These dukes and counts and barons had sworn to be faithful to the king who had given them their "feudum" (hence our word "feudal,")
这些公爵、伯爵、男爵们统统宣誓效忠于"封邑" 的国王（封邑为"feudum"，这也是封建制（feudal）一词的由来），
in return for their loyal services and a certain amount of taxes.
以战争时期的尽忠服役和平时纳税进贡作为对国王分封土地的回报。
But travel in those days was slow and the means of communication were exceedingly poor.
不过在那个交 通不便、通讯联系不畅的年代，
The royal or imperial administrators therefore enjoyed great independence,
皇帝和国王的权威很难迅速到达他们属地的所有角落，因此这些陛下任命的管理者们享有很大程度的独立性。
and within the boundaries of their own province they assumed most of the rights which in truth belonged to the king.
事实上，在属于自己管辖的土地内，他们僭越了大部分本属于国王的权力。城堡和骑士
But you would make a mistake if you supposed that the people of the eleventh century objected to this form of government.
不过要是你以为11世纪的普通老百姓反对这种行政体制，那你就大错特错了。
They supported Feudalism because it was a very practical and necessary institution.
他们支持封建制，因为这在当时是一种非常必需且富于实效的政治制度。
Their Lord and Master usually lived in a big stone house erected on the top of a steep rock or built between deep moats, but within sight of his subjects.
他们的大人或领主通常住在高大坚固的石头城堡里面，矗立于陡峭的岩壁之上，或者四周环有深险的护城河。城堡就坐落在封地属民们看得见的地方，时时给他们极大的安全感和信心。
In case of danger the subjects found shelter behind the walls of the baronial stronghold.
一俟危险来临，臣民们可以躲进领主城堡的坚固高墙内避难。
That is why they tried to live as near the castle as possible
这也是当时的居民总是尽可能住得挨近城堡的原因，
and it accounts for the many European cities which began their career around a feudal fortress.
而大部分的欧洲城市都起源于靠近封建城堡的地方，也出于同一原因。
But the knight of the early middle ages was much more than a professional soldier.
还必须指出一点，欧洲中世纪早期的骑士并不仅仅是一名职业战士，
He was the civil servant of that day. He was the judge of his community and he was the chief of police.
他还是那个时代的公务员。他担任社区的法官，裁判刑事案件，处理民间纠纷；
He caught the highwaymen and protected the wandering pedlars who were the merchants of the eleventh century.
他是负责治安的警察首脑，抓捕拦路盗贼，保护四方游走的小贩（他们就是11世纪的商人）。