M·C·XXX`VII´. Ð is gære for þe `king´ Stephne ofer sæ to normandi ⁊ ther wes under fangen for þi ð hi uuenden ð he sculde ben alsuic alse the eom wes. ⁊ for he hadde get his tresor. ac he to deld it ⁊ scatered sotlice. Micel hadde henri king gadered gold ⁊ syluer. ⁊ na god ne dide me for his saule thar of. 40

41. Þa] no paragraph in MS.
46. After maked erasure of two letters.
56. After þumbes, ⁊ deleted. Þa `þe´ king Stephne to englalande com þa macod he his gadering æt Oxeneford. ⁊ þar he nam þe biscop Roger of Sereberi ⁊ Alexander biscop of lincol ⁊ te canceler Roger hise neues. ⁊ dide ælle in prisun. til hi iafen up here castles. Þa the suikes under gæton ð he milde man was ⁊ softe ⁊ god. ⁊ na iustise ne dide. þa dide`n´ hi alle 45 wunder. Hi hadden him manred maked ⁊ athes suoren. ac hi nan treuthe ne heolden. alle he wæron for sworen and here treothes for loren. for æuric riceman his castles makede ⁊ agænes him heolden. ⁊ fylden þe land ful of castles. Hi suencten suyðe þe uureccemen of þe land mid castel weorces. þa þe castles uuaren 50 maked þa fylden hi mid deoules ⁊ yuelemen. Þa namen hi þa men þe hi wenden ð ani god hefde`n´. bathe be nihtes. ⁊ be dæies. carlmen ⁊ wimmen. ⁊ diden heom `in prisun´ efter gold ⁊ syluer. ⁊ pined heom; untellendlice pining. for ne uuæren næure nan martyrs swa pined alse hi wæron. Me henged up bi the fet ⁊ smoked heom · mid 55 ful smoke. Me henged bi the þumbes other bi the hefed. ⁊ hengen bryniges on `her´ fet. Me dide cnotted strenges abuton here [f. 89 v] hæued. ⁊ uurythen to ð it gæde to þe `h´ærnes. Hi diden heom in quarterne þar nadres ⁊ snakes ⁊ pades wæron inne. ⁊ drapen heom swa. Sume hi diden in crucethus ð is in an cęste þat was scort ⁊ nareu. ⁊ 60 un dep. ⁊ dide scærpe stanes þer inne. ⁊ þrengde þe man þær inne. ð him bræcon alle þe limes. In mani of þe castles wæron lof ⁊ grim. ð wæron rachenteges ð twa oþer thre men hadden onoh to bæron onne. þat was sua maced. ð is fæstned to an beom. ⁊ diden an scærp iren abuton þa mannes throte ⁊ his hals. ð he `ne´ myhte nowiderwardes. 65 ne sitten ne lien ne slepen. oc bæron al ð iren. Mani þusen hi drapen mid hungær. J ne can ne i ne mai tellen alle þe wunder ne alle þe pines ð hi diden wreccemen on þis land. ⁊ ð lastede þa ·xix· wintre wile Stephne was king ⁊ æure it was uuerse ⁊ uuerse. Hi læiden gæildes o`n´ the tunes æure umwile ⁊ clepeden it tenserie. þa 70 þe uureccemen ne hadden nan more to gyuen. þa ræueden hi ⁊ brendon alle the tunes. ð wel þu myhtes faren al a dæis fare sculdest thu neure finden man in tune sittende. ne land tiled. Þa was corn dære. ⁊ flec ⁊ cæse ⁊ butere. for nan ne wæs o þe land. Wrecce men sturuen of hungær. sume ieden on ælmes þe waren sum wile 75 ricemen. sume flugen ut of lande. Wes næure gæt mare wre`c´ce hed on land. ne næure hethen men werse ne diden þan hi diden. For ouer sithon ne for baren `hi´ nouther circe ne cyrce iærd. oc namen al þe god ð þar inne was. ⁊ brenden sythen þe cyrce ⁊ alte gædere. Ne hi ne forbaren biscopes land ne abbotes ne preostes. ac ræueden 80 81. þe ouer] þeouer MS.
97. After moste, alse erased.
99. strengthe corrected out of strengthre. munekes ⁊ clerekes. ⁊ æuricman other þe ouer myhte. Gif twa men oþer ·iii· coman ridend to an tun. al þe tunscipe flugæn for heom. wenden ð hi wæron ræueres. Þe biscopes ⁊ leredmen heom cursede æure. oc was heom naht þar of. for hi uueron al forcursæd ⁊ for suoren ⁊ for loren. War sæ me tilede. þe erthe ne bar nan corn. for þe land 85 was al fordon. mid suilce dædes. ⁊ hi sæden openlice ð xpist slep. ⁊ his halechen. Suilc ⁊ mare þanne we cunnen sæin. we þolenden xix· wintre for ure sinnes. [f. 90 r] On al þis yuele time heold Martin abbot his abbotrice ·xx· wintre ⁊ half gær ⁊ viii· dæis. mid micel suinc. ⁊ fand þe munekes ⁊ te gestes al þat heom be houed ⁊ heold mycel 90 carited in the hus. ⁊ þoþwethere wrohte on þe circe ⁊ sette þar to landes ⁊ rentes. ⁊ goded it suythe. ⁊ læt it refen ⁊ brohte heom into þe neuuæ mynstre on S’ Petres mæsse dæi mid micel wurtscipe. ð was · anno ab incarnatione domini · M·c·xl. a combustione loci ·xxiii· ⁊ he for `to´ Rome. ⁊ þær wæs wæl under fangen fram þe pape 95 Eugenie. ⁊ be gæt thare priuilegies. an of alle þe landes of þabbotrice. ⁊ an oþer of þe landes þe lien to þe circewican. ⁊ gif he leng moste liuen alse he mint to don of þe horderwycan. And he be gæt in landes þat ricemen hefden mid strengthe. Of Willelm malduit þe heold Rogingham þæ castel. he wan Cotingham ⁊ Estun. ⁊ Of hugo of 100 Walteuile he uuan hyrtlingberi · ⁊ Stanewig. ⁊ lx · sol. of Aldewingle `ælc gær´. And he makede manie munekes ⁊ plantede winiærd. ⁊ makede mani weorkes. ⁊ wende þe tun betere þan it ær waes. ⁊ waes god munec ⁊ god man. ⁊ forþi him luueden god ⁊ gode men. 105

