Then Queen Matilda made a pathetic appeal to this haughty, arrogant woman in behalf of Stephen, who remained, heavily ironed, in prison. She assured the empress that the loss of power was of little moment; all she asked was that her husband might be set at liberty. She even proposed that if her life were spared, and her son were permitted to enjoy the Earldom of Boulogne, she would enter a convent, her husband a monastery, and promised that both would forever forego all claim to the crown of England. {081} [Illustration: 0085] {083}This petition, as well as all the others that King Stephen's wife had made to the cruel empress, was rejected with contempt. But the devoted wife was not to be baffled when working for her husband's life and pardon, so taking advantage of a misunderstanding that arose between the Bishop of Winchester and the empress, she induced that prelate to absolve all those of her husband's party whom he had previously excommunicated, and to aid her in the deliverance of his brother. Then, in the name of her son, Prince Eustace, she raised the standard of the captive king in Kent and Surrey, and a strong army was soon organized in her support. Meanwhile the empress had become exceeding unpopular, and when the citizens of London found that she proposed to treat them as a conquered nation, which her demand for a subsidy proved, they asked leave to deliberate. The empress retired to her palace of Westminster, where she awaited the arrival of a deputy with the bags of gold she felt sure they would send. Suddenly the bells of London rang out an alarm, and every man in the city and its vicinity came out of his house carrying a sword. A formidable army soon collected, ready to dispute any unjust demand for subsidies, and proceeded to the palace. But the empress, with her barons and chevaliers, had made good their escape on horseback, and were far on the road to Oxford when the mob broke open the doors of the palace. The King of Scotland was with his niece, but he was so disgusted with her behavior that he made the best of his way to his own borders. By the time the empress reached Oxford, all of her train had deserted excepting the Duke of Gloucester, with whom she entered the city alone. With a large army ready to support her, Queen Matilda {084}now returned to London, where she was received by the populace with open arms. Her next step was to go with her son to the Bishop of Winchester and entreat him to assist her in once more placing her husband on the throne.