h; his pride
unconquerable; and his subjects, as well as his neighbors, had therefore
reason to apprehend, from the continuance of his reign, a perpetual
scene of blood and violence. Of an impetuous and vehement spirit, he was
distinguished by all the good, as well as the bad, qualities incident to
that character; he was open, frank, generous, sincere, and brave; he
was revengeful, domineering, ambitious, haughty, and cruel; and was thus
better calculated to dazzle men by the splendor of his enterprises, than
either to promote their happiness, or his own grandeur, by a sound and
well-regulated policy. As military talents make great impression on the
people, he seems to have been much beloved by his English subjects; and
he is remarked to have been the first prince of the Norman line that
bore any sincere regard to them. He passed, however, only four months of
his reign in that kingdom; the crusade employed him near three years; he
was detained about fourteen months in captivity; the rest of his reign
was spent either in war or preparations for war against France; and he
was so pleased with the fame which he had acquired in the East, that
he determined, notwithstanding his past misfortunes, to have further
exhausted his kingdom, and to have exposed himself to new hazards, by
conducting another expedition against the infidels.

Though the English pleased themselves with the glory which the king's
martial genius procured them, his reign was very oppressive, and
somewhat arbitrary, by the high taxes which he levied on them, and often
without consent of the states or great council. In the ninth year of his
reign, he levied five shillings on each hide of land; and because
the clergy refused to contribute their share, he put them out of the
protection of law, and ordered the civil courts to give them no sentence
for any debts which they might claim.[*] Twice in his reign he ordered
all his charters to be sealed anew, and the parties to pay fees for the
renewal.[**]

[* Hoveden, p. 743. Tyrrel, vol. ii. p, 563.]

[** Pryrnne's Chronol. Vindic. tom. i. p. 1133.]

{1133.} It is said that Hubert, his justiciary, sent him over to France,
in the space of two years, no less a sum than one million one hundred
thousand marks, besides bearing all the charges of the government in
England. But this account is quite incredible, unless we suppose that
Richard made a thorough dilapidation of the demesnes of the crown,
which it