Ordericus Vitalis in the fourth book of his Ecclesiastical History, has a paragraph enumerating the several earldoms given in England to his followers by William the Conqueror, inclusive of Walter, surnamed Gifard and William de Warren;
Gualterio quoque cognomento Gifardo, comitatum Buckingeham et Guillelmo de Guarenna, qui Gundredam sororem Gherbodi conjugem habuit, dedit Sutregiam.
As regards both these earldoms, the writer has anticipated their grants by a few years, as the title of earl is not given to either in Domesday Book, and we know from an authentic charter that the latter owed his elevation to King William Rufus. Gorbod, the brother of Gundreda, is mentioned in a preceding paragraph by this writer in these terms:
Cestram et comitatum ejus Gherbodo Flandrensi jamdudum rex dederat; qui magna ibi et difficilia tam ab Anglis quam a Guallis adversantibus pertulerat. Deinde legatione coactus suorum, quos in Flandria dimiserat, et quibus hereditarium honorem suum commiserat, eundi, citoque redeundi licentiam a rege acceperat; sed ibi adversa illaqueatus fortuna in manus inimicorum inciderat, et in vinculis coercitus, mundanaque felicitate privatus, longæ miseriæ threnos depromere didicerat.
This hereditary honour in Flanders was situate in Lower Picardy, and attached to it was the office of defender of the monastery of Sithiu, dedicated in honour of St. Peter; but in later times the town of Sithiu acquired another name from St. Audomarus, (St. Omer,) as did also the monastery from its first abbot, St. Bertinus. His father bore the same name as himself, and was witness to a charter of Baldwin, bishop of Therouanne, then the capital of the pagus Tarvanensis, (le Thérouennais ou pays des Morins,) including Picardy, Artois, and Flanders, ratifying an exchange between him and Rodericus, abbot of St. Bertin, of certain lands for three churches
habeant et teneant omnes predictas donationes bene et in pace, libere et quiete et honorifice sicut antecessores mei illas eis dederunt et chartis suis confirmaverunt et sicut alie ecclesie per Normanniam constitute melius et liberius tenent vel tenucrunt tempore antecessorum meorum. Et ut etiam hec omnia firma et stabilia et inconcussa in perpetuum existant sigilli mei et sigilli uxoris mee Isabella Comitisse, dignum duxi munimine roborari, istos adhibendo testes Guillelmum de Guarenna filiuin meum, Adam de Poninges, Guillelmum de Blossevilla, Guillelmum de Greinosavilla, Eliam de Almeisnil, Hugonem de Bellomonte, Hugonem de Angulo sacerdotem, Guarinum sacerdotem de Sancto Audoeno, Gualterum sacerdotem de Bosavilla. Guarinum prepositum, Guillelmum des Estaus, Rogerum Camerarium et Hugonem fratrem ejus et Radulphum prepositum abbatis et plures alios. Bellencombre is in the vicinity of the abbey of St. Victor, and Bractuit, Louvetot, Cressy, Quevremont, St. Ouen, Montreuil, St. Helier, Bus Aumesnil, Vassonville are all parishes and hamlets in the same neighbourhood.
