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proposition he was thrown into a great state of excitement.
    Normandy for 10,000 marks. He would find that money, no matter where he had to go for it.
    Oh, what a fool Robert was! What a mad dreamer! He did not deserve Normandy. That much was clear.
    Yes, yes, he declared. Alan of Bretagne might go to the Abbey of Rumsey and see the girl. He waved his hand for him to be gone. He could not wait to call together a meeting of the men he would need to carry out his plans.
    How were they going to raise 10,000 marks? There was one way of raising money known to him. Taxation. If his subjects had land and money and he needed it, they must provide it. And, if they refused, there were dungeons waiting for them.
    First he called in Ranulf Flambard, his greatest friend and favourite.
    â€˜Ha, Ranulf my boy, listen to this.’
    Ranulf sprawled familiarly on the faldestol. He roared with laughter when Rufus told him of Robert’s proposition.
    â€˜We’ll get the money,’ cried Ranulf. ‘We’ll get the money, and Normandy.’
    Rufus gazed affectionately at Ranulf – a man after his own heart. He had been attracted to him the first time he had seen him. His sexual tastes were similar to those of Rufus, and they were immediately close companions. Ranulf was the son of a parish priest of Bayeux who had come to Londonsoon after the Conquest. Hearing much of the King’s manner of life, he came to Court; and his rude manners, his hearty laughter, his malicious tongue and a certain rough wit immediately appealed to Rufus.
    Ranulf had quickly discovered that the best way to stay in the good graces of Rufus was to keep him well supplied with money, and he had devised new methods of taxation. It was for this reason that he had been given the name of Flambard – the firebrand; for his methods of extortion were not very nice.
    Ranulf now threw himself whole-heartedly into the matter of raising 10,000 marks. He instituted a new form of bribery. Men could pay their way out of trouble. Criminals were set free if they could raise enough money to buy their release.
    â€˜The church is rich,’ said Ranulf; and they laughed together. Ranulf knew how his sovereign enjoyed discomfiting the clergy.
    â€˜Get to it, my good friend,’ cried Rufus. ‘And begin with our reluctant Archbishop of Canterbury.’
    Anselm was amazed to learn of the bargain into which Robert of Normandy had entered with his brother. He would have refused to help raise the money but he was warned by his friends that that would be unwise. He must remember that Rufus was a violent man and that Rome was too far off to offer him protection. He could be thrown into a dungeon and blinded – a revenge often taken by the King on his victims, for the Conqueror himself had abolished the death penalty and decided that it was a more just punishment to rob rebels of their eyes than their lives.
    Anselm therefore raised five hundred pounds of silver in answer to the King’s command.
    Rufus roared with anger when he received this offer.
    â€˜Of what use is that to me?’ he demanded. ‘From the rich See of Canterbury I want more and shall have more.’
    Anselm replied that he could not give what he did not possess, and he sold the silver and distributed the proceeds among the poor.
    Well, mused Rufus, five hundred pounds worth of silver was better than nothing. So he sent a messenger to Anselmto tell him that he would accept the silver after all.
    Anselm was not displeased to reply that the silver had already been sold and the money it had raised given to the poor.
    Rufus’s face grew purple when he heard this.
    He would have to show that insolent priest who was master in this land, he decided, and that soon. In the meantime his great concern was money . . . money for Normandy.
    â€˜I want money,’ was the message sent to Anselm. ‘Have you not gold and silver boxes full of dead men’s