The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Annals from A.D. 1121 to A.D. 1130
A.D. 1121.
This year was the King Henry at Christmas at Bramton, and
afterwards, before Candlemas, at Windsor was given him to
wife Athelis; soon afterwards consecrated queen, who was
daughter of the Duke of Louvain. And the moon was eclipsed
in the night of the nones of April, being a fortnight old.
And the king was at Easter at Berkley; and after that at
Pentecost he held a full court at Westminster; and
afterwards in the summer went with an army into Wales. And
the Welsh came against him; and after the king's will they
accorded with him. This year came the Earl of Anjou from
Jerusalem into his land; and soon after sent hither to fetch
his daughter, who had been given to wife to William, the
king's son. And in the night of the eve of "Natalis Domini"
was a very violent wind over all this land, and that was in
many things evidently seen.
A.D. 1122.
In this year was the King Henry at Christmas in Norwich, and
at Easter in Northampton. And in the Lent-tide before that,
the town of Glocester was on fire: the while that the monks
were singing their mass, and the deacon had begun the
gospel, "Praeteriens Jesus", at that very moment came the
fire from the upper part of the steeple, and burned all the
minster, and all the treasures that were there within;
except a few books, and three mass-hackles. That was on the
eighth day before the ides of Marcia. And thereafter, the
Tuesday after Palm-Sunday, was a very violent wind on the
eleventh day before the calends of April; after which came
many tokens far and wide in England, and many spectres were
both seen and heard. And the eighth night before the calends
of August was a very violent earthquake over all
Somersetshire, and in Glocestershire. Soon after, on the
sixth day before the ides of September, which was on the
festival of St. Mary,144 there was a very violent
wind from the fore part of the day to the depth of the
night. This same year died Ralph, the Archbishop of
Canterbury; that was on the thirteenth day before the
calends of November. After this there were many shipmen on
the sea, and on fresh water, who said, that they saw on the
north-east, level with the earth, a fire huge and broad,
which anon waxed in length up to the welkin; and the welkin
undid itself in four parts, and fought against it, as if it
would quench it; and the fire waxed nevertheless up to the
heaven. The fire they saw in the day-dawn; and it lasted
until it was light over all. That was on the seventh day
before the ides of December.
A.D. 1123.
In this year was the King Henry, at Christmastide at
Dunstable, and there came to him the ambassadors of the Earl
of Anjou. And thence he went to Woodstock; and his bishops
and his whole court with him. Then did it betide on a
Wednesday, which was on the fourth day before the ides of
January, that the king rode in his deer-fold;145
the Bishop Roger of Salisbury146 on one side of
him, and the Bishop Robert Bloet of Lincoln on the other
side of him. And they rode there talking together. Then sank
down the Bishop of Lincoln, and said to the king, "Lord
king, I die." And the king alighted down from his horse, and
lifted him betwixt his arms, and let men bear him home to
his inn. There he was soon dead; and they carried him to
Lincoln with great worship, and buried him before the altar
of St. Mary. And the Bishop of Chester, whose name was
Robert Pecceth, buried him. Soon after this sent the king
his writ over all England, and bade all his bishops and his
abbots and his thanes, that they should come to his
wittenmoot on Candlemas day at Glocester to meet him: and
they did so. When they were there gathered together, then
the king bade them, that they should choose for themselves
an Archbishop of Canterbury, whomsoever they would, and he
would confirm it. Then spoke the bishops among themselves,
and said that they never more would have a man of the
monastic order as archbishop over them. And they went all in
a body to the king, and earnestly requested that they might
choose from the clerical order whomsoever they would for
archbishop. And the king granted it to them. This was all
concerted before, through the Bishop of Salisbury, and
through the Bishop of Lincoln ere he was dead; for that they
