CHAP. XVI. Of CONQVEST.

175. THough Governments can origi∣nally have no other Rise, than that before mentioned, nor Polities be founded on any thing but the Consent of the People; yet such has been the Disor∣ders, Ambition has fill'd the World with, that in the noise of War, which makes so great a part of the History of Mankind, this Consent is little taken notice of: and therefore many have mistaken the force of Arms for the Consent of the People, and reckon Conquest as one of the Originals of Government. But Conquest is as far from setting up any Government, as de∣molishing an House is from building a new one in the place. Indeed it often makes way for a new Frame of a Com∣monwealth, by destroying the former; Page  398 but, without the Consent of the People, can never erect a new one.

176. That the Aggressor, who puts himself into the state of War with another, and unjustly invades another Man's right, can, by such an unjust War, never come to have a right over the Conquered, will be easily agreed by all Men, who will not think that Robbers and Pyrates have a Right of Empire over whomsoever they have Force enough to master, or that Men are bound by Promises, which un∣lawful Force extorts from them. Should a Robber break into my House, and with a Dagger at my Throat, make me seal Deeds to convey my Estate to him, would this give him any Title? Just such a Ti∣tle by his Sword, has an unjust Conque∣rour, who forces me into Submission. The Injury and the Crime is equal, whe∣ther committed by the wearer of a Crown, or some petty Villain. The Title of the Offender, and the Number of his Fol∣lowers make no difference in the Offence, unless it be to aggravate it. The only difference is, Great Robbers punish little ones to keep them in their Obedience; but the great ones are rewarded with Lau∣rels and Triumphs, because they are too big for the weak hands of Justice, in this World, and have the Power in their own Page  399 possession which should punish Offenders. What is my Remedy against a Robber that so broke into my House? Appeal to the Law for Justice. But perhaps Justice is deny'd, or I am crippled and cannot stir; Robbed and have not the means to do it. If God has taken away all means of seek∣ing remedy, there is nothing left but Pa∣tience. But my Son, when able, may seek the Relief of the Law, which I am denyed: he or his Son may renew his Ap∣peal, till he recover his Right. But the Conquered, or their Children, have no Court, no Arbitrator on Earth to appeal to. Then they may appeal, as Iephtha did, to Heaven, and repeat their Appeal, till they have recovered the native Right of their Ancestours, which was, to have such a Legislative over them, as the Majority should approve, and freely acquiesce in. If it be objected, this would cause endless trouble; I answer, No more than Justice does, where she lies open to all that appeal to her. He that troubles his Neighbour, without a Cause, is punished for it, by the Justice of the Court he appeals to. And he that appeals to Heaven, must be sure he has Right on his side: and a Right too that is worth the Trouble and Cost of the Appeal, as he will answer at a Tribunal that cannot be deceived, and Page  400 will be sure to retribute to every one ac∣cording to the Mischiefs he hath created to his Fellow-Subjects; that is, any part of Mankind. From whence 'tis plain, that he that conquers, in an unjust War, can thereby have no Title to the Subjecti∣on and Obedience of the Conquered.

177. But, supposing Victory favours the right side, let us consider a Conque∣rour in a lawful War, and see what Power he gets, and over whom.

First, 'Tis 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 Countrey bestowed upon them. And the conquering People, are not, I hope, to be Slaves by Conquest, and wear their Laurels only to shew they are Sacrifices to their Leader's Triumph. They that found Absolute Monarchy up∣on the Title of the Sword, make their He∣roes, who are the Founders of such Mo∣narchies, arrant Draw-can-Sirs, and forget they had any Officers and Souldiers Page  401 that fought on their side, in the Battles they won, or assisted them in the subdu∣ing, or shared in possessing the Countries they Master'd. 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 Domini∣on: which if it were true, (as by the Hi∣story it appears otherwise) and that Wil∣liam had a right to make War on this Island; yet his Dominion by Conquest, could reach no farther than to the Saxons and Britans, that were then Inhabitants of this Country. The Normans that came with him, and helped to Conquer, and all descended from them are Freemen, and no Subjects by Conquest; let that give what Dominion it will. And if I, or any Body else, shall claim freedom, as derived from them, it will be very hard to prove the contrary: And 'tis plain, the Law that has made no distinction between the one and the other, intends not there should be any difference in their Freedom or Priviledges.

