ii8 The Norman Conquest
distinctive name; terms varied and were quite descrip-
tive in character: it was the "king's court/' the "royal
court," the "court of the lord king," and many other
such phrases, often to distinguish it from somebody else's
court. Where the calling of it together is the prominent
idea, the term council (concilium) is often used, and if
the meeting were especially large, adjectives, such as
"general" or "great," might be added.1 Language also
might vary according to the function or activity of the
body which the writer had in mind. The word court
(curia) of this time had about the same meanings it now
has: the king's court often meant the social or ceremonial
entourage or surroundings of the king with the royal
presence as the vital factor; it was quite likely also to be
applied to this counselling group when its judicial activity
was in mind, when it was acting as a court of law; or
the court of the king might even indicate a place of royal
residence or some part of it.
This varying and descriptive language shows an unde-
veloped institution of varying activities, and such it was.
For this early period it may well be referred to as the
king's court, with the understanding, however, that it
had no fixed name. It was the Conqueror's custom, ap-
parently from the beginning of his reign in England, to
celebrate the three great church festivals of Christmas,
Easter, and Whitsuntide by summoning large ceremonial
courts where there was much splendour and display. Un-
doubtedly these not only served to impress people in
England and visitors from abroad with the wealth and
power of the king, but as occasions for transacting the
more important public business; this could be done after
the festive part of the occasion was concluded. Also
meetings of these great nobles might be summoned for
purely business purposes. But the central government's
work was growing with marvellous swiftness after the
t * It was not, as has often been supposed, described as a "common coun-
cil." THs error has led to much misconception of the character of this
early assembly. See Was there a "Common Council" before Parliament?,
American Historical Review, xxv., 1-17.