Ne[l] purrent suffrir ne atendre Cil qui o l'empereriz erent: Al meiz ku'il purent s'en alerent, Poingnant si que regne n'i tindrent [J]esque soz Varesvalle vindrent; Mès forment les desavancha L'empereriz qui chevacha Cumme femme fait en seant: Ne sembla pas buen ne seant Al Marechal, anceis li dist: 'Dame, si m'ait Jesucrist, L'em ne puet pas eu seant poindre; Les jambes vos covient desjoindre E metre par en son l'arçun.' El le fist, volsist ele ou non, Quer lor enemis le[s] grevoient Qui de trop près les herd[i]oient" (Lines 198, 199, 208-224). The quaint detail here given is confirmed, as M. Meyer notes, by the Continuator's phrase (_vide infra_, note 2). [426] "In loco qui Stolibricge dicitur a Flammensibus cum comite Warrennensi captus" (_Cont. Flor. Wig._, p. 135). Cf. p. 134, and _Will. Malms._ (pp. 753, 758, 759), _Gesta_ (p. 84), _Sym. Dun._ (ii. 311), _Hen. Hunt._ (p. 275). As in Matilda's flight from London, so in her flight from Winchester, the author of the _Gesta_ appears to advantage with his descriptive and spirited account. [427] "Hæc audiens domina, vehementer exterrita atque turbata, ad castellum quo tendebat de Ludkereshala tristis ac dolens advenit, sed ibi locum tutum quiescendi, propter metum episcopi, non invenit. Unde, hortantibus suis, equo iterum usu masculino supposita, atque ad Divisas perducta" (_Cont. Flor. Wig._, p. 134). [428] "Castellum quod vocatur Divise, quo non erat aliud splendidius intra fines Europæ" (_Hen. Hunt._, p. 265). "Castellum ... multis et vix numerabilibus sumptibus, non (ut ipse præsul dictabat) ad ornamentum, sed (ut se rei veritas habet) ad ecclesiæ detrimentum, ædificatum" (_Will. Malms._, pp. 717, 718). It had been raised by the Bishop of Salisbury, and it passed, at his fall, into Stephen's hands. It is then described by the author of the _Gesta_ (p. 66) as "castellum regis, quod Divisa dicebatur, ornanter et inexpugnabiliter muratum." It was subsequently surprised by Robert fitz Hubert, who held it for his own hand till his capture, when the Earl of Gloucester tried hard to extort its surrender from him. In this, however, he failed. Robert was hanged, and, soon after, his garrison sold it to Stephen, by whom it was entrusted to Hervey of Brittany, whom he seems to have made Earl of Wilts. But on Stephen's capture, the peasantry rose, and extorted its surrender from Hervey. Thenceforth, it was a stronghold of the Empress (see for this the Continuator and the _Gesta_).