Page:The child's pictorial history of England; (IA childspictorialh00corn).pdf/67

 a state of poverty and wretchedness that it is melancholy to think of.

15. I will not attempt to describe the sufferings of the people during that long period, but you may imagine how very miserable they must have been, for the Normans got the better of them all over the country, and took delight in robbing and insulting their unhappy victims.

16. I told you that the design of the Conqueror was to take all the land, and divide it among his followers, except what he chose to keep for himself, as crown lands.

17. Now there were many Saxon ladies who possessed estates, in consequence of their fathers or brothers having been killed at the battle of Hastings; and most of these heiresses were compelled, against their will, to marry Norman lords, who thus gained lands as well as brides.

18. Then the estates of all those who had not submitted to the king were declared to be forfeited, and William gave them to the Normans, or, more properly speaking, he gave the Barons leave to take them by force; so the English lords had to fight for their houses and lands, and many were killed, and many fled to other countries.

19. The rustics, on these forfeited estates, would fight for their lord to the last; but, when he was forced to yield, they had no choice but