the history of the common law of england-第13部分

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e　　been　the　true　and　rightful　Successor　to　the　Crown；　in　Point　of　　Descent　from　the　Confessor；　neither　is　it　material；　whether　his　　Pretence　were　true　or　false；　or　whether；　if　true；　it　were　　available　or　not；　to　entitle　him　to　the　Crown；　for　whatsoever　it　　was；　it　was　sufficient　to　direct　his　Claim；　and　to　qualify　his　　Victory　so；　that　the　Jus　Belli　thereby　acquired　could　be　only　　Victoria　in　Regem；　sed　non　in　Populum；　and　put　him　only　in　the　　State；　Capacity　and　Qualification　of　a　Successor　to　the　King；　and　　not　as　Conqueror　of　the　Kingdom。　　　　　　Thirdly；　And　as　this　his　antecedent　Claim　kept　his　Acquest　　within　the　Bounds　of　a　Successor；　and　restrained　him　from　the　　unlimited　Bounds　and　Power　of　a　Conqueror；　so　his　subsequent　　Coronation；　and　the　Oath　by　him　taken；　is　a　further　　unquestionable　Demonstration；　that　he　was　restrain'd　within　the　　Bounds　of　a　Successor；　and　not　enlarged　with　the　Latitude　of　a　　Victor；　for　at　his　Coronation　he　binds　himself　by　a　solemn　Oath　　to　preserve　the　Rights　of　the　Church；　and　to　govern　according　to　　the　Laws；　and　not　absolutely　and　unlimitedly　according　to　the　　Will　of　a　Conqueror。　　　　　　Fourthly；　That　if　there　were　any　Doubt　whether　there　might　be　　such　a　Victory　as　might　give　a　Pretension　to　him；　of　altering　　Laws；　or　governing　as　a　Conqueror；　yet　to　secure　from　that　　possible　Fear；　and　to　avoid　it；　he　ends　his　Victory　in　a　　Capitulation；　namely；　he　takes　the　ancient　Oath　of　a　King　unto　　the　People；　and　the　People　reciprocally　giving　or　returning　him　　that　Assurance　that　Subjects　ought　to　give　their　Prince；　by　　performing　their　Homage　to　him　as　their　King；　declared　by　the　　Victory　he　had　obtain'd　over　the　Usurper；　to　be　the　Successor　of　　the　Confessor：　And　consequently；　if　there　might　be　any　Pretence　　of　Conquest　over　the　People's　Rights；　as　well　as　over　Harold's；　　yet　the　Capitulation　or　Stipulation　removes　the　Claim　or　Pretence　　of　a　Conqueror；　and　enstates　him　in　the　regulated　Capacity　and　　State　of　a　Successor。　And　upon　all　this　it　is　evident；　That　King　　William　I　could　not　abrogate　or　alter　the　ancient　Laws　of　the　　Kingdom；　any　more　than　if　he　had　succeeded　the　Confessor　as　his　　lawful　Heir；　and　had　acquir'd　the　Crown　by　the　peaceable　Course　　of　Descent；　without　any　Sword　drawn。　　　　　　And　thus　much　may　suffice；　to　shew　that　King　William　I　did　　not　enter　by　such　a　Right　of　Conquest；　as　did　or　could　alter　the　　Laws　of　this　Kingdom。　　　　　　Therefore　I　come　to　the　last　Question　I　proposed　to　be　　considered；　viz。　Whether　de　Facto　there　was　anything　done　by　King　　William　I　after　his　Accession　to　the　Crown；　in　Reference　either　　to　the　Alteration　or　Confirmation　of　the　Laws；　and　how　and　in　　what　Manner　the　same　was　done：　And　this　being　a　Narrative　of　　Matters　of　Fact；　I　shall　divide　into　those　Two　Inquiries；　viz。　　1st。　What　was　done　in　Relation　to　the　Lands　and　Possessions　of　　the　English：　And　2dly；　What　was　done　in　Relation　to　the　Laws　of　　the　Kingdom　in　general；　for　both　of　these　will　be　necessary　to　　make　up　a　clear　Narrative　touching　the　Alteration　or　Suspension；　　Confirmation　or　Execution　of　the　Laws　of　this　Kingdom　by　him。　　　　　　First；　Therefore　touching　the　former；　viz。　What　was　done　in　　Relation　to　the　Lands　and　Possessions　of　the　English。　Those　Two　　Things　must　be　premised；　viz。　