e. To him succeeded Roger Bigod, a great favourite and
friend of Henry I., and one of the witnesses to the laws made by him
during his reign. William, the son of Roger, succeeded his father, and
by King Henry was made steward of his household. This William was
drowned at sea, and his brother Hugh became possessed of his estate and
honours. To him is referred the finishing and beautifying of the tower
of the castle; but he was supplanted in the office of constable by
William de Blois, Earl of Moreton, son of King Stephen. He in his turn
was dispossessed of it by Henry II. Hugh Bigod joined with the son of
Henry, afterwards Henry III., in his revolt against his father, for which
adherence he was reinstated in the Castle of Blancheflower, but was
obliged again to surrender when the son repented of his rebellion, and
submitted to his father.

To Hugh succeeded another Roger Bigod, his son, who received from the
hands of Richard I. the earldom of Norfolk and stewardship of the king's
household, and most probably was constable of the castle also. During
the troubled reign of John, it passed into the hands of Lewis, son of the
French king, who made William de Bellomont, his marshal, constable, and
placed him with a garrison within its walls. To him succeeded Roger
Bigod, who figured amongst the revolting barons in the reign of Henry
III. At the memorable interview between the confederated nobles and the
king, at the parliament in Westminster, he took a leading part in the
proceedings. All the barons having assembled in complete armour, as the
king entered, there is described to have been a rattling of swords; his
eye gleaming along the mailed ranks he asked, "What means this? Am I a
prisoner?" "Not so," replied Roger Bigod, "but your foreign favourites
and your own extravagance have involved this realm in great wretchedness,
whereof we demand that the powers of government be made over to a
committee of bishops and barons, that the same may root up abuses and
enact good laws." The committee when formed numbered in its list both
Roger of Norfolk earl marshal, and Hugh Bigod. In this reign it is
mentioned that the castle became a gaol for the county, and state
prisoners were confined here. Many a dark tragedy was doubtless
witnessed by its dungeon walls during those troubled times, when civil
wars were hourly peopling them with political offenders. In Edward II.'s
reign the castle was partly re-fortified, but in th