View of the State of Europe During the Middle Ages, Volume 1

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John Murray, 1860 - Europe

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Page 176 - It was a breach of faith to divulge the lord's counsel, to conceal from him the machinations of others, to injure his person or fortune, or to violate the sanctity of his roof and the honour of his family. In battle he was bound to lend his horse to his lord when dismounted ; to adhere to his side while fighting, and to go into captivity as a hostage for him when taken. His attendance was due to the lord's courts, sometimes to witness and sometimes to bear a part in the administration of justice.
Page 272 - IV. assembled a great force by publishing the arriere-ban, or feudal summons, for his unhappy expedition against the Flemings. A small and more disciplined body of troops would not, probably, have met with the discomfiture of Courtray. Edward I. and Edward II. frequently called upon those who owed military service, in their invasions of Scotland. But in the French wars of Edward III., the whole, I think, of his army served for pay, and was raised by contract with men of rank and influence, who received...
Page 14 - European history, the reign of Charlemagne affords a solitary restingplace between two long periods of turbulence and ignominy, deriving the advantages of contrast both from that of the preceding dynasty, and of a posterity for whom he had formed an empire which they were unworthy and unequal to maintain...
Page 403 - ... not have excited insuperable alarm and disgust in the free republics. But, on the contrary, they almost universally, after the peace of Constance, revived an office which had been abrogated when they first rose in rebellion against Frederic. From experience, as we must presume, of the partiality which their domestic factions carried into the administration of justice, it became a general practice to elect, by the name of podesta, a citizen of some neighbouring state, as their general, their criminal...
Page 485 - There seems little reason to doubt that gunpowder was introduced through the means of the Saracens into Europe. Its use in engines of war, though they may seem to have been rather like our fireworks than artillery, is mentioned by an Arabic writer in the Escurial collection about the year 1249.
Page 106 - Tune ascenso equite, aurum argentumque in itinere illo, quod inter portam atrii basilicae beati Martini et ecclesiam civitatis est, praesentibus populis manu propria spargens, voluntate benignissima erogavit, et ab ea die tanquam consul aut Augustus est vocitatus.
Page 7 - Creasy to select for military description those few battles of which, in the words of Hnllam, ' a contrary event would have essentially varied the drama of the world in all its subsequent scenes.
Page 37 - It was here, in 1099, where their triumph was consummated, that it was stained with the most atrocious massacre ; not limited to the hour of resistance, but renewed deliberately even after that famous penitential procession to the holy sepulchre, which might have calmed their ferocious dispositions...
Page 208 - Roman law ;) nor was their poverty, perhaps, less tolerable upon the whole, than that of the modern peasantry in most countries of Europe. It was only in respect of his lord, it must be remembered, that the villein, at least in England, was without rights ; * he might inherit, purchase, sue in the courts of law ; though as defendant in a real action, or suit wherein land was claimed, he might shelter himself under the plea of villenage.
Page 483 - But it was rendered more practicable by the nature of their arms. For once, and for once only in the history of mankind, the art of defence had outstripped that of destruction. In a charge of lancers many fell, unhorsed by the shock, and might be suffocated or bruised to death by the pressure of their own armour ; but the lance's point could not penetrate the breastplate, the sword fell harmless...

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