1 74 On the ORIGIN and STRUCTURE of 



Switzerland was a part, proves, that they contained, in remote 

 times, perfons of family, and men better acquainted with arms 

 than induftry. In Spain, alfo, as far back as thefueros of the 

 towns, the principal inhabitants of them were cavalieros and 

 efcuderos, and yielded military fervice like the nobility of the 

 country *. In the fame way, in France, we find, during the. 

 rft and fecond Race, the towns of a warlike character having 

 counts, fcabini, &c . at their head f : And the Franks, who con- 

 quered Paleftine in the early times of 'the third Race, aflumed 

 arrangements which prove, that a city noblefle was fufficiently 

 agreeable to their domeftic cuftoms . It is certainly in the 

 fame way alone, that we can explain how, in Britain, the citi- 

 zens 



* MANY of the principal Spanifh towns long preferved independence of the Goths; 

 >and it appears from a law of CHINDASINTHUS, who reigned about A.D.6$o, that, 

 notwithstanding the fubmiflion of the towns, on the renunciation of Arianifm, the di- 

 ftinftion between the curiales and plebeians of the Roman municipia remained in force. 

 L L. Vlflg. lib. 5. tit. 4. cap. 19. The fame law likewife proves, that the jurifdidlion 

 of the comes obtained in the Spanifh towns, as well as in the country diftrifts ; and Dr 

 ROBERTSON, in his Hiftory of CHARLES V. v. I. />. 345, &c. fhows, That the towns 

 made a diftingujfhed figure, as far back as there are any accounts of the kingdoms 

 which arofe on the ruins of the Arabian powers. It is certain, that the principal inha- 

 bitants of towns enjoyed the hotiours of the country noblefle 5 and this will hardly ap- 

 pear extraordinary, when it is confidered, that, during the long warfare with the Moors, 

 towns were the natural bulwarks to which the inhabitants of the country mufl have re- 

 forted in times of danger. 



f GREGORY of Tours, lib. 4. \ 30. ; lib. 6. ir. verb, feniores civium; and lib. 8. 

 5 18. 21. 45. ; lib. 10. 5. And many other authors might alfo be quoted to the fame 

 effeft. 



J THE principal inhabitants of Jerufalem, Napoli, Acre, and Sur, furnifhed 666 

 knights, and the fimple burgefles furnifhed, together with the churches, 5075 fergens 

 to the army ; and thefe knights feem to have been, in no refpecl:, inferior to thofe fur- 

 nifhed by the country barons. AJJlfts de Jerufalem, cap. 326. &c. In the time of St 

 LEWIS, Paris contributed to the war of Flanders 400 cavalry and 200 infantry. 

 The fine for abfence was 60 folidi. Fines of this nature were levied on burgefles in 

 very ancient times. Every perfon, without diftinclion, having 4 manfes in property, 

 or benefice, was obliged to attend in war. BALUZ. torn. j. />. 489. And we have 

 burgefles particularly mentioned as fubjeft to this duty. EdiSt of CHARLES LE GROS, 

 ad ana. 880. 



