New-York tribune., 1894-04-22
ANCIENT BURGHERS.
ENGLISH TOWN LIFE AT THE OPENING
OF TIE MODERN PERIOD.
TOWN LIFE IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTuRf
Nv Mrs J. r. Green. Two Volumes. Up XV''


the late medieval period; that is. in the
fifteenth century 1t would be impossible for the
resident Of a modern American city. merely by
looking about him, to form an idea or the Old
time municipalities. The town government
hardly makes itself known to him. in view OF
his freedom of movement. the lack Of anything
like service demaDded. he might as well be
living on a country hillside as among the tail
houses of a city. But the citizen of mediaeval
town was reminded that he was a burgher almost
every moment Of his waking hours. He could not
get out Of town before a certain hour in the
morning nor into il after certain hour at
night All his obligations as the member or
larger commonwealth came upon him by reason
OF his being a townsman If he joined a mob
II was usuSlly because he thought the Liberties
OF his beloved city were in danger. If he was
member of a military expedition, it not in
corps raised at haphazard; he went hand in
hand and foot to foot with his neighbors He
thought that he was free. when his borough had
large privileges The case does not seem the
same from the modern point Of view. In fact
the mediaeval burgher was the slave OF the
municipality TO a degree which would be unen-
durable at the present day. 1t was only that this
slavery was prefera BILE to other kinds which made
the borough dangerous and often triumphant
competitor with the lord. the bishop, or the abbot
and even with the king. Sometimes it had 10
deal with all these more or less antagonistc
forces within the circle of it's walls. Now it must
not be imagined that all these powers overlapped
each other with the same harmony and peace
funess that shown in the relations, say, of the
city of New-York. the archdiocese Of New-York.
the county Of New-York. the State of New-York
and the United States 10 one another On the
contrary. each one Of these powers was jealous
about minute affairs which have long since
been settled. and perhaps forgotten. in modern
life. When Edward l king there were five
gallows in the city Of Worcester. On one of
these the town hanged its criminals on another
those hanged who were convicted in the
courts Of the bishop. third belonged to the
Earl of Gloucester a fourth to the Abbot Of
Pershore and the fifth to the Abbot Of West
minister. The town committed almost ire
trievable mistake If it executed by accident or
design one Of the men over whom the other
governments claimed authority.
One might suppose that the founders of a town
would have gone out Of their way to find place
where such conflicts of jurisdiction were impos-
sible They would have had a weary search If
they had attempted such a thing The lands
that were not claimed by the King were held
by some less important owner who was usually
even more difficult to deal with than the king.
Besides towns were not founded IN the Middle
Ages with conscious anticipation of their future
growth They grew w almost by chance in
places which had been found favorable for village
or town life from immemorial times. For
ample. there a legend that village. town
and city, Winchester had continuous life to
look back upon, longer than that Of Rome. Some
thing of the same kind is claimed for Treves.
There is an aspect in which these legends may
he in oil
alike when it comes to establishing a town. Both
savage and civilized look TO advantages of watc-
and food and defence and traffic. But persons
who cared nothing about living in town also
looked out for these things When the King
was prevailed on to make a grant OF land TO
noble. the latter took what care he could to get
the best property in the kings gift. He built
his castle on the best point in his possessions
When for the good OF his SOUL ne founded an
abbey, the brethren also careful either 10
get good site or to choose q spot that could
be made good by persistent labor The castle
and the abbey attracted trade and travel. Serfs
settled in the neghborhood Of each Thus. per-
haps began the town which In the end to
absorb all the real power both Of the baron's
castle and the religious order. In the early period
y this village life there is no sign Of progress.
On the contrary, all the signs of growth were
of nobility. For long ages townsnen had nothing
10 say even for the incosure within which they
lived. But gradually they began to carry on
crafts and to build up trade. When they began
TO own property, If not as individuals, still as
members of organized companies. they began to
feel their way toward control. first of their own
numbers. then of all who found place within
their walls This done at the outset mostly
by clever bargains There time doubtless
when the bishop. the abbot or the lord was
delighted with the growth Of a body of men on
his lands who gathered wealth. The great man
did not need to be visionary to see how that
wealth could be turned into his own strong box.
In order to retain their possessions the towns
men had to be exceedingly discreet. But they
were aided by a marvellous respect for law which
somehow got abroad in the Middle Ages. This
spect for law extended also TO the min
utest differences from the written statute.
An agreement made. though it might
be broken over and again, could
never lapse. Again and again 1t could be
rasserted. and finally II would rise triumphant.
The privilege which it gave from that time was
not apt TO fail. at least not in England. But at
first the resistance Of the towns to traditional
claims like the nibbllng of a few mice at a
vast cheese. But every gain was asserted
timdly. vet resolutey; anxiously yet with deter
mination If the chances OF prosperity first at
tracted men from without to the borough, every
new privilege, however slight. increased this
magnetic influence Of the town upon the run
away serf and even upon the freeman The
chance OF doing service to the king came
at last. This followed by charter. and
then bargaining began on a higher plane. The
townsmen could now propose TO grant protection
and a share in their privileges II those who
claimed 10 be tenants OF alien lords would pay
taxes. share the public duties. and acknowledge
In one respect or another the judicial authority
Of the town. With the lay lords the towns had
least trouble in England. though on the Con-
tinent and in France particularly. where feudal-
ism was worked out most thoroughly. 1t the