in Roman antiquity, an authentic declaration made before the censors, by the several subjects of the empire, of their respective names and places of abode. This declaration was registered by the censors; and contained an enumeration, in writing, of all the estates, lands, and inheritances they possessed; their quantity, quality, place, wives, children, domestics, tenants, slaves. In the provinces the census served not only to discover the substance of each person, but where, and in what manner and proportion, taxes might be best imposed. The census at Rome is common- I thought to have been held every five years; but Dr. Middleton hath shown, that both census and lustrum were held irregularly and uncertainly at various intervals. The census was an excellent expedient for discovering the strength of the state: for by it they discovered the number of the citizens, how many were fit for war, and how many for offices of other kinds; how much each was able to pay of taxes, &c. It went through all ranks of people, though under different names: that of the common people was called cenfus; that of the knights, cenfus, recensio, recognitio; that of the senators, lectio, relectio.—Hence also cenfus came to signify a person who had made such a declaration; in which sense it was opposed to incensus, a person who had not given in his estate, or name, to be registered.

The census, according to Salmius, was peculiar to the city of Rome. That in the provinces was properly called profefio and recensio. But this distinction is not everywhere observed by the ancients themselves.

Census was also used for the book or register wherein the professions of the people were entered: In which sense, the census was frequently cited and appealed to, as evidence in the courts of justice.

Census is also used to denote a man's whole substance or estate.

Census Senatoriae, the patrimony of a senator, which was limited to a certain value; being at first rated at eight hundred thousand sesterces, but afterwards, under Augustus, enlarged to twelve hundred thousand.

Census Equitum, the estate or patrimony of a knight, rated at four hundred thousand sesterces, which was required to qualify a person for that order, and without which no virtue or merit was available.

Census was also used for a person worth an hundred thousand sesterces, or who was entered as such in the censual tables, on his own declaration. In which sense, census amounts to the same with claficus, or a man of the first class; though Gellius limits the estate of those of this class to an hundred and twenty-five thousand asses. By the Voconian law, no census was allowed to give by his will above a fourth part of what he was worth to a woman.

Census was also used to denote a tax or tribute imposed on persons, and called also capitation. See Capitium.

Census Dominicatus, in writers of the lower age, denotes a rent due to the lord.

Census Duplicatus, a double rent or tax, paid by vassals to their lord on extraordinary or urgent occasions; as expeditions to the Holy Land, &c.

Census Ecclesiae Romanae, was an annual contribution voluntarily paid to the fee of Rome by the several princes of Europe.