the story of mankind-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



into　the　streetof　pig…sties　surrounding　the　Bishop's　palace

of　unwashed　people　who　had　inherited　their　coats　and　hats

from　their　grandfathers　and　who　had　never　learned　the　blessing

of　soap。　I　do　not　want　to　paint　too　unpleasant　a　picture。

But　when　you　read　in　the　ancient　chronicles　that　the　King　of

France；　looking　out　of　the　windows　of　his　palace；　fainted　at

the　stench　caused　by　the　pigs　rooting　in　the　streets　of　Paris；

when　an　ancient　manuscript　recounts　a　few　details　of　an　epidemic

of　the　plague　or　of　small…pox；　then　you　begin　to　under…

stand　that　‘‘progress''　is　something　more　than　a　catchword　used

by　modern　advertising　men。



No；　the　progress　of　the　last　six　hundred　years　would　not

have　been　possible　without　the　existence　of　cities。　I　shall；

therefore；　have　to　make　this　chapter　a　little　longer　than　many

of　the　others。　It　is　too　important　to　be　reduced　to　three　or

four　pages；　devoted　to　mere　political　events。



The　ancient　world　of　Egypt　and　Babylonia　and　Assyria

had　been　a　world　of　cities。　Greece　had　been　a　country　of　City…

States。　The　history　of　Phoenicia　was　the　history　of　two　cities

called　Sidon　and　Tyre。　The　Roman　Empire　was　the　‘‘hinterland''

