17 



We have here certain statements which are not borne out 

 by other writers. Only four houses were pulled down 

 according to the Domesday book for the enlargement of the 

 Castle, and that the Abbot of Coventry had 26 houses, 

 ■whereas he really possessed 36, and none of these were 

 pulled down. If we turn to the works of Oderic Vital, 

 who was contemporary with many of the events which he 

 narrates, we shall find that he diiFers materially from Rous, 

 who lived four centuries afterwards. — In ^ook iv., cap. 5, 

 he states : — 



"The king, therefore (i.e., William I., and on account of 

 the attempts to overthrow his rule), more carefully surveyed 

 the secluded parts of the country, and fortified all suitable 

 places against the enemy. For such fortifications, as the 

 French call castles, were very scarce in the English counties ; 

 and it was because of this that the English, although they 

 were good and bold warriors, came out the worst when 

 they were resisting the enemy. And so the King built 

 a castle at Guarevic, and delivei'ed it to the custody of 

 Henry son of Roger de Bellomonte. 



" Also Roger de Bellomonte, a brave man wise and discreet, 

 who had always continued faithful to his lord the Duke of 

 Normandy, retired to the abbey of S. Pierre de Preaux (in 

 Caenobio Pratellensi), when his military cai'eer was honour- 

 ably closed. 



" That monastery Humphery de Vicilles (Unfredus de 

 Vetulis) had founded at his own expense .... There 

 Robert de Bellomonte, son of Humphrey whom Roger de 

 Clare had killed, lies buried, and Roger, his brother, then 

 an old man, after some years of his converted life closed 

 it happily. 



" But he appointed his sons Robert and Henry, heirs of 

 his manors, whom at this present time the grace of God 

 has raise to high eminence. 



" Robert came into possession of the earldom of 

 Mellent in the Verin [de Melleuto in pago Vilcasino] 

 . . . . and obtained by good fortune, by gift of King 

 Henry, the Earldom of Leicester in England 



