well
filled with monks, who modelled their lives after the rule of St.
Benedict. But such was the state of Christianity in his time,
that each man followed what belonged to his profession--he that
would. He was also very dignified. Thrice he bare his crown
each year, as oft as he was in England. At Easter he bare it in
Winchester, at Pentecost in Westminster, at midwinter in
Glocester. And then were with him all the rich men over all
England; archbishops and diocesan bishops, abbots and earls,
thanes and knights. So very stern was he also and hot, that no
man durst do anything against his will. He had earls in his
custody, who acted against his will. Bishops he hurled from
their bishoprics, and abbots from their abbacies, and thanes into
prison. At length he spared not his own brother Odo, who was a
very rich bishop in Normandy. At Baieux was his episcopal stall;
and he was the foremost man of all to aggrandise the king. He
had an earldom in England; and when the king was in Normandy,
then was he the mightiest man in this land. Him he confined in
prison. But amongst other things is not to be forgotten that
good peace that he made in this land; so that a man of any
account might go over his kingdom unhurt with his bosom full of
gold. No man durst slay another, had he never so much evil done
to the other; and if any churl lay with a woman against her will,
he soon lost the limb that he played with. He truly reigned over
England; and by his capacity so thoroughly surveyed it, that
there was not a hide of land in England that he wist not who had
it, or what it was worth, and afterwards set it down in his book.
(110) The land of the Britons was in his power; and he wrought
castles therein; and ruled Anglesey withal. So also he subdued
Scotland by his great strength. As to Normandy, that was his
native land; but he reigned also over the earldom called Maine;
and if he might have yet lived two years more, he would have won
Ireland by his valour, and without any weapons. Assuredly in his
time had men much distress, and very many sorrows. Castles he
let men build, and miserably swink the poor. The king himself
was so very rigid; and extorted from his subjects many marks of
gold, and many hundred pounds of silver; which he took of his
people, for little need, by right and by unright. He was fallen
into covetousness, and greediness he loved withal. He made many
deer-parks; and he established laws therewit