of their petition, and perceiued the empresse to be displeased with them
about that importunat request, wherein onelie she ouershot hir selfe,
[Sidenote: The Londoners conspire to take the empresse.] they deuised
how and by what meanes they might take hir prisoner, knowing that all
the Kentishmen would helpe to strengthen[3] them in their enterprise.
But reckoning with hir selfe that
Nil poterit propera tutius esse fuga,
[Sidenote: Shée fled in the night time out of the citie.] And being
warned thereof, she fled by night out of the citie, and went to
Oxenford, determining to be reuenged vpon hir aduersaries when time
should serue hir turne. Herewith she began to wax more displeased both
against those Nobles whom she kept in prison, & other also whom she
troubled, but namelie king Stephan, whom she commanded to be loden with
yrons, and serued with verie slender diet.

[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._] Now when she had thus fled out of London, which
was about the feast of the natiuitie of S. John Baptist, the tower of
London was besieged, [Sidenote: Geffrey de Mandeuile.] which Geffrey de
Mandeuile held, and valiantlie defended. The same Geffrey rushing out on
a time, came to Fulham, [Sidenote: The bishop of Londō taken.] where he
tooke the bishop of London then lodging in his manor place, being one of
the contrarie faction.

[Sidenote: _Polydor._] Henrie bishop of Winchester perceiuing the wrath
of the empresse more and more to increase dailie against hir people,
thinking it wisedome to serue the time, manned all the castels which he
had builded within his dioces; [Sidenote: Castells fortified by the
bishop of Winchester.] as at Waltham, Farnham, and other places and
withdrew himselfe into the castell of Winchester, there to remaine, till
he might sée to what end the furie of the woman would grow. This being