THE PURPOSE OF DOMESDAY BOOK 7 



Some parts of the inquisition for Somerset are unde- 

 cipherable, and the figures are therefore omitted from this 

 table. The scribe puts the totals for Somerset and Dorset 

 at 518 Ss. od. and 415 8^. 9^. respectively. 



It is clear from these inquisitions that the demesne land 

 did not pay to this geld, and the table shows that the total 

 geld derived from these four counties was reduced by 33 per 

 cent, by the exemption of the demesne, and by another 

 8 per cent, from other causes. If the same proportions 

 applied to the rest of England, the King received little more 

 than half of what he expected. 



This great loss was doubtless the cause of the "muckle 

 thought and deep speech " which he had with his wise men 

 at Gloucester during the Christmas festival of 1085. Then 

 doubtless he was told that many magnates had obtained 

 reductions of their assessments, that many counties were 

 under-assessed, and that some lands were altogether quit 

 of this tax. 



This is how the Chronicle records this gemot and its 

 consequences 



" After this the King had muckle thought and deep speech with 

 his wise men about this land, how it was set, and with what men. 

 Then he sent his men over all England into each shire and let them 

 find out how many hundred hides were in that shire, or what the 

 King had himself of land or cattle in those lands, or what rights he 



1 Including the geld from 26 hides to which the collectors said they were 

 entitled as a customary payment from 30 hundreds. 



