Free [Norman Conquest 01] Wolves in Armour by Iain Campbell Page B

as fiefs or honours at my pleasure and with a Relief payable on succession, not as alods. I expect most will grant at least some of their demesne land and some of the land which now, or in the future, has no holder, as fiefs for military service. You’ll hold your land in landboc and not able to be taken from you without proper cause.
    “I’m also changing the administration of the shires. The sheriffs will have greater authority and duties. Officials such as those of the king’s household, the Stallers and the like, will be phased out. The new sheriff of Essex will be Robert fitzWymarc, a half-Breton who came to England in Edward’s time, in place of Leofstan the Reeve who was killed at Hastings. He’s raising a royal castle at Colchester, under my charter- at his expense.”
    “Can I raise a castle?” asked Alan.
    “If the situation warrants it and you can bear the cost of building one yourself,” William replied, waving his hand at the French clerk to include that in the document before him, before he continued his discussion of his Great Design. “The geld tax on land will be reintroduced, at the same rate as King Edward levied it prior to 1015. Two shillings per hide. Aethelbald, how much would Alan have to pay?”
    “With ninety-six and a half hides, that is £9 12s a year, payable quarterly in arrears on the Feast of the Annunciation, Christmas, Midsummer Day and Michaelmas,” replied Aethelbald.
    Alan was quick enough of wit to pick up the change. “So, unlike in Normandy, we are to provide both military service and taxes, which I understand were previously used to bribe the Danes to stay away, so military service was not needed. That’ll be a heavy impost. Men-at-arms are expensive to maintain. You mentioned that the English will have to pay a Redemption Relief. I presume that doesn’t apply to us Normans who came with you? How much would that be?” asked Alan.
    “No it doesn’t apply to those who came with me, or after we landed- but it does include those Normans and any other foreigners who held land during Edward’s time, as well as the English. The general rate will be set by Commissioners I appoint, probably around £5 per manor, payable within a year of my Coronation, That will be by Christmas Day next year. If they don’t pay their lands will be forfeit.”
    “Many of those who have to pay the Redemption Relief, as well as the taxes, will struggle to do so, particularly at those rates and in that time. Many will be forced to forfeit their land. Have you thought of a lesser tax rate or lesser Relief rate?” asked Alan.
    “No,” replied William simply. “England is mine to do with as I wish and it’s a rich land. If some men forfeit their land for non-payment that simply means more land is available to myself or the Earls to give away as fiefs or to sell. I don’t see any difficulty caused to the English landholders as being a matter for concern to me. It’s their fault for supporting Harold instead of myself after Edward died a year ago. We Normans are all going to have to stand together and keep a wary eye on the English, or they’ll have us all out of the country in a trice. Anything that reduces the English nobility’s ability to raise and pay for an army is a good thing for us,” said William revealingly.
    Seeing that the king’s mind was firmly decided and that any further argument would be useless, Alan desisted. William was used to the exercise of autocratic rule and, whilst he would always listen to advice, he would frequently reject it.
    “So, do you accept?” asked William abruptly.
    Alan blinked in surprise at the question, realizing after a few moments that it related to the offer of land to him. “Of course, the offer, and particularly the honour of the attached rights of tenant-in-chief, jurisdiction and member of your Council, is most generous,” he replied.
    “Done!” said William, who gestured to the French scrivener, who completed a few more details on a