[Sidenote:  Wil.  Malm. lib. 3. cap. 1. Ranulph. lib. 6. cap. 19.] In the yeere of Christ 1030, Robert, the second sonne of Richard the second duke of Normandie, and brother to Richard the third duke of that name there hauing with great honour and wisedome gouerned his dukedome seuen yeeres, for performance of a penance that he had set to himselfe, appointed a pilgrimage to Jerusalem; leauing behind him this [Sidenote:  Wil.  Malm. lib. 3. cap. 1. Ranulph. lib. 6. cap. 19.] William a yoong prince, whome seuen yeeres before he had begotten vpon his paramour Arlete (whom after he held as his wife) with whose beautifull fauour, louelie grace and presence, at hir dansing on a time then as he was tenderlie touched, for familiar vtterance of his mind what he had further to say, would needs that night she should be his bedfellow, who else as wiuelesse should haue lien alone:  where when she was bestowed, thinking that if she should haue laid hir selfe naked, it might haue seemed not so maidenlie a part:  so when the duke was about (as the maner is) to haue lift vp hir linnen, she in an [Sidenote:  Ran. li. 6 ca. 19.] humble modestie staid hir lords hand, and rent downe hir smocke asunder, from the collar to the verie skirt.  Heereat the duke all smiling did aske hir what thereby she ment?  In great lowlines, with a feate question she answerd againe; “My lord, were it meet that any part of my garments dependant about me downeward, should presume to be mountant to my souereignes mouth vpward?  Let your grace pardon me.”  He liked hir answer:  and so and so foorth for that time.

[Sidenote:  Wil.  Malm. lib. 3 cap. 1. Ran. ibid.] This duke before his voiage, calling at Fiscam all his nobilitie vnto him, caused them to sweare fealtie vnto his yoong sonne William, whome he then at his iournie betooke vnto the gouernance of earle Gilbert, and the defense of the gouernour vnto Henrie the French king.  So Robert passing foorth in his pilgrimage, shewed in euerie place and [Sidenote:  Ran. ibid.] in all points a magnanimitie and honour of a right noble prince, and pleasant withall; who once in Iurie not well at ease, in a litter was borne toward Ierusalem vpon Saracens shoulders, & meeting with a subiect of his that was going home toward Normandie:  Friend (quoth he) if my people at thy returne aske after me, tell them that thou sawest their lord carried to heauen by diuels.  The Norman nobilitie [Sidenote:  Ran. ibid. Wil.  Mal. idem. Ran. idem.] during duke Roberts life, did their dutie to the yoong prince faithfullie, but after they heard of his fathers death, they slackened apace, euerie one shifting for himselfe as he list, without anie regard either of oth or obedience toward the pupill their souereigne.  Whereby not manie yeeres after, as Gilbert the gouernour, by Rafe the childes coosine germane, was slaine; the dukedome anon, by murther and fighting among themselues was sore troubled in all parts.  Thus much a little of duke Robert the father, and of prince William his sonne for part of his tender yeeres.