A literal translation of the Saxon chronicle

by Unknown

This year King William was in Normandy at Christmas; and at Easter he came hither; and at Pentecost he held his Court for the first time in the new building at Westminster, and there he gave the Bishoprick of Durham to his chaplain Rannulf, who had long been the chief manager and director in all the king’s councils held in England. And soon afterwards William went over sea, and drove Earl Elias from Maine, and brought that province into subjection; and at Michaelmas he returned to this land. This year also, on St. Martin’s day, there was so very high a tide, and the damage was so great in consequence, that men remembered not the like to have ever happened before, and the same day was the first of the new moon. And Osmond Bishop of Salisbury died during Advent.

1100.

This year, at Christmas, King William held his Court in Gloucester; and at Easter in Winchester; and at Pentecost in Westminster. And at Pentecost blood was observed gushing from the earth, at a certain town of Berkshire, even as many asserted who declared that they had seen it. And after this, on the morning after Lammas day, King William was shot with an arrow by his own men, as he was hunting, and he was carried to Winchester and buried there. This was in the thirteenth year from his accession. He was very powerful, and stern over his lands and subjects, and towards all his neighbours, and much to be dreaded, and through the counsels of evil men which were always pleasing to him, and through his own avarice, he was ever vexing the people with armies and with cruel taxes; for in his days all justice sank, and all unrighteousness arose, in the sight of God and the world. He trampled on the Church of God, and as to the Bishopricks and Abbacies, the incumbents of which died in his reign, he either sold them outright, or kept them in his own hands and set them out to renters; for he desired to be the heir of every one, churchman or layman, so that the day on which he was killed he had in his own hands the Archbishoprick of Canterbury, the Bishopricks of Winchester and Salisbury, and eleven Abbacies, all let out to farm, and in fine, however long I may delay mention of it, all that was abominable to God and oppressive to men was common in this island in William’s time: and therefore he was hated by almost all his people, and abhorred by God as his end sheweth, in that he died in the midst of his unrighteousness, without repentance or any reparation made for his evil deeds. He was slain on a Thursday, and buried the next morning; and after he was buried, the Witan who were then near at hand, chose his brother Henry as King, and he forthwith gave the Bishoprick of Winchester to William Giffard, and then went to London; and on the Sunday following he made a promise to God and all the people, before the altar at Westminster, that he would abolish the injustice which prevailed in his brother’s time, and that he would observe the most equitable of the laws established in the days of any of the Kings before him: and after this Maurice Bishop of London consecrated him as King, and all the men of this land submitted to him, and swore oaths and became his liege-men. And soon afterwards, the King, by the advice of those about him, caused Rannulf Bishop of Durham to be taken and brought into the Tower of London, and confined there. Then before Michaelmas Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury came to this land; King Henry having sent for him by the advice of his Witan, because he had left the country on account of the injustice done him by King William. And soon afterwards the King took for his wife Mahald the daughter of Malcolm King of Scotland and of the good Queen Margaret King Edward’s kinswoman, of the true Royal line of England; and on Martinmas day she was given to him with great pomp at Westminster, and Archbishop Anselm wedded her to Henry, and afterwards consecrated her as Queen. And soon after this Thomas Archbishop of York died. This year also, in the autumn, Earl Robert came home into Normandy, and Robert Earl of Flanders and Eustace Earl of Boulogne also returned from Jerusalem, and on Earl Robert’s arrival in Normandy he was joyfully received by all the people, excepting those in the castles which were garrisoned with King Henry’s men, and these he made many efforts to win.

1101.

This year, at Christmas, King Henry held his Court at Westminster, and at Easter at Winchester. And soon afterwards the chief men of this land entered into a league against the king, both from their own great treachery, and through Robert Earl of Normandy who had hostile designs upon this land. And then the King sent out ships to annoy and hinder his brother, but some of them failed at time of need, and deserted from the King and submitted to Earl Robert.—At Midsummer the King posted himself with all his troops at Pevensey to oppose his brother, and he waited for him there. And in the meantime Earl Robert landed at Portsmouth twelve nights before Lammas, and the King marched against him with all his forces; but the chief men interfered and made peace between them, on condition that the King should give up all those places in Normandy which he then detained from his brother by force of arms; and that all who had lost their lands in England on the Earl’s account should have them again, and that Earl Eustace should also have his father’s estates in this country, and that Earl Robert should receive yearly 3000 marks of silver from England; and it was stipulated by this treaty that whichever of the brothers outlived the other, he should inherit all England together with Normandy, unless the deceased left legitimate issue. And twelve men of the highest rank on either side confirmed this treaty by oath: and the Earl afterwards remained here till after Michaelmas; and his men did much harm wherever they went, whilst the Earl staid in this land. This year also, at Candlemas, Bishop Rannulf escaped by night from the Tower of London, in which he was confined, and went to Normandy. It was at his incitement chiefly, that Earl Robert was spirited up to invade this land.

1102.

This year King Henry was at Westminster during the feast of the Nativity, and at Easter he was at Winchester. And soon afterwards a difference arose between the King and Robert of Belesme, who held the Earldom of Shrewsbury in this country, which his father Earl Roger had enjoyed before him, and who had other great possessions both here and abroad; and the King went and besieged Arundel castle, and when he found that he should not be able to take it speedily, he caused castles to be built before it, and garrisoned with his men; and then he led all his troops to Bridgenorth, and remained there till he had reduced the castle, and deprived Earl Robert of his lands, and he took from him all that he possessed in England, so the Earl departed over sea, and the King’s soldiers were disbanded and returned home. On the Michaelmas following the King was at Westminster, with all the head men of this land, both clergy and laity; and Archbishop Anselm held a synod, at which many decrees were made touching the Christian religion; and many Abbots, both French and English, lost their staffs and their abbacies, because they had obtained them unlawfully, or had lived unrighteously therein. And the same year, in Pentecost week, there came robbers, some from Auvergne, some from France, and some from Flanders, and they brake into the monastery of Peterborough, and carried off much treasure of gold and silver; crosses, chalices, and candlesticks.

1103.

This year King Henry was at Westminster at Christmas. And soon afterwards the Bishop William Giffard departed from this land, because he would not against right, receive consecration from Gerard Archbishop of York. And at Easter the King held his Court at Winchester; and afterwards, Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury journeyed to Rome, as he and the King had agreed. This year also Earl Robert of Normandy came to this land, to speak with the King, and before he departed hence he gave up the 3000 marks which King Henry should have paid him yearly according to the treaty. This year blood was seen gushing out of the earth at Hampstead, in Berkshire. This was a year of much distress from the manifold taxes, and also from a mortality among the cattle, and from the failure of the crops, both of the corn and all fruits of trees. In the morning also of St. Lawrence’s day, the wind did so much damage to all the fruit of this land, that no man remembered the like to have ever happened before. The same year died Mathias Abbot of Peterborough, who had not lived more than one year after he was made Abbot. After Michaelmas, on the 12th of the calends of November, he was received in procession as Abbot, and the same day the year following he died at Gloucester, and there he was buried.

1104.