[1] It chanced at the same time that the citizens of London made great and laborious suit vnto the said empresse, that they might haue the lawes of king Edward the Confessour restored, and the straight lawes of hir father king Henrie abolished. But for so much as they could get no grant of their petition, and perceiued the empresse to be displeased with them about that importunat request,The Londo|ners conspire to take the empresse. wherein onelie she ouershot hir selfe, they deuised how and by what meanes they might take hir prisoner, knowing that [page 54] all the Kentishmen would helpe to strengthen them in their enterprise. But reckoning with hir selfe that

Nil p [...]terit propera tutius esse fuga,

And being warned thereof, she fled by night out of the citie,Shée fled in the night time 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 name|lie king Stephan, whom she commanded to be loden with yrons, and serued with verie slender diet.