下载辰思小说免费APP
Itwillbeimagined，perhaps，thatthegovernmentoftheFranksmusthavebeenverysevereatthattime，sincethesameofficerswereinvestedwithamilitaryandcivilpower，nay，evenwithafiscalauthority，overthesubjects；whichintheprecedingbooksIhaveobservedtobedistinguishingmarksofdespotism。
Butwemustnotbelievethatthecountspronouncedjudgmentbythemselves，andadministeredjusticeinthesamemannerasthebashawsinTurkey；inordertojudgeaffairs，theyassembledakindofassizes，wheretheprincipalmenappeared。
Totheendwemaythoroughlyunderstandwhatrelatestothejudicialproceedingsintheformulas，inthelawsoftheBarbariansandinthecapitularies，itispropertoobservethatthefunctionsofthecount，oftheGrafioorfiscaljudgeandtheCentenariuswerethesame；thatthejudges，theRathimburghers，andthealdermenwerethesamepersonsunderdifferentnames。Thesewerethecount’sassistants，andweregenerallyseveninnumber；andashewasobligedtohavetwelvepersonstojudge，[127]hefilledupthenumberwiththeprincipalmen。[128]
Butwhoeverhadthejurisdiction，theking，thecount，theGrafio，theCentenarius，thelords，ortheclergy，theynevertriedcausesalone；
andthisusage，whichderiveditsoriginfromtheforestsofGermany，wasstillcontinuedevenafterthefiefshadassumedanewform。
Withregardtothefiscalpower，itsnaturewassuchthatthecountcouldhardlyabuseit。Therightsoftheprinceinrespecttothefreemenweresosimplethattheyconsistedonly，aswehavealreadyobserved，incertaincarriageswhichweredemandedofthemonsomepublicoccasions。[129]Andasforthejudiciaryrights，therewerelawswhichpreventedmisdemeanors。[130]
19。OfCompositionsamongthebarbarousNations。SinceitisimpossibletogainanyinsightintoourpoliticallawunlesswearethoroughlyacquaintedwiththelawsandmannersoftheGermannations，Ishall，therefore，pausehereawhile，inordertoinquireintothosemannersandlaws。
ItappearsbyTacitusthattheGermansknewonlytwocapitalcrimes；
theyhangedtraitors，anddrownedcowards；theseweretheonlypubliccrimesamongthatpeople。Whenamanhadinjuredanother，therelativesofthepersoninjuredtookshareinthequarrel，andtheoffencewascancelledbyasatisfaction。[131]Thissatisfactionwasmadetothepersonoffended，whencapableofreceivingit；ortotherelativesiftheyhadbeeninjuredincommon，orifbythedeceaseofthepartyaggrievedorinjuredthesatisfactionhaddevolvedtothem。
InthemannermentionedbyTacitus，thesesatisfactionsweremadebythemutualagreementoftheparties；henceinthecodesofthebarbarousnationsthesesatisfactionsarecalledcompositions。
ThelawoftheFrisians[132]istheonlyoneIfindthathasleftthepeopleinthatsituationinwhicheveryfamilyatvariancewasinsomemeasureinthestateofnature，andinwhich，beingunrestrainedeitherbyapoliticalorcivillaw，theymightgivefreedomtotheirrevengetilltheyhadobtainedsatisfaction。Eventhislawwasmoderated；aregulationwasmade[133]thatthepersonwhoselifewassoughtaftershouldbeunmolestedinhisownhouse，asalsoingoingandcomingfromchurchandthecourtwherecausesweretried。ThecompilersoftheSaliclaw[134]citeanancientusageoftheFranks，bywhichapersonwhohaddugacorpseoutoftheground，inordertostripit，shouldbebanishedfromsocietytilltherelativeshadconsentedtohisbeingre—admitted。
Andasbeforethattimestrictorderswereissuedtoeveryone，eventotheoffender’sownwife，nottogivehimamorselofbread，ortoreceivehimundertheirroofs，suchapersonwasinrespecttoothers，andothersinrespecttohim，inastateofsavagerytillanendwasputtothisstatebyacomposition。
Thisexcepted，wefindthatthesagesofthedifferentbarbarousnationsthoughtofdeterminingbythemselveswhatwouldhavebeentoolongandtoodangeroustoexpectfromthemutualagreementoftheparties。Theytookcaretofixthevalueofthecompositionwhichthepartywrongedorinjuredwastoreceive。Allthosebarbarianlawsareinthisrespectmostadmirablyexact；theseveralcasesareminutelydistinguished，[135]
