ioned twice in the
Saxon Chronicle. So the sea has retreated a mile and a half since the
Danish raid of A.D. 918, when they entered the Severn, harried Wales,
and landed at Porlock, only to be beaten back to their ships again by
the Saxons.

Harold, the great English Harold who was slain at the Battle of
Hastings, made a raid from Ireland in 1052. He ran into Porlock with
nine ships, landed and went several miles inland, killing and looting,
and returned in safety. But this filibustering expedition, so greatly
to his discredit, and so unworthy to find a place among all his other
acts, was almost certainly done in anger and dictated by personal
revenge. For Porlock, which was plainly an important harbour and one
of the seats of the Saxon Kings--at least, it is mentioned as having a
"King's house" there--was the property of Algar, the son of Leofric,
Earl of Mercia. But Harold was the son of Godwin, Earl of Kent, and
Kent and Mercia were old and bitter enemies, and it was due to the
intrigues of Mercia that Earl Godwin was banished, and Harold went with
him to Ireland. Then, fourteen years later, William came to an England
weakened by internal strife, and Harold was slain at Hastings and the
Saxon lords dispossessed of their lands and goods, which were given to
the foreigner. Here the Domesday Book, with its plain bare statements,
gives us a grim record of the Conquest. All, or almost all, the Saxon
names of the overlords disappear, and the Norman take their place,
continuing down to our own day. This same Porlock was taken from
Algar, son of Leofric, and given to Baldwin Redvers. Countisbury was
taken from Ailmer, and held by William himself. Lynton was taken from
Ailward Touchstone--it is interesting to find the name of Shakespeare's
fool in Domesday Book--and held by William. Combe Martin (then called
"Comba") was taken from Aluric and held by Jubel. Bideford and
Clovelly were taken from Brihtric and given to Queen Matilda.

There is a curious and romantic story about this Brihtric, son of
Aelfgar. He was one of the most powerful of the Saxon Thanes, and
seems to have owned lands not only in Devon, but in Dorset, Somerset,
and even in Gloucester, though the latter entries in Domesday may refer
to another Brihtric, who was not the son of Aelfgar. When he was a
young man, and before the marriage of Matilda to William of Normandy,
Brihtric was sent by King Edward on a diplomatic mission to the Count
of Fl