To give such a decision in favour of Virginia, would be a _variatio personarum_; it would be introducing as entitled to the benefit of the law a class of persons, who were, even according to their own statements, not entitled to _vindiciae secundum libertatem_.
Besides, and most important of all, the law could act in the former, as any citizen was entitled to plead the cause of one presumptively free.
But in this case no one could plead, but either the father as master on the one hand, or the alleged master on the other: as the father was not present, consequently no one had any legal claim to urge the law."] [Footnote 147: _Si nec causis nec personis variet._ Sc.

lex variet.

Some understand _libertas_ as the nominative to variet.] [Footnote 148: _Because any person_.

"As the law permits any strangers to interpose in vindicating an individual's liberty, they have an undoubted right so to do.

But the question is not whether this maiden is free: that she cannot be in any case; for she belongs either to her father or her master.