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slaughter_n begin_v to_o assault_v they_o with_o the_o like_a anffliction_n the_o long_a the_o many_o and_o horrible_a encounter_n between_o this_o two_o fierce_a nation_n with_o the_o bloodshed_n and_o infinite_a spoil_n commit_v in_o every_o part_n of_o the_o land_n be_v of_o so_o disord_v and_o troublous_a memory_n that_o what_o with_o their_o asperous_a name_n together_o with_o the_o confusion_n of_o place_n time_n and_o person_n intricate_o deliver_v be_v yet_o a_o war_n to_o the_o reader_n to_o overlook_v they_o and_o therefore_o to_o favour_v my_o own_o pain_n and_o he_o who_o shall_v get_v little_a profit_n thereby_o i_o pass_v they_o over_o after_o the_o death_n of_o egbert_n aethelwolph_n his_o son_n succeed_v in_o the_o state_n with_o the_o title_n of_o king_n of_o the_o west_n saxon_n only_o and_o be_v a_o prince_n more_o addict_v to_o devotion_n then_o action_n as_o may_v be_v see_v by_o his_o donation_n of_o the_o ten_o part_n of_o
to_o have_v the_o precedence_n but_o upon_o most_o secure_a caution_n the_o archbishop_n of_o canterbury_n and_o the_o legate_n undertake_v to_o yield_v themselves_o prisoner_n for_o he_o if_o the_o king_n release_v he_o not_o according_a to_o his_o promise_n but_o that_o will_v not_o serve_v the_o turn_n till_o they_o both_o have_v write_v their_o brief_n to_o the_o pope_n to_o intimate_v the_o course_n that_o be_v take_v herein_o and_o deliver_v the_o same_o unto_o he_o under_o their_o hand_n and_o seal_n so_o that_o if_o the_o king_n shall_v as_o he_o may_v not_o care_v to_o hold_v the_o bishop_n in_o prison_n yet_o the_o pope_n if_o hard_a measure_n be_v offer_v may_v relieve_v he_o which_o show_v the_o advantage_n of_o credit_n in_o the_o business_n lay_v on_o this_o side_n and_o the_o king_n be_v to_o have_v his_o fetter_n though_o at_o liberty_n the_o queen_n and_o eustace_n her_o son_n the_o prince_n upon_o the_o enlargement_n of_o stephan_n remain_v pledge_n in_o the_o castle_n of_o bristol_n till_o the_o earl_n be_v release_v which_o be_v do_v upon_o the_o king_n come_v to_o winchester_n where_o the_o earl_n in_o familiar_a conference_n be_v by_o all_o be_v possible_a solicit_v to_o forsake_v the_o party_n of_o maude_n with_o promise_n of_o all_o preferment_n of_o honour_n and_o estate_n but_o nothing_o can_v move_v he_o be_v fix_v to_o his_o course_n &_o rather_o will_v he_o have_v be_v content_a to_o remain_v a_o perpetual_a prisoner_n then_o that_o stephan_n shall_v have_v be_v release_v have_v not_o his_o sister_n wrought_v he_o to_o this_o conclusion_n the_o legate_n after_o this_o call_v a_o council_n at_o london_n where_o the_o pope_n letter_n write_v unto_o he_o be_v open_o read_v which_o argue_v he_o but_o mild_o of_o some_o neglect_n of_o his_o brother_n release_n and_o exhort_v he_o to_o use_v all_o mean_n ecclesiastical_a and_o secular_a to_o set_v he_o at_o liberty_n the_o king_n himself_o come_v into_o the_o council_n complain_v how_o his_o subject_n to_o who_o he_o have_v never_o deny_v justice_n have_v take_v he_o and_o reproachful_o afflict_v he_o even_o to_o death_n the_o legate_n with_o great_a cloquence_n labour_v to_o excuse_v his_o own_o course_n allege_v how_o he_o receive_v not_o the_o empress_n by_o his_o will_n but_o necessity_n that_o present_o upon_o the_o king_n overthrow_n while_o the_o lord_n be_v either_o flee_v or_o stand_v in_o suspense_n attend_v the_o event_n she_o and_o her_o people_n come_v thunder_v to_o the_o wall_n of_o winchester_n and_o that_o what_o pact_n soever_o he_o have_v make_v with_o she_o for_o the_o right_n of_o the_o church_n she_o obstinate_o break_v all_o beside_o he_o be_v certain_o inform_v that_o she_o and_o she_o have_v plot_v both_o against_o his_o dignity_n and_o life_n but_o god_n in_o his_o mercy_n contrary_a to_o her_o desire_n have_v turn_v the_o business_n so_o as_o he_o escape_v the_o danger_n and_o his_o