[Sidenote: K. Stephan maketh hast to rescue the north parts.] But to our storie. King Stephan hearing of this pitifull spoile, hasted forward with great iournies to the rescue of the countrie. [Sidenote: The Scots retire.] The Scots put in feare of spéedie comming to encounter them, drew backe into Scotland: [Sidenote: K. Stephan burnt the south parts of Scotland.] but he pursued them, and entring into their countrie burned and destroied the south parts of that realme in most miserable maner. Whilest king Stephan was thus about to beat backe the forren enimies, and reuenge himselfe on them, he was assailed by other at home, & not without the iust vengeance of almightie God, who meant to punish him for his periurie committed in taking vpon him the crowne, contrarie to his oth made vnto the empresse and hir children. [Sidenote: Robert earle of Glocester.] For Robert erle of Glocester, base brother vnto the empresse, and of hir priuie councell, sought by all meanes how to bring king Stephan into hatred, both of the Nobles and commons, that by their helpe he might be expelled the realme, and the gouernment restored to the empresse and hir sonne. Such earnest trauell was made by this earle of Glocester, that manie of his freends which fauoured his cause, now that king Stephan was occupied in the north parts, ioined with him in conspiracie against their souereigne. [Sidenote: Bristow taken.] First the said earle himselfe tooke Bristowe; and after this diuerse other townes and castels there in that countrie were taken by him and others, with full purpose to kéepe the same to the behoofe of the empresse and hir sonne. [Sidenote: _Sim. Dun._ Talbot.] Amongst other William Talbot tooke vpon him to defend Hereford in Wales: [Sidenote: _Matt. Paris._ Louell. Painell. Fitz-John. Fitz-Alain.] William Louell held the castell of Gary: Paganell or Painell kept the castell of Ludlow: William de Moun the castell of Dunestor: Robert de Nicholl, the castle of Warram: Eustace Fitz-John, the castle of Walton; and William Fitz-Alain, the castle of Shrewesburie. When word hereof came to king Stephan, he was maruellouslie vexed: for being determined to haue pursued the Scots euen to the vttermost limits of their countrie, he was now driuen to change his mind, and thought it good at the first to stop the proceedings of his enimies at home, least in giuing them space to increase their force, they might in processe of time growe so strong, that it would be an hard matter to resist them at the last. [Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ _Matth. Paris._ The castle of Douer deliuered to the quéene. _Polydor._] Herevpon therefore he returned southward, and comming vpon his enimies, recouered out of their hands diuers of those places which they held, as Hereford, and the castle of Shrewesburie. About the same time one Walkeline yéelded the castle of Douer vnto the quéene, who had besieged him within the same.