Unsound in principle, the system yielded, as might be expected, a harvest of mischief, not only to pure and noble minds whom it misled, but to other minds whose indolence and vice it nourished, while to mankind at large, it exhibited, in many an instance, a most unlovely spectacle of religious pretensions allied with irreligious practice; and, at the same time, poured over the mass of society the contagion of a pernicious example. Yet, during an age of barbarism, it preserved the seeds of taste and art--during an age of misrule, it afforded a shelter for the oppressed--during an age of ignorance, it kept alive some germs of learning--and during an age of cruel selfishness it illumined the world by some kindly gleams of benevolence. By an overruling Power it was made to serve some useful purposes, for many centuries after its establishment; but when its corruption had reached its height, and the better results it had once produced were neither felt nor needed, because a new state of things in the civilised world had come, it was smitten by the hand of Providence, and left to wither. In the control exerted over it for good, and in its destruction to such an extent, when it only produced evil, we see the wise and mighty hand of Providence, and are constrained to exclaim--"This also cometh from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." [1] Waddington's History of the Church, p. 398. [2] Wellington's History of the Church, p. 400. [3] Ibid. [4] Bibliotheca Sacra, vol. i. p. 312. CHAPTER IV. THE FEUDAL CASTLE. Feudalism is a leading fact in the history of the middle ages. It is characteristic of the social condition of Europe at that time. We cannot at all understand the state of things which then prevailed, unless we have a distinct conception of feudalism. It was a system which wrought most extensively and vigorously. It produced an immense effect in the hour of its zenith; it created an influence which lingered long after its decline, and which has not yet spent all its force. We shall attempt to trace the rise and progress of feudalism out of the mingled elements of Roman and barbarian society. SECTION I. RISE OF FEUDALISM. When the northern warriors subdued Europe, they divided the lands in the conquered territories between the vanquished and themselves, not forgetting, however, to retain in most cases the lion's share. The Vandals seized upon all the best lands in Africa. The Visigoths and Burgundians, who settled in Spain and Gaul, took two-thirds of the territorial property; but the Lombards, who descended upon Italy, more moderate in their desires, were content with a third part of the produce of the soil.