266 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

Appendix

I.

privilege on trade and industry. The military*profestion alone was honourable among all thoseconquerors : The warriors subsisted by theirpofseilions in land : They became considerableby their influence over their vassals , retainerstenants, and staves : And it requires strong proofto convince us that they would admit any of arank so much inferior as the burgesses, to sharewith them in the legislative authority. Tacitusindeed affirms, that, among the ancient Germans,the consent of all the members of the communitywas required in every important deliberation ;but he speaks not of representatives ; and, thisancient practice , mentioned by the Romanhistorian, could only have place in small tribes,where every citizen might without inconveniencebe assembled upon any extraordinary emergency.After principalities became extensive; after thedifference of property had formed distinctionsmore important than those which arose frompersonal strength aud valour; we may conclude,that the national assemblies must have been morelimited in their number, and composed only ofthe more considerable citizens.

But though we must exclude the burgesses orcommons from the Saxon Wittenagemot, therejs some necessity for supposing , that this assemblyconsisted of other members than the prelates,abbots , aldermen , and the judges or privycouncil. For as all these , excepting some ofthe ecclesiastics 5 , were anciently appointed by

There is some reason to think, that the bishops were