of　a　single　town。　Writing；　art；　science；　astronomy；　architecture；

literature；　the　theatrethe　list　is　endlesshave　all

been　products　of　the　city。



For　almost　four　thousand　years　the　wooden　bee…hive　which

we　call　a　town　had　been　the　workshop　of　the　world。　Then　came

the　great　migrations。　The　Roman　Empire　was　destroyed。

The　cities　were　burned　down　and　Europe　once　more　became　a

land　of　pastures　and　little　agricultural　villages。　During　the

Dark　Ages　the　fields　of　civilisation　had　lain　fallow。



The　Crusades　had　prepared　the　soil　for　a　new　crop。　It

was　time　for　the　harvest；　but　the　fruit　was　plucked　by　the

burghers　of　the　free　cities。



I　have　told　you　the　story　of　the　castles　and　the　monasteries；

with　their　heavy　stone　enclosuresthe　homes　of　the　knights

and　the　monks；　who　guarded　men's　bodies　and　their　souls。

You　have　seen　how　a　few　artisans　（butchers　and　bakers　and　an

occasional　candle…stick　maker）　came　to　live　near　the　castle

to　tend　to　the　wants　of　their　masters　and　to　find　protection

in　case　of　danger。　Sometimes　the　feudal　lord　allowed　these

people　to　surround　their　houses　with　a　stockade。　But　they

were　dependent　for　their　living　upon　the　good…will　of　the

mighty　Seigneur　of　the　castle。　When　he　went　about　they　knelt

before　him　and　kissed　his　hand。



Then　came　the　Crusades　and　many　things　changed。　The

migrations　had　driven　people　from　the　north…east　to　the　west。

The　Crusades　made　millions　of　people　travel　from　the　west　to

the　highly　civilised　regions　of　the　south…east。　They　discovered

that　the　world　was　not　bounded　by　the　four　walls　of　their　little

settlement。　They　came　to　appreciate　better　clothes；　more

comfortable　houses；　new　dishes；　products　of　the　mysterious　Orient。

After　their　return　to　their　old　homes；　they　insisted　that　they

be　supplied　with　those　articles。　The　peddler　with　his　pack

upon　his　backthe　only　merchant　of　the　Dark　Agesadded

these　goods　to　his　old　merchandise；　bought　a　cart；　hired　a　few

ex…crusaders　to　protect　him　against　the　crime　wave　which

followed　this　great　international　war；　and　went　forth　to　do

business　upon　a　more　modern　and　larger　scale。　His　career　was

not　an　easy　one。　Every　time　he　entered　the　domains　of　another

Lord　he　had　to　pay　tolls　and　taxes。　But　the　business

was　profitable　all　the　same　and　the　peddler　continued　to　make

his　rounds。



Soon　certain　energetic　merchants　discovered　that　the　goods

which　they　had　always　imported　from　afar　could　be　made　at

home。　They　turned　part　of　their　homes　into　a　workgshop。｛sic｝

They　ceased　to　be　merchants　and　became　manufacturers。　They

sold　their　products　not　only　to　the　lord　of　the　castle　and　to　the

abbot　in　his　monastery；　but　they　exported　them　to　nearby　towns。

The　lord　and　the　abbot　paid　them　with　products　of　their　farms；

eggs　and　wines；　and　with　honey；　which　in　those　early　days　was

used　as　sugar。　But　the　citizens　of　distant　towns　were　obliged

to　pay　in　cash　and　the　manufacturer　and　the　merchant　began　to

own　little　pieces　of　gold；　which　entirely　changed　their　position

in　the　society　of　the　early　Middle　Ages。



It　is　difficult　for　you　to　imagine　a　world　without　money。

In　a　modern　city　one　cannot　possible　live　without　money。　All

day　long　you　carry　a　pocket　full　of　small　discs　of　metal　to

‘‘pay　your　way。''　You　need　a　nickel　for　the　street…car；　a　dollar

for　a　dinner；　three　cents　for　an　evening　paper。　But　many

people　of　the　early　Middle　Ages　never　saw　a　piece　of　coined

money　from　the　time　they　were　born　to　the　day　of　their　death。

The　gold　and　silver　of　Greece　and　Rome　lay　buried　beneath

the　ruins　of　their　cities。　The　world　of　the　migrations；　which

had　succeeded　the　Empire；　was　an　agricultural　world。　Every

farmer　raised　enough　grain　and　enough　sheep　and　enough

cows　for　his　own　use。



The　mediaeval　knight　was　a　country　squire　and　was　rarely

forced　to　pay　for　materials　in　money。　His　estates　produced

everything　that　he　and　his　family　ate　and　drank　and　wore　on

their　backs。　The　bricks　for　his　house　were　made　along　the

banks　of　the　nearest　river。　Wood　for　the　rafters　of　the　hall

was　cut　from　the　baronial　forest。　The　few　articles　that　had　to

come　from　abroad　were　paid　for　in　goodsin　honeyin　eggs

in　fagots。



But　the　Crusades　upset　the　routine　of　the　old　agricultural

life　in　a　very　drastic　fashion。　Suppose　that　the　Duke　of　Hildesheim

was　going　to　the　Holy　Land。　He　must　travel　thousands

of　miles　and　he　must　pay　his　passage　and　his　hotel…bills。

At　home　he　could　pay　with　products　of　his　farm。　But　he

could　not　well　take　a　hundred　dozen　eggs　and　a　cart…load　of

hams　with　him　to　satisfy　the　greed　of　the　shipping　agent　of

Venice　or　the　inn…keeper　of　the　Brenner　Pass。　These　gentlemen

insisted　upon　cash。　His　Lordship　therefore　was　obliged

to　take　a　small　quantity　of　gold　with　him　upon　his　voyage。

Where　could　he　find　this　gold？　He　could　borrow　it　from　the

