 As chief financial administrator , he bore the brunt of the chronicler 's condemnations for extortion and efforts to increase royal revenues . Besides attempts to increase the efficiency of collection and the rate of taxation , Ranulf created new methods of raising money . One of his new measures in revenue collection came in 1094 , when the fyrd , or English militia , was assembled in order to fight in Normandy against the king 's brother Robert Curthose . When all the men had assembled , instead of sending them to Normandy , Ranulf dismissed them , after collecting the 10 shillings that each man had been given by their district for maintenance . Ranulf then spent the money on mercenaries . Ranulf also actively pressed lawsuits , including bringing suit against Anselm on the day of Anselm 's consecration as Archbishop of Canterbury . Another innovation was the attempt to collect a relief , much like the relief due from vassals at the death of an overlord , from the under @-@ tenants of church lands when the church office changed hands . This attempt came at the death of Wulfstan , Bishop of Worcester in 1095 , when the king sent writs to the free tenants of the bishop , setting the amount of relief owed to the king . This attempt was not repeated , however . 
