckles and clafps of gold,a. Brute was offended and {tormed migh- 
tily at it, as appeareth by his letters found in the plaines about Philippi. Well done of thee, 6 
M,Brutws to find fault with fuch waftfull fuperfluitie: but why faideft thou nothing of the gold 
that the Romane dames in thy time wore in their fhoes 2 And verely this enormitie and abufe, I 
muft needs impute unto him (whofoever he was) that firft devifed rings,'and by that meanscau- 
fed gold to bee efteemed a mettall of much woorth : which evill precedent brought in another 
si{chiefe as bad as it,which hath continued along time ; namely, that menalfo {hould weare a- 
bout their arms,bracelets of gold next to their bare skin:which devife and ornament ofthe arme 
Rr ij is 
461 
