who held it in the time of King Edward, who holds it now; how many hides, how many plows in demesne, how many belonging to the men, how many villains, how many cottars, how many serfs, how many freemen, how many socmen, how much woods, how much meadow, how many pastures, how many mills, how many fish ponds, how much has been added or taken away, how much it was worth altogether at that time and how much now, how much each free man or socman had or has. All this threefold; that is to say, in the time of King Edward, and when King William gave it, and as it is now; and whether more can be had than is had.

The first of the following extracts from Domesday Book is a translation of the facsimile page opposite page 112 of the Short History of England. As will be seen, the statements of Domesday Book are not very easy to understand, and can only be interpreted and made to throw light on the history of the period by much study and comparison with other passages. These extracts are given here rather to show clearly what was the character of the great record than to add very much. to the knowledge of the elementary student.

Suffolk. Land of Roger Bigot. Hundred of Bradmer. Stan- 69. Extracts hart holds from Roger Bigot, Bernham, which Ailwy of Thet- from Domesday Book ford held as a manor in the time of King Edward. There is one plowland. At all times six bordars and one serf and tw plows on the demesne and a half a plow of the men. Two acres of meadow; at all times one mill. At both times there were two riding horses, now there is one. At that time there were three oxen, now six. At all times fourteen swine and twelve forest horses. At that time one hundred and sixty sheep, now three hundred, and five freemen. The predecessor of Roger had forty acres of these in commendation in the time of King Edward; which Stanhart holds likewise. St. Edmund has the right of holding court there. At that time the manor was worth thirty shillings, now forty, and the freemen three

shillings. It is twelve furlongs in length and ten in width, and pays eleven pence three farthings of danegeld.

Half-hundred of Cosfort. In Watsfield one freeman under jurisdiction. And in the time of King Edward he was commended and his whole jurisdiction, and he has fifteen acres and these are worth two shillings and sixpence. He holds these from Hosdene. Biscopes Hundred. Roger Bigot holds Caranhall in domain, which Norman held in the time of King Edward. Four plowlands. At that time and afterward ten villains, now fifteen; then and afterward seven bordars, now seventeen; always three plows on the demesne and ten plows of the men, and five acres of meadow. Woods for sixty swine and now three riding horses and two oxen and thirty swine. At that time twenty-five sheep, now one hundred. The church has thirty acres and one plow. At that time it was worth one hundred shillings. In the same Ulveva held two plowlands as a manor, which Roger holds in domain. Then five villains, now seven; then four bordars, now nine; at all times two plows on the demesne, five plows of the men, and three acres of meadow. At that time it was worth sixty shillings. In that manor which Norman used to hold there are thirty-five freemen able to give and sell their lands, whom Roger holds in demesne with jurisdiction and all customs, and one acre of meadow, and now a market, of the gift of the king.

The land of Robert Malet in Suffolk. Hundred of Babenberg. Hubert holds from Robert Malet, Edwardston, which Godwin the son of Ælfric held in the time of King Edward, under the king, with jurisdiction, as a manor. It is of four plowlands. The church has thirty acres of free land. At that time there were ten villains, afterwards there were nine, now there are six. At that time and afterwards there were seven bordars, now there are thirteen. At that time and afterwards there were six serfs, now there are four. Then and afterwards three plows were on the demesne, now two. Then and afterwards the men had six plows, now three, with six acres of meadow. There is woods for ten swine; there is a winter mill. At that time there were two horses in the stable, now there is one; at that time there were seventeen cattle, now eleven; at

that time there were sixty swine, now thirty-seven. At that time and afterward it was worth one hundred shillings, now seven pounds. In the same nine socmen have half a plowland. Then and afterwards they had one plow, now half a one, proportionately. This manor is six furlongs in length and six in breadth. Each man who holds there pays tenpence danegeld. . . .

Stowe Hundred. Robert de Glanville holds from Robert Malet, Coating, which was held by Lewin, a freeman of Edric, the predecessor of Robert Malet, only commended to him. There is one plowland there in the jurisdiction of the king and the earl. . . .

