Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/299

2** T H E . H I S T R Y - Book L lege. And, even in theft; later ages among the Irifh, gavelkind was never permitted to extend its influence to the eftate even of the Tanift- or the immediate heir of the crown 6 The eftatea of our Siituntian fathers devolved by the Jaws of gavelkind i but the impartible monarchy- of Lancaihhe defcended by heredi- tary right. And from this difference the crown muft have de- rived a very considerable advantage, virtually creative of abfolute authority and fubverfive of all legal liberty. It could have- been under no appreheuiion, of danger, it could have been in ikx fear of ©ppofition, from the greatnefs or the exorbitancy of an accumulated fortune in any of the barons.. The lands were parcelled out at every frefh defcent into a frefh variety of inhe- ritances. And the wealth of the chiefs in a feries of fucceflions. muft have been broken into a thoufand fragments. Such were the feudal tenure of the Britons. And, in the continuation of them, under the Ropaans, the obligation of at- tendance upon the king in his wars was ftill undoubtedly retained by the crown, but muft have been enforced only at the com- mand of the Romans. Prudence would certainly induce the Romans in this manner to continue the; antient privilege of roy T alty,. which could never be exercifed againft them,, and which eould fo ufefuJly be exerted for them. It would enable (hern upon any emergency to raife a number of fbldiers, and to embocly them with their own, with, great facility and without expence.. And had fuch a< power of the crown been taken awa^r from it during all the long aera of the Roiqan r government,, it would never have been recovered afterwards, ajid consequently could never have defcended to the Rritifh Sovereigns of Wales. And this feems to: have been the only hardfhip of the Siftuntiians. beneath the government of Rome, that,, additional to the taxes, of the empire^, they werebound to. the feudal payments and the military feryices of the. kingdom. But for this they were now relieved by the Romans, from all the fear of incurfions and all the danger of rapines. And for this they, were now difcharged & the Romans from all the expences of maintaining their nu«- merous garrifons and of engaging in their frequent. yars^. y f - ' ' v deiar