14 offences committed, for the produce- of every fine poured into her coffers. Laws had no longer any connection with the interest of the nation. "They might have been supposed to emanate rather from a council of religious fanatics than from legislators," observes an historian of French Law. At the-same time, as the ba.ron likewise extended his authority over labourers in the fields and artisans in the towns, he, too, became legislator and judge. 'l'he few relics of national law dating from the tenth century are merely agreements regulating service, 1:ta.tute-labour, and tribute due from serf and vassal!; to their lord. 'fhe legislators of that period were a h:mdful of brigands organised for the plunder of a people daily becoming more peaceful, as they applied themselves to agricultural ,pursuits. These robbers exploited the feelings for justice inherent in the people, they posed as the administrators· of that justice, made a source of revenue for themselves out of its fundamental principles and concock<l laws to maintain their own dominations. Later on, these laws collected and classified by jurists, formed the foundation of our modern codes. Arid arc we to talk about respecting these codes, the legacy of baron and priest? The first~ rev9luti_on, the revolt of the townships, was successful in abolishing 'a portion only of these laws, the charters of enfranchised towns are, for the most part, a mere compromise between baronial and episcopal legislation, and the new relations created within the free borough itself. Yet what a difference between these laws and the laws we have now I The town did not take upon itself to imprison and execute citizens for reasons of State : it. was content to expel anyone who plotted with the enemies of the city, a.n<l to raze his house to the ground. It confined itself to imposing fines for so--0alled "crimes, and misdemeanours " and in the townships of the twelfth century may even be discerned the just principle t~<lay forgotten, which holds the whole community responsible for the misdoing of each of its members. The. societies of that -time looked upon crime as an accident or misfortune; a conception common amongst the Russian pe.asantry at this moment. Theref~re, they did not 'admit of the principle of personal vengeance Biblioteca Gino Bianco .), . , ,
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