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1    Millesimo cxxxii. Ðis gear com Henri to þis land. Þa com
2Henri abbot & uureide þe muneces of Burch to þe king forþi
3ðat he uuolde underþeden ðat mynstre to Clunie, sua ðat te king
4was welneh bepaht & sende efter þe muneces. & Þurh Godes
5milce & þurh þe biscop of Seresbyri & te biscop of Lincol & te
6oþre rice men þe þer wæron, þa wiste þe king ðat he feorde mid
7suicdom. Þa he nammor ne mihte, þa uuolde he ðat his nefe
8sculde ben abbot in Burch: oc Crist it ne uuolde. Was it noht
9suithe lang þerefter þat te king sende efter him & dide him gyuen
10up ðat abbotrice of Burch & faren ut of lande. & Te king iaf ðat
11abbotrice an prior of Sanct Neod, Martin was gahaten; he com
12on Sancte Petres messedei mid micel wurscipe into the minstre.
13
14    Millesimo cxxxv. On þis gære for se king Henri ouer sæ æt te
15Lammasse. & Ðat oþer dei þa he lai an slep in scip, þa þestrede
16þe dæi ouer al landes & uuard þe sunne suilc als it uuare thre
17niht ald mone, an sterres abuten him at middæi. Wurþen
18man suiðe ofuundred & ofdred, & sæden ðat micel þing sculde
19cumen herefter: sua dide, for þat ilc gær warth þe king ded ðat
20oþer dæi efter Sancte Andreas massedæi on Normandi. Þa
21þestreden sona þas landes, for æuric man sone ræuede oþer
22þe mihte. Þa namen his sune & his frend & brohten his lic to
23Engleland & bebirieden in Redinge. God man he wes & micel
24æie wes of him: durste nan man misdon wið oðer on his time.
25Pais he makede men & dær. Wua sua bare his byrthen gold &
26sylure, durste nan man sei to him naht bute god. Enmang þis
27was his nefe cumen to Engleland, Stephne de Blais; & com to
28Lundene; & te lundenisce folc him underfeng & senden efteręfter
29þe ærcebiscop Willelm Curbuil; & halechede him to kinge on
30Midewintre Dæi. On þis kinges time wes al unfrið & yfel &
31ræflac, for agenes him risen sona þa rice men þe wæron swikes,
32alre fyrst Balduin de Reduers; & held Execestre agenes him & te

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33king it besæt, & siððan Balduin acordede. Ða tocan þa oðre &
34helden her castles agenes him. & Dauid king of Scotland toc to
35uuerrien him. Ða, þohuuethere þat, here sandes feorden betwyx
36heom & hi togædere comen, & wurðe sæhte, þoþ it litel forstode.
37
38    Millesimo cxxxvii. Ðis gære for þe king Stephne ofer sæ to
39Normandi; & ther wes underfangen, forði ðat hi uuenden ðat
40he sculde ben alsuic alse the eom wes, & for he hadde get his
41tresor; ac he todeld it & scatered sotlice. Micel hadde Henri
42king gadered gold & syluer, & na god ne dide me for his saule
43tharof. Þa þe king Stephne to Englaland com, þa macod he his
44gadering æt Oxeneford. & Þar he nam þe biscop Roger of Serebyri
45& Alexander biscop of Lincol & te canceler Roger, hise
46neues, & dide ælle in prisun til he iafen up here castles. Þa the
47suikes undergæton ðat he milde man was & softe & god, & na
48iustise ne dide, þa diden hi alle wunder. Hi hadden him
49manred maked & athes suoren, ac hi nan treuthe ne heolden.
50Alle he wæron forsworen & here treothes forloren, for æuric
51rice man his castles makede & ægenes him heolden; & fylden þe
52land ful of castles. Hi suencten suyðe þe uurecce men of þe
53land mid castelweorces; þa þe castles uuaren maked, þa fylden
54hi mid deoules & yuele man. Þa namen hi þa men þe hi wenden
55ðat ani god hefden, bathe be nihtes & be dæies, carlmen &
56wimmen, & diden heom in prisun & pined heom efter gold &
57syluer untellendlice pining; for ne uuæren næure nan martyrs
58swa pined alse hi wæron. Me henged up bebi the fet & smoked
59heom mid ful smoke. Me henged bi the þumbes other bi the
60hefed & hengen bryniges on her fet. Me dide cnotted strenges
61abuton here hæued & uuryhten it ðat it gæde to þe hærnes.
