the origin of the distinction of ranks-第38章

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eir　primitive　attachment　to　their　respective　chiefs。　The　power　of　the　nobility；　therefore；　which　depended　upon　those　circumstances；　was　quickly　destroyed；　and　the　monarch；　who　remained　at　the　head　of　the　nation　without　a　rival　to　counterbalance　his　influence；　had　no　difficulty　in　extending　his　influence　over　the　whole　of　his　dominions。　　　　　For　this　reason；　the　ancient　jurisdiction　and　authority　of　the　chiefs　is　not　very　distinctly　marked　in　the　early　history　of　those　nations；　among　whom　it　was　in　a　great　measure　destroyed　before　they　were　possessed　of　historical　records。　At　Rome；　so　early　as　the　reign　of　Servius　Tullius；　the　practice　of　convening　the　people　according　to　their　tribes；　or　curiae；　was　almost　entirely　laid　aside；　and　the　public　assemblies　were　held　in　such　a　manner；　that　every　individual　was　classed　according　to　his　wealth。　　　　　The　great　extent；　on　the　other　hand；　of　those　modern　kingdoms　which；　upon　the　downfall　of　the　Roman　empire；　were　erected　in　the　western　part　of　Europe；　was　formerly　mentioned；　and　the　political　consequences；　which　appear　to　have　been　immediately　derived　from　that　circumstance；　were　likewise　taken　notice　of。　The　numerous　tribes；　or　separate　families；　that　were　associated　under　a　sovereign；　far　from　being　collected　in　a　single　town；　were　spread　over　a　large　territory；　and　living　at　a　distance　from　each　other；　were　for　a　long　time　prevented　from　having　much　intercourse；　or　from　acquiring　the　habits　of　polished　society。　Strangers　to　regular　government；　and　little　restrained　by　the　authority　of　the　public　magistrate；　they　were　devoted　to　their　several　chiefs；　by　whom　they　were　encouraged　to　rob　and　plunder　their　neighbours；　and　protected　from　the　punishment　due　to　their　offences。　Mutual　depredations　became　the　source　of　perpetual　animosity　and　discord　among　neighbouring　barons；　who；　from　jealousy；　from　an　interference　of　interest；　or　from　resentment　of　injuries；　were；　for　the　most　part；　either　engaged　in　actual　hostilities；　or　lying　in　wait　for　a　favourable　opportunity　to　oppress　and　destroy　one　another。　Thus　every　kingdom　was　composed　of　a　great　variety　of　parts；　loosely　combined　together；　and　for　several　centuries　may　be　regarded　as　a　collection　of　small　independent　societies；　rather　than　as　one　great　political　community。　The　slow　advances　which　were　afterwards　made　by　the　people　towards　a　more　complete　union；　appear　to　have　been　productive　of　that　feudal　subordination　which　has　been　the　subject　of　so　much　investigation　and　controversy。　　　　　In　those　times　of　license　and　disorder；　the　proprietors　of　small　estates　were　necessarily　exposed　to　many　hardships　and　calamities。　Surrounded　by　wealthier　and　more　powerful　neighbours；　by　whom　they　were　invaded　from　every　quarter；　and　held　in　constant　terror；　they　could　seldom　indulge　the　hope　of　maintaining　their　possessions；　or　of　transmitting　them　to　their　posterity。　Conscious　therefore　of　their　weakness；　they　endeavoured　to　provide　for　their　future　safety；　by　soliciting　the　aid　of　some　opulent　chief；　who　appeared　most　capable　of　defending　them；　and；　in　order　to　obtain　that　protection　which　he　afforded　to　his　ancient　retainers　or　vassals；　they　were　obliged　to　render　themselves　equally　subservient　to　his　interest；　to　relinquish　their　pretensions　to　independence；　to　acknowledge　him　as　their　leader；　and　to　yield　him　that　homage　and　fealty　which　belonged　to　a　feudal　superior。　　　　　The　nature　of　these　important　transactions；　the　solemnities　with　which　they　were　accompanied；　and　the　views　and　motives　from　which　they　were　usually　concluded；　are　sufficiently　explained　from　the　copies　or　forms　of　those　deeds　which　have　been　collected　and　handed　down　to　us。　