Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland, vol 2 : England | Page 3

[Sidenote: Bishop Woolstan.] Among them
in the towne was bishop Woolstan, whom the citizens would haue
compelled to go into the castell for his surer safegard, but he refused it.
At length it chanced that the enimies (continuing the said siege) began
to wax negligent, and ranged abroad in the countrie, little regarding
watch and ward about their campe, wherevpon the English within the
citie tooke this oportunitie, being mooued thereto with the comfortable
exhortation of bishop Woolstan, and sailing foorth of the towne did set
on their enimies with great fiercenes, whome they got at such
aduantage, [Sidenote: They slue fiue hundred, and chased the residue as
saith _Simon Dunel._] that they slue and tooke that daie aboue fiue M.

men (as Henrie of Huntingdon recordeth.) For the English bearing a
continuall malice in their hearts against the French and Normans, did
now their best to be fullie reuenged of them, vpon so conuenient an
occasion offered. Those that escaped by flight, hid themselues in the
next townes, making such shifts for their liues as the present necessitie
could minister.
[Sidenote: The diligence of the archbishop Lanfranke.] Whilest the
realme was thus troubled on ech side, archbishop Lanfranke sendeth,
writeth, and admonisheth all the kings fréends to make themselues
readie to defend their prince. And after he vnderstood that they were
assembled togither for that purpose, he counselleth the king to march
into the field with them spéedilie, to represse his enimies. [Sidenote:
The great curtesie shewed to the Englishmen by Wil. Rufus. _Simon
Dun._] The king following his counsell, first appointed his nauie to
scowre and keepe the seas, and to withstand (if it were possible) the
arriuall of his brother by faire words. Also he reconcileth Roger de
Mountgomerie earle of Shrewsburie vnto him, and therewith maketh
large promises to the English, that he would out of hand giue and
restore vnto them such fauourable lawes as they would wish or desire.
Moreouer he commanded all vniust imposts, tolles and tallages to be
laid downe, and granted frée hunting in the woods, chases and forrests.
All which grants and promises he kept not long, though for the time he
greatlie contented the people with such a shew of good meaning
towards them. [Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._] This doone, he goeth with a
mightie armie into Kent, where the sedition began, and first comming
to the castell of Tunbridge, he compelled capteine Gilbert to yeeld vp
the fortresse into his hands. Then went he to Horne castell, where he
heard saie Odo was (but the report was vntrue, for he had betaken
himselfe to the castell of Pemsey) which when he had ouerthrowne, he
hasted forth vnto Pemsey, and besieged the castell there a long season,
which the bishop had stronglie fortified.
During this time, and about the fiftieth daie after the beginning of the
siege, word was brought to the king, that his brother duke Robert was
landed at Southampton, and minded with all possible spéed to come to
the succour of the bishop, and of other his fréends, whom he and his

power had not a little afflicted. [Sidenote: _H. Hunt._ _Simon Dun._] ¶
Here authors varie: for some report that duke Robert came not ouer
himselfe the first at all, but sent a part of his armie, with a certeine
number of ships, which encountring with the kings fleet, were
discomfited. Others write that duke Robert hearing of the losse of his
men, came after himselfe, and landed with a mightie armie as before,
which is most likelie. [Sidenote: _Gemeticensis._ Eustace earle of
Bullongne.] And certeinlie (as Gemeticen. affirmeth) he might easilie
as then haue recouered England from his brother, if he had not lingred
the time, considering that Eustace earle of Bullongne, Odo bishop of
Baieux, and the earle of Mortaigne, with other lords of Normandie that
were passed to England, had alreadie taken Rochester, and diuers other
castels in the prouince of Canturburie, keeping the same a certeine time,
still looking that he should haue come ouer to their aid, which he
deferred to doo, till they were constreined by siege and lacke of
necessarie succor to returne into Normandie, leauing those places
which they had won vnto the king, and that to their great dishonor.
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._] But howsoeuer it was, the king still
continued the siege before Pemsey castell, till Odo (through want of
victuals) was glad to submit himselfe, and promised to cause the castell
of Rochester to be deliuered: but at his comming thither, they within
the citie suffered him to enter, and streightwaies laid him fast in prison.
Some iudge that it was doone vnder a colour by his owne consent.
There were in Rochester a sort of valiant gentlemen (the flower in
maner of all Normandie) with Eustace earle