again with his youngest son Harry (whom he more trusted) into Normandy; where he held himself quiet a while, and gave his father some small breathing-time to dispose of the affairs of this kingdom.

§. 29. But it was not long ere new occasions of greater troubles grew up, which took by this means. The two princes, Robert and Henry, went to visit and salute the king of France at Conflans; where being feasted certain days upon an after-dinner, Henry won so much at chess of Louis, the king's eldest son, that he grew so far into choler, as he called him the son of a bastard, and threw the chess in his face. Henry takes up the chessboard, and struck Louis with that force as he drew blood, and had killed him, had it not been for his brother Robert, who came in in the mean time, and interposed himself; whereupon they suddenly took horse, and with much ado saved themselves at Pontoise from the king's people that pursued them.

§. 30. This quarrel, arising upon the intermeeting of these princes, (which is a thing that seldom breeds good blood amongst them,) reinkindled a heat of more rancour in the fathers, and set a mighty fire between the two kingdoms, which made the first war the English and French had together, whereupon followed many others. For presently the king of France complots again with Robert, enters into Normandy, and takes the city of Vernon. The king of England invades France, subdues the country on Xaintoign and Poitou, and returns to Roan; where the third time his son Robert is reconciled unto him, which much disappointeth and vexeth the king of France: who hereupon summons the king of England to come and do him homage for the kingdom of England: which he refused to do; saying, that he held it of none but of God and his sword: but yet, offering to do him homage for the duchy of Normandy, it would not satisfy the king of France, who was willing to make any occasion the motive to set upon him and again he invaded his territories, but with more loss than profit. In the end they conclude a little unperfect peace together, which held no longer than king William had recovered a

sickness, whereinto, by reason of his years, travel, and fatness, he was lately fallen. At which time the king of France, (then young and lusty,) jesting at his great belly, whereof he said he lay in at Roan, so irritated him, as, being recovered, he gathered all his forces, entered into France in the chiefest time of their fruits, and came even before Paris, spoiling and burning all in his way: where with heat and toil he fell into a relapse, returned to Roan, and there made an end of his wars and life, after he had held this kingdom b twenty years and ten months.

§. 31. Now concerning his government in peace, and the course he held in establishing the kingdom thus gotten; first he examines the English laws, which were then composed of Merchenlage, Danelage, and Westsaxlage: whereof some he abrogated, and some allowed, adding other of Normandy; especially such as made for the preservation of the peace, which most imported him to look unto: and these laws thus reformed, he caused to be all translated and written into the Norman tongue; hereby to draw the people of the kingdom to learn that language for their own need, that the two nations might the better grow together and become one; seeing a difference of speech would continue a difference of affections. Wherein he attained not his desire; nor ever was it in the power of any conqueror so to do without the universal extirpation of the landbred people: who being so far in number (as they were) above the invaders, both carry the main of the language, and also in few years make them to become theirs that subdued them. But yet upon these laws, thus established by so prudent a prince, this free and fierce nation was so well held in peace and obedience, as his successors, with some abatement of rigour and prerogative, have ever since continued a most glorious sovereignty over the same.

§. 32. And for that he would be well and certainly supplied with treasure, which his great wars and entertainments required, he took a most provident course for reforming the

b Anno 20.

fisque, or exchequer, and the ordering and raising of his revenues; endeavouring to make and know the utmost of his estate. And therefore he employed a most discreet choice of men to survey the whole kingdom, and to take the particulars of his own and every man's ability; the quantity and nature of lands and possessions, with the descriptions, bounds, and divisions of shires and hundreds within the same. And this was drawn into one book, and brought into his ærarium, the exchequer, (so called of the table, whereat the officers sat, before termed the talee,) and the same entitled Doomsday Book, liber judiciarius, (saith Gervasius,) the judgment book, that was to decide all doubts concerning these particulars.

