Sec. 72. Though the obligation on the parents to bring up
their children, and the obligation on children to honour their
parents, contain all the power on the one hand, and submission on
the other, which are proper to this relation, yet there is
another power ordinarily in the father, whereby he has a tie on
the obedience of his children; which tho' it be common to him
with other men, yet the occasions of shewing it, almost consich
tho' it be common to him with other men, yet the occasions of
shewing it, almost constantly happening to fathers in their
private families, and the instances of it elsewhere being rare,
and less taken notice of, it passes in the world for a part of
paternal jurisdiction. And this is the power men generally have
to bestow their estates on those who please them best; the
possession of the father being the expectation and inheritance of
the children, ordinarily in certain proportions, according to the
law and custom of each country; yet it is commonly in the
father's power to bestow it with a more sparing or liberal hand,
according as the behaviour of this or that child hath comported
with his will and humour.
Sec. 73. This is no small tie on the obedience of children:
and there being always annexed to the enjoyment of land, a
submission to the government of the country, of which that land
is a part; it has been commonly supposed, that a father could
oblige his posterity to that government, of which he himself was
a subject, and that his compact held them; whereas, it being only
a necessary condition annexed to the land, and the inheritance of
an estate which is under that government, reaches only those who
will take it on that condition, and so is no natural tie or
engagement, but a voluntary submission: for every man's children
being by nature as free as himself, or any of his ancestors ever
were, may, whilst they are in that freedom, choose what society
they will join themselves to, what common-wealth they will put
themselves under.
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