notwithstanding the blinding of one of the hostages before the
walls, they defended the city valiantly for eighteen days. It was
only when the walls began to crumble away beneath William's mining-
engines that the men of Exeter at last submitted to his mercy. And
William's mercy could be trusted. No man was harmed in life, limb,
or goods. But, to hinder further revolts, a castle was at once
begun, and the payments made by the city to the King were largely
raised.

Gytha, when the city yielded, withdrew to the Steep Holm, and
thence to Flanders. Her grandsons fled to Ireland; from thence, in
the course of the same year and the next, they twice landed in
Somerset and Devonshire. The Irish Danes who followed them could
not be kept back from plunder. Englishmen as well as Normans
withstood them, and the hopes of the House of Godwine came to an
end.


On the conquest of Exeter followed the submission of the whole
West. All the land south of the Thames was now in William's
obedience. Gloucestershire seems to have submitted at the same
time; the submission of Worcestershire is without date. A vast
confiscation of lands followed, most likely by slow degrees. Its
most memorable feature is that nearly all Cornwall was granted to
William's brother Robert Count of Mortain. His vast estate grew
into the famous Cornish earldom and duchy of later times. Southern
England was now conquered, and, as the North had not stirred during
the stirring of the West, the whole land was outwardly at peace.
William now deemed it safe to bring his wife to share his new
greatness. The Duchess Matilda came over to England, and was