), and, without delay, invade the northern
lands of the British, and, exploring all the parts adjoining the bank of
the river, pillage most of them. Cymelgeac, a British bishop who
occupied the plains of Yrcenefeld (Archenfield), was likewise taken; and
they, not a little rejoicing, carry him off to their ships, whom, not
long after, King Edward ransomed for forty pounds of silver. Soon after,
the whole force, leaving their ships, return to the aforesaid plains, and
make their way for the sake of plunder; but suddenly as many of the
inhabitants as possible of the adjoining towns of Hereford and Glevum
(Gloucester) assemble, and give them battle. Hroaldus, the leader of the
enemy, and his brother Ohterus, the other leader, with a large part of
the army, are slain. The rest are put to flight, and driven by the
Christians into a certain fence (septum), where they are at length
besieged, until they give hostages, so that as fast as possible they
depart King Edward's realm." Mr. Fryer, of Coleford, ingeniously
supposes that Symmond's Rock was the scene of the above contest, which
may possibly be correct.

Edward the Confessor is stated in Domesday Book to have exempted the
Forest of Dean from taxation, with the object apparently of preserving it
from spoliation. The exact terms used are, "_has tras c' cessit rex E.
quietas a geldo pro foresta custod_," manifesting an interest in its
protection on the part of the Crown, to which no doubt it had now become
annexed. Probably in those early days the King possessed the right to
all lands not under cultivation or already apportioned, just as the
Sovereign of our own day exercises the right in our colonial territories,
and makes specific grants to private individuals. Thus, Mr. Rudder, in
his 'History of Gloucestershire,' remarks that "originally all the lands
of the subject are derived from the Crown, and our forests may have been
made when the ancient kings had the greater part in their own hands."
Agreeably with which principle, combined with the attractions which the
Forest of Dean possessed as a hunting ground, it was sometimes visited
for the sports of the chase by William the Conqueror, who in the year
1069 was thus diverting himself when he received information that the
Danes had invaded Yorkshire and taken its chief city. Roused to fury by
these tidings, he swore "by the splendour of the Almighty" that "not one
Northumbrian should escape his revenge;" an oath which