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methods of accounting and control which meant that no official,
however exalted, could entirely escape the surveillance of his
colleagues and the King. At the same time, administrative and
judicial procedures were perfected so that much which had
previously required the King's personal attention was reduced to
routine.

The royal household translated the royal will into action. In the
early 1100s, there had been very little machinery of central
government that was not closely associated with the royal
household. There was a Chief Justiciar for legal matters and a
Treasurer. Royal government was largely built upon what had once
been purely domestic offices. Kings had called upon their
chaplains to pen letters for them. By Henry II's reign, the
Chancery was a highly efficient writing office through which the
King's will was expressed in a flow of writs, and the Chancellor
an important and highly rewarded official, but he was still
responsible for organizing the services in the royal chapel.
Similarly, the chamberlains ran the household's financial
departments. They arranged to have money brought in from a
convenient castle treasury, collected money from sheriffs or the
King's debtors, arranged loans with the usurers, and supervised
the spending of it. It was spent for daily domestic needs, the
King's almsgiving, and the mounting of a military campaign. But
they were still responsible for personal attendance upon the king
in his privy chamber, taking care of his valuable furs, jewels,
and documents, and changing his bed linens. There were four other
departments of the household. The steward presided over the hall
and kitchens and was responsible for supplying the household and
guests with food supplies. The butler had duties in the hall and
cellars and was responsible for the supply of wine and ale. The
marshall arranged lodgings for the King's court as it moved about
from palaces to hunting lodges, arranged the pay of the household
servants, and supervised the work of ushers, watchmen, fire
tenders, messengers and huntsmen. The constable organized the
bodyguard and escorts, arranged for the supply of castles, and
mustered the royal army. The offices of steward, constable,
chamberlain, butler were becoming confined to the household and
hereditary. The Justiciar, Chancellor, and Treasurer are becoming
purely state offices and are simply sold or rented, until public
pressure resulted in a requirement of ability.

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