or,
tho a stranger to the royal blood, to mount for a short space the
throne of this kingdom, in prejudice of Edgar Atheling the rightful
heir.

Upon the Norman Conquest the feudal law was introduced here in all its
rigor, the whole of which is built on a military plan. I shall not now
enter into the particulars of that constitution, which belongs more
properly to the next part of our "Commentaries"; but shall only
observe that, in consequence thereof, all the lands in the kingdom
were divided into what were called knights' fees, in number above
sixty thousand (1); and for every knight's fee a knight or soldier,
_miles_, was bound to attend the king in his wars, for forty days in a
year (2); in which space of time, before war was reduced to a science,
the campaign was generally finished, and a kingdom either conquered
or victorious. By this means the king had, without any expense, an
army of sixty thousand men always ready at his command. And
accordingly we find one, among the laws of William the Conqueror,
which in the king's name commands and firmly enjoins the personal
attendance of all knights and others: "_quod habeant et teneant se
semper in armis et equis, ut decet et oportet; et quod semper sint
prompti et parati ad servitium suum integrum nobis explendum et
peragendum, cum opus adfuerit, secundum quod debent feodis et
tenementis suis de jure nobis facere_." This personal service in
process of time degenerated into pecuniary commutations or aids, and
at last the military part of the feudal system was abolished at the
Restoration....

As the fashion of keeping standing armies, which was first introduced
by Charles VII in France, 1445 A.D., has of late years universally
prevailed over Europe (tho some of its potentates, being unable
themselves to maintain them, are obliged to have recourse to richer
powers, and receive subsidiary pensions for that purpose), it has also
for many years past been annually judged necessary by our legislature,
for the safety of the kingdom, the defense of the possessions of the
crown of Great Britain, and the preservation of the balance of power
in Europe, to maintain even in time of peace a standing body of
troops, under the command of the crown; who are, however, _ipso facto_
disbanded at the expiration of every year, unless continued by
Parliament. And it was enacted by statute (10 W. III, c. 1) that not
more than twelve thousand regular forces should be kept on foot in
Ireland,