This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1769 edition. Excerpt:...1610. ss NOTE VIII. SECT. I. p. 15. H THE history of the establishment and progress of the feudal' system, is an interesting object to all the nations of Europe. Irr some countries, their jurisprudence and laws are still in a great measure feudal. In others, many forms and practices established by custom, or founded on statutes, took their rise from the feudal law, and cannot be understood without attending to the ideas peculiar to it. Several authors of the highest reputation for genius and erudition, have endeavoured to illustrate this subject, but they have left many parts of it Obscure. I shall endeavour to trace, with precision, the progress and variation of ideas con-cerning property in land among the barbarous nations; and shall attempt to point out the causes which. introduced these changes, as well as the effectswhich followed upon them. Property in; land seems to have gone through four successive changes among; the people who scttled in the various provinces of 'the Roman. Empire. I. XVHILE the barbarous nations remained in their original! countries, they had no sixed property' in land, and no certaint limits to their posseffions. After feeding their flocks in onedistrict, they removed' with them, their wives and families, too another; and abandoned that likewise in a short time. were not, in consequence of this imperfect species of property, brought under any positilve or formal' obligation to serve-the; oommunity;; They.-_ community; all their services were purely voluntary. Every individual was at liberty to chuse how far he would contribute towards carrying on any military enterprize. If he followed a leader in any expedition, it was from attachment, not from a sense of obligation. The clearest proof of this has been...