Page:The histories of Launceston and Dunheved, in the county of Cornwall.djvu/273

ITS FEUDAL TENURE. 245 our Most dear Lady and Mother, The Queen, and in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty three. By Warrant from the Prince's Council, issued by the command of the Prince himself. [Seal of the Duchy of Cornwall attached.] The tenure of Dunheved Castle, and the military ditties associated with it, clearly illustrate the feudal system. This system was admirably adapted to secure the acquisitions of a warlike people. The conquering general allotted lands to the superior officers of his_army : by them it was dealt out again in smaller parcels to inferior officers and deserving soldiers. Such allotments were termed feoda, or fees ; i.e. conditional stipends, or rewards. The condition of the gift was, that the possessor would faithfully serve the giver both at home and in war ; for which purpose he took an oath of fealty, or promise of faith, to his benefactor. The oath was taken openly, the tenant humbly kneeling, ungirt, uncovered, and holding up both his hands between those of the lord who sat before him. Allotments thus acquired naturally engaged such as accepted them to defend them, and as they all sprang from the same right of conquest, no part could subsist indepen- dent of the whole ; hence all givers, as well as receivers, were bound to defend each other's possessions. Every receiver of land, or feudatory, was compelled, when called upon by his immediate lord, to do all in his power to defend him. The lord himself was likewise subordinate to and under the command of his immediate benefactor, or superior, and so upwards to the Prince or General himself. Thus an army of feudatories was always enlisted and mutually prepared to muster, not only in defence of each man's own several property, but in defence of the whole. The feudal polity had by degrees been established over all the continent of Europe, and over part of our Island, prior to the acquisition of England by William the