What for ire & tene, & alle in euelle wille,
Scho stokked kyng Steuen, & þer did scho ille.
NOW turnes eft Mold to Wyncester fulle stoute, [De Matil|de Impera|trice.]
& Steuen out of þat hold quaintly skaped oute.
Roberd went hir with, Malde's half broþer,
& þe kyng Dauid of Scotland was þe toþer.
At Wynchester gan scho duelle, biseged þe castelle:
þe Londreis herd it telle, & ȝared þam fulle welle,
With gode aparaile of alle þat þei mot gete.
þe sege þei gan assaile, & tok hir at þe mete.
Roberd þer was taken in to þe Londreis hand,
Bot Dauid was wele waken, he fled fast to Scotland,
Alle þorgh Chestreschire, he fled to Louthian.
A preste was with hire, þat Mald fro þam wan.
Mald & Roberd Louelle tille Oxenford þei fled,
& seised þe castelle, & Steuen fast him sped,
& gadred him an oste, & went vnto Wilton,
& did reise in þat coste a stalworth donjon.
Mald wist þat fulle wele, hir barons þider sent,
& Steuen left ilka dele, & to Northampton went.
William Marschalle o chance was taken at þat turne:
He gaf for his delyuerance þe castelle of Schirburne.
Folk biȝond þe se, þat were of Steuen's kynde,
Tille him com grete plente, & oþer þat þei mot fyndc.
Steuen with his power tille Oxenford gan schake,
His sege he set plener, þe castelle forto take.
þe Emperice it held, was it þe wynter tide,
þe snowe lay in þe feld, þe water frese biside.
