llor paid Henry about 3000
pounds for the office. Henry brought sheriffs under his strict
control, free from influence by the barons. He maintained order
with a strong hand, but was no more severe than his security
demanded.

Forests were still retained by Kings for their hunting of boars
and stags. A master forester maintained them. The boundaries of
the Royal Forests were enlarged. They comprised almost one-third
of the kingdom. Certain inhabitants thereof supplied the royal
foresters with meat and drink and received certain easements and
rights of common therein. The forest law reached the extreme of
severity and cruelty under Henry I. Punishments given included
blinding, emasculation, and execution. Offenders were rarely
allowed to substitute a money payment. When fines were imposed
they were heavy.

A substantial number of barons and monasteries were heavily in
debt to the Jews. The interest rate was 43% (2d. per pound per
week). The king taxed the Jews at will.

- The Law -

Henry restored the death penalty (by hanging) for theft and
robbery, but maintained William I's punishment of mutilation by
blinding and severing of limbs for other offenses, for example,
bad money. He decreed in 1108 that false and bad money should be
amended, so that he who was caught passing bad denarii should not
escape by redeeming himself but should lose his eyes and members.
And since denarii were often picked out, bent, broken, and
refused, he decreed that no denarius or obol, which he said were
to be round, or even a quadrans, if it were whole, should be
refused. (Money then reached a higher level of perfection, which
was maintained for the next century.)

The forest law stated that: "he that doth hunt a wild beast and
doth make him pant, shall pay 10 shillings: If he be a freeman,
then he shall pay double. If he be a bound man, he shall lose his
skin." A "verderer" was responsible for enforcing this law, which
also stated that: "If anyone does offer force to a Verderer, if he
be a freeman, he shall lose his freedom, and all that he hath. And
if he be a villein, he shall lose his right hand." Further, "If
such an offender does offend so again, he shall lose his life."

A wife's dower is one-third of all her husband's freehold land,
unless his endowment of her at their marriage was less than one-
third.

Counterfeiting law required that "If any one be caught carrying
false coin, the reeve s