CHAPTER XLVI.

THE RED KING:--William Rufus--Personal appearance--Gains the support of Lanfranc--Wulnoth and Morkar committed to prison--Odo, bishop of Bayeux, at the head of a conspiracy to dethrone William--Lanfranc as prime minister--Rufus conciliates the Saxon Thanes--The insurgents repulsed at Rochester--Curthose is bribed to let William remain on the throne--William forgets his promises to the Anglo-Saxons--Lanfranc's disgust at his perfidy--Death of Lanfranc--Rufus a bachelor--His dissolute morals--Ravages committed by William's followers--London Bridge built--Westminster Hall founded--Discontent in the land