The Holinshed Texts (1587, Volume 6, p. 55)

Compare 1577 edition: 1 It was a verie hard winter that yeare, the Thames and other riuers thereabouts were frosen, so that both man and horsse might safelie passe ouer vpon the yce,

N. Triuet. Simon Dun. Wil. Paru. Ran. Higd. Matth. Paris.

The empresse escapeth out of Oxford.

Polydor. Wil. Malm. Simon Dun. Matth. Paris.

Brian sonne to the earle of Glocester.

the fields were also couered with a thicke and déepe snow. Herevpon taking occasion, she clad hir selfe and all hir companie in white appa|rell, 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 recei|ued into the castell by those that had the same in kée|ping 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. So that it will be true, that hath neuer béene false, Aeneas Syluius. which Aeneas Syluius (and before him many more driuing vpon the like argument) dooth saie in this distichon:

Non audet stygius Pluto tentare, quod audent

Effraenis 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 circum|uention, by craft, by fraud, by collusion; sometimes applied to a good intent, but most commonlie dire|cted to an euill meaning and purpose, as the euents themselues doo manie times declare. But let vs sée what followed vpon this escape of the empresse.