Winter of Discontent

invasion the month before the other invasion led by William, Tostig’s death fighting beside the Norwegians at Stamford Bridge against his brothers, the appointment the year before by William of the Englishman Copsi from Yorkshire as earl and his prompt murder just five weeks later, almost as soon as he set foot north of the Tyne, by Osulf of the Bamburgh family- this taking place at Newburn.

Copsi’s murder was particularly reprehensible in that when the house where he was staying had been attacked he had fled to a nearby church for sanctuary and his attackers had burnt the church down- Osulf himself decapitating Copsi as he sought to escape the building, raising the bloody head in triumph on the steps of the burning church. Osulf had in turn died in the autumn, apparently killed by a band of robbers.

Regenbald announced that it was the king’s decision to appoint Gospatric, son of Maldred and of the Bamburgh family, as earl of Bamburgh. Alan wondered privately how much the purchase of this position had cost Gospatric. Nobody saw Copsi’s murder as an expression of anti-Norman feeling. His crime had been to be a Yorkshireman in Northumbria- and the men of the north hated the southerners at least as much as they hated the Normans.

Regenbald also announced the king’s decision regarding changes in the clergy. Wulfwig, the bishop of Dorchester-on-Thames, had died and now Regmigius, a French clergyman from Fecamp, was appointed. Godric, the abbot of Winchester, was deposed for ‘salacious activity’. His replacement was another Englishman, Aethelwig the abbot of Evesham. Abbot Beorhtric from Malmesbury was moved to Burton and replaced with a Frenchman named Turold, who was also from Fecamp Abbey.

Next followed several cases regarding disputed ownership of land. Beorhtsige of Foulton and Brune of Tolleshunt, both from Essex, lost their land as they could not produce the landbocs and their predecessors had died at Hastings. Westminster Abbey lost Kelvedon Hatch, as its donor Aethelric had fought against King William before his coronation. The abbot of St Benet’s Holme in Norfolk, Aefwold, was exiled for organising the defence of the east coast at the request of Harold, and his men Eadric and Ringulf lost their lands and were exiled with him. The meeting petered out late in the evening, largely as everybody of any influence had already departed to their quarters.

The next morning the Curia resumed with the announcement that Bishop of Wells Giso had been restored the manor of Banwell in Somerset, which had been taken from him by Harold. Next Regenbald dealt with the revolt of Exeter in the west, which had been resolved only a few weeks previously. Again, all those present knew the details, as both Norman knights and English thegns paid close attention to politics.

After the announcement of the geld tax that year, Exeter had revolted and ejected the sheriff and his men from the city. In reply to the king’s formal demand for submission, the citizens of the town had been ill-advised enough to seek to bargain with the king. This was probably due to the presence in the town of Gytha, the widow of Earl Godwin and mother of Harold, who had considerable influence.

William’s response had been swift and firm. Despite the season being mid-winter, Exeter had been besieged and surrendered after eighteen days. Other than encouraging the citizens to surrender by blinding one of the hostages the town had given and mutilating another by removing his nose, King William had shown remarkable clemency- perhaps because it was clear that the revolt had little support amongst the English in the south-west. Many of the local thegns had responded to the call to arms to fight on the side of the new king. Also Queen Edith, widow of King Edward and a firm supporter of King William, had interceded on behalf of the town, which formed part of her dowry. Gytha and her party had fled the town before its surrender, most of the noblemen taking ship to Ireland to the court of King Diarmid of Leinster.

Whilst there was nothing of news in this recitation, the political outcome soon became clear. Rougemont Castle had been constructed in Exeter and was entrusted to Baldwin de Muelles, brother of Richard fitzGilbert, and he was appointed sheriff. Brian of Brittany was given command of a force of soldiers to be based at Wells. Robert of Mortain received the manor of Bishopsgate and given permission to erect a castle. The Bishop of Coutances, Geoffrey de Mowbray, was made Port-Reeve of Bristol.

It had been immediately after the Exeter revolt that Edgar the Aetheling and his party had fled north to Scotland, presumably because they expected to be implicated.

After a protracted midday meal, the Curia resumed its hearings during the afternoon. Alan thought the process something like trying to find small jewels in a bucketful of sand, with lots of dross and the occasional gem that made it all worthwhile.

