EARLDOM OF HEREFORD (II) 1071
ROGER (usually surnamed DE BRETEUIL), EARL OF HEREFORD, 2nd son by 1stmarriage, received from King William the English estates and the earldom.In 1075 his sister Emma was married to Ralph DE GAEL, Earl of Norfolk, atExning, co. Cambridge, where the two Earls entered into a conspiracyagainst the King, who was then in Normandy. The rebellion was frustratedby the prompt action of the Bishop of Worcester, the Abbot of Evesham,and others, who prevented Earl Roger from crossing the Severn on hisreturn from raising an army. Wben the King returned, he was imprisoned.He was also excommunicated by Archbishop Lanfranc, who, however, appearsto have interceded for him. Whether it was owing to the Archbishop orbecause he was the King's kinsman, William appears to have treated himwith some consideration, even after his imprisonment, but the Earl becamemore offensive and forfeited all hope of release (b). Though the King isreported, when he fell ill in 1087, to have ordered Roger's liberation,it does not appear that this order was ever carried out. The name of hiswife, if he had one, and the date of his death are alike unknown. Hislands and county having been forfeited, no earldom was descendable in hisfamily. [Complete Peerage VI:449-50, XIV:380, (transcribed by DaveUtzinger)]
(b) Once at Easter the King sent him a present of costly robes, but EarlRoger ordered a great fire to be prepared and thereon burnt them. "Multumsuperbus est," the King is reported to have said, "qui hoc mihi dedecusfect, sed per splendorem Dei de carcere meo in omni vita mea non exibit."
Roger de Breteuil |