<論説>イギリス中世都市における自治と寡頭専制支配

Abstract

イギリス中世都市の法人格化、とりわけその時期をめぐっては、いまだ不明確な点が少なくない。学説史的にも、バラー ド(A.Ballard) 、ウェインバアム(M.Weinbaum) 等のあいだで、かなりの見解の相違が認められる。筆者は、こうした見解の相違のよってきたる所以を「法人」の実体と名目との乖離に求め、前者をこそ重視すべきだと考える。すなわち法形式主義的には、 イギリス中世都市の法人格化完成は、一五世紀以降の国王による法人化法認特許状取得時点に求むべきであろうが、この時点には、 既に市民間の階層分化が深刻化し、市民大衆は市民的諸特権から排除され、したがって「都市法人」の実体は一部特権市民団体にほかならなくなっていた。特許状にいう全市民とは擬制である。だが、法認化に先行する一三世紀には、いまだ市民層内部に分化→対立はなく、全市民がその名称のままに事実上法人化され、団体として権利・義務を行使・履行していた。そこで筆者は、一三世紀をもって「都市自治」の高潮期であり、かつ、事実上の法人格化完成期と見なすべきだ、と考える。

Not a few vague points still remain as to the incorporation of mediaeval English boroughs, particularly as to the time when they were incorporated. Theoretically speaking, one cannot help recognizing the difference of opinion about it between A. Ballard and M. Weinbaum. The author, taking up the position that stress should be put on the former, attributes this difference to the separation of the real from the nominal or legal incorporation. Judging from the legal formalism, the incorporation of the mediaeval English borough should have been accomplished by the grant of the royal charter which placed them on an equal footing with the county. However, one cannot forget that the stratification of property between the upper and the lower burgesses became serious just after the 15th century when boroughs, one after another, were granted to incorporate themselves. The Commonalty, that is, the lower burgesses were alienated by the priviledged burgesses and could not enjoy the burgage rights which had been invested by the several charters. The substance of the municipal corporation, therefore, was the oligarchic body of the priviledged burgesses excluding the Commonalty. In the 13th century, however, there was no such a dissolution nor opposition among the burgesses. All burgesses of each borough could exercise the burgage rights and undertook their obligations equally in the name of the municipal corporation. The author tries to substantiate these points by historical materials concerning Norwich, Nottingham and Leicester; and concludes that the so-called "urban freedom" or the municipal self-government marked its climax in the 13th century and boroughs, therefore, accomplished the de-facto incorporation within the same century.