Nu we willen sægen sumdel wat belamp on Stephnes kinges time. On his time þe iudeus of Noruuic bohton an xpisten cild be foren estren ⁊ pineden him alle þe ilce pining ð ure drihten was pined. ⁊ on langfridæi him on rode hengen for ure drihtines luue. ⁊ sythen byrieden him. wenden ð it sculde ben for holen. oc ure dryhtin 110 atywede ð he was hali martyr. ⁊ to munekes him namen. ⁊ bebyried him heglice in þe minstre. ⁊ he maket þur[h] ure drihtin wunderlice ⁊ manifældlice miracles. ⁊ hatte he S’ Willelm.

M·C·XXXVI`II´. O n þis gær com dauid king of Scotland mid ormete færd to þis land. wolde winnan þis land. 115 ⁊ him com togænes Willelm eorl of Albamar þe þe king adde beteht euorwic ⁊ to other æuez men mid fæumen ⁊ fuhten wid heom. ⁊ flemden þe king æt te Standard. ⁊ sloghen suithe micel of his genge. [f. 90 v]

M·C·XL. O n þis gær wolde þe king Stephne tæcen Rodbert eorl 120 of gloucestre þe kinges sune · Henries. ac he ne myhte for he wart it war. Þer efter in þe lengten þestrede þe sunne ⁊ te dæi. abuton non tid dæies. þa men eten. ð me lihtede candles to æten bi. ⁊ þat was ·xiii· kalend. April’. wæron men suythe of wundred. Þer efter fordfeorde Willelm ærcebiscop of cantwarberi. 125 ⁊ te king makede Teodbald ærcebiscop þe was abbot in the bec. Þer efter wæx suythe micel uuerre be tuyx þe king ⁊ Randolf eorl of cæstre noht for þi ð he ne iaf him al ð he cuthe axen him. alse he dide alle othre. oc æfre þe mare he iaf heom. þe wærse hi wæron him. Þe eorl heold lincol agænes þe king. ⁊ be nam him al ð he 130 ahte to hauen. ⁊ te king for þider ⁊ besætte him ⁊ his brother Willelm de R[om]are in þe castel. ⁊ te æorl stæl ut ⁊ ferde efter Rodbert eorl of gloucestre. ⁊ brohte him þider mid micel ferd. ⁊ fuhten suythe on Candel masse dæi agenes heore lauerd. ⁊ namen him for his men [h]im suyken ⁊ flugæn. ⁊ læd him to Bristowe ⁊ 135 diden þar in prisun ⁊ [fe]teres. 135-45. MS. rubbed here. þa was al engleland styred mar þan ær wæs. ⁊ al yuel wæ[s i]n lande. Þer efter com þe kinges dohter henries þe hefde ben emperi[ce] i[n A]lamanie. ⁊ nu wæs cuntesse in Angou. ⁊ com to lundene ⁊ te lundenissce folc hire wolde tæcen. ⁊ scæ fleh ⁊ forles þar mic[el.] Þer efter þe biscop of Wincestre henri 140 þe kinges brother Stephnes spac wid Rodbert eorl ⁊ wyd þemperice ⁊ suor heom athas ð he neure ma mid te king his brother wolde halden. ⁊ cursede alle þe men þe mid h[im] heoldon. ⁊ sæde heom ð he uuolde ííuen heom up Wincestre. ⁊ dide heom cumen þider. Þa hi þær inne wæren. þa com þe kinges cuen [mid al]hire strengthe. 