Vltalis, Walte)- Mapcs, and Knijghton. 25 



is doubtful whether the number of churches destroyed was 

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

 we might also reasonably suspect his narrative, whilst he also 

 commits the mistake of attributing the formation of the Forest 

 to Rufus. 



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 INIalmesbury 

 (Gesta Regum Anglontm, vol. ii. p. 455, published by the English Historical 

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

 Rerum Anglicarum Scriptores, p. 371), Simon of Durham {De Gestis Regum 

 Anglorum, in the Historic Anglicancs Scriptores Decern^ p. 225), copying 

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

 lielmus Junior, in the Rerum Anglicarum Scriptores, p. 468), Roger of 

 Wendover (Flores Historiarum, vol. ii. pp. 25, 26, published by the EngHsh 

 Historical Society), Walter Hemingburgh (De Gestis Regum Anglice, vol. i. 

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

 {Historia Regum Anglim, 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 docs, the 

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

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

 p. 364. 



£ 