thecircumstancesareweighed，thelawsubstitutesitselfintheplaceofthepersoninjuredandinsistsuponthesamesatisfactionashehimselfwouldhavedemandedincoldblood。
Bytheestablishingofthoselaws，theGermannationsquittedthatstateofnatureinwhichtheyseemedtohavelivedinTacitus’time。
Rotharisdeclares，inthelawoftheLombards，[136]thathehadincreasedthecompositionsallowedbyancientcustomforwounds，totheendthat，thewoundedpersonbeingfullysatisfied，allenmitiesshouldcease。AndindeedastheLombards，fromaverypoorpeoplehadgrownrichbytheconquestofItaly，theancientcompositionshadbecomefrivolous，andreconcilementsprevented。Idonotquestionbutthiswasthemotivewhichobligedtheotherchiefsoftheconqueringnationstomakethedifferentcodesoflawsnowextant。
Theprincipalcompositionwasthatwhichthemurdererpaidtotherelativesofthedeceased。Thedifferenceofconditionsproducedadifferenceinthecompositions。[137]ThusinthelawoftheAngli，therewasacompositionofsixhundredsousforthemurderofanadeling，twohundredforthatofafreeman，andthirtyforkillingabondman。Thelargenessthereforeofthecompositionforthelifeofamanwasoneofhischiefprivileges；forbesidesthedistinctionitmadeofhisperson，itlikewiseestablishedagreatersecurityinhisfavouramongrudeandboisterousnations。
ThiswearemadesensibleofbythelawoftheBavarians：[138]itgivesthenamesoftheBavarianfamilieswhoreceivedadoublecomposition，becausetheywerethefirstaftertheAgilolfings。[139]TheAgilolfingswereoftheducalrace，anditwascustomarywiththisnationtochooseadukeoutofthatfamily；thesehadaquadruplecomposition。ThecompositionforadukeexceededbyathirdthatwhichhadbeenestablishedfortheAgilolfings。"Becauseheisaduke，"saysthelaw，"agreaterhonourispaidtohimthantohisrelatives。"
Allthesecompositionswerevaluedinmoney。Butasthosepeople，especiallywhentheylivedinGermany，hadverylittlespecie，theymightpayitincattle，corn，movables，arms，dogs，hawks，lands，&c。[140]Thelawitselffrequentlydeterminedthevalueofthosethings；
whichexplainshowitwaspossibleforthemtohavesuchanumberofpecuniarypunishmentswithsoverylittlemoney。[141]
Theselawswerethereforeemployedinexactlydeterminingthedifferenceofwrongs，injuriesandcrimes；totheendthateveryonemightknowhowfarhehadbeeninjuredoroffended，thereparationhewastoreceive，andespeciallythathewastoreceivenomore。
Inthislightitiseasytoconceivethatapersonwhohadtakenrevengeafterhavingreceivedsatisfactionwasguiltyofaheinouscrime。Thiscontainedapublicaswellasaprivateoffence；itwasacontemptofthelawofitself；acrimewhichthelegislatorsneverfailedtopunish。[142]
Therewasanothercrimewhichaboveallotherswasconsideredasdangerous，whenthosepeoplelostsomethingoftheirspiritofindependence，andwhenthekingsendeavouredtoestablishabetterciviladministration；thiswastherefusingtogiveortoreceivesatisfaction。[143]WefindinthedifferentcodesofthelawsoftheBarbariansthatthelegislatorswereperemptoryonthisarticle。[144]Ineffect，apersonwhorefusedtoreceivesatisfactionwantedtopreservehisrightofprosecution；hewhorefusedtogiveitlefttherightofprosecutiontothepersoninjured；andthisiswhatthesageshadreformedintheinstitutionsoftheGermans，wherebypeoplewereincitedbutnotcompelledtocompositions。
IhavejustnowmadementionofatextoftheSaliclaw，inwhichthelegislatorleftthepartyoffendedatlibertytoreceiveortorefusesatisfaction；itisthelawbywhichapersonwhohadstrippedadeadbodywasexpelledfromsocietytilltherelativesuponreceivingsatisfactionpetitionedforhisbeingre—admitted。[145]ItwasowingtotherespecttheyhadforsacredthingsthatthecompilersoftheSaliclawsdidnotmeddlewiththeancientusage。
Itwouldhavebeenabsolutelyunjusttograntacompositiontotherelativesofarobberkilledintheact，ortotherelativesofawomanwhohadbeenrepudiatedforthecrimeofadultery。ThelawoftheBavariansallowednocompositionsinthelikecases，butpunishedtherelativeswhosoughtrevenge。[146]
Itisnorarethingtomeetwithcompositionsforinvoluntaryactionsinthec
