Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol II).djvu/90

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LTHOUGH, by the means that were mentioned in the preceding chapter, the oppreive or military part of the feodal contitution was happily done away, yet we are not to imagine that the contitution itelf was utterly laid aide, and a new one introduced in it's room; ince by the tatute 12 Car. II. the tenures of ocage and frankalmoign, the honorary ervices of grand erjeanty, and the tenure by copy of court roll were reerved; nay all tenures in general, except frankalmoign, grand erjeanty, and copyhold, were reduced to one general pecies of tenure, then well known and ubiting, called free and common ocage. And this, being prung from the ame feodal original as the ret, demontrates the neceity of fully contemplating that antient ytem; ince it is that alone, to which we can recur to explain any eeming, or real, difficulties, that may arie in our preent mode of tenure.

military tenure, or that by knight-ervice, conited of what were reputed the mot free and honourable ervices; but which in their nature were unavoidably uncertain in repect to the time of their performance. The econd pecies of tenure, or free-ocage, conited alo of free and honourable ervices; but uch as were liquidated and reduced to an abolute certainty. And this tenure not only ubits to this day, but has in a manner aborbed and wallowed up (ince the tatute of Charles the econd) Rh