THE DOMESDAY INQUEST 



CHAPTER I 

 INTRODUCTORY 



DOMESDAY BOOK is the name given to two volumes of 

 statistics relating to the kingdom of England, compiled 

 in the year 1086. We propose in the following pages 

 to study these statistics with a view to ascertain the condition 

 of the country during the latter half of the eleventh century. 

 But, before studying any statistics, we must first learn by 

 whose order, for what purpose, and in what method they were 

 compiled. 



i. THE CONQUEROR'S STANDPOINT 



Every one will remember the saying of the American 

 writer that in every conversation between two speakers, six 

 persons are engaged ; in other words, each speaker possesses 

 a triple personality the man as he appears to himself, the man 

 as he appears to his neighbour, and the man as he appears to 

 his Maker. To fully understand Domesday Book, we must 

 attempt to regard the position of William the Conqueror, not 

 as it appeared to the conquered English, but as it appeared to 

 himself. 



On the death of Edward the Confessor, the royal house of 

 England had almost died out : its sole representatives were a 

 stripling named Edgar, and his two sisters. If at that time 

 B 



