356 A. D. 1 192. 



made by the preparations for his late expedition, was found fo diftrei!^ 

 ful, that the moft rigorous exertions throughout all England and his 

 continental territories were infufficient to raife the fum required, though 

 all exemptions claimed in confequence of privileges, dignities, or eccle- 

 liaftical orders, were difregarded, though even the plate and other trea- 

 fures of the churches were taken, and the Ciftercian monks, who had 

 never before been fubjefted to any royal exaction, were compelled to 

 give the wool of their fheep, which was almofl their only income ; and 

 a fecond, and even a third, colledion was made before the whole fum 

 could be completed. William, king of Scotland, contributed two thou- 

 fand marks, which, I prefume, was the fcutage due from his eftates 

 in England. At laft, the money being raifed and tranfported to Ger- 

 many at the expenfe and rifk of England, the fordid and rapacious em- 

 peror difmiffed his captive (4'" February, 11 94)*. [Foedera, V.i, pp. 

 80-84. — Chroii. Melros, ad an. 1193. — W. Newbrig. L. iv, cc. 38, 41. — 

 Hoveden., f- A-'^6 b. — Madox's Hiji. of the excheq. c. 15, § 4.] 



As only the noblemen (magnates) and the churches are particularly 

 mentioned in the king's letter, as expeded to contribute to his ranfom, 

 it has been concluded, that the great mafs of the people were too poor 

 to bear any part in the contribution. But we ought to remember, that 

 the ranfom of the fuperior from captivity was one of the chief duties 

 incumbent upon every perfon who held land by the terms of the feudal 

 fyftem : and therefor it was not the duty of fuch citizens and burgefles 

 as had no lands to pay any thing for the fovereign's ranfom. Thence, 

 though the citizens of London contributed on this occafion a gift and 

 aid (' dono' ' et auxiho') of 1,500 marks, [Madox's HiJi. of the excheq. c. 

 1 5 , § 4] we may account for the envied difplay of opulence made by 

 them in their zeal to do honour to their admired fovereign in his pro- 

 ceflion through the city, which fo dazzled the eyes of fome German no- 

 blemen, who were with him, and who fuppofed that there could be 

 nothing valuable remaining in England, that one of them faid to him, 

 ' Truely, if the emperor had known how rich England is, he would 

 ' have made you pay a much larger fum for your ranfom.' \W. New- 

 brig. L. iv, c. 42.] 



1 1 95 — King William made a new coinage of the money of Scotland, 

 which was debafed, apparently in confequence of the great drain of the 

 payments he had made to King Richard. [Chron. Melros, ad an. 11 95. 

 — Wyniown^s Chronykil, V. i, p. 342.] 



* In the prcfent day the national dtbt, and its fum with the price of provifions at the time, we 



ntccfTary confequence, the dcprctiation of the real may judge of the grcatncfs of Richard's ranfom 



value of money, have accuftomed us to talk, fo fa- in the opinion of foreigners from Otto dc St. Bias, 



miliarly of millions, that wc are apt to think luni- who fays in his Clironiclc, {jip. Muratori Script. V. 



dreds of thunfands mere trifles in a national ac- vi,^. 895] that he mull not venture to mention the 



count. But, independent of a coniparifon of the fum, as he lliould not cxpeft to be believed. 



