Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/120

cii INTRODUCTION. T'leponiler- Hiice of ihe i:(iinmons. The authority, indeed, of this magistrate in his own court was fully equal to providing adequate relief in all these cases.^^ But for several reasons this parliamentary tribunal was preferred. The process was both more expeditious and less expen- sive to the suitor. Indeed, " the most obscure in- habitant of the most obscure village in the king- dom, although a foreigner," might demand redress of this body ; and, if he was incapable of bearing the burden himself, the state was bound to main- tain his suit, and provide him with counsel at its own charge. But the most important consequence, resulting from this legislative investigation, was the remedial laws frequently attendant on it. " And our ancestors," says Blancas, " deemed it great wisdom patiently to endure contumely and oppres- sion for a season, rather than seek redress before an inferior tribunal, since, by postponing their suit till the meeting of cortes, they would not only ob- tain a remedy for their own grievance, but one of a universal and permanent application."^'^ The Aragonese cortes maintained a steady con- trol over the operations of government, especially after the dissolution of the Union ; and the W'cight of the commons was more decisive in it, than in other similar assemblies of that period. Its singu- lar distribution into four estates was favorable to bre la Celebracion de Cortes, cap. 7. — Capmany, Practica y Estilo, pp. 37-44. — Blancas, Modo do Pro- ceder, cap. 14, — and Martel, For- ma de Celebrar Cortes, cap. 54- 59. 46 Blancas, Modo de Proceder, cap. 14. — Yet Peter IV., in his dispute with the justice Fernandez de Castro, denied this. Zurita, Anales, torn. ii. fol. 170. 47 Blancas, Modo de Proceder ubi supra.