145 ⁊ besæt heom. ð þer wæs inne micel hungær. Þa hi ne leng ne muhten þolen þa stali hi ut ⁊ flugen. ⁊ hi wurthen war wid uten ⁊ folecheden heom. ⁊ namen Rodbert eorl of gloucestre. ⁊ ledden him to Rouecestre. ⁊ diden him þare in prisun. ⁊ te emperice fleh in to an minstre. [f. 91 r] Þa feorden þe wisemen betwyx þe kinges 150 freond ⁊ te eorles freond ⁊ sahtlede sua ð me sculde leten ut þe king of prisun for þe eorl. ⁊ te eorl for þe king. ⁊ sua diden. Sithen þerefter sa`t´hleden þe king ⁊ Randolf eorl at Stanford. ⁊ athes suoren ⁊ treuthes fæston ð her nouþer sculde be suiken other. ⁊ it ne for stod naht. for þe king him sithen nam in hamtun. þurhc wicci 155 ræd. ⁊ dide him in prisun. ⁊ ef sones he let him ut þurhc wærse red. to ð forewarde ð he suor on halidom ⁊ gysles fand. þat he alle his castles sculde íiuen up. Sume he iaf up ⁊ sume ne iaf he noht. ⁊ dide þanne wærse þanne he hær sculde. Þa was engleland suythe to deled. sume helden mid te king. ⁊ sume mid þemperice. for þa þe 160 king was in prisun þa wenden þe eorles ⁊ te ricemen þat he neure mare sculde cumen ut. ⁊ sæh`t´leden wyd þemperice. ⁊ brohten hire into Oxenford. ⁊ iauen hire þe burch. Þa þe king was ute þa herde ð sægen. ⁊ toc his feord ⁊ besæt hire in þe tur. ⁊ me læt hire dun on niht of þe tur mid rapes. ⁊ stal ut. ⁊ scæ fleh ⁊ iæde on fote to 165 Walingford. Þær efter scæ ferde ouer sæ. ⁊ hi of normandi wenden alle fra þe king. to þe eorl of Angæu. sume here þankes ⁊ sume here unþankes. for he be sæt heom til hi aiauen up here castles. ⁊ hi nan helpe ne hæfden of þe kinge. Þa ferde Eustace þe kinges sune to france ⁊ nam þe kinges suster of france to wife. wende to bigæton 170 normandi þær þurh. oc he spedde litel. ⁊ be gode rihte for he was an yuel man. for ware se he [com he] 172. MS. mutilated here. dide mare yuel þanne god. he reuede þe landes ⁊ læide mic[ele gilde]s on. He brohte his wif to engle land. ⁊ dide hire in þe caste[l of Can]teberi. God wimman scæ wæs. oc scæ hedde litel blisse mid him. ⁊ xpist ne wolde ð he sculde 175 lange rixan. ⁊ wærd ded ⁊ his moder beien. ⁊ te eorl of Angæu wærd ded. ⁊ his sune henri toc to þe rice. ⁊ te Cuen of france to dælde fra þe king. ⁊ scæ com to þe iunge eorl henri. ⁊ he toc hire to wiue. ⁊ al [f. 91 v] peitou mid hire. Þa ferde he mid micel færd into engle[la]nd. ⁊ wan castles. ⁊ te king ferde agenes him mid 180 micel mare ferd. ⁊ þoþwæthere fuhtten hi noht. oc ferden þe ærcebiscop ⁊ te wise me`n´ betwux heom. ⁊ makede ð sahte ð te king sculde ben lauerd ⁊ king wile he liuede. ⁊ æfter his dæi ware henri king. ⁊ he held`e´ him for fader ⁊ he him for sune. ⁊ sib ⁊ sæhte sculde ben betwyx heom. ⁊ on al engleland. Þis ⁊ te othre foruuardes 185 þet hi makeden. suoren to halden þe king ⁊ te eorl ⁊ te biscopes & te eorles ⁊ ricemen alle. Þa was þe eorl under fangen æt Wincestre ⁊ æt lundene mid micel wurtscipe. ⁊ alle diden him manred. ⁊ suoren þe pais to halden. ⁊ hit ward sone suythe god pais. sua ð neure was here. Þa was þe king strengere þanne he æuert her was. ⁊ te eorl 190 ferde ouer sæ. ⁊ al folc him luuede for he dide god iustise ⁊ makede pais.

