with them struck and were wrecked. One of these
ships was a very important one. It contained the chancellor who bore
Richard's great seal, besides a number of other knights and crusaders
of high rank, and many valuable goods. The seal was an object of great
value. Every king had his own seal, which was used to authenticate his
public acts. The one which belonged to Richard is represented in the
following engraving.

As soon as the news of these wrecks spread into the island, the people
came down in great numbers, and took possession of every thing of
value which was cast upon the shore as property forfeited to the king
of the country. The name of this king was Isaac Comnenus.

He claimed that all wrecks cast upon his shores were his property.
That was the law of the land; it was, in fact, the law of a great many
countries in those days, especially of such as had maritime coasts
bordering on navigable waters that were specially exposed to storms.

[Illustration: KING RICHARD'S SEAL.]

Thus, in seizing the wreck of Richard's vessels, King Isaac had the
law on his side, and all those who, in their theory of government,
hold it as a principle that law is the foundation of property, and
that what the law makes right is right, must admit that he had justice
on his side too. For my part, it seems clear that the right of
property is anterior to all law, and independent of it. I think that
the province of law is not to create property, but to protect it, and
that it may, instead of protecting it, become the greatest violator of
it. This law providing for the confiscation of property cast in wrecks
upon a shore, and its forfeiture to the sovereign of the territory, is
one of the most striking instances of aggression made by law on the
natural and indefeasible rights of man.

In regard to the galley which contained the queens, that having
escaped shipwreck, and having safely anchored in the harbor, the king
had no pretext for molesting it in any way. He learned by some means
that Queen Joanna was on board the galley; so he sent two boats down
with a messenger, to inquire whether her majesty would be pleased to
land.

Stephen of Turnham, the knight who had command of the queen's galley,
thought it not safe to go on shore, for by doing so Joanna and
Berengaria would put themselves entirely in King Isaac's power; and
though it was true that Isaac and the people of Cyprus over whom he
ruled were Christians, yet they were of the