THIS England never did nor never shall But when it first did help to wound itself.* WILLIAM had beaten the king, but he had not 1 subdued the kingdom; and it is quite likely that if all parts of the country had joined heartily against him he would have been driven back to his own land. But the people of the north hardly yet looked upon themselves as forming one nation with the people of the south, and the same thing happened as in the days of Cnut: disunited England was conquered by an invader whom united England might have overcome. William expected that after the battle of Senlac the English nobles would have given in to him, but when he found that none came he set about getting into his own hands all the strongest places in the south. After Dover, Canterbury, Winchester, and other towns had submitted to him he marched towards London. The Wise Men had chosen for king young Edgar, the grandson of Edmund Ironside, but he was in no way fitted to take Harold's place as leader. As the Conqueror drew near, Edgar and the Wise Men went forth to meet him and offer him the kingdom. William of course accepted, and on Christmas Day he was crowned in Westminster Abbey. 3 * Shakespeare. But though he was the crowned king of England he was master only of the south-eastern part of it. It took nearly three years of hard fighting to win the rest, and only after five years was all opposition put down. The English were anxious to 5 resist, but there was no one whose lead they would all follow. The people took up arms in several parts of the country, but the risings taking place at different times failed, whereas if they had taken place together they might have succeeded. In 1067, while William was away in Normandy, there were 6 revolts in Kent and Hereford. Next year the men of Exeter and the west rebelled. Then the people of the north got ready to fight, and the Conqueror, marching against them, made himself master as far as York. The year after, he had his work to do over again, for there were again risings in the west and north. The northerners were joined by a great fleet which the King of Denmark had sent, and, thus aided, they took York. After this, the English returned to their homes and the Danes to their ships, so that when William came there was little for him to do except take back the city again. Then he did a deed of fearful cruelty. He went carefully through the counties of York and Durham destroying everything that could be destroyed. People fled in terror at his approach, those who fell into his hands being put to the sword. The very animals were sometimes killed. All the works of man and all the fruits of the earth were burnt alike, and the whole country from the Humber to the Tees was turned into a howling wilderness. For many years the ground remained untilled; robbers and wild beasts alone dwelt in the deserted towns. The fate of those who were slain seemed almost 'enviable to those who had escaped the slaughter, for naught was left whereon to live. Thousands perished of hunger, and there was none to bury them; men gladly became slaves to such as would feed them. Chester and the country round still held out; and though it was now the depth of a severe winter, William led his The bleak moor8 thither. army land over which the road lay was open to all the bitterness of the weather, and many of the soldiers 10 mutinied. Still the king pressed on, and the town was soon his. Then he was lord in deed of the whole land, of which he had been for three years lord in name. But, before three months were over, the men of the Fenlands rose under Hereward, and were joined by the discontented from all parts of the country. Their stronghold was the island of Ely, which lay in the midst of a great marsh. William built a 11 causeway right across the swamp, and then the rebels submitted. Hereward alone refused to yield; he managed to escape, but what became of him afterwards is not certainly known. 3 1 Subdue, to conquer. 2 submit, to give in. accept, to take what is offered. opposition, a standing out or striving against. 5 resist, to withstand, fight against. 6 revolt, a rebellion, a rising. 7 enviable, to be wished for. 8 thither, to that place. 9 bleak, open to the cold. 11 10 mutiny, to rise against one's officers. a raised way or path. THE FEUDAL SYSTEM. causeway, WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, to reward the Norman barons by whose help he had won England, gave them large estates out of the lands which he had taken to himself. He claimed that he was the lawful 'successor of Edward, and that he had therefore been fighting, not to win Harold's kingdom, but to get possession of his own. Hence he reckoned that all who had opposed him were rebels whose property might be taken away. He often allowed those who quietly submitted to keep their estates on making certain payments, but he seized at once the estates of Harold and of all the English who fell at Senlac. He also seized the 2 folk-land. This at first had belonged to the whole people in common, but men had for a long time past been getting more and more to look upon it as the property of the king. The plan by which land was then held in France and other countries of Europe is known as the Feudal System. The king gave very large estates to certain men, and they, in turn, gave to others part of what they had themselves received. The land held was called a fief, the person holding it a vassal or tenant, and the person granting it his liege lord. The vassal did not pay any rent but served his lord in certain ways, such as by finding soldiers for him when he went to the wars, or by helping to *ransom him when he was taken prisoner. On receiving a fief the vassal did 5 homage. Having taken off his belt, sword, spurs, and helmet, he knelt; then, placing his hands between those of his lord, he promised to be his man from that time forth, and to serve him faithfully with life and limb. William the Conqueror introduced the Feudal |