M·C·LIIII. O n þis gær wærd þe king Stephne ded ⁊ bebyried þer his wif `⁊ his sune´ wæron bebyried æt fauresfeld. þæt minstre hi makeden. Þa þe king was ded. þa was þe eorl 195 beionde sæ. ⁊ ne durste nan man don oþer bute god for þe micel eie of him. þa he to engleland com. þa was he underfangen mid micel wurtscipe. and to king bletcæd in lundene on þe sunnen dæi be foren midwinter dæi. ⁊ held þær micel curt.

203. MS. mutilated and defaced from this place onward.
204. byried in MS. Þat ilce dæi þat Martin abbot of burch sculde þider faren. þa 200 sæclede he ⁊ ward ded ·iiii· Ñ. iañ. ⁊ te munekes innen dæis cusen oþer of heom sælf. Willelm de Walteuile is gehaten. god clerc ⁊ god man. ⁊ wæl luued of þe kinge ⁊ of alle godemen. and o[n cyric]en byrieden þabbot hehlice ⁊ sone þe cosan abbot ferde ⁊ te muneces [mid him to] oxenforde to þe king [⁊ he] iaf him þat abbotrice. ⁊ he 205 ferde him son[e to linc]ol ⁊ was þ[ær bletcæd to] abbot ær he ham come. ⁊ [sithen] was under fangen [mid mic]el [wurtscipe at] burch. mid [mice]l processiun. ⁊ sua he was alsua at Ramesæie. ⁊ at Torney. ⁊ at . . n ⁊ Spallding ⁊ at S. l. bares. ⁊ . . . ⁊ [he nu is] abbot. ⁊ fa[ire] haued begunnon. xp[ist] him un[ne gode endinge]. 210

[ IV. CHARTER OF HENRY THE SECOND]

“Harleian Charter III B. 49, British Museum.... The document is in a French record hand, and the writer was evidently little versed in the insular script. He uses both þ and th, ƿ and w.”

H’ [þ]urh 1. MS kurh
4. Cantuarabirȝ] last letter ȝ or g; the one has been corrected out of the other: so too in deȝe, l. 6.
14. þingan] þimgan MS. godes ȝefu ænglelandes king gret ealle mine bissceopas ⁊ ealle mine eorlas ⁊ ealle mine scirereuan ⁊ ealle mine þeinas frencisce ⁊ englisce · on þan sciran þe teobalt ercebisceop ⁊ se hiret æt xpistes chyrchen on Cantuarabirȝ habbad land inne freondlice ⁊ ic keþe eow þ̵ ic hebbe heom geunnon þ̵ hi beon ælc þare lande wurþa 5 þe hi eafdon en Edwardes kinges deȝe · ⁊ on Willelmes kinges mines furþur ealdefader · ⁊ on Henrices kinges mines ealdefader · ⁊ saca ⁊ Socne · on strande ⁊ on Streame. On wudan · ⁊ on feldan · tolles ⁊ theames · grithbriches · ⁊ hamsocne · ⁊ forstalles · ⁊ infangenesthiafes · ⁊ fleamene frimtha · ofer heore agene men · binnan Burgan ⁊ butan · 10 swa ful ⁊ swa ford swa mine agene Wicneres hit sechan scolden · ⁊ ofer swa fele þeinas swa ich heom to leten habban. And ic nelle þ̵ eni man enig þing þer on theo · butan hi ⁊ heara wicneras · þe hi hit bitechan · willað · ne frencisce ne englisce · for þan þingan þe ich habbe criste þas gerichtan forgifan minre Saule to echere alisendnesse ⁊ ic 15 nelle geþauian þ̵ enig man þis abrece bi minan fullen frenscipan. God geau gehealde.