308 ABOLITION. 



often fought among themselves, and towns joined 

 barons in destroying towns. Yet their influence 

 rapidly increased, and the power of the castle was 

 diminished. Whenever a town received privileges 

 from its lord, other towns demanded that the same 

 rights should be embodied in their charter, and rebelled 

 if their request was refused. Trade and industry ex- 

 panded ; the products of the burgher enterprise and 

 skill were offered in the castle halls for sale. The 

 lady was tempted with silk and velvet ; the lord, with 

 chains of gold, and Damascus blades, and suits of 

 Milan steel ; the children clamoured for the sweet 

 white powder which was brought from the countries 

 of the East. These new tastes and fancies impoverished 

 the nobles. They reduced their establishments ; and 

 the discarded retainers, in no sweet temper, went over 

 to the Town. 



And there were others who went to the Town as well. 

 In classical times the slaves were unable to rebel with 

 any prospect of success. In the cities of Greece every 

 citizen was a soldier : in Home an enormous army 

 served as the slave police. But in the scattered castle 

 states of Europe, the serfs could rise against their 

 lords, and often did so with effect. And then the 

 Town was always a place of refuge : the runaway slave 

 was there welcomed ; his pursuers were duped or 

 defied : the file was applied to his collar ; his blue 

 blouse was taken off ; his hair was suffered to grow ; 

 he was made a burgher and a free man. Thus the serfs 

 had often the power to rebel, and always the power to 

 escape ; in consequence of which they ceased to be 

 serfs and became tenants. In our own times we 

 have seen emancipation presented to slaves by a 

 victorious party in the House of Commons, and by a 