62Hi diden heom in quarterne þar nadres & snakes & pades wæron
63inne, & drapen heom swa. Sume hi diden in crucethus - ðat is,
64in an cestecęste þat was scort & nareu & undep - & dide scærpe stanes
65þerinne & þrengde þe man þærinne ðat him bræcon alle þe
66limes. In mani of þe castles wæron lof & grin: ðat wæron
67rachenteges ðat twa oþer thre man hadden onoh to bæron onne,

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68þat was sua maced, ðat is, fæstned to an beom - & diden an
69scærp iren abuton þa mannes throte & his hals, ðat he ne myhte
70nowiderwardes, ne sitten ne lien ne slepen, oc bæron al ðat
71iren. Mani þusen hi drapen mid hungær. I ne can ne I ne mai
72tellen alle þe wunder ne alle þe pines ðat he diden wrecce men
73on þis land; & ðat lastede þa xix wintre wile Stephne was king,
74& æure it was uuerse & uuerse. Hi læiden gældes on the tunes
75æure um wile, & clepeden it "tenserie". Þa þe uurecce men ne
76hadden nammore to gyuen, þa ræueden hi & brendon alle the
77tunes, ðat wel þu myhtes faren al a dæis fare, sculdest thu neure
78finden man in tune sittende ne land tiled. Þa was corn dære, &
79flesc & cæse & butere, for nan ne wæs o þe land. Wrecce men
80sturuen of hungær. Sume ieden on ælmes þe waren sum wile
81rice men. Sume flugen ut of lande. Wes næure gæt mare
82wreccehed on land ne næure hethen men werse ne diden þan
83hi diden; for ouer sithon ne forbaren hi nouther circe ne
84cyrceiærd, oc namen al þe god ðat þarinne was & brenden
85sythen þe cyrce & al tegædere. Ne hi ne forbaren biscopes land
86ne abbotes ne preostes, ac ræueden munekes & clerekes, & æuric
87man other þe ouermyhte. Gif twa men oþer iii coman ridend
88to an tun, al þe tunscipe flugæn for heom, wenden ðat hi wæron
89ræueres. Þe biscopes & lered men heom cursede æure, oc was
90heom naht þarof, for hi uueron al forcursæd & forsuoren & forloren.
91War sæ me tilede, þe erthe ne bar nan corn, for þe land
92was al fordon mid suilce dædes. & Hi sæden openlice ðat Crist
93slep & his halechen. Suilc & mare þanne we cunnen sæin we
94þoleden xix wintre for ure sinnes. On al þis yuele time heold
95Martin abbot his abbotrice xx witrewintre & half gær & viii dæis mid
96micel suinc; & fand þe munekes & te gestes al þat heom behoued
97& heold mycel carited in the hus, & þoþwethere wrohte on þe
98circe & sette þarto landes & rentes & goded it suythe & læt it refen,
99& brohte heom into þe neuuæ mynstre on Sancte Petres mæssedæi
100mid micel wurtscipe: ðat was anno ab Incarnatione Domini
101Millesimo cxl, a combustione loci xxiii . & He for to Rome, &
102þær wæs wæl underfangen fram þe Pape Eugenie; & begæt thare

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103priuilegies, an of alle þe landes of þabbotrice & an oþer of þe
104landes þe lien to þe circewican, &, gif he leng moste liuen, alse
105he mint to don of þe horderwycan. & He begæt in landes þat
106rice men hefden mid strengthe: of Willelm Malduit þe heold
107Rogingham þæ castel, he was Cotingham & Estun, & of Hugo of
108Walteuile he uuan Hyrtlingbyri & Stanewig & lx sol of Aldewingle
109ælc gær. & He makede manie munekes, & plantede
110winiærd, & makede mani weorkes & wende þe tun betere þan
111it ær wæs; & wæs god munec & god man, & forþi him luuedon
112God & gode men.