178. But supposing, which seldom happens, that the Conquerers and Con∣quer'd never incorporate into one People, under the same Laws and Freedom. Let us see next, what Power a lawful Con∣querer has over the subdued, and that I Page  402 say is purely Despotical. He has an Ab∣solute Power over the Lives of those, who, by an unjust War, have forfeited them; but not over the Lives or Fortunes of those, who ingaged not in the War, nor over the Possessions even of those who were actually engaged in it.

179. Secondly, I say then the Conque∣rour gets no Power but only over those who have actually assisted, concurr'd, or consented to that unjust force that is used against him. For the People having gi∣ven to their Governours no Power to do an unjust thing, such as is to make an un∣just War, (for they never had such a Pow∣er in themselves:) They ought not to be charged, as guilty of the violence and in∣justice that is committed in an unjust War, any farther than they actually abet it, no more than they are to be thought guilty of any Violence or Oppression their Governours should use upon the People themselves, or any part of their Fellow-Subjects, they having impowered them no more to the one than to the other. Conquerours, 'tis true, seldom trouble themselves to make the distinction, but they willingly permit the confusion of War to sweep all together; but yet this alters not the Right: for the Conquerour's Power over the Lives of the Conquered, Page  403 being only because they have used force to do or maintain an injustice, he can have that power only over those who have con∣cur'd in that force, all the rest are inno∣cent; and he has no more title over the people of that Country, who have done him no injury, and so have made no for∣feiture of their Lives, than he has over any other, who without any injuries or provocations, have lived upon fair terms with him.

180. Thirdly, The Power a Conquerer gets over those he overcomes in a just War, is perfectly despotical; he has an absolute Power over the Lives of those, who by putting themselves in a state of War, have forfeited them; but he has not thereby a right and title to their Possessions. This I doubt not, but at first sight, will seem a strange Doctrine, it being so quite con∣trary to the practice of the World. There being nothing more familiar in speaking of the dominion of Countries, than to say such an one Conquer'd it. As if Conquest, without any more ado, convey'd a right of Possession. But when we consider, that the practice of the strong and powerful, how universal soever it may be, is seldom the rule of Right, however it be one part of the subjection of the Conquer'd not to argue against the Conditions cut out to Page  404 them by the Conquering Swords.

181. Though in all War there be usu∣ally a complication of force and damage, and the Aggressor seldom fails to harm the Estate, when he uses force against the persons of those he makes War upon; yet 'tis the use of force only that puts a Man into the State of War. For whether by force he begins the injury; or else having quietly, and by fraud, done the injury, he refuses to make reparation, and by force maintains it, which is the same thing as at first to have done it by force; 'tis the unjust use of force that makes the War. For he that breaks open my House, and violently turns me out of Doors; or ha∣ving peaceably got in, by force keeps me out, does in effect the same thing; sup∣posing we are in such a state, that we have no common Judge on Earth, whom I may appeal to, and to whom we are both obliged to submit: for of such I am now speaking. 'Tis the unjust use of force then that puts a Man into the state of War with another, and thereby he that is guil∣ty of it makes a forfeiture of his Life. For quitting reason, which is the rule given between Man and Man, and using force the way of Beasts, he becomes liable to be destroy'd by him he uses force against, as any savage ravenous Beast, that is danger∣ous to his being.

Page  405182. But because the miscarriages of the Father are no faults of the Children, and they may be rational and peaceable, not∣withstanding the brutishness and injustice of the Father; the Father, by his miscar∣riages and violence, can forfeit but his own Life, but involves not his Childten in his guilt or destruction. His goods which nature, that willeth the preservation of all Mankind as much as is possible, hath made to belong to the Children to keep them from perishing, do still continue to belong to his Children. For supposing them not to have join'd in the War, either through infancy or choice, they have done nothing to forfeit them, nor has the Conquerour any right to take them away, by the bare right of having subdued him that by force attempted his destruction, though perhaps he may have some right to them to repair the dammages he has sustained by the War, and the defence of his own right, which how far it reaches to the possessions of the Conquer'd, we shall see by and by; so that he that by Conquest has a right over a Mans Person, to destroy him if he pleases, has not thereby a right over his Estate to possess and enjoy it. For it is the brutal force the Aggressor has used, that gives his Adversary a right to take away his Life, and destroy him, if he pleases, Page  406 as a noxious Creature; but 'tis damage sustain'd that alone gives him title to ano∣ther Mans Goods: For though I may kill a Thief that sets on me in the Highway, yet I may not (which seems less) take away his money, and let him go; this would be Robbery on my side. His force, and the state of War he put himself in, made him forfeit his Life, but gave me no title to his Goods. The right then of Con∣quest extends only to the Lives of those who join'd in the War, but not to their Estates, but only in order to make repa∣ration for the damages received, and the Charges of the War, and that too with reservation of the right of the inno∣cent Wife and Children.

