REW

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REW

military rewards are to be found in theGrecian and Roman histories. The an-cients did not, however, at first recom-pense military merit in any other waythan by erecting statues to its memory,or presenting their chiefs with triumphalcrowns. The warriors of that age weremore eager to deserve public applauseby extraordinary feats of valour, bytemperance and moral virtue, than tobecome rich at the expense of the state.They thirsted after glory; hut it wasafter that species of glory which was notin the least tarnished by the alloy ofmodern considerations.

The services which individuals ren-dered were distinguished by the kind ofstatue that was erected, and its accom-panying decorations; or by the mate-rials and particular formation of thecrowns that were presented.

In process of time, the state or civilgovernment of a country felt the pro-priety and justice of securing to its de-fenders something more substantial thanmere show anil unprofitable trophies. Itwas considered, that men who had ex-posed their lives, and had been wounded,or were grown infirm through age, &c.ought to he above want; and not only tohave those comforts which through theirexertions millions were enjoying, but tobe placed in an independent and honour-able situation. The most celebrated oftheir warriors were consequently pro-vided for at the public expense, and theyhad regular claims made over to them,which were answered at the treasury.

Triumphal honours were likewisereckoned among the military rewardswhich the ancients voted to their bestgenerals. Fabius Maximus , Paulus Emi-Iius, Camillus, and the Scipios, weresatisfied with the recompense for theirservices. With respect to old infirmsoldiers, who were invalided, they wereprovided for by receiving, each a lot ofground, which they cultivated and im-proved. Lands, thus appropriated,formed part of the republican or na-tional domains, or were divided amongstthem in the conquered countries.

The Roman officer was rewarded forhis services, or for particular acts ofbravery, in three ways : 1st, By marksof honour or distinction, which consistedof two sorts, viz. Of that which wasmerely ornamental to their own persons,or limited to the investiture for life; andof that which may be called rememoret-

t'me, such as statues, 8cc. The latterdescended to their posterity, and gavatheir families a certain rank in the re-public. 2dly. By pensions or allowances;and 3dly. By a grant of lands which ex-ceeded the lots given to private soldiers.

The French , who got possession of thecountry which was formerly occupied bythe Gauls , had, at first, no other methodof recompensing their generals than bygiving them a certain proportion of land.This grant did not exceed their naturallives, and sometimes it was limited to thatime they remained in the service.

These usages insensibly changed, andby degrees it became customary for thachildren of such men as had receivedgrants of national territory, to continueto enjoy them ; upon condition, how-ever, that the actual possessors of suchlands should be liable to military ser-vice. Hence the origin of fiefs inFrance , and the consequent appellationof Milice den Fieffes, or militia com-posed of men who held their lands oncondition of bearing arms when calledupon. The French armies were, formany years, constituted in this manner :and the custom of rendering militaryservice in consideration of land tenure,only ceased under Charles VII .

By degrees those lands, which hadbeen originally bestowed upon men ofmilitary merit, descended to their chil-dren, and were insensibly lost in theaggregate lots of inheritable property.Other means were consequently to beresorted to by the state, in order to sa-tisfy the just claims of deserving officersand soldiers. The French , therefore,returned to the ancient custom of theRomans, and rewarded those, who dis-tinguished themselves in war, by hono-rary marks of distinction.

Under the first race of French kingsmay be found several instances of menof low condition having, by their valour,obtained the rank and title of Count;and even those of Duke. These dig-nities, of themselves, entitled the bearersto places of high command in the armies.The title of Knight , most especially ofKnight Banneret, gave very high rankduring the reign of Philip Augustus ;and in the reigns of one or two of hispredecessors, it was bestowed upon indi-viduals who behaved in a distinguishedmanner in the field.

This species of reward did not costthe public any thing. It was bestowed