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Untitled Article
larger portion than the private man , the general a still larger portion than the others . He had thus more revenues than he consumed , or a surplus , and consequentl y means of luxury . The disposition of the people was directed to military fame ; consequently , even luxury presented itself in warlike guise . To be accompanied by chosen troops , and at their head to be the terror of all the neighbourhood , was the highest object to which the ambition of these times soared : a numerous martial
following was at once the stateliest exhibition of wealth and power , and the most infallible means of aggrandizing both . This superfluity of territory could therefore be turned to no better account than to hire military followers , who could assist in protecting his possessions , could revenge injuries received , and would fight at his side in battle . Every leader and prince , therefore , disposed of portions of territory , and transferred the enjoyment of them to other less wealthy possessors , who obliged themselves in return to certain military services , which had
nothing to do with the defence of the state and merely related to the person of the granter . If the latter required these services no longer or the granter could no longer render them * then the enjoyment of these territories , of which they were the actual conditions , ceased . These grants of land were ,
therefore , conditional , changeable ; a mutual compact , either stipulated for a fixed number of years or for life , and terminable by death . A piece of land granted upon these terms was denominated a benefice ( beneficium ) to distinguish it from a freehold ( freigi . it , allodium ) which was held neither from the bounty of another , nor under particular conditions , nor for a term of time , but of personal right , apart from all burthen save that of military service—and for ever . It was called in the Latin of
the times a fee or fief , probably because the grantee must pledge faith ( fidem ) to the granter—in German a loan ( lehen ) because it was lent ( geliehen ) not given away for ever . Every one could effief who possessed landed property . The relation of vassal and lord could be superseded by no other relation save this . Kings themselves were sometimes seen to become the liegemen of their subjects . These fiefs could be again effieffed , and the vassal of one man might beaome the lord of
another ; but the grand-feudatorial power of the first effieffer extended through the whole series of vassals , however longthus no bonded villain could be freed by his intermediate lord , if the supreme lord did not give his consent thereto . When with Christianity the Christian Church Establishment was introduced among the new European states , the Bishops , the Chapters , and Monasteries very soon found means to turn to account the superstition of the people , and . the muni * ficence of their sovereign * . Rich donations were made to th #
Untitled Article
At tht time of tkejrsi Crusade . Ml
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1836, page 341, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2658/page/13/
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