fore-hand with them, began the attack, and killed many of both sexes in the city, and trampled some children under their horses feet. The people armed in consequence, and the Count fled to Gloucester where the King was. When Godwin received information of this outrage, he was enraged that it should have happened within his authority, and came forward as the champion of the sufferers. He immediately raised from his own counties of Kent, Sussex, and Wessex, a military power, and his son Swein did the same with the counties of Oxford, Gloucester, Hereford, Somerset, and Berks, which were under his government, while Harold, another son, raised forces in Essex and other counties.

The King by his friends levied forces to oppose him, but could not prevent Godwin from marching to Beverston, in Gloucestershire, where he demanded of the King, the Earl of Bulloign and his followers, under a menace of hostilities, which the King after some deliberation refused. To prevent the miseries of a civil war, Leofric, a friend of the King, proposed that the King and Godwin should meet on an appointed day in London, and have the matters judicially determined by the Wittena Gemot. The proposal was accepted, and Edward marched to London, while Godwin and his sons occupied Southwark. Godwin however being summoned to meet the Wittena, felt afraid to face it, and dreading the result of an enquiry into his conduct, fed during the night, and with his three sons escaped to Flanders. Turner, vol. 3. page 321.

1053. The King held a great assembly of his nobles at Gloucester, in the ancient building of the monastery, in the time of Atkyns, called the Long Workhouse, but since converted into a dwelling house, and now the property of Rob. Smith, Esq.

T063. The King came again to Gloucester, and Harold was employed in reducing the Welch, who had long been

accustomed to harrass the western borders and then retiro to the safe fastnesses of their mountains. Griffith, or Griffin, the reigning prince, had greatly distinguished himself in these predatory incursions, but now in consequence of the vigorous measures pursued by the English army, he was sacri ficed to the fears of his own followers, and his head being cut off, was sent to Harold, who immediately transmitted it, with the gilded stern of Griffith's ship, to the King at Glou S. Dunelm. Flor, Worc. &c. also Hume and Rapin sub ann. 1963. W. Malm. lib. 2. cap. 13.

cester.

AFTER THE NORMAN CONQUEST.

William the Conqueror often held his court at Gloucester, and generally spent the Christmas here, attended by the principal nobility and ecclesiastics of the kingdom. In 1084 and again in 1085, the King, with his Lords, held his court here for five days. The Clergy also, with their Archbishop, held several synods here.-Fosbrooke. From the distinguished selection of Gloucester for these purposes, it seems at that tine to have been a place of considerable importance, and magnitude also, to entertain so numerous a body of nobles and others, whom duty or business brought to the royal court. From the Domesday record may be formed a tolerable conjecture of its extent, population, and consequence, about 1086. "In King Edward's time the city of Glouces ter paid thirty-six pounds in money; twelve sextaries (gal. lons) of honey according to the measure of the burgh; thirtysix dicres of iron (each ten bars); a hundred iron rods drawn out for nails of the King's ships, and some other small customs, in the King's hall and chamber. Now this city pays the King sixty pounds, twenty in ora (a Saxon coin about sixteen pence value) and of money the King hath twenty.'

"In the demesne lands of the King, Rogerius de Berckelai holds one house, and one fishery in the vill, and it is out of the King's hands. Balduinus held it in King Edward's time."

"Osburnus, Bishop (of Exon) holds the land and mansions which Edmarus held. They pay ten shillings with other custom."

"Gaufridus de Manneuile, holds six mansions. In King Edward's time these paid six shillings and eight pence, with other custom.”

"Willielmus Baderon, two mansions of thirty pence." "Willielmus Scriba, holds one mansion of fifty-one pence.' "Rogerius de Laci, one mansion of twenty-six pence." "Osbernus Episcopus, one mansion of forty pence.' "Bernerius, one mansion of fourteen pence." "Willielmus Calous, one mansion of twelve pence." "Durandus, the Sheriff, two mansions of fourteen pence." "The same Durandus holds one mansion of twenty six pence, and another mansion which pays no custom."

