A.D. 1142. KING STEPHEN BESIEGES OXPOBB. 245 after, in conjunction with her uncle, the king of the Scots, and her brother Robert, having collected their troops, she laid siege to the fortress of the bishop of Winchester ; on which, the bishop sent for the queen and William of Ypres, and nearly all the nobles of England. In consequence of this, large armies were soon formed on either side. Daily combats took place, not rank meeting rank, but in skirmishes on the exterior of the lines. Their exploits, therefore, were not concealed amid the haze of battle, but the prowess of each was conspicuous, and proportionate renown attended his exploits ; so much so, that to all men of prowess this period seemed rich in the dazzling exploits of illustrious men. At length the army of the Londoners came up, swelled to vast numbers, and, fighting against the empress, compelled her to take flight. Many were taken while flying, and, among them, Robert, the brother of the empress, was captured, in whose castle the king was kept prisoner, and through whose capture alone the king could be ransomed : and, accordingly, they were both set at liberty. Thus then, through the judgment of God, the king was lamentably taken prisoner, and, through the mercy of God, he was mercifully liberated, and received with/great rejoicings by the nobles of England. In the same year, Alberic de Vere was slain at London, in a sedition of the citizens. In this year, also, died Geoffrey, bishop of Durham, and was succeeded in that see by William, dean of the church of Saint Barbara, at York, who was consecrated by Henry, bishop of Winchester, the legate of the Church of Rome. In the year of grace 1142, being the seventh year of the reign of king Stephen, that king built a castle at Winchester." Just then, an immense multitude of the enemy coming upon him unawares, the king's soldiers, on meeting them, were not able to withstand their attack ; on whieh they forced the king to take to flight. Many of his men, however, were taken prisoners ; and, among them, William Martel, the king's sewer, who, for his ransom, gave up the fine castle of Sherburne, In the same year, the king besieged the empress at Oxford, from after the feast of Saint Michael tiB the Advent of our Lord; and, shortly before the festival of the Nativity, the 14 It would appear from Gervase's Chronicle, that this battle took place at Wilton, and not at Winchester, in the year 1143.