individuals. These laws, however rude and imperfect, tended to afford security to property and, encourage men to habits of industry. Thus commerce, with every ornamental and useful art, began first in corporate bodies, to animate society. But in those dark ages, force was necessary to defend the claims of industry; and such a force these municipal societies possessed; for their towns were not only defended by walls and gates vigilantly guarded by the citizens, but oft-times at the head of their fellow freemen in arms, the mayor, aldermen, or other officers marched forth in firm array to assert their rights, defend their property and teach the proudest and most powerful baron that the humblest freeman was not to be injured with impunity. It was thus the commons learned and proved they were not objects of
contempt; nay that they were beings of the same species as the greatest lords.
It is pleasingly curious to observe in these times the shadow of the semblance of this most useful military power preserved as at Leicester, in the array of a few of the poor men of Trinity hospital, clad in pieces of iron armour, attending the beadle while he proclaims a fair; nor is it less so to recollect that the feasts annually given by the mayor were once held in imitation of the rude hospitality of the Barons whose feasts not a little contributed to give a consequence to the commons of England, and to humanize the haughty chief by shewing him that respectability might belong to those who did not wield the sword, and that men might have dignity even tho’ they had no pretensions to the
glare of titles and the illusions of birth. Thus will the intelligent observer find, that corporate bodies were the true sources of law, liberty and civilization, and by rendering the occupation of trade respectable they may be deemed the first origin of that commerce which has rendered Great Britain the most powerful and most happy nation of the earth.
These few reflections we will suppose to have occupied the time during the short walk from St. Martin’s church to the
MARKET-PLACE.
In this spacious area, which is surrounded by handsome and well-furnished shops, and whose public ornaments are the plain but respectable
building called the Exchange, built in 1747, where the town magistrates transact their weekly business, and a small octagon edifice enclosing a reservoir of pure water, the Conduit, erected in 1709, we must, having completed the circuit of the town, offer our farewell to our visitor.
Here closing our little tour, which has engaged us in an imaginary acquaintance with the intelligent stranger, we beg he will accept a friendly adieu: and a wish, that as he quits the town thro’ which we have conducted him, and which we have endeavoured to represent in a view not unworthy the attention of a mind that seeks for more than mere passing ideas of amusement, he may not consider that time as prodigally spent which he has passed in his walk through leicester.
April, 1804