might haue passed through the land with a bag full of gold, and not
haue met with any misdooer to haue bereft hir of the same: a thing
right strange to consider, sith in the beginning of his reigne there
were such routs of outlawes and robbers, that the peaceabler people
could not be safelie possessed of their owne houses, were the same
neuer so well fortified and defended.

[Sidenote: _Iohn Rous._ _Hen. Marle._] Among manie lawes made by the
said William, this one is to be remembred, that such as forced any
woman, should lose their genitals.

[Sidenote: Salisburie vse.] In this kings daies also liued Osmond the
second bishop of Salisburie, who compiled the church seruice, which in
times past they commonlie called after Salisburie vse.

[Sidenote: Shooting.] The vse of the long bowe (as Iohn Rous
testifieth) came first into England with this king William the
Conquerour: for the English (before that time) vsed to fight with axes
and such hand weapons: and therefore in the oration made by the
Conquerour before he gaue battel to king Harold, the better to
encourage his men, he told them they should encounter with enimies
that wanted shot.

In the yeare of our Lord 1542. Monsieur de Castres bishop of Baieulx and
abbat of Saint Estienne in Caen, caused the Sepulchre of this William to
be opened, wherein his bodie was found whole, faire and perfect; of
lims, large and big; of stature and personage, longer than the ordinarie
sort of men: with a copper plate fairlie gilt, and this epitaph
therevpon ingrauen: