But when the German nations had been settled some time in the provinces of the Roman empire, they made still another step towards a more cultivated life, and their criminal justice gradually improved and refined itself. The magistrate, whose office it was to guard public peace, and to suppress private animosities, conceived himself to be injured by every injury done to any of his people; and besides the compensation to the person who suffered, or to his family, he thought himself entitled to exact a fine, called the “fridwit,” as an atonement for the breach of peace, and as a reward for the pains which he had taken in accommodating the quarrel. When this idea, which is so natural, was once suggested, it was willingly received both by sovereign and people. The numerous fines which were levied, augmented the revenue of the king; and the people were sensible that he would be more vigilant in interposing with his good offices, when he reaped such immediate advantage from them; and that injuries would be less frequent, when, besides compensation to the person injured, that they were exposed to this additional penalty.[**] [* Tacit, de Mor. Germ. The author says, that the price of the composition was fixed; which must have been by the laws, and the interposition of the magistrates.] [** Besides paying money to the relations of the deceased, and to the king, the murderer was also obliged to pay the master of a slave of vassal a sum, as a compensation for his loss. This was called the “manbote” See Spel. Gloss, in verb. Fredum, Manbot.]