"Hadeuuinus, holds one mansion, which pays gabel, and witholds other custom."

"All these mansions paid royal custom in the time of King Edward; now King William hath nothing thence, nor Robertus, his minister."

"These mansions were in the farm of King Edward, when he was alive, and after his death; but now they are taken away from the farm and custom of the King. "In King Edward's time there was demesne of the King in the city, all his entertainment and clothing. When Earl William was received to farm, he was likewise clothed." There were sixteen houses, where the the castle stands, which are now wanting, and in the burgh of the city fourteen that are waste."

Besides these, there are mentioned in the same survey as belonging to different proprietors, eighty houses and burgages; and about a hundred, the property of St. Peter's Ab

bey; the whole number at that period was, at least, two hundred and fifty five. According to modern calculation, it is usual to reckon five persons to a house; this, however, is scarcely high enough for that period, when the mansions were upon the larger scale; and greater state was maintain ed in the pumber of servants and dependents. On the supposition that the average number in a family was ten, the population will amount to two thousand five hundred.

ן'

In 1087, or the following year, the town was nearly consumed by fire, in the disputes between William Rufus and his brother Robert. Furney.

1.

In 1093, William II. was seized with a distemper while he was at Gloucester, which gave some hopes to the people, that by his death they should be released from the almost intolerable oppressions they laboured under; but he recovered, and notwithstanding his promises while under the ap. prehension of death, he encouraged extortion, injustice, and rapine, as much as before, among his ministers and favourites. About the same time Malcolm, King of Scotland, conformably to an agreement made with the King, came to Glou cester, to settle some affairs that had been left undetermined in the late treaty. On William's refusing to admit him to his presence, without having first received his homage, the Scotch Prince considered this demand as a pretence to affront him and returned home disgusted at the haughty con duct of the English King-Rapin, sub. ann. 1093. Y

1094. The Welch, under the command of William de Odo, or d'Eu, with the view of procuring the deposition of William, spoiled and otherwise did great mischief to the town.-Stow's Annals, p. 132.

+

1999. William, agreeably to ancient custom, spent Christmas at Gloucester. Hen. Huntingd. p.216.

the

1101. On the eighth of the ides of June, the town, which was built principally of timber, was hearly destroyed by

D

fire, and twenty years afterwards suffered the same calamity. -Antiq. Brit. S. Dunchm. p. 226. Atkyns.

1123. On the feast of the Purification, Henry had his court at Gloucester, and at a synod held at the same time, by his command, Curboil, Abbot of St. Bennett's, was elected Archbishop of Canterbury. Sax. An. Hen. Huntingd.

139. Matilda, or Maud, widow of the Emperor, Hen. IV. on the invitation of her brother, Robert Earl of Gloucester, came to England with the view of taking the crown, which Stephen bad usurped. She made her first quarters at Arundel, from whence she came to Bristol, and then to Gloucester; where she was received by Milo, the King's Constable, and Deputy Governor of the Castle under Robert. During her residence here in the following year, King Stephen, after having exhibited astonishing feats of valour, in the battle fought near Lincoln, was taken prisoner and brought to her by the Earl of Gloucester. She ordered him to be confined in the Castle at Bristol, and soon after left this place, and passed through Cirencester, in her way to Winchester.--Will, Malmsb...

1141. Matilda having, by her haughty conduct, and breach of promise to the Bishop of Winchester, excited the hatred of the Londoners, suddenly left the metropolis, and again came to Gloucester, to concert measures with Milo. She then returned to Winchester, where she shut herself up in the Castle, and endured a close siege of two months; but finding it difficult to hold out any longer, she sallied out, attended by her friends, and after many skirmishes arrived at Devizes. From bence she escaped to Gloucester, whither it is said by some authors, that she was carried in a coffin. Milo was encar being taken during the march from Winchester, and came almost naked to Gloucester; but Earl Robert wasomade prisoner, and after six months' confinement, was exchanged by the Empress for the King; this sa