Note 31 — PART II HISTORICAL STUDIES
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Therefore, in the aggravated case of Exeter, we could but expect him to deal with its citizens as he had dealt with those of Alençon,31 and as he was to deal, hereafter, with the sturdy defenders of Ely.32 A fearful vengeance was their certain doom. There was, moreover, as I stated at the outset, a need for sternness at this juncture that might justify William, apart from vengeance, in inflicting such signal punishment as should deter all other 'rebels'.