Caw! Caw! Listen up, you lot! Did I tell you the Tower itself had been a prison for centuries? And guess who was the first prisoner? Not some poor beggar, oh no—an influential and wealthy bishop! Ranulf Flambard1) __(chuck) gold into his own pockets for years before King Henry I finally 2) __(get) fed up and tossed him in here in 1100.
Now, most prisoners were locked away in dark, damp cells, but not our dear Bishop Flambard! Oh no, he 3) ____(plan) his escape for ages and ages.
For weeks, he 4)__(charm) his guards, making them laugh, and—most importantly—pouring them wine. He 5) __(test) their limits to see just how much they could drink before falling over. And oh, my featherless friends, they had been drinking A LOT.
One fine evening, when the guards 6) __(drink) enough wine to sink a ship, Flambard saw his chance! He had smuggled in a rope hidden inside a wine barrel (genius, right?) and 7)__(wait) for the perfect moment to make his move.
As soon as the last guard 8) __(pass out) face-first into his goblet, Flambard grabbed the rope, tied it to a pillar, and—caw, caw!—he climbed out of the Tower window! By the time the guards 9) __(wake up), he had already escaped on horseback, laughing all the way to Normandy.
And that, my friends, is how the first-ever prisoner of the Tower also became its first escapee. So, remember—if you ever find yourself locked up in the Tower, just make sure you’ve been making friends with the guards! Caw, caw! Now, who’s got a snack for me?