Æðelred about 980, gives the following reasons for a grant made by him to Abingdon. During the lifetime of Eádgar, this prince had given to the monastery certain estates belonging to the appanage of the princes of the blood, “_terras ad regios pertinentes filios_:” these, on Eádgar’s death and Eádweard’s accession, the Witena gemót very properly claimed and obtained, handing them over to Æðelred, then prince royal: “quae statim terrae iuxta decretum et praeceptionem cunctorum optimatum de praefato sancto coenobio violenter abstractae, _meaeqae ditioni, hisdem praecipientibus, sunt subactae_: quam rem si iuste aut iniuste fecerint, ipsi sciant.” All the crown lands thus fell to Æðelred, he having no children at his brother Eádweard’s death: “et _regalium_ simul, et _ad regios filios pertinentium, terrarum_ suscepi dominium.” Having now scruples of conscience about interfering with his father’s charitable intentions, he gave the monastery an equivalent out of his own private property,—“_ex mea propria haereditate_.” Cod. Dipl. No. 3312. Footnote 30: Germ. xv. Footnote 31: See Domesday, _passim_. Cnut commanded to put an end to these compulsory demands: no man was to be compelled to give his reeves anything towards the king’s feormfultum, against his will, under a heavy penalty, but the king was to be provided for out of the royal property. Cnut, § 70. Thorpe, i. 412. If Phillips is right in supposing the Fóster of Ini’s law (§70. Thorpe, i. 146) to be this burthen, heavy charges lay upon the land in the eighth century. Angels. Recht. p. 87. But I doubt the application in this particular case. See also, Anon. Vita Hludov. Imp. § 7; Pertz, ii. 610, 611; Annal. Laurish. 753; Ann. Bertin. 837; Pertz, i. 116, 430, and Hincmar. Inst. Carol. ibid. ii. 214. _Aids_ and _benevolences_ have acquired a notoriety in English history which will not be forgotten while England survives: but the prerogative lawyers had ancient prescription to back them. On the whole subject see Grimm, Rechtsalt. p. 245. Eichhorn, § 171. vol. i. p. 730 _seq._ -----