Alleged death of William of Warren.
The castle surrenders.
Terms granted to Odo.
Rochester to be surrendered. besieged at Pevensey, nothing more was heard of Duke Robert's coming in person. If we may believe a single confused and doubtful narrative, the defenders of the castle had at least the satisfaction of slaying one of the chief men in the royal army. We are told that Earl William of Warren was mortally wounded in the leg by an arrow from the walls of Pevensey, and was carried to Lewes only to die there.[1] However this may be, the failure of the Norman expedition carried with it the failure of the hopes of the besieged. Food now began to fail them, and Odo and Robert found that there was nothing left for them but to surrender to their nephew on the best terms that they could get. Of the terms which were granted to the Count of Mortain and lord of Cornwall we hear nothing. The Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent was a more important person, and we have full details of everything that concerned him. The terms granted to the chief stirrer up of the whole rebellion were certainly favourable. He was called on to swear that he would leave England, and would never come back, unless the King sent for him, and that, before he went, he would cause the castle of Rochester to be surrendered.[2] For the better carrying out of the last of his engagements, the Bishop was sent on towards Rochester
- ↑ Liber de Hyda, 299. "Willelmus de Warennia apud obsidionem Peveneselli sagitta in crure valde vulneratus, Leuwias cum omnium mœrore deportatus est." The writer goes on to describe Earl William's last testament and death. It will be remembered (see above, p. 62) that Orderic makes William of Warren die quietly at a later time; but, small as is the authority of the Hyde writer, it is strange if he altogether invented or dreamed this minute account.
- ↑ Chron. Petrib. 1088. "Syððan heom ateorede mete wiðinnan þam castele, þa gyrndon hi griðas, and agefan hine þam cynge, and se bisceop swór þæt he wolde út of Englelande faran, and ná mare cuman on þisan lande butan se cyng him æfter sende, and þæt he wolde agyfan þone castel on Hrofeceastre." So William of Malmesbury (iv. 306); "Captum ad quod libuit jusjurandum impulit, ut Anglia decederet et Rovecestram traderet."