brother_n be_v deliver_v out_o of_o band_n and_o therefore_o he_o from_o the_o part_n of_o god_n and_o the_o pope_n will_v they_o with_o all_o their_o utmost_a power_n to_o aid_v the_o king_n anoint_v by_o the_o consent_n of_o the_o people_n and_o the_o sea_n apostolic_a and_o to_o excommunicate_v all_o the_o disturber_n of_o the_o peace_n that_o favour_v the_o countess_n of_o anjou_n there_o be_v in_o the_o council_n a_o lay_v agent_n for_o the_o empress_n who_o open_o charge_v the_o legate_n that_o in_o respect_n of_o the_o faith_n he_o have_v give_v the_o empress_n to_o pass_v no_o act_n there_o prejudicial_a to_o her_o honour_n have_v swear_v unto_o she_o never_o to_o aid_v his_o brother_n with_o above_o twenty_o soldier_n that_o her_o come_n into_o england_n be_v upon_o his_o often_o letter_n unto_o she_o and_o his_o cause_n it_o be_v that_o the_o king_n be_v take_v and_o hold_v prisoner_n this_o and_o much_o more_o say_v the_o agent_n with_o great_a austerity_n of_o word_n wherewith_o the_o legate_n seem_v not_o to_o be_v 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council_n resolve_v to_o send_v over_o her_o brother_n into_o normandy_n to_o solicit_v her_o husband_n the_o earl_n of_o anjou_n to_o come_v to_o aid_v she_o with_o force_n from_o thence_o her_o brother_n the_o better_a to_o secure_v she_o in_o his_o absence_n settle_v she_o in_o the_o castle_n of_o oxford_n well_o furnish_v for_o all_o assault_n and_o take_v with_o he_o the_o son_n of_o the_o especial_a man_n about_o she_o as_o pledge_n to_o hold_v they_o to_o their_o fidelity_n stephan_n seek_v to_o stop_v the_o earl_n passage_n but_o can_v not_o and_o then_o lay_v siege_n to_o the_o castle_n of_o oxford_n which_o hold_v he_o all_o the_o time_n the_o earl_n be_v abroad_o geffrey_n earl_n of_o anjou_n desirous_a rather_o to_o have_v normandy_n where_o of_o in_o this_o mean_a time_n he_o have_v attain_v the_o most_o part_n and_o in_o possibility_n of_o the_o rest_n then_o to_o adventure_v for_o england_n which_o lie_v in_o danger_n refuse_v to_o come_v in_o person_n but_o send_v 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flanders_n to_o fall_v to_o the_o rifle_n of_o abbey_n which_o be_v of_o dangerous_a consequence_n and_o for_o army_n there_o be_v no_o mean_n only_o about_o castle_n with_o small_a power_n lay_v all_o the_o business_n of_o these_o time_n and_o they_o be_v so_o many_o be_v to_o small_a effect_n but_o only_o to_o hold_v they_o do_v which_o be_v for_o many_o year_n the_o earl_n of_o gloucester_n the_o chief_a pillar_n of_o the_o empress_n within_o 2._o year_n after_o his_o last_o come_v out_o of_o normandy_n die_v and_o short_o after_o miles_n earl_n of_o hereford_n a_o especial_a man_n of_o she_o which_o have_v utter_o quash_v she_o but_o that_o in_o stead_n of_o a_o brother_n she_o have_v a_o son_n grow_v up_o to_o be_v of_o more_o estimation_n with_o the_o nobility_n and_o short_o after_o of_o ableness_n to_o undergo_v the_o travail_n of_o war_n his_o first_o expedition_n at_o 16._o year_n of_o age_n be_v northward_o to_o combine_v he_o with_o david_n king_n of_o scot_n his_o great_a uncle_n to_o who_o his_o mother_n have_v give_v the_o country_n of_o northumberland_n after_o he_o follow_v stephan_n with_o a_o army_n to_o york_n lest_o he_o shall_v surprise_v that_o city_n and_o to_o intercept_v he_o in_o his_o return_n but_o according_a to_o his_o usual_a manner_n and_o french-like_a after_o the_o first_o heat_n of_o his_o undertake_n which_o be_v quick_a and_o brave_a he_o quayle_v nothing_o be_v effect_v and_o both_o return_n without_o encounter_v now_o to_o advance_v the_o state_n and_o mean_n of_o henry_n fortune_n as_o if_o in_o love_n with_o young_a prince_n present_v this_o occasion_n lovys_n 7._o king_n of_o france_n go_v in_o person_n to_o the_o holy_a war_n and_o take_v with_o he_o his_o wife_n elinor_n the_o only_a daughter_n and_o heir_n of_o william_n duke_n of_o