First, it is plain he gets no power by his conquest over those
that conquered with him. They that fought on his side cannot suffer by
the conquest, but must, at least, be as much free men as they were
before. And most commonly they serve upon terms, and on condition to
share with their leader, and enjoy a part of the spoil and other
advantages that attend the conquering sword, or, at least, have a part
of the subdued country bestowed upon them. And the conquering people
are not, I hope, to be slaves by conquest, and wear their laurels only
to show they are sacrifices to their leader's triumph. They that found
absolute monarchy upon the title of the sword make their heroes, who
are the founders of such monarchies, arrant "draw-can-sirs," and
forget they had any officers and soldiers that fought on their side in
the battles they won, or assisted them in the subduing, or shared in
possessing the countries they mastered. We are told by some that the
English monarchy is founded in the Norman Conquest, and that our
princes have thereby a title to absolute dominion, which, if it were
true (as by the history it appears otherwise), and that William had
a right to make war on this island, yet his dominion by conquest could
reach no farther than to the Saxons and Britons that were then
inhabitants of this country.
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