the contests between the popes and the emperors produced a warfare of words among the disciples of Irnerius.  It has been mentioned that the German emperors pretended to succeed to the empire of the Caesars.  The language and spirit of the Justinianean code, being highly favourable to this claim, the emperors encouraged the civilians, and in return for it, had their pens at command.  The decree of Gratian was favourable to the pretensions of the popes; and on this account was encouraged by the canonists.  Hence, generally speaking, the civilians were partisans of the emperors, the canonists of the popes.  From their adherence to the law of Justinian, the former were called Legistae; from their adherence to the decree of Gratian, the latter were called Decretistae.  The controversy was carried on with great ardour and perseverance; the schools both of Italy and Germany resounded with the disputes, and in both, numerous tracts in support of the opposite claims, were circulated.  The question necessarily carried the disputants to many incidental topics:  these equally increased the powers and curiosity of the disputants, and stimulated them to better and more interesting studies.

V. 1.

Antient and Modern Geography of the Netherlands.

We have thus brought down our historical deduction of the German Empire to the accession of the Emperor Charles the Fifth.

About 160 years before this event, that portion of the empire, to which its situation has given the appellation of THE NETHERLANDS, began to have a separate history, and both a separate and important influence on the events of the times.  To them we shall now direct our attention.

These spacious territories are bounded on the north, by the German Ocean; on the west, by the British Sea and part of Picardy; on the south, by Champagne or Lorraine; on the east, by the archbishoprics of Triers and Treves, the dutchies of Juliers and Cleves, the bishopric of Munster, and the county of Embden or East Friesland.

[Sidenote:  V. 1.  Antient and Modern Geography of the Netherlands.]

When the Romans invaded Gaul, it was divided among three principal clans:  the Rhine then formed its western boundary.  The left banks of this river were occupied by the Belgians:  this tract of land now comprises the catholic Netherlands, and the territory of the United States; the right bank of the Rhine was then filled by the Frisians, and now comprises the modern Groeningen, east and west Friesland, a part of Holland, Gueldres, Utrecht, and Overyssell:  the Batavians inhabited the island which derives its name from them; it now comprises the upper part of Holland, Utrecht, Gueldres, and Overyssell, the modern Cleves between the Lech and the Waal.