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HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

Appendix who happens to be poor, kill a man, the societyI. are to contribute by a certain proportion to payhis fine : A mark a piece , if the fine be 700 shil-lings; less if the person killed be a clown orceorle; the half of that sum, again , if he be aWelshman. But where any of the associates killsa man , wilfully and without provocation , he musshimself pay the fine. If any of the associates killany of his fellows, in a like criminal manner,besides paying the usual fine to the relations ofthe deceased, he must pay eight pounds to thesociety, or renounce the benefit of it: In whichcase they bind themselves, under the penalty ofone pound, never to eat or drink with him,except in the presence of the king, bishop, oralderman. There are other regulations to protectthemselves and their servants from all injuries,to revenge such as are committed, and to preventtheir giving abusive language to each other;and the fine, which they engage to pay for thislast offence, is a measure of honey.

It is not to be doubted, but a confederacvof this kind must have been a great source offriendship and attachment; when men lived inperpetual danger from enemies, robbers, andoppressors, and received protection chiefly fromtheir personal valour, and from the assistance oftheir friends or patrons. As animosities were thenmore violent, connexions were also more inti-mate, whether voluntary or derived from blood :The most remote degree of propinquity wasregarded: An indelible memory of benefits was

preserved