the spirit of laws-第174章
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y of the Antrustios formed a distinct order in the state from that of the freemen； but as the fiefs were at first precarious； and afterwards for life； this could not form a nobleness of descent； since the privileges were not annexed to an hereditary fief。 This is the objection which induced M。 de Valois to think that there was only one order of citizens among the Franks； an opinion which the Abbé du Bos has borrowed of him； and which he has absolutely spoiled with so many bad arguments。 Be that as it may； it is not the Abbé du Bos that could make this objection。 For after having given three orders of Roman nobility； and the quality of the king's guest for the first； he could not pretend to say that this title was a greater mark of a noble descent than that of Antrustio。 But I must give a direct answer。 The Antrustios or trusty men were not such because they were possessed of a fief； but that they had a fief given them because they were Antrustios or trusty men。 The reader may please to recollect what has been said in the beginning of this book。 They had not at that time； as they had afterwards； the same fief： but if they had not that； they had another； because the fiefs were given at their birth； and because they were often granted in the assemblies of the nation； and； in fine； because as it was the interest of the nobility to receive them it was likewise the king's interest to grant them。 These families were distinguished by their dignity of trusty men； and by the privilege of being qualified to swear allegiance for a fief。 In the following book＇217＇ I shall demonstrate how； from the circumstances of the time； there were freemen who were permitted to enjoy this great privilege； and consequently to enter into the order of nobility。 This was not the case at the time of Gontram； and his nephew Childebert； but so it was at the time of Charlemagne。 But though in that prince's reign the freemen were not incapable of possessing fiefs； yet it appears； by the above…cited passage of Tegan； that the emancipated serfs were absolutely excluded。 Will the Abbé du Bos； who carries us to Turkey to give us an idea of the ancient French nobility；＇218＇ will he； I say； pretend that they ever complained among the Turks of the elevation of people of low birth to the honours and dignities of the state； as they complained under Louis the Debonnaire and Charles the Bald？ There was no complaint of that kind under Charlemagne； because this prince always distinguished the ancient from the new families； which Louis the Debonnaire； and Charles the Bald did not。
The public should not forget the obligation it owes to the Abbé du Bos for several excellent performances。 It is by these works； and not by his history of the Establishment of the French Monarchy； we ought to judge of his merit。 He committed very great mistakes； because he had more in view the Count of Boulainvilliers' work than his own subject。
From all these strictures I shall draw only one reflection： if so great a man was mistaken； how cautiously ought I to tread？
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1。 Quantum vertice ad oras ？thereas； tantum radice ad Tartara tendit Virgil； Georg。； ii。 292； ？neid； iv。 446。
2。 Book iv。
3。 For instance； his retreat from Germany。 Ibid。
4。 De Bello Gall。； vi。 21； Tacitus； De Moribus Germanorum； 31。
5。 De Moribus Germanorum； 13。
6。 Comites。
7。 De Bello Gall。； vi。 22。
8。 See the Life of Dagobert。
9。 See Gregory of Tours； vi； on the marriage of the daughter of Chilperic。 Childebert sends ambassadors to tell him that he should not give the cities of his father's kingdom to his daughter； nor his treasures； nor his bondmen； nor horses； nor horsemen； nor teams of oxen； &c。
10。 The Romans obliged themselves to this by treaties。 See Zozimus； v； upon the distribution of corn demanded by Alaric。 ED。
11。 Marius' Chronicle in the year 456。
12。 Book x； tit。 1； §§ 8； 9； & 16。
