He set many deer-friths; and he made laws there-with, that whosoever should slay hart or hind, him man should blind. And as he forbade the[9] harts, so eke did he the boars. He loved the high deer as much as if he were their father. Eke he set as to the hares, that they should go free. His rich men bemoaned it, and the poor men murmured, but he was so firm that he recked not the hatred of them all; and they must withal follow the king's will, if they would live, or have lands or goods, or his favour.
Wa-la-wa! that any man should be so moody, so to upheave himself, and think himself above all other men! May almighty God have mild-heartedness on his soul, and give him forgiveness of his sins!
These things we have written of him, both good and evil, that men may choose the good after their goodness; and withal flee from evil, and go on the way that leadeth us to Heaven's kingdom.
[1] The Saxon chronicler, who had frequented the Conqueror's court, furnishes us with a cotemporary portrait. It is less flattering than that of the Norman poet, but forms a suitable commentary and conclusion. In our translation the phraseology, and generally the very words, of the original are retained.
[2] Court.
[3] Crown.
[4] Peace.
[5] This is an allusion to Domesday Book, which had been more fully described in a previous part of the Saxon Chronicle, and probably by another hand. The description of that document by the continuer of Wace's Brut is as follows:
—volenters voleit saver
D'Engletere la tenor,
E la laise e la longnur,
Toz les feez e les tenemenz
E les servises de tote genz,
Quant de conteez i sunt trové
E quant de viles en chascon conté,
Quant de barons la terre avoit
E cumbien de terre chascon tenoit,
Quanz de feez de chevaliers
E cumbien de franc-fermers,
Les serganties e les sokages,
Les petiz sokemen e les vilenages;
Cumbien des charues en chascon vile,
E kant de boueez en la charue;
Cumbien de terre chascon home avoit,
E en quele manère il la tenoit,
E quel servise faire devoit,
E quei sa terre valer purreit.
Tuit ensemble fist enquerre
Par serement par mie la terre,
Od grant diligenz ceo fist escrivre
E de ceo en fist un grant livre.
Le livre est Domesday apelé
E en la trésorie le roi uncore guardé.