The King, on the advice of his faithful counsellors, chose clerks and laymen in whose wisdom he could confide and sent them through each county to collect the tenths according to the decree, which obtained in his land across the Channel. But from each town in the whole of England he had all the richer inhabitants chosen, for instance, from London 200 and from York 100 and from the other towns according to their number and wealth. All were ordered to present themselves to him on given days at given places. From these he took a tenth of their incomes and their real property. The valuation was effected by his officers, who had knowledge of their incomes and their goods. If he found any rebellious, he at once had them imprisoned and kept in chains until they had paid the uttermost farthing. He dealt in a similar manner with the Jews of his land, from whom he acquired an enormous sum of money. THE LEVYING OF A FORCE, 1205. AN ATTEMPT TO BLEND THE FYRD OR "FOLKMOOT IN ARMS" AND THE FEUDAL LEVY. +Source.+--_Patent Rolls_, I., 55. The King to the Sheriff of Rutland greeting. It has been ordained with the assent of archbishops, bishops, counts, barons and all our loyal subjects of England, that throughout England nine fighting men shall find a tenth well equipped with horses and arms for the defence of our realm: that those nine provide for the tenth on a specified day two pounds towards his equipment. Furthermore we charge thee, as thou lovest thy goods and thyself, to provide that all the tenth men of thy district be at London for three weeks dating from Easter, being well equipped according as we have ordained.... It has been ordained also, that, if foreigners come to our shores, all shall attack them with one accord using force of arms. Let none make excuse or delay but go at the first rumour of the invasion. JOHN'S CONCESSION OF ENGLAND TO THE POPE, 1213. +Source.+--_Historical Documents of the Middle Ages._ Henderson. Bohn's Libraries. G. Bell & Sons.