of armies; but one of them was remarkable for its circumstances
and its event. Robert happened to engage the king, who was concealed
by his helmet, and, both of them being valiant, a fierce combat ensued,
till at last the young prince wounded his father in the arm and unhorsed
him. On his calling out for assistance, his voice discovered him to his
son, who, struck with remorse for his past guilt, and astonished with
the apprehensions of one much greater, which he had so nearly incurred,
instantly threw himself at his father's feet, craved pardon for his
offences, and offered to purchase forgiveness by any atonement.[*]
The resentment harbored by William was so implacable, that he did not
immediately correspond to this dutiful submission of his son with like
tenderness; but, giving him his malediction, departed for his own camp,
on Robert's horse, which that prince had assisted him to mount, He soon
after raised the siege, and marched with his army to Normandy; where
the interposition of the queen and other common friends brought about
a reconcilement, which was probably not a little forwarded by the
generosity of the son's behavior in this action, and by the returning
sense of his past misconduct. The king seemed so fully appeased that he
even took Robert with him into England, where he intrusted him with
the command of an army, in order to repel an inroad of Malcolm, king
of Scotland, and to retaliate by a like inroad into that country. The
Welsh, unable to resist William's power, were, about the same time,
necessitated to pay a compensation for their incursions; and every thing
was reduced to full tranquillity in this island.

[* W. Malms, p. 106. H. Hunting, p. 369. Hoveden,
p. 457. Flor Wigorn. p. 639. Sim. Dunelm. p. 210. Diceto, p.
287. Knyghton, p. 2351. Alured. Beverl. p. 135.]

{1081.} This state of affairs gave William leisure to begin and finish
an undertaking, which proves his extensive genius and does honor to his
memory; it was a general survey of all the lands in the kingdom, their
extent in each district, their proprietors, tenures, value; the quantity
of meadow, pasture, wood, and arable land, which they contained; and
in some counties, the number of tenants, cottagers, and slaves of all
denominations, who lived upon them. He appointed commissioners for this
purpose, who entered every particular in their register by the verdict
of juries; and after a labor of six years, (for the work was