Produced by sp1nd and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) [Illustration: How the Conqueror deals with Rebels.] THE SIEGE OF NORWICH CASTLE _A STORY OF THE LAST STRUGGLE AGAINST THE CONQUEROR_ BY M. M. BLAKE _With Illustrations by the Author_ LONDON SEELEY AND CO. LIMITED ESSEX STREET, STRAND 1893 TO MY FATHER THIS STORY IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I. THE SUZERAIN'S 'NAY,' 9 II. LOVE OR LOYALTY, 25 III. JEST AND EARNEST, 37 IV. HORSE, HAWK, AND HOUND, 53 V. NORMAN AND SAXON, 65 VI. THE BRIDE-ALE, 74 VII. DELILAH SHEARS SAMSON, 91 VIII. KNIGHT-ERRANT AND MERCENARY, 100 IX. NORWICH, 113 X. LANFRANC, 127 XI. THE CASTELLAN OF BLAUNCHEFLOUR, 139 XII. THE STANDARD OF REVOLT, 148 XIII. ST. NICHOLAS FOR GUADER! 160 XIV. HOW THE CONQUEROR DEALS WITH REBELS, 173 XV. 'O HIGH AMBITION LOWLY LAID!' 189 XVI. WIFE OR WIDOW? 206 XVII. HOW RALPH CAME HOME, 222 XVIII. BESIEGED, 234 XIX. 'STONE WALLS DO NOT A PRISON MAKE,' 244 XX. À OUTRANCE, 256 XXI. THE ORDEAL BY FIRE, 272 XXII. A SUBTERRANEAN CONFLICT, 285 XXIII. HOW OLIVER DIED, 299 XXIV. FAMINE, 313 XXV. BRETAGNE, 327 XXVI. CONCLUSION, 336 APPENDIX, 347 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE HOW THE CONQUEROR DEALS WITH REBELS, _Frontispiece_ EMMA FITZOSBERN ACCEPTS THE TASSEL-GENTLE, 62 JUDITH WATCHES HER SLEEPING SPOUSE, 92 LANFRANC JESTS WITH THE CONQUEROR, 130 WALTHEOF'S HUMILIATION, 136