William II's one merit was that he kept England from being devoured
piecemeal by the Norman barons, who regarded her as a pack of hounds
in full chase regard the hare that is on the point of falling into
their rapacious jaws.
Like his father, he insisted on keeping the English Church independent
of the ever-growing power of Rome (S118). In both cases his motives
were purely selfish, but the result to the country was good.
His power came suddenly to an end (1100). He had gone in the morning
to hunt in the New Forest (S119) with his brother Henry. He was found
lying dead among the bushes, pierced by an arrow shot by an unknown
hand.
William's character speaks in his deeds. It was hard, cold, despotic,
yet in judging it we should consider the woulds of that quaint old
writer, Thomas Fuller, when he says, "No pen hath originally written
the life of this King but what was made with a monkish penknife, and
no wonder if his picture seems bad, which was thus drawn by his
enemy."