Page:The reign of William Rufus and the accession of Henry the First.djvu/169

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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. 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. 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. Under orders from the King, 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
 * cution. But a crowd of hindrances were put in the way of