Note 1548 — Chapter XVI · THE INTERREGNUM.[1503] October 15–December 25, 1066.
Reading edition
Guy of Amiens (599) makes the men of Dover meet William while still on his march from Romney;
“Nec medium complêrat iter, quum territus illi
Occurrit populus partus in obsequio,
Obtulit et claves castri portasque reclusas:
Testatur simulans velle subesse sibi.”
But William of Poitiers (140) merely says that the fire took place “quum castellani supplices deditionem pararent.” It is possible that a distinction may be drawn between the town and the castle, and that the castle did not surrender till William entered the town. “Simulans,” in Guy, must simply mean that the submission was forced, and contrary to the real wishes of those who made it; he clearly does not mean to imply any treachery.