| AD 1125. In this year sent the king Henry before Christmas, from Normandy to England, and bade all the mint-men that were in England should be mutilated in their limbs; that was, that they should lose each of them the right hand, and their testicles beneath. This was because the man that had a pound could not lay out a penny at a market. And the Bishop Roger of Salisbury sent all over England, and bade them all that they should come to Winchester at Christmas. When they came thither, then they were taken one by one, and deprived each of the right hand and the testicles beneath. All this was done within the twelfth night. And all this was in perfect justice, because that they had undone all the land with the great quantity of base coin that they all bought. |
