wealbk03-第5章

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certain；　sometimes　to　the　sheriff　of　the　county；　and　sometimes　to

other　persons。　The　burghers　themselves　frequently　got　credit

enough　to　be　admitted　to　farm　the　revenues　of　this　sort　which

arose　out　of　their　own　town；　they　becoming　jointly　and　severally

answerable　for　the　whole　rent。　To　let　a　farm　in　this　manner　was

quite　agreeable　to　the　usual　economy　of；　I　believe；　the

sovereigns　of　all　the　different　countries　of　Europe；　who　used

frequently　to　let　whole　manors　to　all　the　tenants　of　those

manors；　they　becoming　jointly　and　severally　answerable　for　the

whole　rent；　but　in　return　being　allowed　to　collect　it　in　their

own　way；　and　to　pay　it　into　the　king's　exchequer　by　the　hands　of

their　own　bailiff；　and　being　thus　altogether　freed　from　the

insolence　of　the　king's　officers…　a　circumstance　in　those　days

regarded　as　of　the　greatest　importance。

　　　　　At　first　the　farm　of　the　town　was　probably　let　to　the

burghers；　in　the　same　manner　as　it　had　been　to　other　farmers；　for

a　term　of　years　only。　In　process　of　time；　however；　it　seems　to

have　become　the　general　practice　to　grant　it　to　them　in　fee；　that

is　for　ever；　reserving　a　rent　certain　never　afterwards　to　be

augmented。　The　payment　having　thus　become　perpetual；　the

exemptions；　in　return　for　which　it　was　made；　naturally　became

perpetual　too。　Those　exemptions；　therefore；　ceased　to　be

personal；　and　could　not　afterwards　be　considered　as　belonging　to

individuals　as　individuals；　but　as　burghers　of　a　particular

burgh；　which；　upon　this　account；　was　called　a　free　burgh；　for　the

same　reason　that　they　had　been　called　free　burghers　or　free

traders。

　　　　　Along　with　this　grant；　the　important　privileges　above

mentioned；　that　they　might　give　away　their　own　daughters　in

marriage；　that　their　children　should　succeed　to　them；　and　that

they　might　dispose　of　their　own　effects　by　will；　were　generally

bestowed　upon　the　burghers　of　the　town　to　whom　it　was　given。

Whether　such　privileges　had　before　been　usually　granted　along

with　the　freedom　of　trade　to　particular　burghers；　as　individuals；

I　know　not。　I　reckon　it　not　improbable　that　they　were；　though　I

cannot　produce　any　direct　evidence　of　it。　But　however　this　may

have　been；　the　principal　attributes　of　villanage　and　slavery

being　thus　taken　away　from　them；　they　now；　at　least；　became

really　free　in　our　present　sense　of　the　word　Freedom。

　　　　　Nor　was　this　all。　They　were　generally　at　the　same　time

erected　into　a　commonalty　or　corporation；　with　the　privilege　of

having　magistrates　and　a　town　council　of　their　own；　of　making

bye…laws　for　their　own　government；　of　building　walls　for　their

own　defence；　and　of　reducing　all　their　inhabitants　under　a　sort

of　military　discipline　by　obliging　them　to　watch　and　ward；　that

is；　as　anciently　understood；　to　guard　and　defend　those　walls

against　all　attacks　and　surprises　by　night　as　well　as　by　day。　In

England　they　were　generally　exempted　from　suit　to　the　hundred　and

county　courts；　and　all　such　pleas　as　should　arise　among　them；　the

pleas　of　the　crown　excepted；　were　left　to　the　decision　of　their

own　magistrates。　In　other　countries　much　greater　and　more

extensive　jurisdictions　were　frequently　granted　to　them。

　　　　　It　might；　probably；　be　necessary　to　grant　to　such　towns　as

were　admitted　to　farm　their　own　revenues　some　sort　of　compulsive

jurisdiction　to　oblige　their　own　citizens　to　make　payment。　In

those　disorderly　times　it　might　have　been　extremely　inconvenient

to　have　left　them　to　seek　this　sort　of　justice　from　any　other

tribunal。　But　it　must　seem　extraordinary　that　the　sovereigns　of

all　the　different　countries　of　Europe　should　have　exchanged　in

