Lecture Xvii.--Page 141

Of the Leudes or Antrustions.

Men, faithful to the king and to the large proprietors.

Different means of acquiring and retaining them.

Obligations of the Leudes.

The Leudes are the origin of the nobility.

Bishops and heads of monasteries were reckoned among the leudes of the king.

Moral and material of the bishops.

Efforts of the kings to possess themselves of the right of nominating bishops.

Free men.

Did they form a distinct and numerous class?

The arimanni, and rathimburgi.

Mistake of M. de Savigny.

Rapid and general extension of the feudal hierarchy.

The freedmen.

Different modes of enfranchisement:

First, the denariales, enfranchised with respect to the king:

Second, the tabularii, enfranchised with respect to the church:

Third, the chartularii, enfranchised by a charter.

Different consequences resulting from these different modes of enfranchisement.