DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL LIBERTY 143 succor to the others and not permit anything to be taken from them." At Lille, when a burgher was attacked by a man from abroad, it was sufficient for him to cry "Bourgeoisie!" All the citizens present were obliged to go to his aid, under penalty of a fine. The commune had the same rights as a knight; it could make war on its enemies and destroy their homes. As a sign of its right it had a seal, in order to seal its acts, a treasury in which to deposit its money, a belfry with a bell to call the citizens to arms (this belfry is the church tower of the bourgeoisie), a hotel de ville, that is, a mansion where assembled the cor- poration of the town, the council of the men who gov- erned the town. The Town Corporation.—The corporation of the town was a council composed of burgher members of the commune; sometimes there were four, sometimes twelve, sometimes one hundred members; sometimes they had equal powers, sometimes they were presided over by a mayor; in the South they were called con- suls, in the North aldermen, wardens, governors. They were always the notables of the town. No one in the Middle Ages, neither bourgeois nor noble, thought of demanding equality. These notables had absolute power over the inhabitants; they judged the suits and condemned the criminals, they levied taxes and kept the keys of the city gates; in case of danger they stretched chains across the streets and they rang the bell in the belfry. At the sound of this bell the citizens must hasten to arms and put themselves under the command of their chief; they must also go to the great assembly, in the public square, in the cemetery,