Page:The Rise of the Swiss Republic (1892).djvu/97

Rh before whom he ought properly to appear. 11. And if any one rebels against a verdict, and, in consequence of his obstinacy, any one of the confederates is injured, all the confederates are bound to compel the contumacious person to give satisfaction.

12. But if war or discord arise amongst any of the confederates and one party of the disputants refuse to accept justice or satisfaction, the confederates are bound to defend the other party.

13. The above-written statutes, decreed for the commonweal and health, shall endure forever, God willing. In testitimony of which, at the request of the aforesaid parties, the present instrument has been drawn up and confirmed with the seals of the aforesaid three communities and valleys.

Done Anno Domini M.CC.LXXXX. primo. in the beginning of the month of August.”

A recent examination of the seals, attached to the document, shows that the third one, which has heretofore been taken to represent Nidwalden alone, is the same as that used in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries for the whole of Unterwalden. The presumption seems to be justified, therefore, that Obwalden also joined the league of 1291.

On the whole the above agreement is just what would be suggested to men working entirely by experience and not upon any definite theory. It is neither complete nor altogether satisfactory, when viewed in the light of modern statecraft; but it served its purpose admirably, and showed the touch of what we call practical men. Indeed this first perpetual pact of the Forest States is distinctly a conservative utterance—a sort of compromise between a declaration of independence from the nobles, and an oath of allegiance to the feudal system itself, as befitting a people conscious of a grievance and yet unwilling to break with the past. The pact was enacted “for the proper establishment of quiet and peace.” Moreover, the third provision expressly states that “every man, according to his rank, shall obey and serve his overlord, as it behooves him.”