is not likely he could do with any advantage after his former
resumption of all grants. A king who possessed such a revenue, could
never have endured fourteen months' captivity for not paying one hundred
and fifty thousand marks to the emperor, and be obliged at last to leave
hostages for a third of the sum. The prices of commodities in this reign
are also a certain proof that no such enormous sum could be levied on
the people. A hide of land, or about a hundred and twenty acres, was
commonly let at twenty shillings a year, money of that time. As there
were two hundred and forty-three thousand six hundred hides in England,
it is easy to compute the amount of all the landed rents of the kingdom.
The general and stated price of an ox was four shillings; of a laboring
horse, the same; of a sow, one shilling; of a sheep with fine wool,
tenpence with coarse wool, sixpence.[*] These commodities seem not to
have advanced in their prices since the conquest,[**] [19] and to have
still been ten times cheaper than at present.

Richard renewed the severe laws against transgressors in his forests,
whom he punished by castration and putting out their eyes, as in the
reign of his great-grandfather. He established by law one weight and
measure throughout his kingdom;[***] a useful institution, which the
mercenary disposition and necessities of his successor engaged him to
dispense with for money.

[* Hoveden, p. 745.]

[** See note S, at the end of the volume.]

[*** M. Paris, p. 109, 134. Trivet, p. 127. Ann.
Waverl. p. 165. Hoveden, p. 7.]

The disorders in London, derived from its bad police, had risen to a
great height during this reign; and in the year 1196, there seemed to
be formed so regular a conspiracy among the numerous malefactors, as
threatened the city with destruction. There was one William Fitz-Osbert,
commonly called Longbeard, a lawyer, who had rendered himself extremely
popular among the lower rank of citizens; and by defend ing-them on all
occasions, had acquired the appellation of the advocate or savior of
the poor. He exerted his authority by injuring and insulting the more
substantial citizens, with whom he lived in a state of hostility, and
who were every moment exposed to the most outrageous violences from
him and his licentious emissaries. Murders were daily committed in the
streets; houses were broken open and pillaged in daylight; and it is
pretended, that no less than fifty-two thou