as will be
seen by the figures upon the plan, which represent the heights in feet
above the mean sea-level) some fifteen feet _above_ that of the outer
ward, and but little below that of Great Tower Hill. It seems probable
that much of the clay from the ditch excavated by Longchamp was piled up
round the western and northern sides of this inner ward, thus completely
burying the base or battering plinth of the keep (now only visible at
the south-eastern angle), while at the same time it served as a
revetment to the curtain wall, and strengthened the city side of the
fortress against any attack.

Whilst these works were in progress, the Chancellor seems to have seized
upon some lands of the Priory of the Holy Trinity in East Smithfield,
and removed a mill belonging to St. Katherine's Hospital. These illegal
usurpations, coupled with his excessive and unscrupulous taxation of
clergy and laity alike for the conduct of these new works, seem to have
aroused great indignation at the time, and doubtless contributed to his
sudden downfall. His high-handed proceedings appear to have formed a
ground for claims, not settled until, long years afterwards, a rent, by
way of compensation for the land so unjustly taken, was paid by Edward
I.

In 3 Richard I. the Pipe Roll records further expenditure upon lime,
stone, timber, brushwood, "crates" (a kind of wickerwork hurdle), and
stakes or piles for works at the Tower.

In 5 Richard I. there is an outlay upon a "palicium," or palisade,
"furnished with mangonels (or stone-casting engines) and other things
necessary," "circa turrim Lond," which probably refers to an outwork or
barbican covering the western entrance gate, for the expression "turrim"
must here be taken in its widest sense as we should now employ it,
meaning not merely the keep, but the whole castle.

The total amount expended during the last five years of Richard's reign
was only L280 14s. 10d., so that all the extensive new works previously
referred to were probably completed _before_ 1194.

Lest it be thought that undue importance has been attached to the
extensive use of timber stockades or palisades for the first defensive
works at the Tower, it may here be conveniently pointed out that, with
but few exceptions, the early castles were of earth and timber only.
The keep-towers, as well as the palisades, were of timber, and the
constant employment of timber by mediaeval military engineers extended
into the fourteenth