On our side we can claim to disarm anyone who
might taunt us on ancient scores by our naive readiness to celebrate Independence Day or the Norman Conquest or anything else in good fellowship. Usually not much accurate history is sought, but at Falaise and Rouen the French have brought sound archaeological studies to the fore and have listened to addresses from British historians. William was a great man in his day who altered history for us, and, after the manner of his day, an unscrupulous one. As our great land nationalizer he has his followers to-day. His scheme certainly benefited him and it can still be traced in legal theories of tenure, but not many centuries were needed to show that the subjects would not consent to any real exercise by the Crown of its ownership of the land.
* * * *
Previous page
