In the quiet quaintly-named streets, in town-mead and market-place, in the lord's mill beside the stream, in the bell that swung out its summons to the crowded borough-mote, in merchant-gild, and church-gild and craft-gild, lay the life of Englishmen who were doing more than knight and baron to make England what she is, the life of their home and their trade, of their sturdy battle with oppression, their steady, ceaseless struggle for right and freedom.
[Sidenote: London] London stood first among English towns, and the privileges which its citizens won became precedents for the burghers of meaner boroughs.

Even at the Conquest its power and wealth secured it a full recognition of all its ancient privileges from the Conqueror.

In one way indeed it profited by the revolution which laid England at the feet of the stranger.

One immediate result of William's success was an immigration into England from the Continent.

A peaceful invasion of the Norman traders followed quick on the invasion of the Norman soldiery.