his theories; having come as
the heir of the Anglo-Saxon princes, he behaves as such. He visits his
estate, rectifies its boundaries, protects its approaches, and, in spite
of the immensity of the work, takes a minute inventory of it.[140]

This inventory is the Domesday, a unique monument, such that no nation
in Europe possesses the like. On the coins, he so exactly imitates the
type adopted by his predecessors that it is hard to distinguish the
pennies of William from those of Edward. Before the end of his reign, he
was the master or conqueror of all, and had made his authority felt and
accepted by all, even by his brother Bishop Odo, whom he arrested with
his own hands, and caused to be imprisoned "as Earl of Kent," he said,
with his usual readiness of word, to avoid a quarrel with the Church.

And so it was that, in spite of their terrible sufferings, the
vanquished were unable to repress a certain sentiment which predisposed
them to a fusion with the victor, namely admiration. Never had they seen
energy, power, or knowledge like unto that. The judgment of the
Anglo-Saxon chronicler on William may be considered as being the
judgment of the nation itself concerning its new masters: "That King
William about whom we speak was a very wise man, and very powerful, more
dignified and strong than any of his predecessors were. He was mild to
the good men who loved God, and over all measure severe to the men who
gainsayed his will.... So also was he a very rigid and cruel man, so
that no one durst do anything against his will.... He spared not his own
brother named Odo.... Among other things is not to be forgotten the good
peace that he made in this land, so that a man who had any confidence in
himself might go over his realm with his bosom full of gold unhurt." The
land of the Britons, "Brytland" or Wales, was in his power, Scotland
likewise; he would have had Ireland besides had he reigned two years
longer. It is true he greatly oppressed the people, built castles, and
made terrible game-laws: "As greatly did he love the tall deer as if he
were their father. He also ordained concerning the hares that they
should go free."[141] Even in the manner of presenting grievances we
detect that special kind of popularity which attaches itself to the
tyranny of great men. The England of the Anglo-Saxons had been defeated,
but brilliant destinies were in store for the country; the master was
hated but not despised.

These great desti