APPENDIX L

275

he would find it impossible to protect himself from Appendixoppression, except by courting the patronage of I-some great chieftain; and paying a large price forhis falety.

There are two statutes among the Saxon laws,which seem calculated to confound those differentranks of men; that of Athelstan , by which amerchant, who had made three long sea-voyageson his own account, was entitled to the quality '

of thane 15 ; and that of the fame prince , bywhich a ceorle or husbandman, who had beenable to purchase five hides of land , and had achapel, a kitchen, a-hall, and a bell, was raisedto the same distinction But the opportunitieswere so few , by which a merchant or ceorlecould thus exalt hirrdelf above his rank , that thelaw could never overcome the reigning prejudi-ces; the distinction between noble and base bloodwould still be indelible ; and the well-bornthanes would entertain the highest contempt forthose legal and factitious ones. Though we arenot informed of any of these circumstances byancient historians, they are so much founded onthe nature of things, that we may admit themas a necessary and infallible consequence of thesituation of the kingdom during those ages.

JS Wilkins, p. 71.

" Selden, Titles of honour, p. 515. Wilkins, p. 70.

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