The kings armie comming into the countrie that lieth
betwixt the riuers Theise and Tine, found nothing but void feelds and
bare walles; the people with their goods and cattell being fled and
withdrawne into the woods and mountaines, if any thing were forgotten
behind, these new gests were diligent inough to find it out.
[Sidenote: _Anno Reg._ 4. 1070.] [Sidenote: _Polydor._] In the
beginning of the spring, king William returned to London, and now
after all these troubles, began to conceiue greater hatred against the
Englishmen than euer before; so as doubting that hee should neuer by
gentlenesse win their good willes, he now determined by a harder
measure to meete with them; insomuch that he banished a great number,
other some also (not a few) he spoiled of their goods, those
especiallie of whom he was in hope to gaine any great portion of
substance.
Thus were the Englishmen generallie in danger to lose life, lands and
goods, without knowledge, or orderlie proceeding in iudgement, so that
no greater miserie in the earth could be imagined, than that whereinto
our nation was now fallen. [Sidenote: Priuileges and fr?edoms
revoked.] He tooke from the townes and cities, from the bishops s?es
and abbeies all their ancient priuileges and freedoms, to the end they
should not onely be cut short and made weaker, but also that they (for
the obteinment of their quietnesse) might redeeme the same of him for
such summes of monie as pleased him to exact.
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