1^93' strictures on manntrs. 135 



Men, in that uncivilized age, not daring to rely 

 on the protection of the laws, were obliged to de- 

 vote themselves to the service of some chieftain, 

 whose orders they followed even to the disturbance 

 of the government, or the injury of their fellow 

 citizens, and who afforded them in return protectioij 

 from any insult or injury from strangers. 



Hence we find, that almost all the inhabitants, 

 even of burroughs, ha^ plactd themselves under the 

 protection of some particular nobleman, whose pa- 

 tronage they purchased by annual payments, and 

 whom they considered as their sovereign more than 

 the king himself; and so much was one of these 

 supposed to belong to his patron, that his murderer 

 was obliged by law to pay a fine to the latter, as a 

 compensation for his lofs — The inhabitants of some 

 towns were even in a more servile state ; being al- 

 together under the absolute power of the king, 

 or some temporal lord or abbot : — And in this case, 

 rhey were at the disposal of their lords, (whether 

 king or subject,) without whose consent they could 

 not devise their estates even to their own children, 

 " The kings of England, (says Mr Madox, v/ritinw 

 of these times. ^ were generally merciful and gra- 

 cious lords to the inhabitants of their towns. For it 

 was entirely in their choice to let them to a pro- 

 vost or custos, with power sufficient to opprefs 

 the inhabitants ; or they might let out their towns 

 at a rack-rent, or otherwise, to any one they pleased 

 to gratify." 



The cities appear to have been, at the conquest, 

 little better than vilhges. — Ynrk if^elf, though it 



