A literal translation of the Saxon chronicle

by Unknown

This year Earl Harold and his brother Earl Tostig invaded Britain[BG] with an army, and fleet, and they conquered the country; and the inhabitants gave hostages and submitted to them, and afterwards they went and slew their King Griffin, and brought his head to Harold, and he set another King over them.

1064.

This year the Northumbrians assembled together, and outlawed Tostig their Earl, and they slew all his retainers whom they could meet with, both English and Danes: and they seized all his arms at York, and his gold, and his silver, and all his treasures that they could find. And they sent for Morker the son of Earl Ælfgar, and chose him for their Earl; and he marched southward with the troops of that country, and of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Lincolnshire, till he arrived at Northampton; and his brother Edwin joined him with the men of his Earldom, and many Britons also came with him. Then they were met by Earl Harold, and they charged him with a message to King Edward, and they also sent deputies with him, and they desired that they might have Morker for their Earl.—And the King granted this, and sent Harold again to them at Northampton on the eve of St. Simon and St. Jude’s day, and he reported the same to them, and put into their hands the King’s assent, and there he renewed the laws of Canute. And the northern men did much damage about Northampton whilst he was gone on their errand, for they slew men, and burned houses and corn, and took all the cattle they could find, being many thousand head, and many hundred men did they seize and carry off into the north; so that this county, and the others adjoining, were the worse for them during many years. And Earl Tostig and his wife, and all who were of his party, went over sea southward to Earl Baldwin, and he received them all, and they remained there the whole winter.

1066.

This year the Abbey Church of Westminster was consecrated on Childermas-day. And this year King Edward died on the eve of Twelfth-day, and he was buried on Twelfth-day, in the Church of Westminster, newly consecrated.—And Earl Harold succeeded to the kingdom, even as the King had granted it to him; men, also chose him thereto, and he was consecrated King on Twelfth-day, and reigned forty weeks and one day. And the same year that he was made King, he went out with a fleet against William; and in the mean time Earl Tostig entered the Humber with 60 ships, but Earl Edwin came up with his troops and drove him away, and the crews of his vessels also deserted him. Then he went to Scotland with twelve smacks; and Harold King of Norway joined him with 300 ships, to whom Tostig gave up the command, and they entered the Humber together, and proceeded to York: and the Earls Morker and Edwin fought with them, and the Norwegian King gained the victory. King Harold, being informed of what had passed, came with a great army of Englishmen, and he met the King of Norway at Stæng-fordes-brycge (Stanford bridge), and he slew him and the Earl Tostig, and routed their whole army.

And in the mean time Earl William landed at Hastings on Michaelmas-day, and Harold marched from the North, and fought with him before all his own army had come up, and he fell there with his two brothers, Gyrth and Leofwin. And William conquered this land, and he came to Westminster, and the Archbishop Ealdred consecrated him King, and men paid him tribute, and gave him hostages, and afterwards bought their lands again.

Leofric Abbot of Peterborough was in this campaign, and whilst he was with the army he became ill, and he returned home, and died soon after on All Saints’ night. May God glorify his soul! In his days was all bliss and all prosperity at Peterborough, and he was beloved of all men, so that the King granted to St. Peter and to him the Abbey of Burton, and that of Coventry which his uncle Earl Leofric had founded, and also those of Croyland and Thorney. And he enriched the monastery of Burh with gold, with silver, with vestments, and with lands, more than any other before or after him. And the Golden Borough now became the borough of wretchedness. Then the monks chose the Provost Brand for their Abbot because he was a very good man, and very wise; and they sent him to Edgar Ætheling, for the people of those parts supposed that he should be the King; and the Ætheling willingly confirmed him in his office. When King William heard this he was very wroth, and said that the Abbot had treated him with contempt; but good men interfered and reconciled them, because of the excellence of the Abbot. He gave the King forty marks of gold for his favour, and he lived but a short time after, only three years. After this all tribulation and evil came upon the monastery. May God have pity on it. And this year Christ Church was burned, and a comet appeared on the 14th of the calends of May.

1067.

This year the King went over sea, and took with him hostages and treasures. And he came back the next year on St. Nicholas’ day; and on his return he restored to every man his land.—And this summer Childe Edgar and Mærleswegn, and many others with them, departed and went to Scotland, and King Malcolm received them all, and took the Childe’s sister Margaret for his wife.

1068.