POLITICAL DIFFERENTIATION. 297 



prietors. Or as is said of this same arrangement among the 

 ancient English, &quot; their occupation of the land as coynatio-ncs 

 resulted from their enrolment in the field, where each kindred 

 was drawn up under an officer of its own lineage and appoint 

 ment ;&quot; and so close was this dependence that &quot; a thane for 

 feited his hereditary freehold by misconduct in battle.&quot; 



Beyond the original connexion between militancy and land 

 owning, which naturally arises from the joint interest which 

 those who own the land and occupy it, either individually or 

 collectively, have in resisting aggressors, there arises later a 

 further connexion. As, along with successful militancy, there 

 progresses a social evolution which gives to a dominant ruler 

 increased power, it becomes his custom to reward his leading 

 soldiers by grants of land. Early Egyptian kings &quot; bestowed 

 on distinguished military officers&quot; portions of the crown 

 domains. When the barbarians were enrolled as Roman 

 soldiers, &quot; they were paid also by assignments of land, accord 

 ing to a custom which prevailed in the Imperial armies. The 

 possession of these lands was given to them on condition of 

 the son becoming a soldier like his father.&quot; And that kindred 

 usages were general throughout the feudal period, is a familiar 

 truth : feudal tenancy being, indeed, thus constituted ; and 

 inability to bear arms being a reason for excluding women 

 from succession. To exemplify the nature of the relation 

 established, it will suffice to name the fact that &quot; William 

 the Conqueror . . . distributed this kingdom into about 

 60,000 parcels, of nearly equal value [partly left in the hands 

 of those who previously held it, and partly made over to his 

 followers as either owners or suzerains], from each of which 

 the service of a soldier was due ;&quot; and the further fact that 

 one of his laws requires all owners of land to &quot;swear 

 that they become vassals or tenants,&quot; and will &quot; defend their 

 lord s territories and title as well as his person &quot; by &quot; knight- 

 service on horseback.&quot; 



That this original relation between landowning and mili 

 tancy long survived, we are shown by the armorial bearings 