In Henley a certain freeman commended to Stanwin under Harold holds three acres, and they are worth eight pence, so long as Humphrey holds them. The jurisdiction is in the hands of the abbot. In Debenham, Robert has two thirds of the church of St. Mary, twenty acres, for purposes of taxation, and the fourth part of the church of St. Andrew.

IV. WILLIAM II AND LANFRANC

Eadmer, a monk of Canterbury, gives the following account of the accession and a glimpse of the character of William Rufus.

And so when King William was dead his son William succeeded him in the kingdom. But when he found the great men of the realm to be inclining towards his brother Robert, and that Lanfranc, without whose assent he was not able to attain the kingdom, was not altogether favorable to the carrying out of his desire, he feared lest the delay of his consecration would cause the loss of the honor he coveted. He therefore began both of himself and through others to promise to Lanfranc, with an oath and on his faith, that if he were king he would keep justice, mercy, and equity through the whole realm in all things; that he would defend the peace, liberty, and security of the churches against all men, and would submit to his counsels and precepts for all things, and in all things. But when after this he had been confirmed in his kingship, he

70. Accession and early actions of

William II.

71. Bold spirit of

William II.

disregarded all his promises and fell into exactly contrary ways. When Lanfranc temperately remonstrated with him and charged him with the breaking of his agreement and his faith, he was stirred to fury. "Who is there," he said, "who can carry out all that he has promised?" From this time he could not look the archbishop directly in the eyes, although from some of those things to which his will summoned him he did refrain, from respect to the prelate, while he still lived. For Lanfranc indeed was a man so learned in both divine and human law, that the glances of the whole kingdom watched his face. When he departed from this life what a calamity it was to all the churches of England!

William of Malmesbury, another contemporary, tells some anecdotes showing that William II had much of the vigor, though little of the judgment, of his father.

But still there are some proofs of noble magnanimity in the king, the knowledge of which I will not deny posterity. As he was once engaged in hunting in a certain forest, a foreign messenger acquainted him that the city of Mans, which he had lately added to his dominions on the departure of his brother, was besieged. Unprepared as he was, he turned his horse instantly, and shaped his journey to the sea. When his nobles reminded him that it would be necessary to call out his troops and put them in array, "I shall see," said he, "who will follow me do you think I shall not have people enough? If I know the temper of the young men of my kingdom, they will even brave shipwreck to come to me." In this manner he arrived, almost unattended, at the seacoast. The sky at that time was overcast, the wind contrary, and a tempest swept the. surface of the deep. When he determined to embark directly, the mariners besought him to wait till the storm should subside and the wind be favorable. "Why," said William, "I have never heard of a king perishing by shipwreck no, weigh anchor immediately, and you shall see the elements conspire to obey me." When the report of his having crossed the sea reached the besiegers, they hastily retreated. One Helias, the

author of the commotion, was taken; to whom, when brought before him, the king said jocularly, “I have you, master." But he, whose haughty spirit, even in such threatening danger, knew not how to be prudent, or to speak submissively, replied: "You have taken me by chance; if I could escape, I know what I would do." At this William, almost beside himself with rage, seizing Helias, exclaimed: "You scoundrel! And what would you do? Begone, depart, fly: I give you leave to do whatever you can; and by the crucifix at Lucca, if you shall conquer me, I will ask no return for this favor." Nor did he falsify his word, but immediately suffered him to escape.

It was not only the unquestioning belief in the religious teachings of the church, but the embodiment of these in various forms, that took hold on the minds and played a large part in the lives of the people of the Middle Ages. The fondness for keeping visible mementos of famous persons is a familiar human characteristic, as shown in our museums and private col lections. In the Middle Ages this took the form of preserving as relics parts of the bones or clothing or other objects connected with saints, martyrs, and persons of conspicuous piety. In the century after the Norman Conquest, while the cathedrals and monasteries were being built or rebuilt and increased in size and wealth, such objects of pious devotion were being continually added to their contents. The following is a list of the relics contained in the cathedral at York at about this period.

In the name of God, Amen. These are the relics found in 72. Relics in the church of the Blessed Peter at York:

To wit, in a great cross which stands before the pulpit at the entrance to the choir, which the archbishop Roger caused to be made and afterwards dedicated, in the body of the crucifix, the relics of the holy apostles Peter, Paul, and Matthew, and of the

York

minster