this　manner　for　a　rent　certain；　never　more　to　be　augmented；　that

branch　of　the　revenue　which　was；　perhaps；　of　all　others　the　most

likely　to　be　improved　by　the　natural　course　of　things；　without

either　expense　or　attention　of　their　own：　and　that　they　should；

besides；　have　in　this　manner　voluntarily　erected　a　sort　of

independent　republics　in　the　heart　of　their　own　dominions。

　　　　　In　order　to　understand　this；　it　must　be　remembered　that　in

those　days　the　sovereign　of　perhaps　no　country　in　Europe　was　able

to　protect；　through　the　whole　extent　of　his　dominions；　the　weaker

part　of　his　subjects　from　the　oppression　of　the　great　lords。

Those　whom　the　law　could　not　protect；　and　who　were　not　strong

enough　to　defend　themselves；　were　obliged　either　to　have　recourse

to　the　protection　of　some　great　lord；　and　in　order　to　obtain　it

to　become　either　his　slaves　or　vassals；　or　to　enter　into　a　league

of　mutual　defence　for　the　common　protection　of　one　another。　The

inhabitants　of　cities　and　burghs；　considered　as　single

individuals；　had　no　power　to　defend　themselves；　but　by　entering

into　a　league　of　mutual　defence　with　their　neighbours；　they　were

capable　of　making　no　contemptible　resistance。　The　lords　despised

the　burghers；　whom　they　considered　not　only　as　of　a　different

order；　but　as　a　parcel　of　emancipated　slaves；　almost　of　a

different　species　from　themselves。　The　wealth　of　the　burghers

never　failed　to　provoke　their　envy　and　indignation；　and　they

plundered　them　upon　every　occasion　without　mercy　or　remorse。　The

burghers　naturally　hated　and　feared　the　lords。　The　king　hated　and

feared　them　too；　but　though　perhaps　he　might　despise；　he　had　no

reason　either　to　hate　or　fear　the　burghers。　Mutual　interest；

therefore；　disposed　them　to　support　the　king；　and　the　king　to

support　them　against　the　lords。　They　were　the　enemies　of　his

enemies；　and　it　was　his　interest　to　render　them　as　secure　and

independent　of　those　enemies　as　he　could。　By　granting　them

magistrates　of　their　own；　the　privilege　of　making　bye…laws　for

their　own　government；　that　of　building　walls　for　their　own

defence；　and　that　of　reducing　all　their　inhabitants　under　a　sort

of　military　discipline；　he　gave　them　all　the　means　of　security

and　independency　of　the　barons　which　it　was　in　his　power　to

bestow。　Without　the　establishment　of　some　regular　government　of

this　kind；　without　some　authority　to　compel　their　inhabitants　to

act　according　to　some　certain　plan　or　system；　no　voluntary　league

of　mutual　defence　could　either　have　afforded　them　any　permanent

security；　or　have　enabled　them　to　give　the　king　any　considerable

support。　By　granting　them　the　farm　of　their　town　in　fee；　he　took

away　from　those　whom　he　wished　to　have　for　his　friends；　and；　if

one　may　say　so；　for　his　allies；　all　ground　of　jealousy　and

suspicion　that　he　was　ever　afterwards　to　oppress　them；　either　by

raising　the　farm　rent　of　their　town　or　by　granting　it　to　some

other　farmer。

　　　　　The　princes　who　lived　upon　the　worst　terms　with　their　barons

seem　accordingly　to　have　been　the　most　liberal　in　grants　of　this

kind　to　their　burghs。　King　John　of　England；　for　example；　appears

to　have　been　a　most　munificent　benefactor　to　his　towns。　Philip

the　First　of　France　lost　all　authority　over　his　barons。　Towards

the　end　of　his　reign；　his　son　Lewis；　known　afterwards　by　the　name

of　Lewis　the　Fat；　consulted；　according　to　Father　Daniel；　with　the

bishops　of　the　royal　demesnes　concerning　the　most　proper　means　of

restraining　the　violence　of　the　great　lords。　Their　advice

consisted　of　two　different　proposals。　One　was　to　erect　a　new

order　of　jurisdiction；　by　establishing　magistrates　and　a　town

council　in　every　considerable　town　of　his　demesnes。　The　other　was

to　form　a　new　militia；　by　making　the　inhabitants　of　those　towns；