183. Let the Conquerer have as much Justice on his side as could be suppos'd, he has no right to seize more than the van∣quish'd could forfeit; his Life is at the Vi∣ctors Mercy, and his service and goods he may appropriate to make himself repara∣tion; but he cannot take the goods of his Wife and Children, they too had a title to the goods he enjoy'd, and their shares in the estate he possessed. For Example, I in the state of nature (and all Common∣wealths are in the state of nature one with another) have injured another Man, and refusing to give satisfaction, it is come to Page  407 a state of War, wherein my defending by force, what I had gotten unjustly, makes me the Aggressour; I am con∣quered: my Life, 'tis true, as forfeit, is at mercy, but not my Wives and Chil∣drens. They made not the War, nor as∣sisted in it. I could not forfeit their Lives, they were not mine to forfeit. My Wife had a share in my Estate, that neither could I forfeit. And my Children also, being born of me, had a right to be main∣tain'd out of my Labour or Substance. Here then is the Case; The Conquerour has a Title to Reparation for Dama∣ges received, and the Children have a Ti∣tle to their Father's Estate for their Sub∣sistence. For as to the Wife's share, whe∣ther her own Labour or Compact gave her a Title to it, 'tis plain, her Husband could not forfeit what was hers. What must be done in the case? I answer; The Fundamental Law of Nature being, that all, as much as may be, should be preser∣ved, it follows, that if there be not enough fully to satisfie both, viz. for the Conque∣rour's Losses, and Childrens Maintenance, he that hath, and to spare, must remit something of his full Satisfaction, and give way to the pressing and preferible Title of those, who are in danger to pe∣rish without it.

Page  408184. But supposing the Charge and Da∣mages of the War are to be made up to the Conquerour, to the utmost Farthing, and that the Children of the vanquished, spoiled of all their Father's Goods, are to be left to starve, and perish• yet the sa∣tisfying of what shall, on this score, be due to the Conquerour, will scarce give him a Title to any Countrey he shall con∣quer. For the Damages of War can scarce amount to the value of any conside∣rable Tract of Land, in any part of the World, where all the Land is possessed, and none lies waste. And if I have not taken away the Conquerour's Land, which, being vanquished, it is impossible, I should; scarce any other spoil I have done him can amount to the value of mine, sup∣posing it of an extent any way coming near what I had over-run of his, and equally cultivated too. The destruction of a Years Product or two, (for it seldom reaches four or five) is the utmost spoil that usually can be done. For as to Mo∣ney, and such Riches and Treasure taken away, these are none of Natures Goods, they have but a phantastical imaginary value, Nature has put no such upon them. They are of no more account by her standard, than the Wampompeke of the Americans to an European Prince, or the Page  409 Silver Money of Europe would have been formerly to an American. And five years Product is not worth the perpetual Inhe∣ritance of Land, where all is possessed, and none remains waste, to be taken up by him that is disseiz'd: which will be easily grant∣ed, if one do but take away the imaginary value of Money, the disproportion being more than between five, and five thou∣sand. Though, at the same time, half a years product is more worth than the In∣heritance, where there being more Land than the Inhabitants possess and make use of, any one has liberty to make use of the waste: But there Conquerours take little care to possess themselves of the Lands of the vanquished. No damage therefore, that Men, in the state of Nature (as all Princes and Governments are in reference to one another) suffer from one another, can give a Conquerour Power to dispossess the Posterity of the vanquished, and turn them out of that Inheritance which ought to be the Possession of them, and their Descendants to all Generations. The Con∣querour indeed will be apt to think him∣self Master. And 'tis the very condition of the subdued not to be able to dispute their Right: But, if that be all, it gives no other Title, than what bare Force gives to the stronger over the weaker. Page  410 And, by this reason, he that is strongest will have a right to whatever he pleases to seize on.

