462

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

Conrad, Manfredi,—tlie Princes of Anjou,—all htdestablished themselves, their relations, and Captains nfeudal possessions and rights throughout the land. Tieprogress of social civilization had mitigated and removedmost of the evils of personal and degrading oppression,but all feudal “ rights” and exactions of a financial naturewere clung to by the Barons to the very last. Apulia , aidespecially the land of Otranto , was the most harassed lyfeudal exactions. On the advent of Joseph Buonaparte in1806, feudal “ rights,” even upon the person, were pre-tended to in some districts. Agricultural labour for tieBaron, and certain services of messagery were exacted.But feudal taxes upon things and produce were numerousand vexatious in the extreme, and I think so curious as tomerit this my brief notice of them. In 1806, a Neapolitanjudge of great eminence and learning, David Winspear,published a much esteemed work, in which he enumeratedone thousand three hundred and ninty-five imposts onthe people! King Joseph abolished feudality—but asthe legal disputes- upon the matter were referable to theordinary tribunals, some hundred years would have beenrequisite to settle the proprietorship of all the lands,commons, and manners, contested about. Murat sawthe evil, and constituted a commission of magistrates,distinguished for probity and talent, which was called the“ Feudal Commission,” which, in one year’s ambulatorylabour through the provinces, put an end to every con-testation, to the satisfaction of all just and impartialmen. Now, indeed, arose a new era for the kingdomof Naples. Forests, mountains, wastes, swamps, un-cultivated commons, ill-cultivated baronial lands wereportioned out to industrious families, who soon becamesurrounded by plenteous crops and flocks and herds. Thework of the “ Feudal Commission” was executed in 1809,