113    Nu we willen sægen sum del wat belamp on Stephnes kinges
114time. On his time þe Iudeus of Noruuic bohton an Cristen cild
115beforen Estren, & pineden him alle þe ilce pining ðat ure
116Drihten was pined, & on Lang Fridæi him rode hengen for
117ure Drihtines luue & sythen byrieden him; wenden ðat it sculde
118ben forholen. Oc ure Dryhtin atywede ðat he was hali martyr;
119& te munekes him namen & bebyried him heglice in þe minstre.
120& He maket þurh ure Drihtin wunderlice & manifældlice
121miracles; & hatte he Sanct Willelm.
122
123    Millesimo cxxxviii. On þis gær com Dauid king of Scotland
124mid ormete færd to þis land; wolde winnan þis land. & Him
125com togænes Willelm eorl of Albamar, þe þe king adde beteht
126Euorwic, & te other æuez men mid fæu men; & fuhten wid
127heom, & flemden þe king æt te Standard, & sloghen suithe micel
128of his genge.
129
130    Millesimo cxl. On þis gær wolde þe king Stephne tæcen Rodbert
131eorl of Gloucestre, þe kinges sune Henries; ac he ne myhte,
132for he wart it war. Þerefter i þe lengten þestrede þe sunne &
133te dæi abuton nontid dæies, þa men eten, ðat me lihtede candles
134to æten bi; & þat was xiii Kalendarum Aprilis : wæron men
135suythe ofwundred. Þerefter fordfeorde Willelm ærcebiscop of
136Cantwarbyri; & te king makede Teodbald ærcebiscop, þe was
137abbot in the Bec. Þerefter wæx suythe micel uuerre betuyx þe

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138king & Randolf eorl of Cæstre: noht forþi ðat he ne iaf him al
139ðat he cuthe axen him, alse he dide alle othre; oc æfre þe mare
140he iaf heom þe wærse hi wæron him. Þe eorl heold Lincol
141agænes þe king & benam him al ðat he ahte to hauen. & Te king
142for þider & besætte him & his brother Willelm de Romare in
143þe castel. & Te æorl stæl ut & ferde efter Rodbert eorl of
144Gloucestre & brohte him þider mid micel ferd, & fuhten suythesuythę
145on Candelmasse dæi agenes heore lauerd, & namen him - for
146his men him suyken & flugæn - & læd him to Bristowe & diden
147þar in prisun & in feteres. Þa was al Engleland styred mar þan
148ær wæs; & al yuel wæs in lande. Þerefter com þe kinges dohter
149Henries, þe hefde ben emprice in Alamanie & nu wæs cuntesse
150in Angou; & com to Lundene, & te lundenissce folc hire
151wolde tæcen, & scæ fleh & forles þar micel . Þerefter þe biscop of
152Wincestre, Henri þe kinges brother Stephnes, spac wid Rodbert
153eorl & wyd þemperice & suor heom athas ðat he neure ma mid
154te king his brother wolde halden & cursede alle þe men þe mid
155him heoldon, & sæde heom ðat he uuolde iiuen heom up Wincestre
156& dide heom cumen þider. Þa hi þærinne wæren, þa com
157þe kinges cuen mid al hire strengthe & besæt heom, ðat þer wæs
158inne micel hungær. Þa hi ne leng ne muhten þolen, þa stalen
159hi ut & flugen. & Hi wurthen war widuten & folecheden heom,
160& namen Rodbert eorl of Gloucestre & ledden him to Rouecestre
161& diden him þare in prisun. & Te emperice fleh into an minstre.
