PLYMPTON CASTLE. 269 
resistance was prolonged, they would not submit to an unconditional 
surrender. And now Baldwin found other advocates. 
In the king’s camp were many who, although espousing his cause 
from motives of prudence, and fighting for him, really sympathised 
with Matilda and her friends. Some of these came to the king, 
and appealing to his fears as well as to his humanity, succeeded in 
gaining what the more direct, but no less urgent, importunities of 
the earl and his lady had failed to obtain. The king—while pro- 
mising to allow the garrison to quit the castle free men, and with 
their arms and property, with permission to take service with any 
lord, and to give Baldwin and his family their liberty—declared 
the large possessions of the earl forfeit. It is evident that the lack 
of water alone brought the brave defence of Exeter Castle to a 
termination ; for on the evacuation the only thought of the soldiers 
was the means of allaying their thirst. 
But Baldwin was not humbled by his want of success at Exeter, 
nor was he weary of battle. Stripped of his estates, and deserted 
by those who had encouraged him to rebel, he resolved to defy the 
king again; and getting free from Exeter, he hastened to the Isle 
of Wight, no longer his, and throwing himself into the castle, 
announced his intention of holding it against Stephen, and to 
collect a fleet to be used in intercepting traffic of every kind 
between England and Normandy. But the king was equal to this 
emergency. Leaving his army under the command of his brother, 
the Bishop of Winchester, with a promptitude which Baldwin had 
not reckoned upon, he reached Southampton, and gave directions 
for the fitting out of ships to act against the fleet of Baldwin. 
The earl, astonished at the energy of Stephen, and unprepared for 
resistance, resolved to take a bold step characteristic of the man. 
He left his stronghold, and came into the king’s camp, and having 
obtained an audience, making no reference to his late rebellious 
intentions, demanded to be reinstated in his forfeited possessions, 
Stephen refused ; but fearing, it is supposed, further interference 
with one who had proved himself so formidable an adversary, and 
who had so many friends, not only in England, but abroad, 
contented himself with banishing him the kingdom. Baldwin, 
compelled to accept his exile, quitted England, and forthwith 
presented himself at the court of the Empress Matilda and her 
husband Geoffrey, Count of Anjou, by whom he and his followers 
were received with every mark of respect. 
