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28.21. 21. A new Reflection upon the Point of Honour among the Germans.

"It was a great infamy," says Tacitus, [130] "among the Germans for a person to leave his buckler behind him in battle; for which reason many after a misfortune of this kind have destroyed themselves." Thus the ancient Salic law [131] allows a composition of fifteen sous to any person that had been injuriously reproached with having left his buckler behind him.

When Charlemagne amended the Salic law, [132] he allowed in this case no more than three sous in composition. As this prince cannot be suspected of having had a design to enervate the military discipline, it is manifest that such an alteration was due to a change of weapons, and that from this change of weapons a great number of usages derive their origin.

Footnotes

[130]

"De Moribus Germanorum," 6.

[131]

In the "Pactus legis Salicæ," 6.

[132]

We have both the ancient law and that which was amended by this prince.