Biography of William Roumare 1st Earl Lincoln 1096-1160

The Ecclesiastical History of England and Normandy by Orderic Vitalis. Thereupon, the government of Rouen and the district of Caux was committed, by order of the council, to William de Warrenne,¹ who protected the people for some time, much to their advantage. William de Roumare, and Hugh de Gournay,² and other lords-marchers, were directed to defend the borders of the duchy; Robert de Sigillo, and some other clerks³, with Robert de Vere⁴, John Algason⁵, and other English knights, and the guards and officers of the royal household, assembled together, and conducted the king's bier to Caen, by way of Pontaudemer and Bonneville.⁶

Note 1. William III. de Warrenne, earl of Surrey, mentioned just before.

Note 2. William de Roumare, second of that name, also noticed. Hugh III. de Gournai.

Note 3. Robert de Sigillo, &c. These persons were members of the royal chancery. M. Dubois, indeed, the French translator of Ordericus, states in a note, that Robert's name was derived from Sigi in the arrondissement of Neufchétel. But it is evidently a name of office, Robert being chancellor, and wearing the seal of the late king, as M. Le Prevost observes, suspended from his neck.

Note 4. Robert de Ver, or Vere, was the son of Aubrey de Vere, the first of the name, or William de Vere; and consequently brother or cousin-german of Aubrey de Vere II. It is supposed that this family originated at Ver, in the arrondissement of Coutances.

Note 5. John Algason, brother of Guigan Algason, viscount d'Exmes.

Note 6. The funeral procession on this occasion proceeded by land, on the road through Pontaudemer and Bonneville-sur-Touque. Henry of Huntingdon gives a loathsome account of the state of the corpse while it lay in the church of St. Ouen at Caen [Map]. The last honours were not paid to the deceased king till January 6, 1136, when his body was interred at Reading.

The Ecclesiastical History of England and Normandy by Orderic Vitalis. The mariners were in great glee at hearing this, and greeting the king's son with fair words asked him to give them something to drink. The prince gave orders that they should have three muids¹. No sooner was the wine delivered to them than they had a great drinking bout, and pledging their comrades in full cups, indulged too much and ecame intoxicated. By the king's command many barons with their sons embarked in the Blanche-Nef, and there were in all, as far as I can learn, three hundred souls om board the ill-fated ship. But two monks of Tyron, Count Stephen,² with two men-at-arms, William de Roumare, Rabel the chamberlain,³ Edward of Salisbury,⁴ and several others came on shore, having left the vessel upon observing that it was overcrowded with riotous and headstrong youths. The crew consisted of fifty experienced rowers, besides an armed marine force,⁵ who were very disorderly, and as soon as they got on board insolently took possession of the benches of the rowers, and being very drunk forgot their station, and scarcely paid respect to any one. Alas! How many, among the company embarked, were without the slightest feeling of devotion towards God,

Qui maris immodicas moderatur, et aéris, iras!

‘Who rules the storm, and calms the raging sea.

Note 1. "muid". The French term "muid", means cask, derives from the Latin word modius, which means main measurement.

Note 2. Stephen of Blois, count of Mortain.

Note 3. William de Roumare is mentioned before (vol, iii. p, 482), as present with William de Tankerville at the battle of Bremull. Rabel was the son of the latter by Matilda d'Arques, and his father still living, M. Deville supposed that the title of chamberlain is here given him by anticipation. M. Le Prevost, however, remarks that we should rather consider the word to be an hereditary designation than a positive title of office. Thus the family were called the chamberlains of Tankerville, or simply the chamberlains, long after the office had passed into other hands. So we have the Butlers, Stewarts, &c.

Note 4. Edward of Salisbury is also mentioned in the place just referred to and the note subjoined.

Note 5. Schippe, from a German root, whence are derived the German schiff, the French esquif, and the English ship, skiff, and skipper.