A literal translation of the Saxon chronicle

by Unknown

This year, at Christmas, King Henry held his Court at Windsor, and he held no Court again this year. And at Midsummer he entered Wales with an army, and the Welch came and treated with the King, and he caused castles to be built in that country. And in September he went over sea to Normandy. In the end of May, this year, a strange star with a long light was seen shining for many nights. This year also there was so great an ebb of the tide every where in one day, as no man remembered before, so that men went through the Thames both riding and walking, east of London bridge. This year there were very high winds in the month of October, and more especially on the night of the octaves of St. Martin, as was apparent in all woods and towns. This year also the King gave the Archbishoprick of Canterbury to Ralph Bishop of Rochester; and Thomas Archbishop of York died, and the King’s Chaplain Turstein succeeded him. At this time the King went towards the sea, and he would have gone over but he was detained by the weather. In the mean while he sent his writ to Ernulf Abbot of Peterborough, desiring him to come to him with speed, for that he would speak with him on something of importance. On Ernulf’s arrival, the King and the Archbishops and Bishops, and the English Nobility who attended the King, forced him to accept the Bishoprick of Rochester; he withstood them long, but his resistance availed nothing. And the King commanded the Archbishop to take him to Canterbury, and to consecrate him as Bishop whether he would or not.—This was done in the town called Burne (Sittingburn?) on the 17th of the calends of October. When the monks of Peterborough heard this, they were so sorry as never before, because Ernulf was a very good and a mild man, and did much good within the monastery and out of it whilst he remained there. May Almighty God be ever with him. Soon afterwards, at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the King gave that Abbacy to a monk of Sees named John. And soon after this the King and the Archbishop sent him to Rome for the Archbishop’s pall, and with him a monk named Warner, and the Archdeacon John the Archbishop’s nephew, and they sped well on their journey. This was done on the 11th of the calends of October, at the town called Rugenor (Rowner, near Gosport), and the same day the King took ship at Portsmouth.

1115.

This year, during Christmas, King Henry was in Normandy, and whilst he was there he caused all the chief men of Normandy to do homage and swear oaths of allegiance to his son William, whom he had by his Queen; and afterwards in the month of July he returned hither. This year the winter was so severe with snow and with frost, that no man then living remembered a harder: and it occasioned much disease among the cattle. This year Pope Paschal sent hither a pall to Archbishop Ralph, and he received it with much pomp at his see of Canterbury. Anselm an Abbot of Rome, the nephew of Archbishop Anselm, and John Abbot of Peterborough, brought the pall from Rome.

1116.

This year, at Christmas, King Henry was at St. Alban’s, and there he caused the monastery to be consecrated; and at Easter he was at Wudiham (Odiham). And this year also, the winter being severe and long, it was a very heavy time for the cattle and all things. And soon after Easter the King went over sea, and much treachery was practised, and there was plundering and taking of castles between France and Normandy. The chief cause of enmity was that King Henry aided his nephew Earl Theobald de Blois, who was then at war with his Lord Louis King of France. This was a very calamitous year, the crops being spoiled by the heavy rains, which came on just before August and lasted till Candlemas. Mast also was so scarce this year that none was to be heard of in all this land, or in Wales: moreover this land and nation were many times sorely oppressed by the taxes which the King raised both within the towns and out of them. This year also the whole of the monastery of Peterborough was burnt, with all the houses, excepting the chapter-house and the dormitory: and the greater part of the town was burnt also. All this happened on a Friday, being the 2d of the nones of August.

1117.

All this year King Henry abode in Normandy, because of the war with the King of France and his other neighbours: then in the summer the King of France, and the Earl of Flanders with him, entered Normandy with an army, and remained in the country one night, and went away again in the morning without fighting. And Normandy was greatly oppressed by taxes and by the levies of troops that King Henry raised to oppose them. This nation also was sorely aggrieved in like manner, to wit, by the manifold taxes. This year also there was a violent storm of thunder and lightning, rain and hail, on the night of the calends of December; and on the 3d night of the ides of December the moon appeared for a long time as it were bloody, and then it was darkened. Also, on the night of the 17th of the calends of January the heaven appeared very red, as if it were burning. And on the octave of St. John the Evangelist’s day there was a great earthquake in Lombardy, by which many monasteries, towers, and houses were thrown down, and the inhabitants suffered greatly. This was a very bad year for the corn, through the rains which ceased scarcely at all. And Gilebert Abbot of Westminster died on the 8th of the ides of December, and Farits Abbot of Abingdon died on the 7th of the calends of March. And the same year ——

1118.

All this year King Henry was in Normandy, being at war with the King of France, and with the Earl of Anjou, and with the Earl of Flanders. And the Earl of Flanders was wounded in Normandy, on which he returned to Flanders. The King was greatly impoverished by this war, and lost much money and land, and he was most harrassed by his own men, who continually revolted and betrayed him, and went over to his enemies, and treacherously gave up their castles in the King’s despite. England paid dearly for all this by the manifold taxes which ceased not all this year. This year, one evening in Epiphany week, there was dreadful lightning which caused many deaths. And Queen Mahald (Matilda) died at Westminster on the calends of May, and was buried there. And Robert Earl of Mellent also died this year. This year also, on St. Thomas’ day, there was so exceedingly high a wind that none who then lived remembered a greater, and this might be seen every where from the state of the houses and of the trees. Pope Paschal also died this year, and John of Gaieta, whose other name was Gelasius, succeeded to the Popedom.

1119.