yy. employed in erecting their habitations. They were 
equally rude and ill supplied with report to their go- 
vernment. The clothing used by all the Germans was 
a loose mantle, fastened with a clasp, or, when that 
could not be procured, with a thorn. The rich, how- 
ever, sometimes were clothed in a garment, girt close, 
and shewing the shape of every limb. The tribes who 
dwelt towards the north, clothed themselves in furs: 
the dress of the women was not different from that of 
the men, except that they sometimes wore linen robes of 
their own manufacture, and adorned them with purple. 
‘The principal employment of the men, in time of peace, 
consisted in hunting the various sorts of game, with 
_» which the forests of Germany were plentifully stocked : 
» their herds of cattle formed the principal object and 
source of their wealth. The country, though consider- 
ably varied, was in general covered with weods, or de- 
‘formed by marshes ; and the indolence and ignorance of 
‘the inhabitants prevented them from’ rendering any 
large portion of it fit for the growth of corn. Gold, 
silver, and iron, were extremely scarce: the ‘scarcity of 
iron appeared ‘from their'weapons, which, for the most 
srk ena spears tipt with a short and narrow piece of 
. With this spear, and with a shield, their cavalry 
‘went to battle. infantry had also missile wea- 
..spons, which they threw to’a great distance, with won- 
erful force\and unerring aim. Their warriors were 
either naked, or dressed in a loose and light mantle. 
Their shields of wood, or osier, were distinguished and 
ornamented with a. variety of colours; some of the 
chiefs wore cuirasses, anda few helmets. Their horses 
were slow, unmanageable, and not remarkable for their 
© beauty. On their ry, therefore, they seldom pla- 
~~ eed much reliance in the hour of battle, their ey 
‘ strength in ‘general consisting in ‘their infantry, whi 
were drawn up eitlier vtieed withthe calves or in se- 
__-weral deep columns by themselves.’ They fought by 
families and clans ; and while they fought, they were en- 
couraged by the presence of their wives reat children, 
_.... Their mothers and wives dressed their wounds ; car- 
_ » * tied-refreshments to them while fighting ; and exhort- 
ed them to deeds of bravery. armies were total- 
ly devoid of discipline ; they rushed to battle with dis- 
’ 
’ 
} 
‘sonant ts. Sometimes, by their native valour, they 
° 5 cd iled over the disciplined troops of the Romans ; 
: knew not how torally or retire ; a repulse was 
ut th 
‘@ sure tt; and when they were defeated, the de- 
struction of their army almost inevitably followed. 
Lhe ancient Germans in general enjoyed great free- 
"dom ; there were, however, some exceptions. Tacitus 
informs us, that among the Suiones riches were held in 
__ honour ; and that they were therefore subjects to an ab- 
solute monarch, who, instead of entrusting his people 
with the free use of arms as in the rest of Germany, 
committed them tothe custody of slaves. The same 
historian mentions, that the Sitones were sunk even be- 
low setvitude ; they” a woman!” The rest of 
the German tribes either had no king, or chose’ their 
personne (dear of their nobility and valour. The 
power of the former was restrained and defined by law 
or usage ; and the latter commanded rather by example 
than authority. “As soon as a youth, born of free pa- 
rents, attained the age of manhood, he was admitted in- 
to the general council” of his nation, invested with a 
spear and shield, and henceforth ed as a member 
ofthe commonwealth. © This council met either 
at stated periods, or on sudden emer; ies, To it’ 
-was-entrusted the trial of public offences, the election 
*y VOL, X, PART I. =! 
fekdiad’t 
on 
~ 
GERMANY. 
249 
of magistrates, and the eoncerns of peace and war. 
Sometimes a select council prepared the business for 
the assembly ; but the executive power was vested ex- 
clusively in the people. ‘The applause of the assembly 
was generally signified by a loud clashing of shields 
and spears. The magistrates were chosen from a re- 
gard to birth and merit. To each was assigned a 
guard, and a council of one hundred persons. ‘The dis- 
‘posal of the landed property within their district was 
absolutely vested in their hands, and they distributed 
‘it every year according to a new division ; but they 
were not permitted to punish with death, to imprison, 
or even to strike a private citizen, eXcept such magis- 
trates as had the command in time of war. None but 
the priests were permitted to put to death, to bind or to 
scourge, in order that gonzon might appear to pro- 
ceed from the gods, and not from their fellow-citizens. 
Their chiefs were desirous of being surrounded by 
youths of noble birth, and tried valour ; and the youths 
of this desctiption were no less anxious to be numbered! 
among the faithful companions of some renowned chief. 
In the hour of danger, it was shameful for the chief to 
be surpassed in vila by his companions, and disgrace- 
ful to them not to emulate the behaviour of their chief. 
To outlive his fall in battle was infamy ; while to pro- 
tect his person was their pride and honour, In time of 
peace, the chiefs sent their companions into some distant 
‘country to acquire renown. The horse, or the lance, 
‘were the rewards of valour and enterprise, which the 
companions expected and received. At his board they 
‘were entertained ; this was their only pay. 
The ancient Germans had no temples, but perform- 
ed their religious rites in groves, or in woods, forests, 
‘and desert places. They adored the sun, the moon, the 
fire, and the earth. Jupiter was worshipped under the 
‘name of Thor, or Thoran, the Thunderer, Odin, or 
Wodin, appears to have been their Mars, or god of bat- 
tle. The supreme deity was worshipped under the 
name of Esus, or Hesus, and under the emblem of an 
oak, which was consecrated to him. They had no 
druids, though their priests bore some resemblance to 
them in several points of their authority. The priests 
“exerted the influence which they possessed over the fears 
and superstition of their countrymen, frequently to very 
usefal purposes, They maintained silence and decen- 
cy in the popular assemblies ; and during a solemn pro- 
cession of the goddess Ertha, the sound of war was 
hushed, quarrels were suspended, arms laid aside, and 
the blessings of peace and harmony were enjoyed. In 
war too, the influence of the priests was conspicuous. 
The consecrated standards, which during peace were 
kept concealed from the vulgar eye in the recesses of 
the sacred groves, were placed in the front of the bat- 
tle ; and the army of their enemies was devoted in the 
most solemn manner to the gods of war and of thunder, 
They were taught by their iN aes that a brave man 
was the favourite of their gods; while the coward, who 
had lost his shield, was devoted equally to contempt 
and banishment in this world, and shut out fromthe en- 
joyments of'a future state. A ‘life spent in arms, and 
a glorious.death in battle, they were taught assuredly 
led to a happy futurity, either in this or in another 
world. ‘The Germans paid the greatest attention to 
omens, particularly to that species of divination that 
was performed by means of twigs, marked in.a particu- 
lar manner, and laid on a whitecloth. One presage of 
futurity, Tacitus says, was peculiar to them, that deri- 
ved from the neighing of horses ; but this was also much 
21 
Germany. 
—— 
Religion. - 
