Empress, and brought her into Oxford, and gave her the borough. When the
king was out, he heard of this, and took his force, and beset her in the
tower. (165) And they let her down in the night from the tower by ropes.
And she stole out, and fled, and went on foot to Wallingford. Afterwards
she went over sea; and those of Normandy turned all from the king to the
Earl of Anjou; some willingly, and some against their will; for he beset
them till they gave up their castles, and they had no help of the king.
Then went Eustace, the king's son, to France, and took to wife the
sister of the King of France. He thought to obtain Normandy thereby; but
he sped little, and by good right; for he was an evil man. Wherever he
was, he did more evil than good; he robbed the lands, and levied heavy
guilds upon them. He brought his wife to England, and put her into the
castle at... (166) Good woman she was; but she had little bliss with
him; and Christ would not that he should long reign. He therefore soon
died, and his mother also. And the Earl of Anjou died; and his son Henry
took to the earldom. And the Queen of France parted from the king; and
she came to the young Earl Henry; and he took her to wife, and all
Poitou with her. Then went he with a large force into England, and won
some castles; and the king went against him with a much larger force.
Nevertheless, fought they not; but the archbishop and the wise men went
between them, and made this settlement: That the king should be lord and
king while he lived, and after his day Henry should be king: that Henry
should
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