the origin of the distinction of ranks-第30节

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nd　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　the　fief；　and　in　others　was　liable　for　the　payment　of　certain　duties；　which　produced　an　occasional　profit　to　the　superior。　　　　　1。　Thus　when　the　vassal　died　without　heirs；　when　he　violated　his　duty　by　the　commission　of　a　crime；　or　by　neglecting　to　perform　the　usual　service；　in　either　of　these　cases　his　lands　returned　to　the　superior。　The　emolument　arising　from　this　forfeiture；　or　termination　of　the　fief；　was　called　an　escheat。　　　　　2。　When　a　person　was　admitted　to　hold　a　fief；　he　engaged　by　an　oath　to　fulfil　the　duties　of　homage　and　fealty　to　the　superior。　Even　after　fief　became　hereditary；　this　ceremony　was　repeated　upon　every　transmission　of　the　feudal　right　by　succession；　so　that　while　the　heir　of　a　vassal　neglected　to　renew　the　engagement；　he　was　not　intitled　to　obtain　possession；　and　the　superior；　in　the　mean　time；　drew　the　rent　of　the　lands。　Hence　the　incident　of　non…entry。　　　　　3。　Though　the　heir　of　a　vassal　might　claim　a　renewal　of　the　feudal　investiture；　this　was　understood　to　be　granted　in　consideration　of　his　performing　military　service。　When　by　his　nonage；　therefore；　the　heir　was　incapable　of　fulfilling　that　condition；　the　superior　himself　retained　the　possession　of　the　lands；　at　the　same　time　that　he　was　accustomed；　in　that　case；　to　protect　and　maintain　his　future　vassal。　This　produced　the　incident　of　wardship。　　　　　4。　Upon　the　death　of　a　vassal；　it　was　usual　for　the　representative　of　his　family　to　make　a　present　to　the　superior；　in　order　to　obtain　a　ready　admittance　into　the　possession　of　the　lands。　When　fiefs　became　hereditary；　it　was　still　found　expedient　to　procure　by　means　of　a　bribe；　what　could　not　easily　be　extorted　by　force；　and　the　original　arbitrary　payment　was　converted　into　a　regular　duty；　under　the　name　of　relief。　　　　　5。　From　the　original　nature　of　the　feudal　grants；　the　vassal　could　have　no　title　to　sell；　or　give　away　to　any　other　person；　the　lands　which　he　held　merely　as　a　tenant；　in　consideration　of　the　service　which　he　was　bound　to　perform。　But　when　fiefs　had　been　granted　to　heirs；　and　when　of　consequence　the　right　of　the　vassal　approached　somewhat　nearer　to　that　of　property；　it　became　customary　to　compound　with　the　superior　for　the　privilege　of　alienating　the　estate；　upon　payment　of　a　sum　of　money。　This　gave　rise　to　a　perquisite；　called　the　fine　of　alienation。　　　　　6。　From　the　disorders　which　prevailed　in　the　feudal　times；　when　different　families　were　so　frequently　at　war；　it　was　of　great　consequence　that　the　vassals　should　not　contract　an　alliance　with　the　enemy　of　their　Liege　Lord；　which　might　have　a　tendency　to　corrupt　their　fidelity。　When　fiefs　therefore　came　to　be　granted　for　life；　or　to　heirs；　it　was　still　held　a　sufficient　ground　of　forfeiture　that　the　vassal　married　without　the　superior's　consent。　This　forfeiture　was　afterwards　converted　into　a　pecuniary　penalty；　called　the　incident　of　marriage。　　　　　7。　According　to　the　usual　policy　of　the　feudal　nations；　the　superior　levied　no　taxes　from　his　retainers；　but　was　maintained　from　the　rent　of　his　own　estate。　In　particular　cases　however；　when　his　ordinary　revenue　was　insufficient；　his　vassals　were　accustomed　to　supply　him　by　a　voluntary　contribution。　When　fiefs　were　precarious；　what　was　given　on　those　occasions　depended　upon　the　will　of　the　superior；　who　might　even　seize　upon　the　whole　estate　of　his　tenants。　But　when　the　vassal　had　obtained　a　more　permanent　right；　it　became　necessary　to　settle　the　cases　when　those　contributions　were　to　be　made；　as　well　as　the　quantity　that　might　be　demanded；　and　in　this　manner；　aid　or　benevolence　came　to　be　enumerated　among　the　duties　payable　to　a　superior。　　　　　The　conversion　of　allodial　into　feudal　property；　by　a　voluntary　resignation；　as　it　proceeded　from　the　general　manners　and　situation　of　the　people；　continued　to　be　a　frequent　practice；　while　those　manners　and　that　situation　remained。　The　smaller　barons　were　thus；　at　different　times；　subjected　to　their　opulent　neighbours；　the　number　of　independent　proprietors　was　gradually　diminished；　their　estates　were　united　and　blended　together　in　one　barony；　and　large