162Þa feorden þe wise men betwyx þe kinges freond & te eorles
163freond, & sahtlede sua ðat me sculde leten ut þe king of prisun
164for þe eorl & te eorl for þe king: & sua diden. Sithen þerefter
165sahtleden þe king & Randolf eorl at Stanford, & athes suoren
166& treuthes fæston ðat her nouþer sculde besuyken other; & it ne
167forstod naht. For þe king him sithen nam in Hamtun þurhc
168wicci ræd & dide him in prisun; & efsones he let him ut þurhc
169wærse red, to ðat forewarde ðat he suor on halidom & gysles fand
170þat he alle his castles sculde iiuen up. Sume he iaf up, & sume
171ne iaf he noht; & dide þanne wærse þanne he hær sculde. Þa

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172was Engleland suythe todeled: sume helden mid te king, &
173sume mid þemperice; for þa þe king was in prisun, þa wenden
174þe eorles & te rice men þat he neure mare sculde cumen ut,
175& sæhtleden wyd þemperice & brohten hire into Oxenford &
176iauen hire þe burch. Þa þe king was ute, þa herde ðat sægen &
177toc his feord & besæt hire in þe tur. & Me læt hire dun on niht
178of þe tur mid rapes, & stal ut & scæ fleh & iæde on fote to
179Walingford. Þærefter scæ ferde ouer sæ. & Hi of Normandi
180wenden alle fra þe king to þe eorl of Angæu, sume here þankes
181& sume here unþankes; for he besæt heom til hi aiauen up here
182castles, & hi nan helpe ne hæfden of þe king. Þa ferde Eustace
183þe kinges sune to France & nam þe kinges suster of France to
184wife; wende to bigæton Normandi þærþurh. Oc he spedde
185litel, & be gode rihte, for he was an yuel man; for warese he
186com he dide mare yuel þanne god: he reuede þe landes &
187læide micele geldes on. He brohte his wif to Engleland, &
188dide hire in þe castel on Cantebyri. God wimman scæ wæs,
189oc scæ hedde litel blisse mid him. & Crist ne wolde ðat he sculde
190lange rixan; & wærd ded, & his moder beien. & Te eorl of Angæu
191wærd ded, & his sune Henri toc to þe rice. & Te Cuen of France
192todælde fra þe king; & scæ com to þe iunge eorl Henri, & he toc
193hire to wiue & al Peitou mid hire. Þa ferde he mid micel færd
194into Engleland, & wan castles. & Te king ferde agenes him mid
195micel mare ferd. & Þoþwæthere fuhtten hi noht, oc ferden þe
196ærcebiscop & te wise men betwyx heom & makede ðat sahte
197ðat te king sculde ben lauerd & king wile he liuede & æfter his
198dæi ware Henri king: & he helde him for fader & he him for
199sune; & sib & sæhte sculde ben betwyx heom & on al Engleland.
200Þis & te othre foruuardes þet hi makeden suoren to
201halden þe king & þe eorl & te biscopes & te eorles & rice men
202alle. Þa was þe eorl underfangen æt Wincestre & æt Lundene
203mid micel wurtscipe; & alle diden him manred & suoren
204þe pais to halden & hit ward sone suythe god pais sua ðat
205neure was here. Þa was þe king strengere þanne he æuer

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206her was. & Te eorl ferde ouer sæ; & al folc him luuede, for he
207dide god iustice & makede pais.
208
209    Millesimo liiii. On þis gær wærd þe king Stephne ded & bebyried
210þer his wif & his sune wæron bebyried æt Fauresfeld; þæt
211minstre hi makeden. Þa þe king was ded, þa was þe eorl
212beionde sæ; & ne durste nan man don oþer bute god for þe
213micel eie of him. Þa he to Engleland com, þa was he underfangen
214mid micel wurtscipe, & to king bletcæd in Lundene on
215þe Sunnendæi beforen Midwintre Dæi, & held þære micel curt.
216Þat ilce dæi þat Martin abbot of Burch sculde þider faren,
217þe sæclede he, & ward ded iiii Nonarum Ianuarii . & Te munekes
218innen dæis cusen oþer of heomsælf, Willelm de Walteuile is
219gehaten, god clerc & god man & wæl luued of þe king & of alle
220gode men; & on morgen byrieden þabbot hehlice. & Sone þe
221cosan abbot ferde, & te muneces mid him, to Oxenforde to
222þe king; & he iaf him þat abbotrice. & He ferde him sone to
223Lincol. & wæs þær bletcæd to abbot ær he ham come; & sithen
224was underfangen mid micel wurtscipe at Burch mid micel
225processiun; & sua he was alsua at Ramesæie, & at Torneie, & at
226Cruland & Spallding, & at S. Albanes & F.... & Nu is abbot &
227fair haued begunnon: Xpist him unne þus enden!