POLITICAL HISTORY 



the de Clares upon the Pilgrims' Way, upon the old way or gate through 

 Reigate, and upon the Stone Street. The establishment of the great 

 Sussex baron in Surrey led also to the subsequent drawing together for 

 administrative purposes of the two counties, no sign of which previously 

 exists. More than one de Warenne was sheriff of both counties. The 

 first earl died in the year of his investiture, 1089. For a short time 

 under Henry I. the purpose of his creation was nullified, for the second 

 earl joined the party of Robert and was consequently deprived of his 

 earldom in 1 1 o i . In the next year however, on the temporary recon- 

 ciliation of Henry and Robert, he was restored, and continued henceforth 

 steady in support of King Henry. The energy of the de Clares was 

 mainly devoted during this period to enterprises in the Welsh Marches, 

 where they were carving out for themselves a dominion in the region 

 which was ultimately the greatest seat of their power. 



The opening troubles of Stephen's time saw both the great Surrey 

 barons upon his side. William de Warenne II. died in 1138, an old 

 man. His son, William de Warenne III., witnessed Stephen's charter in 

 1136, but was accused of intriguing with the empress in the next year. 

 In 1141 however he was in arms for Stephen at the battle of Lincoln, 

 was taken prisoner, went over to the empress, was taken when fighting 

 on her side at Winchester, and reverted to Stephen's party. He was a 

 type of the great barons who by their constant self-seeking made confusion 

 apparently endless. False to both parties and trusted by neither, he left 

 England on the second crusade in 1 1 47, and was killed by the Turks in 

 the disaster which befell the crusaders near Laodicaea the next year. 



Richard de Clare fell in a skirmish with the Welsh in 1136. His 

 son Gilbert was created Earl of Hertford by Stephen, but turned against 

 the king about the time that de Warenne left the country. He was 

 succeeded by his brother Roger, whose son was another Richard. 



It is unknown how far Surrey suffered from that great curse of 

 Stephen's reign, unlicensed and unlimited castle building. It is probable 

 that to this time belongs the raising of a shell keep of stone round the 

 mound of Farnham. The position of Henry de Blois the Bishop of 

 Winchester enabled him to retain his improved fortifications when 

 Henry II. threw down the palisades and levelled the mounds of so many 

 castles. The mound at Guildford, with perhaps no keep on it yet, was 

 in royal hands. The de Clare and de Warenne interests were allowed 

 to watch each other from Blechingley and Reigate. 



So far the two great houses of Surrey are in frequent opposition to 

 each other. The time was coming when one of them became closely 

 allied with the Crown, while the other was more definitely united with 

 the party of baronial opposition to the king. 



The last de Warenne had left an only daughter Isabel, who was 

 married to William the eldest surviving son of Stephen. He was Earl 

 of Surrey or Earl de Warenne in right of his wife, Count of Mortain 

 in right of his father, Count of Boulogne in right of his mother, and 

 possessed of what his father had held before his accession in England, 



