by mutuall agreement. Conditionallie also, that those English or
Normans, which had taken part either with the king or the duke, should
be pardoned of all offenses that could be laid vnto them for the same by
either of the princes. [Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._ _Wil. Thorne._ _Matth.
West._ _Geruasius Dorober._] There were twelue Noble men on either part
that receiued corporall othes for performance of this agréement, which
being concluded vpon in this sort, duke Robert, who in his affaires
shewed himselfe more credulous than suspicious, remained with his
brother here in England till the feast of S. Michaell, and then shewing
himselfe well contented with the composition, returned into Normandie.
In the second yeare of this kings reigne, the Quéene was deliuered of
hir daughter Maud or Mathild, so called after hir owne name, who
afterward was empresse, of whom yée shall heare by Gods grace anon in
this historie.

[Sidenote: 1102.] [Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ Robert de Belesme[1] earle of
Shrewsburie.] The king being now rid of forren trouble, was shortlie
after disquieted with the seditious attempts of Robert de Belesme earle
of Shrewsburie, sonne to Hugh before named, who fortified the castell of
Bridgenorth, and an other castell in Wales at a place called Caircoue,
and furnished the towne of Shrewsburie, with the castels of Arundell &
Tickehill (which belonged to him) in most substantiall maner. Moreouer
he sought to win the fauour of the Welshmen, by whose aid he purposed to
defend himselfe against the king in such vnlawfull enterprises as he
ment to take in hand. But the king hauing an inkeling whereabout he
went, straightwaies proclaimed him a traitor, wherevpon he got such
Welshmen and Normans together as he could conuenientlie come by, with
whom and his brother Arnold, he entered into Staffordshire, [Sidenote:
Stafford wasted.] which they forraied and wasted excéedinglie, bringing
from thence a great bootie of beasts and cattell, with some prisoners,