Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 The same yeare also king Stephan by siege and force of assault did win the castell of Newberie not far from Winchester.The castell of Newberie won. This doone he went to Wal|lingford, and besieging the castell, he builded at the entring of the bridge a fortresse to stop them within from issuing out, and likewise from receiuing any reliefe or succour by their fréends abroad. The defen|dants perceiuing themselues so hardlie laid at, sent to the duke of Normandie (in whose name they kept that castell) desiring him either to succour them, or else giue them licence to yéeld vp the castell to the king. Herevpon duke Henrie hauing dispatched his businesse on the further side of the sea, began to be kindled with a feruent desire once againe to at|tempt his fortune here in England for recouerie of that kingdome, and so with three thousand footmen,Duke Henrie Fitzempresse returneth into England. & 7. score horssemen, with all spéed possible failed o|uer into England, where he landed about the 12. daie in Christmasse. He was no sooner arriued, Ger. Dor. but a great number of such as tooke part with his mother came flocking in vnto him: wherevpon being now furnished with a great and puissant armie, he mar|ched foorth to Malmesburie,He besiegeth the castell of Malmesbury. Matth. Paris. Polydor. where in the castell was a great garison of soldiers placed by king Stephan. Duke Henrie planted his siege about this castell the thirtéenth daie of Ianuarie, and enforced himselfe to the vttermost of his power to win it.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Now king Stephan hearing of his enimies arri|uall, with all hast possible got his armie on foot, and comming suddenlie towards the place where his e|nimies were pitched,K. Stephan constreineth him to raise his siege. he caused duke Henrie to raise his siege, and following after, offered him battell. But duke Henrie, knowing that his enimies were far more in number than he was at that present, and also conceiuing with himselfe that by prolonging of time his owne power would increase, absteined from fighting, and kept him within the closure of his campe. ¶ Thus haue some written, but other au|thors write, Wil. Par [...]. that Henrie kept himselfe indeed with|in his campe, and refused to giue battell, but yet re|moued not his siege, till the king departed from thence, after he saw he could not haue his purpose, and then did duke Henrie win the castell of Malmes|burie, or rather the maister tower or chéefe dungeon EEBO page image 60 of that castell. For as (Simon of Durham writeth) he had won by assault the other parts and lims of the castell before king Stephan came to remoue him. Simon Dun. Ger. Dor.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This tower that thus held out, was in the keeping of one capteine Iordan, who escaping foorth came to the king, informing him in what state he had left his men within the tower: wherevpon the king (making all the power that he was able) set forward, and com|ming to Circiter, lodged there one night, and in the morning purposing to raise the siege, or to fight with his enimies (if they would abide battell) marched foorth towards Malmesburie. But vpon his approch to the dukes campe, the daie following his comming thither,A sore storme. there rose such a hideous tempest of wind and raine, beating full in the faces of king Stephans people, that God seemed to fight for the duke, who in respect of the number of people was thought too weake to deale with the strong and puissant armie of the king: howbeit the storme being on his backe, and beating extremelie in king Stephans mens fa|ces, they were not able to hold their weapons in their hands, in somuch that he perceiued he could not passe the riuer that ran betwixt the armies: where|vpon constreined in that sort through the violent rage of that cold and wet weather, he returned to London full euill appaied, in that he could not satis|fie his expectation at that present.