378 HISTORY OF ENGLAND,

H A i>. rebels found no resource but in fliglit or sub-s'. mission. Some of them received a pardon; butthe greater part were attainted ; and the kingbestowed their estates on the Norman baronswho had remained faithful to him.

toss. William, freed from the danger of these in-surrections , took little care of fulfilling his promisesto the Enghssi , who still found themselves ex-posed to the same oppressions , which they hadundergone during the reign of the Conqueror,and which were rather augmented by the vio-lent, impetuous temper of the present monarch.The death of Lanfranc, who retained greatinfluenceover him, gave soon aster a full career to histyranny ; and all orders of men found reason tocomplain of an arbitrary and illegal administration.

' Even the privileges of the church , held sacredin those days, were a feeble rampart against hisusurpations. He seized the temporalities of allthe vacant bishoprics and abbies ; he delayedthe appointing of successors to those dignities,that he might the longer enjoy the profits of theirrevenue ; he bestowed some of the church-landsin property on his captains and favourites ; andhe openly set to sale such sees and abbies as hethought proper to dispose of. Though the murmursof the ecclesiastics, which were quickly propagatedto the nation , rose high against this grievance ,the terror of William’s authority, confirmed bythe suppression of the late insurrections, retainedevery one in subjection , and preserved generaltranquillity in England.