under　the　command　of　their　own　magistrates；　march　out　upon　proper

occasions　to　the　assistance　of　the　king。　It　is　from　this　period；

according　to　the　French　antiquarians；　that　we　are　to　date　the

institution　of　the　magistrates　and　councils　of　cities　in　France。

It　was　during　the　unprosperous　reigns　of　the　princes　of　the　house

of　Suabia　that　the　greater　part　of　the　free　towns　of　Germany

received　the　first　grants　of　their　privileges；　and　that　the

famous　Hanseatic　league　first　became　formidable。

　　　　　The　militia　of　the　cities　seems；　in　those　times；　not　to　have

been　inferior　to　that　of　the　country；　and　as　they　could　be　more

readily　assembled　upon　any　sudden　occasion；　they　frequently　had

the　advantage　in　their　disputes　with　the　neighbouring　lords。　In

countries；　such　as　Italy　and　Switzerland；　in　which；　on　account

either　of　their　distance　from　the　principal　seat　of　government；

of　the　natural　strength　of　the　country　itself；　or　of　some　other

reason；　the　sovereign　came　to　lose　the　whole　of　his　authority；

the　cities　generally　became　independent　republics；　and　conquered

all　the　nobility　in　their　neighbourhood；　obliging　them　to　pull

down　their　castles　in　the　country　and　to　live；　like　other

peaceable　inhabitants；　in　the　city。　This　is　the　short　history　of

the　republic　of　Berne　as　well　as　of　several　other　cities　in

Switzerland。　If　you　except　Venice；　for　of　that　city　the　history

is　somewhat　different；　it　is　the　history　of　all　the　considerable

Italian　republics；　of　which　so　great　a　number　arose　and　perished

between　the　end　of　the　twelfth　and　the　beginning　of　the　sixteenth

century。

　　　　　In　countries　such　as　France　or　England；　where　the　authority

of　the　sovereign；　though　frequently　very　low；　never　was　destroyed

altogether；　the　cities　had　no　opportunity　of　becoming　entirely

independent。　They　became；　however；　so　considerable　that　the

sovereign　could　impose　no　tax　upon　them；　besides　the　stated

farm…rent　of　the　town；　without　their　own　consent。　They　were；

therefore；　called　upon　to　send　deputies　to　the　general　assembly

of　the　states　of　the　kingdom；　where　they　might　join　with　the

clergy　and　the　barons　in　granting；　upon　urgent　occasions；　some

extraordinary　aid　to　the　king。　Being　generally；　too；　more

favourable　to　his　power；　their　deputies　seem；　sometimes；　to　have

been　employed　by　him　as　a　counterbalance　in　those　assemblies　to

the　authority　of　the　great　lords。　Hence　the　origin　of　the

representation　of　burghs　in　the　states…general　of　all　the　great

monarchies　in　Europe。

　　　　　Order　and　good　government；　and　along　with　them　the　liberty

and　security　of　individuals；　were；　in　this　manner；　established　in

cities　at　a　time　when　the　occupiers　of　land　in　the　country　were

exposed　to　every　sort　of　violence。　But　men　in　this　defenceless

state　naturally　content　themselves　with　their　necessary

subsistence；　because　to　acquire　more　might　only　tempt　the

injustice　of　their　oppressors。　On　the　contrary；　when　they　are

secure　of　enjoying　the　fruits　of　their　industry；　they　naturally

exert　it　to　better　their　condition；　and　to　acquire　not　only　the

necessaries；　but　the　conveniences　and　elegancies　of　life。　That

industry；　therefore；　which　aims　at　something　more　than　necessary

subsistence；　was　established　in　cities　long　before　it　was

commonly　practised　by　the　occupiers　of　land　in　the　country。　If　in

the　hands　of　a　poor　cultivator；　oppressed　with　the　servitude　of

villanage；　some　little　stock　should　accumulate；　he　would

naturally　conceal　it　with　great　care　from　his　master；　to　whom　it

would　otherwise　have　belonged；　and　take　the　first　opportunity　of

running　away　to　a　town。　The　law　was　at　that　time　so　indulgent　to

the　inhabitants　of　towns；　and　so　desirous　of　diminishing　the