snow. Herevpon taking occasion, she clad hir selfe and all hir companie
in white apparell, that a far off they might not be discerned from the
snow; and so by negligence of the watch that kept ward but slenderlie,
by reason of the excéeding cold weather, she and hir partakers secretlie
in the night issued out of the towne, and passing ouer the Thames, came
to Walingford, where she was receiued into the castell by those that had
the same in kéeping to hir vse: of whom Brian the sonne to the erle of
Glocester was the chiefe.

¶ Here we may see the subtiltie of the empresse, whereby she obteined
frée and safe passage out of hir enimies hands, who otherwise had taken
hir in their net. [Sidenote: _Aeneas Syluius._] So that it will be true,
that hath neuer béene false, which Æneas Syluius (and before him many
more driuing vpon the like argument) dooth saie in this distichon:
Non audet stygius Pluto tentare, quod audent
Effrænis monachus plenáque fraudis illa,

Meaning Mulier, a woman. And therefore looke what they want in
magnanimitie, in strength, in courage, the same is supplied by deceit,
by circumuention, by craft, by fraud, by collusion; sometimes applied to
a good intent, but most commonlie directed to an euil meaning and
purpose, as the euents themselues doo manie times declare. But let vs
sée what followed vpon this escape of the empresse.

[Sidenote: _Polydor._ _Simon Dun._ _N. Triuet._] After hir departure
from Oxford, the townesmen yeelded vnto the king, who hauing taken order
for the kéeping of them in obedience, marched toward Walingford, minding
to besiege the castell there: but being encountred in the way by his
enimies, he was driuen backe, and so constreined to turne another waie.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 8. 1143] Earle Robert hearing that his sister was