THE TOWN. 307 



But in course of time a rival arose to alienate the 

 affections, or to strengthen the resentment of the 

 castle serfs. It was the Town. 



In the days of the Republic and in the first days of 

 the Empire, all kinds of skilled labour were in the 

 hands of slaves : in every palace, whatever was re- 

 quired for the household was manufactured on the 

 premises. But before the occupation of the Germans, 

 a free class of artizans had sprung up, in what manner 

 is not precisely known ; they were probably the de- 

 scendants of emancipated slaves. This class, divided 

 into guilds and corporations, continued to inhabit 

 the towns : they manufactured armour and clothes ; 

 they travelled as pedlars about the country, and thus 

 acquired wealth, which they cautiously concealed, 

 for they were in complete subservience to the castle lord. 

 They could not leave their property by will, dispose of 

 their daughters in marriage, or perform a single busi- 

 ness transaction without the permission of their liege. 

 But little by little their power increased. When 

 war was being waged, it became needful to fortify the 

 town ; for the town was the baron's estate, and he 

 did not wish his property to be destroyed. When 

 once the burghers were armed and their town walled, 

 they were able to defy their lord. They obtained 

 charters, sometimes by revolt, sometimes by pur- 

 chase, which gave them the town to do with it 

 as they pleased ; to elect their own magistrates, 

 to make their own laws, and to pay their liege- 

 lord a fixed rent by the year instead of being sub- 

 jected to loans, and benevolences, and loving contribu- 

 tions. The Roman Law, which had never quite died 

 out, was now revived ; the old municipal institutions 

 of the Empire were restored. Unhappily the citizens 



