lect05-第4节
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position and authority。
But while the Brehon laws suggest that the possession of
personal wealth is a condition of the maintenance of
chieftainship； they show with much distinctness that through the
acquisition of such wealth the road was always open to
chieftainship。 We are not altogether without knowledge that in
some European societies the humble freeman might be raised by
wealth to the position which afterwards became modern nobility。
One fact； among the very few which are tolerably well ascertained
respecting the specific origin of particular modern aristocracies
is； that a portion of the Danish nobility were originally
peasants； and there are in the early English laws some traces of
a process by which a Ceorl might become a Thane。 These might be
facts standing by themselves； and undoubtedly there is strong
reason to suspect that the commencements of aristocracy were
multifold： but the Brehon tracts point out in several places；
with legal minuteness； the mode in which a peasant freeman in
ancient Ireland could become a chief。 There are few personages of
greater interest spoken of in these laws than the Bo…Aire；
literally the 'cow…nobleman。' He is； to begin with； simply a
peasant who has grown rich in cattle； probably through obtaining
the use of large portions of tribe…land。 The true nobles； or
Aires a word striking from its consonance with words of
similar meaning in the Teutonic languages are divided； though
we can scarcely believe the classification to correspond with an
universal fact； into seven grades。 Each grade is distinguished
from the others by the amount of wealth possessed by the Chief
belonging to it； by the weight attached to his evidence； by his
power of binding his tribe by contracts （literally of
'knotting'）； by the dues which he receives in kind from his
vassals according to a system to be presently described； and by
his Honor…Price； or special damages incurred by injuring him。 At
the bottom of the scale is the chief or noble called the
Aire…desa； and the Brehon law provides that when the Bo…Aire has
acquired twice the wealth of an Aire…desa； and has held it for a
certain number of generations； he becomes an Aire…desa himself。
The advantage secured to wealth does not； you see； exclude
respect for birth； but works into it。 'He is an inferior chief；'
says the 'Senchus Mor；' 'whose father was not a chief；' and there
are many other strong assertions of the reverence due to
inherited rank。 The primary view of chieftainship is evidently
that it springs from purity or dignity of blood； but noble birth
is regarded as naturally associated with wealth； and he who
becomes rich gradually climbs to a position indistinguishable
from that which he would have occupied if he had been nobly born。
What is thus new in the system is the clear account of nobility
as a status； having its origin in the organic structure of
ancient society； but nevertheless in practice having perpetually
fresh beginnings。
The enormous importance which belongs to wealth and specially
to wealth in cattle； in the early Aryan society reflected by the
Brehon tracts； helps； I think； to clear up one great difficulty
which meets us on the threshold of an enquiry into the origin of
aristocracies。 I suppose that the popular theory on the subject
of the privileged class in modern communities is that it was
originally indebted for its status； if not for its power or
influence； to kingly favour。 An Englishman once questioned the
Emperor Paul of Russia on the position of the Russian nobility。
'The only man who is noble in my dominions；' said the Czar； 'is
the man to whom I speak； for the time that I am speaking to him。'
I merely take these words as the strongest possible statement of
the view to which I am referring； but they were used by a monarch
with a disturbed brain； whose authority had contracted something
of an Oriental character from its long subordination to Tartar
power； and they were never absolutely true even of Russia。 Among
ourselves； however； the favourite assumption seems certainly to
be； however slight may be the practical consequences we draw from
it； that all aristocratic privilege had its origin in kingly
grace； and this appears； on the whole； to be the theory of
English law。 But the institutions of many parts of the Continent
long retained the traces of a different set of ideas； and these
were found where kingly power was actually much greater than in
England。 The French Noblesse； before the Revolution； would as a
body have resented the assertion that they were a creation of the
King； and the Kings of France more than once admitted that they
were only the most exalted members of a class to which their own
nobility belonged。
Kings have everywhere nowadays； and in many countries have
had for centuries； a monopoly of the power of ennobling。 This
road to nobility has been so long trodden； that men in general
have almost forgotten there ever was another route。 Yet
historical scholars have long known that nobility conferred by
royal grant was； in one sense； a modern institution； though they
have not succeeded in completely explaining how it came to
supplant or dwarf the institution upon which it was engrafted。
There seems to be no doubt that the first aristocracy springing
from kingly favour consisted of the Comitatus； or Companions of
the King。 Although there is a good deal of evidence that the
class was at first considered in some way servile； it gradually
became in some countries the type of all nobility。 A few
tolerably familiar facts may serve to remind us how remarkable
has been the fortune of the royal households all over Western
Europe。 The Mayor of the Frankish Palace became King of the
Franks。 The Chamberlain of the Romano…German Emperors is now the
German Emperor。 The blood of the Steward of Scotland runs in the
veins of the Kings of England。 The Constables of France
repeatedly shook or saved the French throne。 Among ourselves the
great officers of the Royal Council and Household still take
precedence either of all Peers or of all Peers of their own
degree。 Whence； then； came this great exaltation of the Mayor or
Count of the Palace； of the great Seneschal or Steward； of the
high Chancellor； the Great Chamberlain； and High Constable
titles which； when they do not mark an office originally
clerical； point to an occupation which must at first have been
menial？
It seems certain that the household sprang from very humble
beginnings。 Tacitus describes the companions of the Germanic
chief as living with him in his house and supported by his
bounty。 Mr Stubbs when stating （'Constitutional History；' p。 150）
that 'the gesiths of an （English） king were his guard and private
council；' observes that the 'free household servants of a ceorl
are also in a certain sense his gesiths。' The Companions of the
King appear also in the Irish legal literature； but they are not
noble； and they are associated with the king's body…guard； which
is essentially servile。 The King of Erin； though he never existed
（strictly speaking）； save for short intervals； yet always； so to
speak tended to exist； and the Crith Gablach； a Brehon tract of
which a translation is given at the end of Sullivan's edition of
O'Curry's Lectures； contains a picture of his palace and state。
The edifice intended to be described is apparently very much the
same as the great Icelandic house of which Mr Dasent； in the
'Story of Burnt Njal；' has attempted to give a drawing from the
descriptions found in Norse literature。 In it the King feasts his
guests； from kings and king's sons to a ghastly company of
prisoners in fetters； the forfeited hostages of subject…chiefs or
sub…septs who
