Effigy of William Longespee. [her former husband] WILLIAM Longespee was the bastard son of Henry the Second by the celebrated Rosamund de Clifford [Note. William is now believed to be the son of Ida Tosny Countess Norfolk; a charter William made that mentions "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (Countess Ida, my mother)]. His half-brother, Richard the First, gave him in marriage Ela, daughter and inheritrix of William Earl of Salisbury. He bore a conspicuous part in the domestic divisions in the reign of King John, whose general he was against the rebellious Barons in 1215, but in the following year went over to the party of Louis the son of the French king. On the death of John he abandoned the cause of Louis, did homage to the young King Henry the Third, and united with William Mareschal, the spirited Earl of Pembroke, then Regent, in raising the siege of Lincoln. In 1219 he was with other English noblemen at the siege of Damietta, which place was vigorously defended by the Saracens, and the capture of which cost the Christian forces very dear. In 1224 he went over into Gascony with Richard Earl of Cornwall, to subdue certain towns and castles to obedience to King Henry their Lord. Returning in the following year they were over-taken at sea by a violent tempest; after beating about for many nights and days they were carried far out of their course; and, giving themselves up for lost, committed all their treasure and rich garments to the deep. While they remained in darkness and despair, on a sudden the whole vessel was illuminated by the brilliant flame of a huge wax taper, which appeared on the prow, and by it a damsel of exceeding beauty, who protected the light with her garment from the force of the wind and rain. While the crew were lost in wonder at this miraculous nocturnal vision, the Earl of Salisbury proclaimed that their thanks were due to the Blessed Virgin for this merciful interposition, at whose shrine, on the day of his knighthood, he had offered a taper to be kept constantly burning on the daily celebration of the offices to her honour. The courage of the dispirited crew revived, and the following morning they made the Isle of Rhé, near Rochelle. Salisbury was speedily obliged to put to sea again, being informed of the design of the Lord of the place to make him prisoner. He braved the adverse elements for three months longer before he reached England. Such is the relation of Matthew Paris. His long absence gave occasion to a current report that he was lost at sea, and Hubert de Burgh, Justiciary of England, solicited to be allowed to match a kinsman of his, one Raymond, who had a claim to the Earldom of Salisbury, with his rich widow, but she, like another Penelope, rejected this suitor. At length the Earl landed unexpectedly in Cornwall, and demanded satisfaction of the King against Hubert, whose relative had assailed the honour of his wife. Hubert made submissive reparation by presents, but is reported to have taken the Earl off by poison, administered to him at a feast to which he had invited him in simulated reconciliation.