Lombards；　the　descendants　of　the　old　Longobards；　who　had

turned　professional　money…lenders；　who　seated　behind　their

exchange…table　（commonly　known　as　‘‘banco''　or　bank）　were

glad　to　let　his　Grace　have　a　few　hundred　gold　pieces　in　exchange

for　a　mortgage　upon　his　estates；　that　they　might　be　repaid

in　case　His　Lordship　should　die　at　the　hands　of　the　Turks。



That　was　dangerous　business　for　the　borrower。　In　the　end；

the　Lombards　invariably　owned　the　estates　and　the　Knight

became　a　bankrupt；　who　hired　himself　out　as　a　fighting　man　to

a　more　powerful　and　more　careful　neighbour。



His　Grace　could　also　go　to　that　part　of　the　town　where　the

Jews　were　forced　to　live。　There　he　could　borrow　money　at　a

rate　of　fifty　or　sixty　percent。　interest。　That；　too；　was　bad

business。　But　was　there　a　way　out？　Some　of　the　people　of　the

little　city　which　surrounded　the　castle　were　said　to　have　money。

They　had　known　the　young　lord　all　his　life。　His　father　and

their　fathers　had　been　good　friends。　They　would　not　be

unreasonable　in　their　demands。　Very　well。　His　Lordship's

clerk；　a　monk　who　could　write　and　keep　accounts；　sent　a　note

to　the　best　known　merchants　and　asked　for　a　small　loan。　The

townspeople　met　in　the　work…room　of　the　jeweller　who　made

chalices　for　the　nearby　churches　and　discussed　this　demand。

They　could　not　well　refuse。　It　would　serve　no　purpose　to

ask　for　‘‘interest。''　In　the　first　place；　it　was　against　the

religious　principles　of　most　people　to　take　interest　and　in　the

second　place；　it　would　never　be　paid　except　in　agricultural

products　and　of　these　the　people　had　enough　and　to　spare。



‘‘But；''　suggested　the　tailor　who　spent　his　days　quietly　sitting

upon　his　table　and　who　was　somewhat　of　a　philosopher；

‘‘suppose　that　we　ask　some　favour　in　return　for　our　money。

We　are　all　fond　of　fishing。　But　his　Lordship　won't　let　us

fish　in　his　brook。　Suppose　that　we　let　him　have　a　hundred

ducats　and　that　he　give　us　in　return　a　written　guarantee　allowing

us　to　fish　all　we　want　in　all　of　his　rivers。　Then　he　gets

the　hundred　which　he　needs；　but　we　get　the　fish　and　it　will　be

good　business　all　around。''



The　day　his　Lordship　accepted　this　proposition　（it　seemed

such　an　easy　way　of　getting　a　hundred　gold　pieces）　he　signed

the　death…warrant　of　his　own　power。　His　clerk　drew　up　the

agreement。　His　Lordship　made　his　mark　（for　he　could　not

sign　his　name）　and　departed　for　the　East。　Two　years　later

he　came　back；　dead　broke。　The　townspeople　were　fishing　in

the　castle　pond。　The　sight　of　this　silent　row　of　anglers　annoyed

his　Lordship。　He　told　his　equerry　to　go　and　chase　the　crowd

away。　They　went；　but　that　night　a　delegation　of　merchants

visited　the　castle。　They　were　very　polite。　They　congratulated

his　Lordship　upon　his　safe　return。　They　were　sorry　his

Lordship　had　been　annoyed　by　the　fishermen；　but　as　his　Lordship

might　perhaps　remember　he　had　given　them　permission

to　do　so　himself；　and　the　tailor　produced　the　Charter　which

had　been　kept　in　the　safe　of　the　jeweller　ever　since　the　master

had　gone　to　the　Holy　Land。



His　Lordship　was　much　annoyed。　But　once　more　he　was

in　dire　need　of　some　money。　In　Italy　he　had　signed　his　name

to　certain　documents　which　were　now　in　the　possession　of　Salvestro

dei　Medici；　the　well…known　banker。　These　documents

were　‘‘promissory　notes''　and　they　were　due　two　months　from

date。　Their　total　amount　came　to　three　hundred　and　forty

pounds；　Flemish　gold。　Under　these　circumstances；　the　noble

knight　could　not　well　show　the　rage　which　filled　his　heart　and

his　proud　soul。　Instead；　he　suggested　another　little　loan。　The

merchants　retired　to　discuss　the　matter。



After　three　days　they　came　back　and　said　‘‘yes。''　They

were　only　too　happy　to　be　able　to　help　their　master　in　his

difficulties；　but　in　return　for　the　345　golden　pounds　would　he　give

them　another　written　promise　（another　charter）　that　they；

the　townspeople；　might　establish　a　council　of　their　own　to　be

elected　by　all　the　merchants　and　free　citizens　of　the　city；　said

council　to　manage　civic　affairs　without　interference　from　the

side　of　the　castle？



His　Lordship　was　confoundedly　angry。　But　again；

he　needed　the　money。　He　said　yes；　and　signed　the　charter。

Next　week；　he　repented。　He　called　his　soldiers　and　went　to

the　house　of　the　jeweller　and　asked　for　the　documents　which

his　crafty　subjects　had　cajoled　out　of　him　under　the　pressure

of　circumstances。　He　took　them　away　and　burned　them。

The　townspeople　stood　by　and　said　nothing。　But　when　next

his　Lordship　needed　money　to　pay　for　the　dowry　of　his　daughter。

he　was　unable　to　get　a　single　penny。　After　that　little

affair　at　the　jeweller's　his　credit　was　not　considered　good。

He　was　forced　to　eat　humble…pie　and　offer　to　make　certain　reparations。

Before　his　Lordship　got　the　first　installment　of　the　stipulated　sum；

the　townspeople　were　once　more　in　possession　of