[1] In the meane time king Stephan, hauing know|ledge of the landing of the empresse, and other his e|nimies, came strait to Arundell, where he besieged hir in the castle, and spent his labour certeine daies in vaine about the winning of it. Howbeit at that present he did not preuaile, for there were certeine with him, who in fauour of the empresse bare him in hand, that it was not possible to win that fortresse, and therefore aduised him to raise his siege, and suf|fer the empresse to be at libertie to go to some other place, where he might with more ease and lesse da|mage get hir into his hands.The king raiseth his siege. The king not percei|uing the drift of those secret practisers, followed their counsell. Wherevpon the empresse being now at li|bertie, went from place to place to trie and solicit hir fréends: and as a riuer increaseth in the passage, so the further the ladie went, the more hir power increa|sed. About the midst of the next night after the siege was raised, she departed out of the castle, and with great iournies sped hir towards Bristow,The empresse goeth to Bri|stow. which was alreadie reuolted to hir side.