185. Over those then that joined with him in the War, and over those of the subdued Countrey that opposed him not, and the Posterity even of those that did, the Conquerour, even in a just War, hath, by his Conquest, no right of Dominion. They are free from any subjection to him, and if their former Government be dis∣solved, they are at liberty to begin and erect another to themselves.

186. The Conquerour, 'tis true, usual∣ly, by the Force he has over them, com∣pels them, with a Sword at their Breasts, to stoop to his Conditions, and submit to such a Government as he pleases to afford them; but the enquiry is, What right he has to do so? If it be said, they submit by their own consent; then this allows their own consent to be necessary to give the Conquerour a Title to rule over them. It remains only to be considered, whether Promises, extorted by Force, without Right, can be thought Consent, and how far they bind. To which I shall say, they bind not at all, because whatsoever another gets from me by force, I still retain the Right of, and he is obliged presently to restore. He that forces my Horse from Page  411 me, ought presently to restore him, and I have still a right to retake him. By the same reason, he that forced a Promise from me ought presently to restore it, i. e. quit me, of the Obligation of it; or I may re∣sume it my self, i. e. chuse whether I will perform it. For the Law of Nature lay∣ing an obligation on me, only by the Rules she prescribes, cannot oblige me by the violation of her Rules: such is the extort∣ing any thing from me by force. Nor does it at all alter the case, to say I gave my Promise, no more than it excuses the force, and passes the right, when I put my hand in my Pocket, and deliver my Purse my self to a Thief, who demands it with a Pistol at my Breast.

187. From all which it follows, that the Government of a Conquerour, impo∣posed, by force, on the subdued, against whom he had no right of War, or who joined not in the War against him, where he had right, has no obligation upon them.

188. But let us suppose that all the Men of that Community being all Mem∣bers of the same Body Politick, may be taken to have join'd in that unjust War, wherein they are subdued, and so their Lives are at the Mercy of the Conque∣rour.

Page  412189. I say, this concerns not their Chil∣dren, who are in their Minority. For since a Father hath not, in himself, a Pow∣er over the Life or Liberty of his Child; no act of his can possibly forfeit it: so that the Children, whatever may have hap∣pened to the Fathers, are Free men, and the Absolute Power of the Conquerour reaches no farther than the Persons of the Men, that were subdued by him, and dies with them; and should he govern them as Slaves, subjected to his Absolute, Arbitrary Power, he has no such Right of Dominion over their Children. He can have no Power over them, but by their own consent, whatever he may drive them to say or do; and he has no lawful Authority, whilst Force, and not Choice, compels them to submission.

190. Every Man is born with a dou∣ble Right, First, A Right of Freedom to his Person, which no other Man has a Power over, but the free Disposal of it lies in himself. Secondly, A Right, before any other Man, to inherit, with his Bre∣thren, his Father's Goods.

191. By the first of these, a Man is na∣turally free from subjection to any Go∣vernment, though he be born in a place under its Jurisdiction. But if he disclaim the lawful Government of the Countrey Page  413 he was born in, he must also quit the Right, that belong'd to him, by the Laws of it, and the Possessions there descending to him, from his Ancestors, if it were a Government made by their consent.

192. By the second, the Inhabitants of any Countrey, who are descended, and derive a Title to their Estates from those who are subdued, and had a Government forced upon them, against their free con∣sents, retain a Right to the Possession of their Ancestours, though they consent not freely to the Government, whose hard Conditions were, by force, imposed on the Possessors of that Countrey. For the first Conqueror never having had a Title to the Land of that Country, the People, who are the Descendants of, or claim under those, who were forced to submit to the Yoke of a Government by constraint, have always a Right to shake it off, and free them∣selves from the Usurpation, or Tyranny the Sword hath brought in upon them; till their Rulers put them under such a Frame of Government, as they willingly, and of choice consent to (which they can never be supposed to do, till either they are put in a full state of Liberty to chuse their Government and Governours, or at least till they have such standing Laws, to which they have, by themselves, or their Page  414 Representatives, given their free consent, and also till they are allowed their due Property, which is so to be Proprietors of what they have, that no body can take away any part of it without their own consent, without which, Men under any Government are not in the state of Free-men, but are direct Slaves, under the force of War.) And who doubts but the Grecian Christians, Descendants of the antient Possessors of that Countrey, may justly cast off the Turkish Yoke they have so long groaned under, when-ever they have a Power to do it?