never loved the rule of monks, but were ever against monks
and their rule. And the prior and the monks of Canterbury,
and all the other persons of the monastic order that were
there, withstood it full two days; but it availed nought:
for the Bishop of Salisbury was strong, and wielded all
England, and opposed them with all his power and might. Then
chose they a clerk, named William of Curboil. He was canon
of a monastery called Chiche.147 And they brought
him before the king; and the king gave him the
archbishopric. And all the bishops received him: but almost
all the monks, and the earls, and the thanes that were
there, protested against him. About the same time departed
the earl's messengers148 in hostility from the
king, reckless of his favour. During the same time came a
legate from Rome, whose name was Henry. He was abbot of the
monastery of St. John of Angeli; and he came after the
Rome-scot. And he said to the king, that it was against
right that men should set a clerk over monks; and therefore
they had chosen an archbishop before in their chapter after
right. But the king would not undo it, for the love of the
Bishop of Salisbury. Then went the archbishop, soon after
this, to Canterbury; and was there received, though it was
against their will; and he was there soon blessed to bishop
by the Bishop of London, and the Bishop Ernulf of Rochester,
and the Bishop William Girard of Winchester, and the Bishop
Bernard of Wales, and the Bishop Roger of Salisbury. Then,
early in Lent, went the archbishop to Rome, after his pall;
and with him went the Bishop Bernard of Wales; and Sefred,
Abbot of Glastonbury; and Anselm, Abbot of St. Edmund's
bury; and John, Archdeacon of Canterbury; and Gifard, who
was the king's court-chaplain. At the same time went the
Archbishop Thurstan of York to Rome, through the behest of
the pope, and came thither three days ere the Archbishop of
Canterbury came, and was there received with much worship.
Then came the Archbishop of Canterbury, and was there full
seven nights ere they could come to a conference with the
pope. That was, because the pope was made to understand that
he had obtained the archbishopric against the monks of the
minster, and against right. But that overcame Rome, which
overcometh all the world; that is, gold and silver. And the
pope softened, and gave him his pall. And the archbishop (of
York) swore him subjection, in all those things, which the
pope enjoined him, by the heads of St. Peter and St. Paul;
and the pope then sent him home with his blessing. The while
that the archbishop was out of the land, the king gave the
bishopric of Bath to the Queen's chancellor, whose name was
Godfrey. He was born in Louvain. That was on the
Annunciation of St. Mary, at Woodstock. Soon after this went
the king to Winchester, and was all Easter-tide there. And
the while that he was there, gave he the bishopric of
Lincoln to a clerk hight Alexander. He was nephew of the
Bishop of Salisbury. This he did all for the love of the
bishop. Then went the king thence to Portsmouth, and lay
there all over Pentecost week. Then, as soon as he had a
fair wind, he went over into Normandy; and meanwhile
committed all England to the guidance and government of the
Bishop Roger of Salisbury. Then was the king all this
year149 in Normandy. And much hostility arose
betwixt him and his thanes; so that the Earl Waleram of
Mellent, and Hamalric, and Hugh of Montfort, and William of
Romare, and many others, went from him, and held their
castles against him. And the king strongly opposed them: and
this same year he won of Waleram his castle of Pont-Audemer,
and of Hugh that of Montfort; and ever after, the longer he
stayed, the better he sped. This same year, ere the Bishop
of Lincoln came to his bishopric, almost all the borough of
Lincoln was burned, and numberless folks, men and women,
were consumed: and so much harm was there done as no man
could describe to another. That was on the fourteenth day
before the calends of June.
A.D. 1124.
All this year was the King Henry in Normandy. That was for
the great hostility that he had with the King Louis of
France, and with the Earl of Anjou, and most of all with his
own men. Then it happened, on the day of the Annunciation of
St. Mary, that the Earl Waleram of Mellent went from one of
his castles called Belmont to another called Watteville.
