[45] "The Norman idea of royalty was very comprehensive; it practically combined all the powers of the national sovereignty, as they had been exercised by Edgar and Canute, with those of the feudal theory of monarchy, which was exemplified at the time in France and the Empire.... The king is accordingly both the chosen head of the nation and the lord paramount of the whole of the land" (_Const. Hist._, i. 338). [46] Compare the words of address in several of the _Cartæ Baronum_ (1166): "servitium ut domino;" "vobis sicut domino meo;" "sicut domino carissimo;" "ut domino suo ligio." [47] "Inde perrexit rex Stephanus apud Oxeneford ubi recordatus et confirmavit pacta quæ Deo et populo et sanctæ ecclesiæ concesserat in die coronationis suæ" (p. 258). [48] "Cum venisset in fine Natalis ad Oxenefordiam" (_ibid._). [49] _Const. Hist._, i. 321. [50] _Early Plantagenets_, pp. 15, 16. [51] "The news of this [Scottish] inroad reached Stephen at Oxford, where he had just put forth his second charter" (_Norm. Conq._, v. 258). "The second charter ... was put forth at Oxford before the first year of his reign was out. Stephen had just come back victorious from driving back a Scottish invasion (see p. 258)" (_ibid._, p. 246). [52] See Mr. Vincent's learned criticism on Mr. Freeman's _History of Wells Cathedral_: "I detect throughout these pages an infirmity, a confirmed habit of inaccuracy. The author of this book, I should infer from numberless passages, cannot revise what he writes" (_Genealogist_, (N.S.) ii. 179). [53] "In fine Natalis" (_Hen. Hunt._, 258). [54] _Sym. Dun._, ii. 287. [55] The curious words, "vulgo ... ingerente," may be commended to those who uphold the doctrine of democratic survivals in these assemblies. They would doubtless jump at them as proof that the "vulgus" took part in the proceedings. The evidence, however, is, in any case, of indisputable interest. [56] Ed. Howlett, p. 17. [57] "Quem morem convivandi primus successor obstinate tenuit, secundus omisit" (_Will. Malms._). [58] "Rediens autem inde rex in Quadragesimâ tenuit curiam suam apud Lundoniam in solemnitate Paschali, quâ nunquam fuerat splendidior in Angliâ multitudine, magnitudine, auro, argento, gemmis, vestibus, omnimodaque dapsilitate" (p. 259). [59] "[Consuetudo] erat ut ter in anno cuncti optimates ad curiam convenirent de necessariis regni tractaturi, simulque visuri regis insigne quomodo iret gemmato fastigiatus diademate" (_Vita S. Wulstani_). "Convivia in præcipuis festivitatibus sumptuosa et magnifica inibat; ... omnes eo cujuscunque professionis magnates regium edictum accersiebat, ut exterarum gentium legati speciem multitudinis apparatumque deliciarum mirarentur" (_Gesta regum_). [60] See in _Gesta_ (ed. Howlett, pp. 15, 16) his persistent efforts to conciliate the ministers of Henry I., and especially the Marchers of the west. [61] See Appendix C.