AND THE RECURRENCE OF WAR. 271 



of many fiefs, both small and large but speaking similar dialects or 

 patois, round one overlord, generally called a king, a new kind of 

 political organism. Based roughly upon a similarity of language 

 there began to grow up slowly at the expense of feudalism the 

 kingdoms of France, England, Spain, Sweden, Saxony, Branden- 

 burg, and various other political bodies which were the ancestors of 

 the modern European nations. In these newly forming political 

 organisms, the relation of the overlord to his vassals and their sub- 

 '1--^ ^^Ui-^A Tn I'nrlirprt allcffiancc of the sub- 



CORRIGENDUM. 



In Air. Thomas Willing Balch's paper in the current volume 

 of fhe Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society (Vol 

 i^V, for 1916) the two paragraphs in fine print at the boitom of 

 page 270 have been misplaced, they should have been printed at the 

 top of the page. 



[Please tip in to face page 270] 



eilLlLV KJL LllV, xv,^v^„. 



ever growing power of the king or overlord. In that way the 

 modern nations of Europe were slowly formed. 



6 xhe feudal relation introduced in England by Duke William of Nor- 

 mandy marked an important step forward towards the development of the 

 nations as they exist to-day. For William the Conqueror required from all 

 feudal vassals of every degree in England an allegiance to himself as king, 

 The difference in feudalism as thus established in England from the feudalism 

 developed in France and elsewhere on the continent may best be shown by the 

 difference in the French and the English feudal oaths which in substance were 

 as follows : 



The French Feudal Oath. 



On bended knee and with uncovered head I make myself thy man of life 

 and limb and earthly honour. 



The English Feudal Oath. 



On bended knee and with uncovered head I make myself thy man of life 

 and limb and earthly honour, saving my allegiance to my lord the King. 