First；　a　Matter　of　Right；　or　Law；　　which　is　this；　That　in　Case　this　had　been　a　Conquest　upon　the　　Kingdom；　it　had　been　at　the　Pleasure　of　the　Conqueror　to　have　　taken　all　the　Lands　of　the　Kingdom　into　his　own　Possession；　to　　have　put　a　Period　to　all　former　Titles；　to　have　cancelled　all　　former　Grants；　and　to　have　given；　as　it　were；　the　Date　and　　Original　to　every　Man's　Claim；　so　as　to　have　been　no　higher　nor　　ancienter　than　such　his　Conquest；　and　to　hold　the　same　by　a　Title　　derived　wholly　from　and　under　him。　I　do　not　say；　that　every　　absolute　Conqueror　of　a　Kingdom　will　do　thus；　but　that　he　may　if　　he　will；　and　have　Power　to　effect　it。　　　　　　Secondly；　The　Second　Thing　to　be　premised　is；　a　Matter　of　　Fact；　which　is　this；　That　Duke　William　brought　in　with　him　a　　great　Army　of　Foreigners；　that　would　have　expected　a　Reward　of　　their　Undertaking；　and　therefore　were　doubtless　very　craving　and　　importunate　for　Gratifications　to　be　made　them　by　the　Conqueror。　　Again；　it　is　very　probable；　that　of　the　English　themselves；　there　　were　Persons　of　very　various　Conditions　and　Inclinations；　some　　perchance　did　adhere　to　the　Duke；　and　were　assistant　to　him　　openly；　or　at　least　under…hand；　towards　the　bringing　him　in；　and　　those　were　sure　to　enjoy　their　Possessions　privately　and　quietly　　when　the　Duke　prevailed。　Again；　some　did；　without　all　question；　　adhere　to　Harold；　and　those　in　all　Probability　were　severely　　dealt　with；　and　dispossess'd　of　their　Lands；　unless　they　could　　make　their　Peace。　Again；　possibly　there　were　others　who　assisted　　Harold；　partly　out　of　Fear　and　Compulsion；　yet　those；　possibly；　　if　they　were　of　any　Note　or　Eminence；　fared　little　better　than　　the　rest。　Again；　there　were　some　that　probably　stood　Neuters；　and　　medled　not；　and　those；　though　they　could　not　expect　much　Favour；　　yet　they　might　in　Justice　expect　to　enjoy　their　own。　Again；　it　　must　needs　be　supposed；　That　the　Duke　having　so　great　an　Army　of　　Foreigners；　so　many　ambitious　and　covetous　Minds　to　be　satisfied；　　so　many　to　be　rewarded　in　Point　of　Gratitude；　and　after　so　great　　a　Concussion　as　always　happens　upon　the　Event　of　a　Victory；　it　　must　needs；　upon　those　and　such　like　Accounts；　be　evident　to　any　　Man　that　considers　Things　of　this　Nature；　that　there　were　great　　Outrages　and　Oppressions　comwitted　by　the　Victor's　Soldiers　and　　their　Officers；　many　false　Accusations　made　against　innocent　　Persons；　great　Disturbances　and　Evictions　of　Possessions；　many　　right　Owners　being　unjustly　thrown　out；　and　consequently　many　　Occupations　and　Usurpations　of　other　Men's　Rights　and　　Possessions；　and　a　long　while　before　those　Things　could　be　　reduced　to　any　quiet　and　regular　Settlement。　　　　　　　　These　general　Observations　being　premised；　we　will　now　see　　what　de　Facto　was　done　in　Relation　to　Men's　Possessions；　in　　Consequence　of　this　Victory　of　the　Duke。　　　　　　　　First；　It　is　certain　that　he　took　into　his　Hands　all　the　　Demesn　Lands　of　the　Crown　which　were　belonging　to　Edward　the　　Confessor　at　the　Time　of　his　Death；　and　avoided　all　the　　Dispositions　and　Grants　thereof　made　by　Harold；　during　his　short　　Reign；　and　this　might　be　one　great　End　of　his　making　that　noble　　Survey　in　the　fourth　year　of　his　Reign；　called　generally　　Doomsday…Read；　in　some　Records；　as　Rot。　Winton；　&c。　thereby　to　　ascertain　what　were　the　Possessions　of　the　Crown　in　the　Time　of　　the　Confessor；　and　those　he　entirely　resumed：　And　this　is　the　　Reason　why　in　some　of　our　old　Books　it　is　said；　Ancient　Demesn　is　　that　which　was　held　by　King　William　the　Conqueror；　and　in　others　　'tis　said；　Ancient　Demesn　is　that　which　was　held　by　King　Edward　　the　Confessor；　and　both　true　in　their　Kind；　and　in　this　Respect；　　viz。　