Action of Ivo Taillebois.
November 21.
The Bishop's voyage delayed.
November 26.
- cution. But a crowd of hindrances were put in the way of
his voyage. Notwithstanding the safe-conduct given to the Bishop's men, a number of wrongs were done to them by Ivo Taillebois, whose conduct may be thought to bear out his character as drawn in the legendary history of Crowland. The great grievance was that in defiance—so men thought at Durham—of Lanfranc's judgement that Bishop William was not bound to plead in the matter of the beasts taken from the Bishop of Coutances, two of his knights were forced to plead on that charge.[1] Meanwhile the day came which had been appointed for the Bishop's voyage. He had been waiting at Wilton, under the care of a certain Robert of Conteville, who had been assigned, at his own request, to keep him from all harm.[2] The castle had been duly given up; all seemed ready for his crossing. Bishop William asked the Sheriff Gilbert and his guardian Robert for ships, to cross in the company of Robert of Mowbray.[3] Under orders from the King,[4] they kept him for five days longer, when Robert of Conteville took him to Southampton. The wind was favourable, and the Bishop craved for leave to set sail at once. The King's officers forbade him to sail that day; the next day, when the wind had become contrary, they, seemingly in mockery, gave him
- ↑ Mon. Ang. u.s. "Accepit Ivo Taillesbosci duos milites episcopi, et coegit eos placitare de animalibus Constantiensis episcopi de quibus judicatum fuerat ante regem Dunelmensi episcopo non debere respondere." It is of course possible that there might be some ground for impleading the knights, though not for impleading the Bishop.
- ↑ He had before asked; "dum in Anglia fuero, habetote mecum unum bonum hominem, qui et hospitia mihi inveniat et ab impedimento me defendat." The "good man" assigned is "Robertus de Comitisvilla." One would think that he was a kinsman of the husband of Herleva, the King's step-grandfather.
- ↑ Roger in the text; but Robert must surely be meant.
- ↑ Mon. Ang. u. s. "Illi responderunt se nullam sibi navem liberaturos, et dixerunt regem sibi præcepisse ut bene servarent episcopum, ne de potestate regis exiret usque quo quid de eo fieri præciperet, illis per suas sigillatas literas remandaret."
