Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/134

 iU(i NOTICES OF Alien AEOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS. the Euglish uame ami porniittod its several kingdoms to be combined into cue empire. There seemed some danger that this sympathy, which makes Harold tiio son of Uodwiu the author's idol, should lead him to be less than just towards his eonqueror and sueeps.sor. Biittliis is not at all the c;U5e. Though, long after Harold has disappeared from the scene, his memory is revived and he is held up as the great patriot and chief of the English race, William is fairly and justly treated, and holds unchallenged the fu-st place in the picture. Harold is ever dejiicted as the true and strong Englishman — the man who came of the race of the people, had hi.s sympathies with the people, and from the people derived all his Rtrcugth ; while William, always a foreigner, always a Norman, exhibits ever the Norman contempt for all who arc not noble, and derives his strength in part from his own indomitable character, in part from his craft in availing himself of the support of a rapacious and miprinciplcd military aristocracy. Setting apart the question of the justice of ^^'illiam's claim to the English tiu'oue, about which, as men in those times counted justice, there were two well-balanced opinions, which ipiestion Mr. Freeman keeps well before his readers, his character is honestly drawn. If a legitimate king, dealing with rebellious subjects, he was jtrobably not more severe than was necessary. Those who rose against him he put down promptly, and with great, and perhaps, under the circumstance.^, necessiiry severity. To those who obeyed him he was neither unjust nor severe, nor was he ever wantonly cruel. Mention ha.s been made of the use made by Mr. Freeman of his local knowleilge. As examples of this knowledge may be cited his account of the siege and fall of Exeter, and William's memorable march into the midland and northern counties, in lOGi^, when he decided upon the foundation of castles at Oxford, Warwick, Nottingham, York, Lincoln, ('andjridgc, and Huntingdon; the siege of Chester in 1070; and the a.ssault upon the Isle of Ely in 1U71. Of all these, perhai)S the pa.ssagc that best exemplifies the peculiari- ties of which we have .sj)oken is that which relates to Lincoln. After a brief acc<jimt of the lawmen, burghens, and local government of Lincoln, Mr. Freeman proceeds (p. I'Ki) : — " No town ill Knglaiul occuiiicd .a prouder »itf, or might CDiisiiliT ituvU inoio B.ifo .-ig.aiD8t all ftj*natilt-s. Ytt no town in linglnnd hns more utterly changed itj^ outw.ird garb tli.in the colony of Lindiini lias changed in cvcrj' K'.idiiig feature niiicc tho d.iy when Wiiliani came to demand itn iiiilimirtKion. Now, throuf^houta vaxt dintrictarountl the city, the one great feature of the l.ind(>cai>e in the mighty Miiihter, which, .ilmo.st liki) that of If the ridge, rixing, wi!h a 8toei'ne.-n well nigh tmknown in the MtrcetJt of Knglifth townn, above the lower city and the plain at it« feet. Next in imiKirtanco to the MinHt4*r in the Castle, which, marred an it in by modern changeH,Ktill erowuM the lieight an no miworthy yokefellow of it^* ccelesiaHtical ncighlK)ur. Thepioud i ' ' '■•ii of the fortreM«Hlill groups well with the Hoaring towem, tho Mharp )ioint' 'he long continuoUH line of roof of the Church of UemigiuM and St. llugli. . jh- of the hill and tho long line of ro.nl .it it^ foot are covered by tho buildingn of tho city, it« Iiouhcm, many ol them ]ireHenling foriuH dcartotiio antiquary; the (iuildh.ill over it i Houthern gaU', tin- ilark arch which xpaiiH the iK>lluU-d river, 'the tall mjnaro towern of thoMe churcheH of tlu? lower town, who.He tihr, we Mhall *jon find, comcM more deei.ly homo to um than anything vUv in the local liiiit<jry. When William drew n<Mr, Mnmt4'r, Cniitle, Iiouhcm, cliurehcH, had not yet como inUi being ; all alike are direct m<'moi ialx of hiit coming. Oin^ alone .iiuong the m-iny antiquitiefi of the city w.vi alrca<ly there to meet the eye of the Con<iueror, to remind him of conqnorom an far rcuioved from hii» age tM he w himi»elf now removed