That　whatsoever　appeared　to　be　the　Confessor's　at　the　Time　　of　his　Death；　was　assumed　by　King　William　into　his　own　　Possession。　　　　　　Secondly；　It　is　also　certain；　That　no　Person　simply；　and　　quatenus　an　English　Man；　was　dispossess'd　of　any　of　his　　Possessions；　and　consequently　their　Land　was　not　pretended　unto　　as　acquired　Jure　Belli；　which　appears　most　plainly　by　the　　following　Evidences；　viz。　　　　　　　　First；　That　very　many　of　those　Persons　that　were　possessed　of　　Lands　in　the　Time　of　Edward　the　Confessor；　and　so　returned　upon　　the　Book　of　Doomsday；　retain'd　the　same　unto　them　and　their　　Descendants；　and　some　of　their　Descendants　retain　the　same　　Possessions　to　this　Day；　which　could　not　have　been；　if　presently　　Jure　Belli　ac　Vicioriae　universalis；　the　Lands　of　the　English　had　　been　vested　in　the　Conqueror。　And　again；　　　　　　Secondly；　We　do　find；　that　in　all　Times；　even　suddenly　after　　the　Conquest；　the　Charters　of　the　ancient　Saxon　Kings　were　　pleaded　and　allowed；　and　Titles　made　and　created　by　them　to　　Lands；　Liberties；　Franchises　and　Regalities；　affirm'd　and　　adjudg'd　under　William　I。　Yea；　when　that　Exception　has　been　　offered；　That　by　the　Conquest　those　Charters　had　lost　their　　Force；　yet　those　Claims　were　allowed　as　in　7　E。　3。　Fines；　as　　mentioned　by　Mr　Selden；　in　his　Notes　upon　Eadmerus；　which　could　　not　be；　if　there　had　been　such　a　Conquest　as　had　vested　all　Mens　　Rights　in　the　Conqueror。　　　　　　Thirdly；　Many　Recoveries　were　had　shortly　after　this　　Conquest；　as　well　by　Heirs　as　Successors　of　the　Seisin　of　their　　Predecessors　before　the　Conquest。　We　shall　take　one　or　two　　Instances　for　all；　namely；　that　famous　Record　apud　Pinendon；　by　　the　Archbishop　of　Canterbury；　in　the　Time　of　King　William　I　of　　the　Seisin　and　Title　of　his　Predecessors　before　the　Conquest：　See　　the　whole　Process　and　Proceedings　thereupon　in　the　End　of　Mr　　Selden's　Notes　upon　Eadmerus；　and　see　Spelman's　Glossary；　Title　　Drenches。　Upon　these　Instances；　and　much　more　that　might　be　　added；　it　is　without　Contradiction；　That　the　Rights　and　　Inheritances　of　the　English　qua　Tales；　were　not　abrogated　or　　impeach'd　by　this　Conquest；　but　continued　notwithstanding　the　　same；　for；　as　is　before　observ'd；　it　was　Jure　Belli　quoad　Regem；　　sed　non　quoad　Populum。　　　　　　But　to　descend　to　some　Particulars：　The　English　Persons　that　　the　Conqueror　had　to　deal　with；　were　of　Three　Kinds；　viz。　First；　　Such　as　adhered　to　him　aginst　Harold　the　Usurper；　and；　without　　all　Question；　those　continued　the　Possession　of　their　Lands；　and　　their　Possessions　were　rather　increased　by　him；　than　any　way　　diminished。　Secondly；　Such　as　adhered　to　Harold；　and　opposed　the　　Duke；　and　fought　against　him；　and　doubtless；　as　to　those；　the　　Duke　after　his　Victory　used　his　Power；　and　dispossess'd　them　of　　their　Estates：　Which　Thing　is　usual　upon　all　Conclusions　and　　Events　of　this　Kind；　upon　a　double　Reason；　1st；　To　secure　himself　　against　the　Power　of　those　that　oppos'd　him；　and　to　weaken　them　　in　their　Estates；　that　they　should　not　afterwards　be　enabled　to　　make　Head　against　him。　And；　2dly；　To　gratify　those　that　assisted　　him；　and　to　reward　their　Services　in　that　Expedition；　and　to　make　　them　firm　to　his　Interest；　which　was　now　twisted　with　their　own：　　For　it　can't　be　imagined；　but　that　the　Conqueror　was　assisted　　with　a　great　Company　of　Foreigners；　some　that　he　favour'd；　some　　that　had　highly　des