 Such was the fear FitzWalter was held in, that when he refused to pay what he had been assessed for a royal tax—even though he had intimidated the tax assessor into rating him for the lowest amount possible—the "men of the villages paid for him to their great impoverishment".He had, after all, threatened to break the legs and arms (""tibia et bracchia"") and leave to die anyone who refused to do so.The FitzWalter family had long had turbulent relations with their Colchester neighbours.