ities lay upon
riparian owners to repair canals, bridges, quays, &c. The state claimed
certain proportions of all crops, stock, &c. The king's messengers could
commandeer any subject's property, giving a receipt. Further, every city
had its own octroi duties, customs, ferry dues, highway and water rates.
The king had long ceased to be, if he ever was, owner of the land. He had
his own royal estates, his private property and dues from all his subjects.
The higher officials had endowments and official residences. The Code
regulates the feudal position of certain classes. They held an estate from
the king consisting of house, garden, field, stock and a salary, on
condition of personal service on the king's errand. They could not delegate
the service on pain of death. When ordered abroad they could nominate a
son, if capable, to hold the benefice and carry on the duty. If there was
no son capable, the state put in a _locum tenens_, but granted one-third to
the wife to maintain herself and children. The benefice was inalienable,
could not be sold, pledged, exchanged, sublet, devised or diminished. Other
land was held of the state for rent. Ancestral estate was strictly tied to
the family. If a holder would sell, the family had the right of redemption
and there seems to have been no time-limit to its exercise.

The temple occupied a most important position. It received from its
estates, from tithes and other fixed dues, as well as from the sacrifices
(a customary share) and other offerings of the faithful, vast amounts of
all sorts of _naturalia_; besides money and permanent gifts. The larger
temples had many officials and servants. Originally, perhaps, each town
clustered round one temple, and each head of a family had a right to
minister there and share its receipts. As the city grew, the right to so
many days a year at one or other shrine (or its "gate") descended in
certain families and became a species of property which could be pledged,
rented or shared within the family, but not alienated. In spite of all
these demands, however, the temples became great granaries and
store-houses; as they also were the city archives. The temple had its
responsibilities. If a citizen was captured by the enemy and could not
ransom himself the temple of his city must do so. To the temple came the
poor farmer to borrow seed corn or supplies for harvesters, &c.--advances
which he repaid without interest. The king's power over the temple was n