It lies in the very nature of things that among a people animated with such principles as have now been described, and so placed by circumstances on tracts of land far more than sufficient for their support, the very earliest organization should be based upon the family relations. Dwelling near to one another, united by a community of interests and the endearing ties of mutual relationship, or the scarcely weaker bond of adoption,—strong as regards other families in direct proportion to their union among themselves,—the mǽgð or family offer all the guarantees in their own natural position which the primitive state can require. In the popular councils the largest and most distinguished family has necessarily the greatest weight; but association of others, severally less powerful, is always capable of counteracting danger which might arise in a free state from the ambition of any of its portions. In the absence of a central power,—or rather its dispersion through all the several members of the community, the collection of revenue and the maintenance of the peace must be left to the heads of the several fractions, whether villages (as in the East), or families, which at one time are identical with villages. The police therefore especially belongs to the family, and is by it exercised over all the individuals that compose it; hence also the grave misconduct of the individual may justly have the effect of destroying the social position of the whole mǽgð. In Beówulf, the warriors who deserted their prince in his utmost need, are sternly told by his successor, that not only they, but their whole mǽgburh will thenceforth have forfeited the rights of citizenship, folcrihtes sceal ðǽre mǽrge monna ǽghwylc ídel hweorfan,