710 
ANCIENT ENGLISH CASTLES. 
heads of baronies. Each castle was a manor ; and its castellain, 
owner, or governor, the lord of it. Markets and fairs were directed 
to be held there, not only to prevent frauds in the king’s duties, but 
also as they were esteemed places where the law's of the land were 
observed, and as such had very particular privileges. But this good 
order did not last long ; for the lords of castles began to arrogate to 
themselves a royal power, not only within their castles, but likewise 
over its environs ; exercising judicature, both civil and criminal, coin- 
ing of money, and arbitrarily seizing forage and provision for the sub- 
sistence of their garrisons, which they afterwards demanded as a 
right. At length their insolence and oppression grew to such a pitch, 
that, according to William of Newbury, “ there were in England as 
many kings, or rather tyrants, as lords of castles and Matthew 
Paris styles them, very nests of devils, and dens of thieves. 
Castles were not solely in the possession of the crown and the lay 
barons, but even bishops had their fortresses, though it seems to 
have been contrary to the canons, from a plea made use of in a general 
council, in favour of king Stephen, who had seized upon the strong 
castles of the bishops of Lincoln and Salisbury. This prohibition, if 
such existed, was, however, very little regarded ; as in the following 
reigns many strong places were held, and even defended, by the 
ecclesiastics ; neither was more obedience afterwards paid to a decree 
made by the pope at Viterbo, May 28, 1220, wherein it w'as ordained 
that no person in England should keep in his hands more than two of 
the king’s castles. The licentious behaviour of the garrisons of these 
places becoming intolerable, in the treaty between king Stephen and 
Ilenry II. when only duke of Normandy, it was agreed that all the 
castles built w'ithin a certain period should be demolished ; in conse- 
quence many w'ere actually razed, but not the number stipulated. 
The few' castles under the Saxon government were probably, on 
occasion of w'ar or invasions, garrisoned by the national militia, and 
at other times slightly guarded by the domestics of the great person- 
ages who resided therein ; but after the Conquest, when all the estates 
were converted into baronies held by knight’s service, castle-guard 
coming under that denomination, was among the duties to which par- 
ticular tenants were liable. From these services the bishops and 
abbots, who till the times of the Normans had held their land in 
frank almoign, or free alms, were by this new regulation not ex- 
empted. They were not, however, like the laity, obliged to personal 
service, it being sufficient that they provided fit and able persons to 
officiate in' their stead. This, however, was at first stoutly opposed 
by Anselrfi, archbishop of Canterbury, who being obliged to find 
some knights to attend William II. in his w'ars in Wales, complained 
of it as an innovation, and infringement of the rights and immunities of 
the church. It was no uncommon thing for the Conqueror, and the 
kings of those days, to grant estates to men of approved fidelity and 
valour, on condition that they should perform castle-guard in the royal 
castles W'ith a certain number of men, for some specified time ; and 
sometimes they were likewise bound by their tenures to keep in repair, 
and guard, some particular tower or bulwark, as was the case at Dover 
castle. 