At mid-morning on Thursday, after the hearing of a further land dispute, Regenbald announced that judicial powers in Mercia, except in Cheshire (which was firmly in Earl Edwin’s grasp) would be given to Aethelwig, the abbot of Evesham. Evesham was an abbey much favoured by the Mercian earls, so this of itself shouldn’t be of much concern to the earls, mused Alan, but it certainly showed the king’s lack of favour to the earl of Mercia. The next announcement came as something of a surprise. Roger de Montgomerie was to be appointed earl of Shrewsbury and given leave to build a castle, the land to be carved out of Earl Edwin’s holding. The making of earldoms out of the larger scirs of the major earls was not without precedent, but the scowl of Edwin’s face and that of his brother Morcar showed their feelings about this announcement.

That evening Alan had arranged for several of the middle-level thegns and knights to attend at Holebourn Bridge for dinner. The Normans were his good friend Roger Bigod, Ivo Taillebois, Robert le Blond, Bernard de Neufmarche, who held land near Alan’s demesne in Hereford, Roger of Arundel and William de Courseulles. Roger of Arundel and William had recently profited by the grant of manors following the Exeter revolt. The English thegns attending were Thorkel of Arden who was the sheriff of Warwickshire, Aetheldred of Yalding in Kent, Godric the Steward who had charge of royal manors in Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk and Sigar of Thriplow in Cambridgeshire. There was also an older man of slightly higher rank, Eadnoth the Staller, sheriff and the King’s Master of Horse in Somerset.

They were a relatively young group, most of the Normans in their twenties or thirties, with the English on average slightly older. They spoke Norman French, which most Englishmen of quality could speak fluently as most were well-travelled and had journeyed overseas to the continent, usually several times. The men were a little reticent at first, the English and Normans not being known to each other.

“An interesting day at Council,” commented Roger Bigod as a conversation-starter, taking a sip from his cup of wine and setting it back down on the large table around which they all were seated. He paused and nodded to Alan, saying “Nice wine! From Bordeaux? I thought so. Very nice!” The others had at their elbows, according their preference, wine, ale, cider or mead. Anne sat at the head of the table with a jug of fruit juice. Beside her Osmund held a pint jack of ale.

“Indeed,” replied Eadnoth. “I rather think that the king set a few cats loose in the pigeon loft today. I think that Earl Edwin was less than happy with the effect of the charters on his position.”

Alan shrugged and said, “Well, I can understand William’s position. He invades the country, wins by force of arms and is crowned king. He receives the homage of the country- well, most of the country. Then Eustace of Boulogne, who led the Norman right flank at Hastings, leaves the country in a huff- then comes back and attacks Dover castle before fleeing again. An invasion by the Welsh and some renegade Englishmen in Shropshire lays waste to that shire and Herefordshire. There’s the trouble in the north involving Copsi. Then Gytha, Godwin’s widow and Harold’s mother, incites rebellion in Exeter. The Aetheling and many of his party take horse and flee to Scotland. Presumably they were involved in the revolt. The thing I found surprising was that King William neither burnt Exeter to the ground nor demanded much in the way of recompense.”

Eadnoth put his pitcher of ale on the table and wiped his moustache before he said, “That was probably because I and others made it clear to the king that the revolt had little general support in the west, and indeed little enough support even in the town. Myself and a number of other thegns brought men to fight with King William; also Queen Edith used her position and influence on the king.”

“The king seems concerned about the defection of the Aetheling,” said Ivo Taillebois, who held land in the mid-north. “That’s not surprising considering William treated him so well. He’s not only confirmed him in his previous extensive lands, but also gave him new lands and honours. It seems that it’s going to make the king more suspicious of the English in the future and may be why he’s started to clip the wings of the earl of Mercia.”

“As you said it’s probably not surprising, but also probably not helpful,” said Godric. “We all saw Edwin’s face and that of his brother Morcar. I’d be surprised if we’ve heard the last of those changes. It’s a cycle- the more the English show their discontent, the more caution William shows and the more he favours you Normans. That just makes the English even more discontented, and William reacts again.”

“I wouldn’t trust those bastards from the north myself,” growled Eadnoth, like a true Southerner. “Tostig