THE story of most towns is simply that of a com- : munity growing larger under favourable circum-stances. At first, the landlord has personal control of the inhabitants as to the ownership of the land ; gradually, however, these. inhabitants bocome rich enough to buy liberties from him, until at last his lordship becomes nothing more than a bond or link. The character of the evolution of these towns, however, differs greatly according to the different status of the lords-kings, nobles, or ecclesiastics.