_There was also one_ Vernaculus _who was Messenger of the_ Ward, _he assisted the_ Curator, _and was entirely at his Command_.] The Business of this Officer was to be subservient to the _Curator_, and give Notice to, and summon the Citizens to meet in all Matters, which more immediately related to the _Ward_. Their Office was the same, mentioned by _S. Rufus_, and _P. Victor_, who give them at _Old Rome_, the Name of _Denunciatores_. Two of which were appointed to assist in every _Ward_. _It had also twenty five_ Collegiati, _chosen out of the several Bodies of Tradesmen, whose Business it was, to direct and assist in Cases of Fire_.] At _Rome_ the _Præfectus Vigilum_ commanded in Chief the seven Companies of Freemen appointed for a constant Watch to the City. This Office was instituted by _Augustus_, who placed a single Company over two _Wards_, as is observed by _Suetonius_, and _Dion._ _Lib._ LV. and by _Paullus_, _Lib. de Offi. præ. Vigil._ These Men were chosen out of the several Bodies of the Tradesmen, whose Business was the same with those at _Rome_; and were called _Collegiati._ The Number of them was always stated, and unalterable so that when one of them died, the _Prefect_ of the City filled up the Vacancy with one of his own Body. _Honorius_ and _Theodosius_, in their _Letters Mandatory_ to _Æstius Prefect_ of the City, will and command, _That the Number of five hundred sixty three be the standing Number of them, and that no Person presume by any Authority whatsoever, to alter that Number; so that it shall be lawful to you only, in the Presence of the Body Corporate, when any Person is deceased, or otherways removed, to elect, and nominate one to succeed him out of the same Body Corporate of which he was a Member_: These _Collegiati_ are chosen out of thirty five Corporations of Tradesmen, which are particularly specified in a Letter sent by _Constantine_ to _Maximus_, and are discharged upon their Election from all other Offices whatsoever. In this first _Ward_, there were only twenty five of them, in others more or less, who made up the Number a Hundred and sixty, or a Hundred and sixty three. To complete the Number of which, as appears from the first Book of _Zeno de Collegiat._ Thirty seven or forty, are wanting in the last _Ward_. The Word _Collegiati_, in other Places, sometimes signifies the _Deacons_ who buried the Dead; and sometimes it is taken for _Freemen_, as in _Lib._ XLI. _Co. Theod. de Op. Pub._