Then at Midwinter was the king at Gloucester with his witan and there held his court five days, and thereafter the archbishop and clergy had a synod three days.... After this the king had a great council and very deep speech with his witan touching this land, how it was peopled or with how many men. Then he sent his men over all England into every shire, and caused to be learned how many hundred hides were in the shire, or what land the king himself had and what cattle on that land, or what manner of dues he ought to have for twelve months from the shire. Also he caused to be written how much land his archbishops had, and his bishops and his abbots and his earls, and, though I take long to tell it, what or how much each man had, who was a land-holder in England, in land or in cattle, and how much money it was worth. So very straitly he caused it to be traced out that not a single hide nor a yard of land, nor even--it is a shame to tell, though he thought it no shame to do--an ox, nor a cow, nor a swine was left that was not set down in his writing. And all the writings were brought to him thereafter. THE FORM OF THE DOMESDAY INQUEST (1085). =Source.=--_Inquisitio Eliensis_ (Domesday Book, vol. iii.). Here below is written the inquest upon the lands, in what manner the King’s barons make enquiry, to wit, by the oath of the sheriff of the shire, and of all the barons and their Frenchmen, and of the whole hundred, of the priest, the reeve, and six villeins of each town. Then how the manor is named; who held it in the time of King Edward; who holds it now; how many hides; how many ploughs on the demesne, and how many men; how many villeins; how many cotters; how many serfs; how many freemen; how many socmen;[6] how much wood; how much meadow; how many pastures; how many mills; how many fishponds; how much has been added or taken away; how much it was worth altogether; and how much now; how much each freeman or socman there had or has. All this for three periods; to wit, in the time of King Edward; and when King William granted it; and as it is now; and if more can be had therefrom than is had. THE DOMESDAY DESCRIPTION OF SHREWSBURY. =Source.=--_Domesday Book_, vol. i., p. 252. In the city of Shrewsbury in the time of King Edward there were 252 houses, and as many burgesses in the same houses, rendering yearly 7_l._ 16_s._ 8_d._ of rent. King Edward had there the customs below written. If any man wittingly broke the peace of the King given with his own hand, he was made an outlaw. And he who broke the peace of the King given by the sheriff made amends in 100_s._ and gave as much as he who committed “Forestel”[7] or “Heinfare.”[8] These three forfeitures King Edward had in demesne in the whole of England beyond the farms.