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his fons ; but after the extinction of the Danifli princes, 

 during the weak and difturbed reign of the Confeflbr, 

 they were little obferved ; and the revival of their feverity 

 by the Normans was therefore ftrongly felt. In the ordi- 

 nance of Canute we may, however, trace the foreft-policy 

 which prevailed under the Norman kings. The four 

 chief officers under Canute are the four verderors of the 

 Normans, ftill chofen from the principal gentry of the 

 country. The officers of the fecond rank are the re-? 

 garders ; thofe of the third the keepers ; and the referva- 

 tion of controul in the crown is the origin of the office 

 of chief jufticier of th foreft, or juftice in eyre of the 

 prefent day. 



The character of "William the fir ft has been drawn by a 

 cotemporary writer, (annal. Wav. ann. 1087) who knew him 

 perfonally, and had been fometime in his court ; and the 

 draught has no marks of partiality. He is reprefented as a 

 man of fuperior underftanding, rich, powerful, and magni- 

 ficent ; fubmiffive to men of religion, and pious according 

 to the fuperflition of the times ; but haughty and fevere to 

 thofe who oppofed his will, and as little inclined to fpare 

 the highefl as the loweft. Rigid and exat in the ad- 

 miniftration of juftice, and efpecially in the prefervation 

 of the public peace, and punifhment of perfonal injuries 

 of man to man. But he opprefled the country with extra- 

 ordinary works, particularly in making fortifications j and 

 he amafled wealth by every mean. He was paffionately 

 fond of hunting, and the tyranny of the foreft is particu- 

 larly afcribcd to him. He is faid to have ordained the lofs 

 of eyes as the penalty for killing a flag, and to have pro- 

 hibited taking bors and hares in the foreft, which was 

 permitted by Canute ; and his nobility without diftindlion 

 are reprefented as kept by him in the fevereft fubjection. 



Perhaps, 



