r on the continent of Europe,
previously to the Norman Conquest. Their Kings were mostly elected to
the throne; and the land was possessed principally by their military
chieftains, called Thanes. This order was at first confined to military
supremacy; but in process of time successful merchants and others who had
acquired wealth were admitted into the rank. The Thanes resided in large
irregular halls upon their estates, in a coarse but very hospitable
manner: their halls were said to be generally filled with their
neighbours and tenants, who spent their time in feasting and riot. The
great distinction between the Anglo-Saxon nobility and the Norman,
according to William of Malmesbury, was, that the latter built
magnificent and stately castles; whereas the former dwelt in large but
mean houses, and consumed their immense fortunes in riot and hospitality.
Nevertheless this social communion, combined with the hearty generosity
and manners of the Saxon nobility, made them extremely popular among
their tenants and vassals, between whom was established a spontaneous and
steady attachment. The next in degree were called Ceorles, and were
freemen. These conducted most of the occupations on the land and in
trade;--they formed the most numerous class of the Anglo-Saxon
population, and enjoyed all the rights of freemen, as these were
understood in those times;--they had a voice in the national councils,
served on juries in the County and other Courts, and their rights and
liberties were protected, and generally enforced by fines against each
other, and even against their superiors. The Anglo-Saxons rejoiced in
their system of trial by jury, and boasted it as their peculiar
institution. It was also a law among them that none should be tried
except by his equals in the government. These institutions, with the
historical open-heartedness of the Thanes and landed proprietors, secured
to the Ceorles or freemen as much of real liberty and justice as those
rude times might admit.

But the Saxon government is defaced by the odious vice of slavery. The
slaves were those whom they had conquered in battle; and the Anglo-Saxons
introduced them into this island. They were household slaves, performing
menial duties, and predial or rustic slaves who labored on the soil. The
proprietors sold their slaves with their estates, and they were regarded
as chattels: yet the master had not unlimited power over his slave, for
it was ordained t