Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/110

94 of their antient princes was abolihed, and the king of England’s eldet on became, as a matter of coure, their titular prince: the territory of Wales being then entirely re-annexed (by a kind of feodal resumption) to the dominion of the crown of England ; or, as the tatute of Rutland exprees it, “, (of which homage was the ign) ” By the tatute alo of Wales very material alterations were made in divers parts of their laws, o as to reduce them nearer to the Englih tandard, epecially in the forms of their judicial proceedings: but they till retained very much of their original polity, particularly their rule of inheritance, viz. that their lands were divided equally among all the iue male, and did not decend to the eldet on alone. By other ubequent tatutes their provincial immunities were till farther abridged: but the finihing troke to their independency, was given by the tatute 27 Hen. VIII. c. 26. which at the ame time gave the utmot advancement to their civil properity, by admitting them to a thorough communication of laws with the ubjects of England. Thus were this brave people gradually conquered into the enjoyment of true liberty; being inenibly put upon the ame footing, and made fellow-citizens with their conquerors. A generous method of triumph, which the republic of Rome practied with great ucces; till he reduced all Italy to her obedience, by admitting the vanquihed tates to partake of the Roman privileges.

is enacted by this tatute 27 Hen. VIII, 1.&ensp;That the dominion of Wales hall be for ever united to the kingdom of England. 2.&ensp;That all Welchmen born hall have the ame liberties as other the king’s ubjects. 3.&ensp;That lands in Wales hall be inheritable according to the Englih tenures and rules of decent. 4.&ensp;That the laws of England, and no other, hall be ued in