[59] Ordericus, iii, p. 316. The English writers make no mention of the Winchester council. Ordericus indicates that appeals had been coming to William Rufus from the Norman church: “Ecce lacrymabilem querimoniam sancta ecclesia de transmarinis partibus ad me dirigit, quia valde moesta quotidianis fletibus madescit, quod iusto defensore et patrono carens, inter malignantes quasi ovis inter lupos consistit.” And in a later connection (iii, p. 421) he says specifically that Abbot Roger of Saint-Évroul sought aid from William Rufus.
[60] Freeman, _William Rufus_, i, pp. 225-226.
[61] _A.-S. C._, _a._ 1090; Florence of Worcester, ii, p. 26; William of Malmesbury, _G. R._, ii, p. 363; Ordericus, iii, p. 319.
[62] _Ibid._, pp. 319-320; _De Controversia Guillelmi Rotomagensis Archiepiscopi_, in _H. F._, xiv, p. 68, and in _Gallia Christiana_, xi, instr., col. 18. The work of corrupting the Norman baronage and winning them away from their allegiance to the duke was accomplished in 1089-90. Freeman assumes the Winchester assembly above mentioned to have been the Easter Gemot of 1090. _William Rufus_, i, pp. 222, and n. 1. But Ordericus seems to assign it to 1089—he records the death of William of Warenne, 24 June 1089, immediately after it—and we know from the _De Controversia Guillelmi_ that the struggle had already begun in Normandy in 1089, when Robert Curthose and King Philip besieged La Ferté-en-Bray. Further, the siege of Eu by Duke Robert in 1089 is probably to be connected in some way with the activities of William Rufus against him. Davis, _Regesta_, no. 310.
[64] Davis, _Regesta_, no. 310, a charter of confirmation by Duke Robert for Bishop Odo of Bayeux, dated 1089, “secundo anno principatus Roberti Guillelmi regis filii ac Normanniae comitis, dum idem Robertus esset ad obsidionem Auci ea die qua idem castrum sibi redditum est.” This would necessarily be not later than September.
[65] _Ibid._, no. 308, a confirmation by Duke Robert in favor of Bayeux cathedral, dated 24 April 1089, “dum esset idem Robertus comes apud Vernonem … iturus in expeditionem in Franciam.”
[66] The _De Controversia Guillelmi_ gives the specific date 1089. _H. F._, xiv, p. 68. William of Malmesbury, though vague, is in agreement. _G. R._, ii, p. 363. The _Anglo-Saxon Chronicle_ (_a._ 1090) and Florence of Worcester (ii, p. 26) assign King Philip’s intervention vaguely to 1090.