“Not the least of Mr. Round’s merits is that the next generation will never want to know how much rubbish he has swept or helped to sweep away. He has done more than any one scholar to put us in the way of reading Domesday Book aright. He has illustrated by abundant examples the wisdom and the necessity of ... patient study of our documents, ... his acute and ever watchful criticism.”--SIR F. POLLOCK in _English Historical Review_. “In _Feudal England_ as in _Geoffrey de Mandeville_ he displays consummate skill in the critical study of records, and uses the evidence thus obtained to check and supplement the chroniclers.”--DR. GROSS in _American Historical Review_. “Plein de faits, d’observations pénétrantes, de conclusions neuves et de grande portée, ... il a réussi à rétablir la logique où, avant lui, on ne trouvait que confusion.”--_Revue Historique._ FOOTNOTES: [1] Speech in the House of Commons (_Times_, 6th June, 1899). [2] It is important to observe that the Pope’s letter of 20th September, 1172, contains an unmistakable reference to the (forged) Donation of Constantine in the words “Romana ecclesia aliud jus habet in Insula quam in terra magna te continua” (see p. 197 below). Dr. Zinkeisen, in his paper on “the Donation of Constantine as applied by the Roman Church,” speaks of this letter as “a genuine bull of Alexander III.” (‘English Historical Review,’ ix. 629), but strangely overlooks the allusion, and asserts that he could find no use made by the Popes of the forged Donation at this period. [3] See Mr. Scargill-Bird’s ‘Guide to the Public Records.’ [4] ‘Feudal Aids’ (Calendars of State Papers, etc.), vol. i., pp. ix.-xi. [5] Director of the Royal Historical Society; Lecturer on Palæography and Diplomatic at the London School of Economics, etc., etc. [6] See pp. 131, 135, 283, etc., and Index. [7] “The surrender of the Isle of Wight” (in ‘Genealogical Magazine,’ vol. i., p. 1) and “The Red Book of the Exchequer” (in ‘Genealogist,’ July, 1897). [8] January, 1899 (xiv. 150–151). The first paper in my treatise deals with “the antiquity of scutage,” and contains further evidence for my contention that, contrary to the accepted view, this important tax was levied before the days of Henry II. Mr. Hall replied that it was “curious to find” me seriously citing “forgeries,” the evidence of which he ridiculed, without deigning to discuss them. The “most conclusive document” (as I termed it) which I cited in my favour is a charter of the time of Stephen, which I printed in full in my treatise (pp. 8–9). Of this I need scarcely say more than that the authorities of the British Museum have now selected it for special exhibition among the most interesting of their charters, and have drawn particular attention to its important mention of scutage (see the official guide to the MSS., p. 40).