OF THE EOMAN EMPIRE 321 thirty similar corporations were founded before the loss of the Holy Land. Another class of subjects, the Syrians/^*^ or Oriental Syrians Christians, were oppressed by the zeal of the clergy, and pro- tected by the toleration of the state. Godfrey listened to their reasonable prayer that they might be judged by their omti national laws. A third court was instituted for their use, of limited and domestic jurisdiction ; the sworn members were Syrians, in blood, language, and religion ; but the office of the president (in Arabic, of the rais) was sometimes exercised by the viscount of the city. At an immeasurable distance below the nobles; the burgesses, and the sira?igers, the Assise of Jeru- salem condescends to mention the villains and slaves, the peasants viuams and of the land and the captives of war, who were almost equally ^ considered as the objects of property. The relief or protection of these unhappy men was not esteemed worthy of the care of the legislator ; but he diligently provides for the recovery, though not indeed for the punishment, of the fugitives. Like hoimds, or hawks, who had strayed from the lawful o^mer, they might be lost and claimed ; the slave and falcon were of the same value ; but three slaves, or twelve oxen, were accumulated to equal the price of the war-horse ; and a sum of three hundred pieces of gold was fixed, in the age of chivalry, as the equivalent of the more noble animal. ^^^ 150 Every reader conversant with the historians of the crusades, will understand, by the peuple des Suriens, the Oriental Christians, Melchites, Jacobites, or Nesto- rians, who had all adopted the use of the Arabic language (vol. v. p. 145). 151 See the Assises de Jerusalem (310-312). These laws were enacted as late as the year 1358, in the kingdom of Cyprus. In the same century, in the reign of Edward I. , I understand, from a late publication (of his Book of Account), that the price of a war-horse was not less exorbitant in England. VOL. VI. 21
