Sources indicate that the capitano giustiziere and the capitano di giustizia were different ways to describe the same position. But in The Beati Paoli Natoli has clearly established two different roles: the capitano giustiziere, who is the Marchese di Regalmici (first mentioned in Part 1, chapter 17), and the capitano di giustizia, who is unnamed. In the context of the extreme flexibility that characterized roles and functions in the Sicilian administrative apparatus of the time, perhaps it was plausible for Natoli that two different people with almost identical roles could coexist.

“All the principal cities, towns, and villages in Sicily (except Messina, Catania, Syracuse, Piazza, and Trapani, which enjoy the privilege of having their own courts) have a captain of justice, criminal judge, and fiscale, not unlike our king’s solicitor, prosecutor for the crown.  The object and duties of these officers are to superintend the local police, detect crimes, and bring the guilty to justice. The captain, who has a certain number of constables (called sbirri in this island) receives information from them and when any person is accused, or detected in violating the laws, he is imprisoned by order of the captain.”. Edward Blaquiere, Letters from the Mediterranean, 246-247.