193. But granting that the Conquerour, in a just War, has a Right to the Estates, as well as Power over the Persons of the Conquered; which, 'tis plain, he hath not: nothing of Absolute Power will follow from hence, in the continuance of the Government. Because the Descen∣dants of these being all Free-men, if he grants them Estates, and Possessions to inhabit his Countrey, without which it would be worth nothing, whatsoever he grants them, they have so far as it is granted, Property in. The nature where∣of is, that, without a Man's own consent, it cannot be taken from him.

194. Their Persons are free, by a na∣tive Right, and their Properties, be they Page  415 more or less, are their own, and at their own dispose, and not at his; or else it is no Property. Supposing the Conquerour gives to one Man a Thousand Acres, to him and his Heirs for ever; to another he lets a Thousand Acres, for his Life, under the Rent of 50l. or 500l. per An. Has not the one of these a Right to his Thou∣sand Acres for ever, and the other, du∣ring his Life, paying the said Rent? And hath not the Tenant, for Life, a Property in all that he gets over and above his Rent, by his Labour and Industry, du∣ring the said term, supposing it be double the Rent? Can any one say, the King, or Conquerour, after his Grant, may, by his Power of Conquerour, take away all, or part of the Land, from the Heirs of one, or from the other, during his Life, he paying the Rent? Or can he take away, from either, the Goods or Money they have got upon the said Land, at his plea∣sure? If he can, then all free and volun∣tary Contracts cease, and are void, in the World; there needs nothing but Power enough to dissolve them at any time. And all the Grants and Promises of Men, in Power, are but Mockery and Collusion. For can there be any thing more ridi∣culous than to say, I give you and yours this for ever, and that in the surest and Page  416 most solemn way of conveyance can be devised: and yet it is to be understood, that I have Right, if I please, to take it away from you again to morrow?

195. I will not dispute now whether Princes are exempt from the Laws of their Countrey, but this I am sure, they owe subjection to the Laws of God, and Na∣ture. No Body, no Power can exempt them from the Obligations of that Eter∣nal Law. Those are so great, and so strong, in the case of Promises, that Om∣nipotency it self can be tyed by them. Grants, Promises, and Oaths are Bonds that hold the Almighty: what-ever some Flatterres say to Princes of the World, who, all together, with all their People joined to them, are, in comparison of the great God, but as a Drop of the Bucket, or a Dust on the Balance, inconsiderable, no∣thing!

196. The short of the Case, in Con∣quest, is this, The Conquerour, if he have a just Cause, has a Despotical Right over the Persons of all that actually aided, and concurred in the War against him, and a Right to make up his Damage and Cost, out of their Labour and Estates, so he injure not the Right of any other. Over the rest of the People, if there were any that consented not to the War, and Page  417 over the Children of the Captives them∣selves, or the Possessions of either he has no Power, and so can have, by Virtue of Conquest, no lawful Title himself to Dominion over them, or derive it to his Posterity; but is an Aggressour, and puts himself in a state of War against them, and has no better a Right of Prin∣cipality, he, nor any of his Successours, than Hingar, or Hubba, the Danes, had here in England, or Spartacus, had he con∣quered Italy; which is to have their Yoke cast off, as soon as God shall give those, under their subjection, Courage, and Op∣portunity to do it. Thus, notwithstand∣ing whatever Title the Kings of Assyria had over Iudah, by the Sword, God assist∣ed Hezekiah to throw off the Dominion of that conquering Empire. And the Lord was with Hezekiah, and he prospered; wherefore he went forth, and he rebelled against the King of Assyria, and served him not, 2 Kings XVIII. vij. Whence it is plain, that shaking off a Power, which Force, and not Right, hath set over any one, though it hath the Name of Rebellion; yet is no Offence before God, but that which he allows and countenances, though even Promises and Covenants, when ob∣tain'd by force, have intervened. For 'tis very probable, to any one that reads Page  418 the Story of Ahaz and Hezekiah, atten∣tively, that the Assyrians subdued Ahaz, and deposed him, and made Hezekiah King in his Father's life time; and that Hezekiah, by agreement, had done him Homage, and paid him Tribute till this time.