During this time, and about the fiftieth daie after the beginning of the siege, word was brought to the king, that his brother duke Robert was landed at Southampton, and minded with all possible speed to come to the succour of the bishop, and of other his freends, whom he and his power had not a little afflicted. [Sidenote:  H.  Hunt. Simon Dun.] ¶ Here authors varie:  for some report that duke Robert came not ouer himselfe the first at all, but sent a part of his armie, with a certeine number of ships, which encountring with the kings fleet, were discomfited.  Others write that duke Robert hearing of the losse of his men, came after himselfe, and landed with a mightie armie as before, which is most likelie. [Sidenote:  Gemeticensis. Eustace earle of Bullongne.] And certeinlie (as Gemeticen. affirmeth) he might easilie as then haue recouered England from his brother, if he had not lingred the time, considering that Eustace earle of Bullongne, Odo bishop of Baieux, and the earle of Mortaigne, with other lords of Normandie that were passed to England, had alreadie taken Rochester, and diuers other castels in the prouince of Canturburie, keeping the same a certeine time, still looking that he should haue come ouer to their aid, which he deferred to doo, till they were constreined by siege and lacke of necessarie succor to returne into Normandie, leauing those places which they had won vnto the king, and that to their great dishonor. [Sidenote:  Simon Dun.] But howsoeuer it was, the king still continued the siege before Pemsey castell, till Odo (through want of victuals) was glad to submit himselfe, and promised to cause the castell of Rochester to be deliuered:  but at his comming thither, they within the citie suffered him to enter, and streightwaies laid him fast in prison.  Some iudge that it was doone vnder a colour by his owne consent.

There were in Rochester a sort of valiant gentlemen (the flower in maner of all Normandie) with Eustace earle of Bolongne, and manie gentlemen of Flanders, which were in mind to defend the place against the king:  [Sidenote:  Rochester besieged by the king.] who hearing what was doone, came with his armie and besieged the citie of Rochester on ech side so sharpelie, that they within were glad to deliuer it vp into his hands. [Sidenote:  An.  Reg. 2.] [Sidenote:  Polydor.] [Sidenote:  1089.] Thus lost bishop Odo all his liuings and dignities in England, and so returned into Normandie, where vnder duke Robert he had the cheefe gouernement of the countrie committed vnto him.

After this he ouercame diuers of his enimies some by faire and some by fowle meanes.  Notwithstanding this, there yet remained the bishop of Durham, one of the cheefe conspirators, who withdrew himselfe into the citie of Durham, there to lie in safetie, till he saw how the world would go:  but being therein besieged by the king, who came thither personallie, he was at length forced to surrender the city, and