The inhabitants of this province, though now lost to all sense of political independence, yet possess many good qualities. They are remarkably phleg matic, but humane, good natured, and friendly ; and, even amidst the violence of passion, they are neither cruel nor implacable. But however insensible to their present degradation, this people once possessed high notions of liberty, and enjoyed, under their first princes, personal freedom and security beyond any other state in Europe. Even so early as the 9th century, the constitution of Brabant affords an exam ple of civil liberty, which is scarcely surpassed at this day by any nation in the world. The Blyde Inkomste van Brabant, the joyous entry of Brabant, which was the great charter of their freedom, was so named, be cause the sovereign, when he entered upon his govern ment, bound himself by an oath to govern according to this charter. In it the conditions are declared, on which the people consented to yield obedience, and on which the prince was willing to reign ; and a remarkable clause is added, Fiat if the so vereign should infringe any article of the Joyous Entry, his subjects should he released from all duty and service, until due reparation should be made. By this instrument, no arbitrary mandate could deprive a citizen of his liberty ; his dwelling was sacred, and if suspected of a crime, the officers of justice could not enter his house unless two magistrates were pre sent. If apprehended, be had a right, after a limited time, to call upon his judges to determine whether there were sufficient grounds for his detention. Without the consent and authority of the states, (which consisted of three orders, the clergy, the no bles, and the commons,) no taxes could be imposed, or subsidies granted, and in the latter case the com mons could not agree, until they collected the sense of their constituents in the different cities which they represented. The dukes of Brabant and Bur gundy, and in later times the princes of Austria, governed according to this charter. But, in ad
dition to the many privileges which the Brabanders enjoyed, by a decree of the emperor's, called the Golden Bull of Brabant, it was forbidden to all the princes of the empire, within or without their domi nions, to exercise any jurisdiction over the natives of Brabant, unless justice should be denied by their own sovereign. Their personal liberty was equalled by their ingenuity and industry ; and while the neigh bouring nations knew no other business but that of war, the inhabitants of Brabant were trained to the diligence of trades and crafts. The woollen manu facture, in particular, was held in very great esteem. It gave occupation to vast multitudes, and brought great wealth into the country. But while commerce and the arts flourished here, at a very early period, beyond those of any other country, agriculture was not forgotten, and while these Were precipitated in the fall of its independence, this last still retains its vigour. Swelling into hills of a gentle ascent, and covered with rich country scats, woods and lakes, in closed grounds, and champaign fields, Brabant pre sents a beautifully diversified appearance, and in the greatest part of its extent is both populous and fer tile. Every species of agriculture which is common to the country is in as high perfection as in England, and the best parts of England arc even sometimes surpassed. It produces, in great abundance, rye, bar ley, oats, buck-wheat, potatoes, carrots, turnips, and a species of grass called sporee, which is cultivated in no other country except in Guelders and Cleves, and of which they make most excellent hay. Brabant is still famous for its drabs, and other woollen stuffs, as also for its camblets, carpets, and lace. See Shaw's Sketches of the History of the Xetherlands. Hot croft's Travels from Hamburgh to Paris. Foster's Travels. Pcuchet' Dictionnaire Universe!. See also NETHERLANDS• (/1)