§. 33. All the forests and chases throughout the kingdom he took into his proper possession, and exempted them from being under any other law than his own pleasure, to serve as penetralia regnum, the withdrawing chambers of kings, to recreate them after their serious labours in the state; where none might presume to have to do, and where all punishments and pardons of delinquents were to be disposed by himself absolutely, and the former customs abrogated. And to make his command the more, he increased the number of them in all parts of the land; and on the south coast dispeopled the country for above thirty miles space, making of old inhabited possessions a new forest; inflicting great punishments for hunting his deer, whereby he much advanced his revenue; which was the greatest act of concussion and tyranny he committed in his government. And the same course held almost every king near the conquest. For Henry the First proceeded with such violence as to make a law, that if any man killed the king's deer in his own woods he should forfeit his woods to the king: but king Stephen, having need of the people's favour, repealed that law. And in the end this grievance, amongst others, after much bloodshed in the kingdom, was allayed by the charter of forests granted by Henry III. For other possessions, he permitted those which held them before his com

ing, to continue them quietly in the same manner, and took none but from such as after his possession of the crown rebelled against him, or were slain in the wars.

§. 34. He imposed no new taxations on the state, and used those he found very moderately: as danegelt, being a tax raised by the former kings of two shillings upon every hide-land, to maintain the wars against the Danes; he would not have it made an annual payment, but only taken upon urgent occasion: and it was seldom gathered in his time, or his successors. Scutagium, or escuage, which was also then an imposition of money upon every knight's fee, (afterwards only employed for the service in Scotland,) was never levied but in like occasions for stipends and donatives to soldiers.

§. 35. Only one exaction he was forced to raise, to cure a mischief which arose by his means. In the beginning of this reign the rancour of the English towards the newcome Normans was such, as, finding them single in woods and remote places, they secretly murdered them; and the deed-doers, for any the severest courses taken, could never be discovered. Whereupon it was ordained, that the hundred wherein a Norman was found slain, and the murderer not taken, should be condemned to pay the king some thirtysix pounds, and some twenty-eight pounds, according to the quantity of the hundred. And this was done to the end the punishment, being generally inflicted, it might particularly deter them, and hasten the discovery of the malefactor, by whom so many must otherwise be interessed. This mulct, and the seizing into his hands the church treasure before noted, (though both were done by the especial commanding warrant of necessity,) were much taken to heart in the kingdom, both by the clergy and common people.

§. 36. And yet otherwise was he to both very gracious and beneficial. For upon petition made unto him, he relieved the oppression of such as were tenants at will of their lords, which were a very great number, and began after

c Gervasius.

this manner. All those who were discovered to have had a hand in any rebellion, and were pardoned, only to enjoy the benefit of life, having all their livelihood taken from them, became vassals unto those lords to whom the possessions were given of all such lands as were forfeited by attainders. And if by their diligent service they could attain any portion of ground, they held it, but only so long as it pleased their lords, without having any estate for themselves or their children; and were oftentimes miserably cast out upon the sudden, contrary to promise, upon any small displeasure. Whereupon it was ordained, that whatsoever they had obtained of their lords by any obsequious service, or agreed for upon any lawful pact, they should hold by an inviolable law during their own lives.

§. 37. And for the clergy, other than in this one act, he maintained all their immunities and privileges, and they grew very much under him. But this (it seems) was the cause that made them so much disfigure his worthiness, and leave his memory in so black colours to posterity as they did, in delineating his tyranny, rigour, and oppression ; when the nature and necessary disposition of his affairs do much excuse him therein, and shew that he was a prince of a most active virtue, whose abilities of nature were equal to his undertakings of fortune, as preordained for so great a work. And though he might have some advantage of the time, wherein we often see men prevail more by the imbecilities of others than their own worth; yet let those times be well examined, his strength and eminency (if we take his just measure) were of an exceeding proportion. Neither wanted he those encounters and concurrences of sufficient able princes, his neighbours, to put him to the trial thereof; having on one side the French to grapple withal, on the other the Dane, far mightier in people and shipping than himself, strongly sided in the kingdom, as greedy to reco ver their former footing here as ever, and as well or better prepared.

§. 38. But this name of conquest (which ever imports