13。 Chapter 54； §§ 1； 2。 This division was still subsisting in the time of Louis the Debonnaire； as appears by his Capitulary of the year 829； which has been inserted in the law of the Burgundians； tit。 79； § 1。
14。 See Procopius； War of the Goths。
15。 See Procopius； War of the Vandals。
16。 Law of the Burgundians； tit。 54； § 1。
17。 Art。 11。
18。 De Moribus Germanorum； 21。
19。 And in that of the Visigoths。
20。 Tit。 54。
21。 This is confirmed by the whole title of the code de Agricolis et Censitis； et Colonis。
22。 Tit。 26； §§ 1； a。
23。 Tit。 57。
24。 Ovid； Met。 ii。 134。
25。 While Gaul was under the dominion of the Romans they formed particular bodies； these were generally freedmen； or the descendants of freedmen。
26。 See Gregory of Tours； ii； 27。 Aimoin； i。 12。
27。 See the Lives of the Saints； footnote 7； below。
28。 Gregory of Tours； ii。
29。 Ibid。； vi。 31。
30。 Cassiodorus； iii。 43。
31。 In the year 763。
32。 See the annals of Fuld； in the year 739； Paulus Diaconus； De gestis Longobardorum； iii。 30； iv。 1； and the Lives of the Saints in the next footnote。
33。 See the lives of St。 Epiphanius； St。 Eptadius； St。 C？sarius； St。 Fidolus； St。 Porcian； St。 Treverius； St。 Eusichius； and of St。 Leger； the miracles of St。 Julian； &c。
34。 Ovid； Met。； i。 293。
35。 Even the husbandmen themselves were not all slaves； see the Leg。 18； 23； Cod。 de Agricolis； et Censitis； et Colonis； and Leg。 20 of the same title。
36。 See Gregory of Tours； ii。
37。 Ibid。； v。 28。
38。 Ibid。； viii。 36。
39。 Life of St。 Aridius。
40。 Book vii。
41。 Establishment of the French Monarchy； iii。 14； p。 515。 See Baluzius； ii； p。 187。
42。 Book iii。 36。
43。 Book iii； p。 514。
44。 Book x； tit。 1； cap。 xiv。
45。 The Vandals paid none in Africa。 Procopius； War of the Vandals； i； ii。 Historia Miscella； xvi； p。 106。 Observe that the conquerors of Africa were a mixture of Vandals； Alans； and Franks。 Historia Miscella； xiv； p。 94。
46。 Establishment of the Franks in Gaul； iii。 14； p。 510。
47。 He lays a stress upon another law of the Visigoths； x； tit。 1； art。 11； which proves nothing at all； it says only that he who has received of a lord a piece of land on condition of a rent or service ought to pay it。
48。 Book iii； p。 511。
49。 Leg。 3； xi； tit。 74。
50。 Establishment of the French Monarchy； iii。 14； p。 513； where he quotes the 28th article of the edict of Pistes。 See farther on。
51。 Ibid。 iii。 4； p。 298。
52。 In the year 815； cap。 i； which is agreeable to the Capitulary of Charles the Bald； in the year 844； arts。 1； 2。
53。 They were not obliged to furnish any to the count。 Ibid。； art。 5。
54。 The counts are forbidden to deprive them of their horses； ut hostem facere； et debitos paraveredos secundum antequam consuetudinem exsolvere possint。 Edict of Pistes； in Baluzius； p。 186。
55。 Capitulary of Charlemagne； 1； in the year 812。 Edict of Pistes in the year 864； art。 27。
56。 Quatuor mansos。 I fancy that what they called Afansus was a particular portion of land belonging to a farm where there were bondmen； witness the capitulary of the year 853； apud Sylvacum； tit。 14； against those who drove the bondmen from their Mansus。
57。 See below； chapter 20 of this book。
58。 In Duchesne； ii； p。 287。
59。 Ibid。； p。 89。
60。 See the Capitulary of the year 858； art。 14。
61。 They levied also some duties on rivers； where there happened to be a bridge or a passage。
62。 The census was so generical a word； that they made use of it to express the tolls of rivers； when there was a bridge or ferry to pass。 See the third Capitulary； in the year 803； edition of Baluzius； p。 395； art。 1； and the 5th in the year 819； p。 616。 They gave likewise this name to the carriages furnished by the freemen to the king； or to his commissaries； as appeals by the Capitulary of Charles the Bald in the year 865； art。 8。
63。 The Abbé du Bos； and his followers。
64。 See the weakness of the arguments produced by the Abbé du Bos； in the Establishment of the French Monarchy； iii； book VI。 14； especially in the inference he draws from a passage of Gregory of Tours； concerning a dispute between his church and King Charibert。
65。 For instance； by enfranchisements。
66。 Plato； Tim？us。 ED。
67。 Law of the Alemans； cap。 xxii； and the Law of the Bava