The　vassal　promised　in　a　solemn　manner　to　submit　to　the　jurisdiction　of　the　superior；　to　reside　within　his　domain；　and　to　serve　him　in　war；　whether　he　should　be　engaged　in　prosecuting　his　own　quarrels；　or　in　the　common　cause　of　the　nation。　The　superior；　on　the　other　hand；　engaged　to　exert　all　his　power　and　influence；　in　protecting　the　vassal；　in　defending　his　possessions；　or　in　avenging　his　death；　in　case　he　should　be　assassinated。　In　consequence　of　these　mutual　engagements；　the　vassal；　by　certain　symbols　expressive　of　the　agreement；　resigned　his　property；　of　which　he　again　received　the　investiture　from　the　hands　of　the　superior。（7*）　　　　　It　is　probable；　however；　that　the　extension　of　particular　baronies；　by　the　voluntary　submission　of　allodial　proprietors；　contributed　to　ascertain　the　right　of　the　vassal；　and　to　limit　that　property　with　which　the　superior　was　originally　invested。　The　ancient　military　tenants；　who　were　the　kindred　and　relations　of　the　superior；　and　who　had　received　their　lands　as　a　pure　gratuity；　never　thought　of　demanding　to　be　secured　in　the　future　possession；　and　while　they　continued　to　support　the　interest　of　the　family；　which　they　looked　upon　as　inseparable　from　their　own　interest；　they　had　no　apprehension　that　they　should　ever　be　deprived　of　their　estates。　Thus；　according　to　the　more　accurate　ideas　of　later　times；　they　were　merely　tenants　at　will；　though　from　the　affection　of　their　master；　and　from　their　inviolable　fidelity　to　him；　they　were　commonly　permitted　to　enjoy　their　lands　during　life；　and　in　ordinary　cases　the　same　indulgence　was　even　shown　to　their　posterity。　　　　　But　it　was　not　to　be　expected　that　those　who　submitted　to　a　foreign　superior；　and　who　gave　up　their　allodial　property　as　an　equivalent　for　the　protection　which　was　promised　them；　would　repose　so　much　confidence　in　a　person　with　whom　they　had　no　natural　connexion；　or　be　willing　to　hold　their　lands　by　the　same　precarious　tenure。　They　endeavoured；　by　express　stipulations；　to　prevent　the　arbitrary　conduct　of　the　master；　and；　according　as　they　found　themselves　in　a　condition　to　insist　for　more　favourable　terms；　they　obtained　a　grant　of　their　estates；　for　a　certain　limited　time；　for　life；　or　to　their　heirs。　By　these　grants　the　right　of　property；　instead　of　being　totally　vested　in　the　superior；　came　to　be；　in　some　measure；　divided　between　him　and　his　vassals。　　　　　When　a　superior　had　entered　into　such　transactions　with　his　new　retainers；　he　could　not　well　refuse　a　similar　security　to　such　of　his　ancient　vassals　as；　from　any　casual　suspicion；　thought　proper　to　demand　it；　so　that　from　the　influence　of　example；　joined　to　uninterrupted　possession　in　a　series　of　heirs；　the　same　privileges　were；　either　by　an　express　bargain；　or　by　a　sort　of　tacit　agreement；　communicated；　at　length；　to　all　his　military　tenants。　　　　　This　alteration　gave　rise　to　what　were　called　the　incidents　of　the　feudal　tenures。　The　ancient　military　tenants；　who　were　the　kindred　of　the　superior；　might　be　removed　by　him　at　pleasure；　or　subjected　to　what　burdens　he　thought　proper　to　impose　upon　them；　and　there　was　no　occasion　to　specify　the　services　that　might　be　required　of　them；　or　the　grounds　upon　which　they　might　forfeit　their　possessions。　But　when　the　vassal　had　obtained　a　permanent　right　to　his　estate；　it　became　necessary　to　ascertain　the　extent　of　the　obligations　which　he　came　under；　and　the　penalty　to　which　he　was　subjected　upon　his　neglecting　to　fulfil　them；　so　that；　from　the　nature　of　the　feudal　connexion；　he　in　some　cases　incurred　a　forfeiture；　or　total　loss　of　t