Vitalis, Walter Mapes, and Knyrjhton. 25 



is doubtful whether the number of churches destroyed was 

 twenty-two or fifty-two, an amount of difference so large that 

 we might also reasonably suspect his narrative, whilst he also 

 commits the mistake of attributing the formation of the Forest 

 to Kufus. 



Now, the first thing which strikes us is that as the writers 

 are more distant in point of time, and therefore less capable 

 of knowing, they singularly enough become more precise and 

 specific. What Florence of Worcester speaks of in merely 

 general terms, Vitalis, and Walter Mapes, and Knyghton, give 

 in minute details down to the very number of the parishes 

 and churches.* 



As far as mere written testimony goes, we have nothing to 

 set against their evidence, except Domesday, and the negative 

 proof of The Chronicle. Not one word does The Chronicler, 

 who, be it remembered, personally knew the Conqueror f — who 



* For the sake of brevity, let me add that William of Malmesbury 

 {Gesta Regum Anglorum, vol. ii. p. 455, published by the English Historical 

 Society, 1840), Henry of Huntingdon {Historiarum, lib. vi., in Savile's 

 Rerum Anglicarum Scriptures, p. 371), Simon of Durham (De Gestis Regum 

 Atiglorum, in the Historice Anglicana Scriptores Decern, p. 225), copying 

 Avord for word from Florence, Roger Hoveden {Armalium Pars Prior, Wil- 

 Uelmus Junior, in the Rerum Anglicarum Scriptores, p. 468), Koger of 

 Wendover (Flores Historia7-um, vol. ii. pp. 25, 26, published by the English 

 Historical Society), AValter Hemingburgh {De Gestis Regum Anglice, vol. i. 

 p. 33, published by the English Historical Society), and John Ross 

 {Historia Regum Anglice, pp. 112, 113. Ed. Hearne. Oxford, 1716), 

 repeat, according to their different degrees of accuracy, the general story of 

 the Conqueror destroying villages and exterminating the inhabitants. 



t The Chronicle. Ed. Thorpe, as before quoted. Nor does the 

 writer, when another opportunity presents itself at Rufus's death, mention 

 the matter, but passes it over in significant silence. The same volume, 

 p. 364. 



