CHAP.

IV.

1081.

364 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

mistake in the computation of the historian ;though, if we consider that avarice is alwaysimputed to William as one of his vices, andthat, having by the sword rendered himself masterof all the lands in the kingdom, he wouldcertainly in the partition retain a great propor-tion for his own share; we can scarcely be guiltyof any error in asserting, that perhaps no kingof England was ever more opulent, was more "]able to support by his revenue the splendor \and magnificence of a court, or could bestow ]more on his pleasures or in liberalities to hisservants and favourites *\

The new- There was one pleasure, to which William,forest. as >vel! as all the Normans and ancient Saxons,

was extremely addicted; and that was hunting:But this pleasure he indulged more at the expenceof his unhappy subjects , whose interests he alwaysdisregarded , than to the loss or diminution ofliis own revenue. Not content with those largeforests , which former kings possessed in all partsof England ; he resolved to make a new forestnear Winchester, the usual place of his residence :And for that purpose, he laid waste the countryin Hampshire for an extent of thirty miles, ex-pelled the inhabitants from their houses, seizedtheir property, even demolished churches andconvents and made the sufferers no compensationfor the injury* 3 . At the same time, he enacted

Fortescue, de Dom. reg. et politic, cap. in.

Malmes. p. 3. H. Hunt. p. 731. AngliaSacra, vol. 1.p. 258.