The usages of Shrewsbury recorded in Domesday Book peril the basis of the fancy that their is a divinity about a king. It was ordered, for instance, that wherever the king slept in Shrewsbury twelve of the “best citizens” should be deprived of “balmy sleep” to guard him—him whom the celestial powers have been supposed to hedge. What if the monarch be a queen? For her safety no provision seems to have been made. It was further ordered that when the king went out hunting twelve trusty men should be sent about him to protect him; and that when he left the city—Shrewsbury being then called a city—the sheriff should send twenty horses—whether with or without riders is not said—to conduct him a short distance into Staffordshire. There is a strong element of non-divinity, too, about some other requirements, such, for example, as these: that the masters of the mint, of whom there were three, should pay the king 20s. at the end of every fifteen days while the money coined here continued in circulation; that the executors of every deceased burgess should pay the king 20s.; that every burgess who shall experience the misfortune of having his house burned down should forfeit to the king (who was least injured) 40s., and to his two nearest neighbours (who were most injured, or at least jeopardised) 2s. each, and that every woman marrying should pay fees to the king—a widow 20s., but a spinster (who was libelled by this valuation) only 10s. From other customs narrated in Domesday Book we learn that in King Edward’s time there were 250 houses in Shrewsbury, and an equal number of burgesses, who paid £7 16s. 8d. per annum in excise, and that the city was rated at 100 hides, of which the church of St. Alkmund had two, St. Julian half of one, St. Millburg one, St. Chad three and a half, St. Mary one rood, Duke Edric three hides, and the Bishop of Chester three hides. Some light, too, is thrown upon the “treatment of criminals.” Those who “broke the peace, given under the king’s own hand,” were outlawed; those who disturbed the peace were ordered to pay a forfeit of 10s.; and those who drew blood in a fight were fined 40s.