In the time of King Æthelred, Ailmer, or Æthelmare, (for so he was also called) was Earl of this county, who being a person of singular piety, founded[185] first of all the Abbey of Cerne in Dorsetshire, in the days of King Edgar, and had so great a veneration to the memory of Eadwan, brother of S. Edmund the Martyr, who led[185] an hermit’s life in Dorsetshire,[186] before mentioned, near to a certain spring called the Silver Well, that with the help of Dunstan (Archbishop of Canterbury) he translated his relics to the old church of Cernel, then the parish church. After this, scil. in An. 1005 (in the time of King Ethelred,) he founded[187] the Abbey of Eynesham in Oxfordshire, and likewise[188] the Priory of Bruton in Somersetshire, (all Monks of the Benedictine Order) which he amply endowed, as by the authorities which I have here cited will appear; though in that of Bruton, canons of S. Augustine were afterwards placed. This Ailmer was[189] also Earl of Devonshire, under which title, in the year 1013, when[189] Suane, King of Denmark, overrun the greatest part of the land with his army, and forced King Ethelred to betake himself unto the city of Winchester for refuge, he with all the great men of the West, fearing the tyranny of the Danes, submitted[189] themselves to Suane, and gave hostages[189] for their peaceable obedience unto him. And about three years after this, when King Edmond Ironside fought so stoutly against King Canute, (son to the same Suane) he joining[190] with that traitorous Eadric Streone, Earl of Mercia, and Earl Algar, adhered[190] to Canute. Of his issue there nothing more appeareth, than that he left a son[191] called Æthelward, who in the year 1018 was killed[191] by King Canute, together with that great traitor Eadric Streone, Earl of Mercia. ROBERT, EARL OF CORNWALL. To this Earldom was Robert, Earl[192] of Moreton in Normandy,[192] brother to King William by the mother, shortly[192] after the Conquest advanced, and had other great honours given[192] him in this realm. In the time of King William Rufus, taking[193] part with his brother Odo, Earl of Kent, in that insurrection on the behalf of Robert Curthose, he held[194] the castle of Pevensey on that account; but so soon as the King laid siege thereto, rendered[194] it up to him, and made his peace. This Earl having had[195] the standard of Saint Michael carried before him in battle, as the words of his charter do import (under which it is to be presumed he had been prosperous) did, out of great devotion to God and the Blessed Virgin, for the health of his soul and the soul of his wife, as also for the soul of the most glorious King William (for those are his expressions) give[196] the Monastery of S. Michael, at the Mount in Cornwall, unto the Monks of S. Michael de Periculo Maris in Normandy, and to their successors in pure alms.