The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-08-14


But when the great migration o.
northern barbarans set in, by which
the decaying Greek and Roman empires
were finally inundated and over
Whelmed, this ancient pre-eminence OF
| the'city was lost. The men of the east
eln steppes, the northern forests, and
the stormy seas, cared not for civilized
cities, and despsed their arts and lux
uries, Commerce and government
which are the very life-blood of cities
were destroyed together, and the cities
OF Europe sank into state of compare
tive political and social inslgniticance.
The castles and courts of the great
landed barons became the centers of So
ciety. as the monasteres were of learn
ing, and the towns and cities were de-
spised, neglected and oppressed. They
retained but a shadow of their former
civil rights and privileges, and not only
the artizan classes, but likewise the
merchants, the bankers. and even the
learned professions, physician, lawyer
and priest. were alike regarded as SER
wants and menials of the earl the
knight and even the squire, the servant
and apprentice for knighthood. This
depressed and dependant condition Of
cities prevailed all over Europe and
even in England-after England became
England-their situation was scarcely
better. The entire site of the city was
most commonly only part of the estate
of some great noble, and all the citizens
were merely his tenants at will. All
public and private improvements were
subject to his permission and caprice.
and instead of receiving his aid, were
more frequently made the occasion for
fresh extorton by him. This situation
of the cities of Britain Is we'll ilustra-
ted by the well-known story of Lady
Godiva and her famous ride through the
city of Coventry, Her husband, the
harsh earl of Mercia. a king in all but
the name, had laid a crushing tax upon
the citizens of Coventry, whose people
had cried out in their anguish, If we
pay the tax we starve." In her pity for
them Godiva had interceded for them to
her lord, who had roughly vowed that
he would remit the tax only on condi-
ton that she should ride naked through
the main street Of the town and at
MONDAY. So she bravely met the rude
challenge She ordered the citizens. as
they loved her, to close and bar all
their doors and windows from eleven to
twelve O'Clock. Then she loosened her
long, abundant hair that fell to her
knees and with only that as her cover
ing,
"Then she rode forth. clothed on with
chastity"
as Tennyson, in his "Godiva" SO beau
tifully sings rode through the whole
length Of the main street. and rode back
again, just as:
with twelve great shocks of sound the
shameless noon
Was clashed and hammered from a
hundred towers
"(And met her lord and took the tax
away t
And built herself an everlasting name"
And SO also, though in a very differ
ant way. did "Peeping Tom of Coven-
Try the only human being base
enough to disobey his deliverer-and
paid for his baseness by the forfeit Of
MS eyesight for life-according to ira
infamy in story-his effigy
still marking the very spot of his crime.
There are other romantic stories Of
of the medieval cities of |
England and Europe from the oppres-
'ions of the kings and great mobiles, all |
yoing to show how the common people, |
md especially those of the thrifty and |
prosperous towns, We're literally made
he spoil and the prey of those who |
i
ors and defenders. Such was, to a |
treat extent, the depressed and defence |
ess condition of the cities during the |
middle ages, while, as civil and political |
actors, they might almost as well not
lave existed. And the situation of
Dutch New York, lorded over by the
treat landed PATRONS of the Hudson
alley before the English conquest, was
lot much better.
The first grand upward step from this
bject condition of the cities, at least on
he continent of Europe, was the forma-
ion of the Hansa, or league by which
'umber of the rising commercial cities
t Holland and Germany bound them
elves together for the mutual protec-
ion of their ships and overland traffic
gainst robbers and pirates-the same
eing not unfrequently their own land
ord mobiles in disguise, or hired rutfians
4 their employ and pay The "Hanse-
owns" members of the "Hanseatlc
.eague," were soon immensely prosper
us, and numbered eighty-five towns
nd cities scattered from the Rhine to
'oland. They had yearly congresses
nd system of commercial and finan-
ial law among themselves, which be-
anne the germ Of the modern CONNER
al law of the world. Four of the
aiding "Hanse-toWns, Hamburg,
Bremen and Lubbock be-
anne actual free and selfgoverning
-ates in themselves, and are still
nown, or three of them are, as the
Free Cities" of Germany, The exam
lie and prosperity of these cities had a
owerful effect in stimulating other
ties, both in England and on the con-
nent, to claim the rights and privi
ges which they ought to possess; and ;
radually, and with many a struggle, {
leir citizens won from their kings and |
ON the great landed mobiles, those
larters of civil rights and privileges
hch lie at the bottom of, and consti-
tie the foundation of, the progress and | i
'eatness Of every eminent city of the I
d world
This great social movement has gone |
ward with increased rapidity in mod t
n times, until now the city promises {
regain it's ancient and proud position l