Curialia Miscellanea, or Anecdotes of Old Times: Regal, Noble, Gentilitial, and Miscellaneous: Including Authentic Anecdotes of the Royal Household, and the Manners and Customs of the Court, at an Early Period of the English HistoryPegge, Samuel
History
Curialia Miscellanea, or Anecdotes of Old Times: Regal, Noble, Gentilitial, and Miscellaneous: Including Authentic Anecdotes of the Royal Household, and the Manners and Customs of the Court, at an Early Period of the English History
Pegge, Samuel
Anecdotes -- Great Britain; Great Britain -- Court and courtiers -- Early works to 1800; Pegge, Samuel, 1704-1796
After that great Revolution called _The Conquest_, it is to be
supposed that a competent part, and that no inconsiderable one,
was allotted for the support of the Dignity of the King's House.
How large the establishment of the Household was, it would be very
difficult to ascertain at this distance of time; but we know that
the Conqueror's Revenues were very great, and that, besides the
public branch of it for the defence of the Kingdom against invasions
from abroad, there must have been an ample residue to maintain the
Court in dignity and magnificence at home. William, as soon as he
was seated on his new Throne, was careful to make a general and
accurate Survey of the whole kingdom, notwithstanding there had
been a Survey taken within less than 200 years by King Alfred, then
remaining at Winchester.[71] But William's jealous caution did
not permit him to trust to this. He saw the necessity there was to
make the most of things; and, looking on money as a necessary means
of maintaining and increasing power, he accumulated as much as he
could, though rather, perhaps, from an ambitious than a covetous
motive; at least his avarice was subservient to his ambition; and he
laid up wealth in his coffers, as he did arms in his magazines, to
be drawn out on proper occasions, for the defence and enlargement of
his dominions[72].
[71] Called Codex Wintoniensis. See Sir John Spelman's Life of
Alfred.
[72] Lord Lyttelton's Life of Henry II. vol. i. p. 74; edit. 8vo.
In William's Survey, which we call _Domesday Book_, particular
attention was first paid to the King's right; and the _Terra Regis_
(as it was called), which consisted of such lands as either had
belonged to the Crown, or to the King individually, was placed
first; and, upon the whole, 1422[73] manors, or lordships, were
appropriated to the Crown; besides lands and farms, and besides
quit-rents paid out of other subordinate manors. Whether William
assumed to himself and the Crown more than he ought, is hard to
say; but it is to be supposed he was not very sparing or delicate.
The _Terra Regis_ is said to have consisted of such lands as Edward
the Confessor was found to have been possessed of, the alienation
of which was held impious; to which some think William added the
forfeited estates of those who opposed him at the decisive battle of
Hastings[74]; and likewise the lands of such Barons, and others, who
afterwards forsook him. These advantages he might, perhaps, be glad
to take, as they enabled him better to reward his Norman friends
and followers, who were numerous; and furnished him likewise with a
plea to enrich himself, by annexing part of such lands to the Crown,
and distributing the rest, with a reservation of quit-rents and
services. We may add to these, many apparently unjustifiable means
which the Conqueror used to enrich himself, though by the greatness
of the antient Crown-estate, and the feudal profits to which he
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