The Sun.
London, England, 1820-01-25 00:00:00

TUESDAY, JANUA.RY 2,5, 1520.

Rit; E] I's AND PRIVILEGES.

TO JOHN BULL, ESQ.

HONEST JOIIN—YOII and I have now fully in-
vestigated what may have been the peculiar na-
tural state of BRITAIN previous to the Roman In-
vasion. As to the lights of individuals at that
precise period, we know that they were subser-
vient to social order, and that nothing like the
right of nature was in existence. It must, how-
ever, be acknowledged that the Ladies had some
privileges which at present are denied them—even
the command of armies ! That, however, is a
right which I trust our fair dames are content to
give up for the tight of commanding at home ;
but I cannot find any trace of the dames of an-

dent days claiming a right to join in political dis-
quisitions on heaths and moors, as some modern
ones hoe lately done to the' great neglect of their
soup kettles, scrubbing brushes, and their hus-
band's linen.
Under the Romans, I believe, JOHNNY, there
was no more liberty than HONeY would have al-
lowed us it Isis plan of conquest and desolation
had succeeded. The Roman yoke was a military
one. They gave no rights to the people of Bri-
tain, though, like our modern Reformers, Liberty
was their watchword. But even if they bad, I

suspect, JOHNNY, that you have very little claim

to inheritance in blood from the Britons of that
day, with the exception, perhaps, of a few of your
little ones in the fastnesses of Cornwall and

Wsles,—in the deepest recesses of Yorkshire, and
on the Borders. If indeed you claim the rights of
a Roman Citizen from your forefathers, you have
perhaps more justice in your claim, as the great
mixture of Latin words in our language seems to
import ; nay, there is-even a more striking proof
in what you are accultomed to laugh at as Cock-
ney pronunciaiiop ; a peculiarity of dialect derived

from Roman ancestry in the real citizen of Lon-
don. I shall leave it to philologists, however, to

pursue this subject in detail, and briefly hint that
the Cockney change of u into w is more general
even in our common pronunciation than some
people imagine, the w having been but recently
adopted to get rid of the incongruity. I allude to
our words wine for the Roman r•inum, wall for
vallum, &c. especially as there is sufficient reason
to believe that the Romans pronounced marry of
their words beginning with v as if it was,ui or oi;
for observe that the Roman vinum was only an
adoption of the Greek word.oinon, which has pre-
cisely the sound of our w.
Thus, my worthy friend, have I briefly endea-
voured to prove your Roman ancestry; but, be-
yond that, and the share you have of Roman Ju-
risprudence in your Ecclesiastical and Doctors'

Commons Law, 1 know of nothing you can claim
from those masters of the world, for they them-

selves voluntarily gave up all their claims when,

at the early part of the sth century, the intestine
divisions of the Empire, and the irruptions of the
Goths and Vandals, obliged their veteran legions
to retire from Britain, for the defence of Italy.—

But though the troops retired, they no doubt left
descendants behind them by British women.
These, however, were not all by Roman fathers ;
fur we know that some of their legions consisted
of Thracian troops, some of Gauls, and some of
various other nations; but the subject is too ob-

scure fur satisfactory investigation.
The fugitive Britons now returned to resume
their lands ; but their rights and privileges could

neither be very extensive nor very secure, when,
so early as the year 450, they were forced to so-
licit SAXON protection from the incursions of the
Picts and Scots.

The Saxons came ; but the Britons were com-
pletely divested of all their lands except Wales
and Cornwall, in the course of three secceeding
Centuries, during which the Saxons peopled the
Country ; much of their blood now flowing in
your veins, JOHNNY, and even the strongest re-
semblance in person, manners, and customs is still
preserved amongst your little ones, especially on
the Eastern Coast. It must still be remembered,
however, that !he Saxon ships only brought men,
you have still therefore claims to British blood
the female line, Bud it is front hence that yon still
have so many British words mixed with Saxon in
your multifarious language:
The successful invasion of the Saxons instantly
produced an appropriation of land, but there was
nothing like equal division. The Chiefs divided
the conquered Country, apportioning it, partly to ,

[PRICE SEVENPENCE.

themselves, and partly to their followers in

proportion to their warlike services ; but no
portion smaller than a carucate, or what would
require one plough to cultivate. Many of the
Britons, to conciliate them, were, indeed, al-
lowed to retain portions of their farms, but
under Saxon Laws, some of which (though ti e
greater part are lost) still remain in our Common
Law. But the System of Regulations seems to
have'heen just as bad as the Feudal System, which

displaced it under the Nortnans ; for those who
tilled the! ground, were all Vil/eyns or Stores, as
in Poland and in Russia. The towns only were
free ; and even they were dependent upon the
nearest Throw or great Landholder for protection.
Under such a system, the rights of the many,
or of the People, in the confined sense in which
modern Reformers use that word, could not he
very numerous or extensive. As for Justice, it is
sufficient to record that tire. Law did not oblige
the accuse: to prove the guilt of the accused, but
called upon the latter to prove his innocence hy
the ordeals of Fire, Water, Battle, &c. As for
Equality, it is sufficient to state that oaths were
estimated by the rank of the swearer, which rank
was estimated by P9unds, Shillings and Pence
Thus, a Bishop, or an Earl was ranked at 6501. of
our present money ; a Sheriff at 3251. ; a Thane
at 1401. ; a Ceorle, or Churl, or Farmer, at
71. 10.. ; and the poor Villeyns at 01. Os. ! So
you see, JOHNNY, that even the lads of Botley
and Middleto'n 'Cottage, and the black Dumrf
would have had a poor chance in those good old
days. COBBRTT, to-day indeed tells you, that he
is as good as .Sir Franky ; but in the fret Saxon

times, it would have retiuired Churl COBBETT and
Nineteen other Churls like himself, to outswear
the Thane BURDETT !

So much for ancient Equality. In ray next
we shall look a little at the Saxon Parliament and
Right of Suffrage—Till then adieu.

IGNOTCS.