With him went the steward of the King of France, Amalric,
and Hugh the son of Gervase, and Hugh of Montfort, and many
other good knights. Then came against them the king's
knights from all the castles that were thereabout, and
fought with them, and put them to flight, and took the Earl
Waleram, and Hugh, the son of Gervase, and Hugh of Montfort,
and five and twenty other knights, and brought them to the
king. And the king committed the Earl Waleram, and Hugh, the
son of Gervase, to close custody in the castle at Rouen; but
Hugh of Montfort he sent to England, and ordered him to be
secured with strong bonds in the castle at Glocester. And of
the others as many as he chose he sent north and south to
his castles in captivity. After this went the king, and won
all the castles of the Earl Waleram that were in Normandy,
and all the others that his enemies held against him. All
this hostility was on account of the son of the Earl Robert
of Normandy, named William. This same William had taken to
wife the younger daughter of Fulke, Earl of Anjou: and for
this reason the King of France and all the earls held with
him, and all the rich men; and said that the king held his
brother Robert wrongfully in captivity, and drove his son
William unjustly out of Normandy. This same year were the
seasons very unfavourable in England for corn and all
fruits; so that between Christmas and Candlemas men sold the
acre-seed of wheat, that is two seedlips, for six shillings;
and the barley, that is three seedlips, for six shillings
also; and the acre-seed of oats, that is four seedlips, for
four shillings. That was because that corn was scarce; and
the penny was so adulterated,150 that a man who
had a pound at a market could not exchange twelve pence
thereof for anything. In this same year died the blessed
Bishop Ernulf of Rochester, who before was Abbot of
Peterborough. That was on the ides of March. And after this
died the King Alexander of Scotland, on the ninth day before
the calends of May. And David his brother, who was Earl of
Northamptonshire, succeeded to the kingdom; and had both
together, the kingdom of Scotland and the earldom in
England. And on the nineteenth day before the calends of
January died the Pope of Rome, whose name was Calixtus, and
Honorius succeeded to the popedom. This same year, after St.
Andrew's mass, and before Christmas, held Ralph Basset and
the king's thanes a wittenmoot in Leicestershire, at
Huncothoe, and there hanged more thieves than ever were
known before; that is, in a little while, four and forty men
altogether; and despoiled six men of their eyes and of their
testicles. Many true men said that there were several who
suffered very unjustly; but our Lord God Almighty, who seeth
and knoweth every secret, seeth also that the wretched
people are oppressed with all unrighteousness. First they
are bereaved of their property, and then they are slain.
Full heavy year was this. The man that had any property, was
bereaved of it by violent guilds and violent moots. The man
that had not, was starved with hunger.
A.D. 1125.
In this year sent the King Henry, before Christmas, from
Normandy to England, and bade that all the mint-men that
were in England should be mutilated in their limbs; that
was, that they should lose each of them the right hand, and
their testicles beneath. This was because the man that had a
pound could not lay out a penny at a market. And the Bishop
Roger of Salisbury sent over all England, and bade them all
that they should come to Winchester at Christmas. When they
came thither, then were they taken one by one, and deprived
each of the right hand and the testicles beneath. All this
was done within the twelfth-night. And that was all in
perfect justice, because that they had undone all the land
with the great quantity of base coin that they all bought.
In this same year sent the Pope of Rome to this land a
cardinal, named John of Crema. He came first to the king in
Normandy, and the king received him with much worship. He
betook himself then to the Archbishop William of Canterbury;
and he led him to Canterbury; and he was there received with
great veneration, and in solemn procession. And he sang the
high mass on Easter day at the altar of Christ. Afterwards
he went over all England, to all the bishoprics and abbacies
that were in this land; and in all he was received with
respect. And all gave him many and rich gifts. And
afterwards he held his council in London full three days, on
the Nativity of St. Mary in September, with archbishops, and
diocesan bishops, and abbots, the learned and the
lewd;151 and enjoined there the same laws that
Archbishop Anselm had formerly enjoined, and many more,
though it availed little. Thence he went over sea soon after
Michaelmas, and so to Rome; and (with him) the Archbishop
William of Canterbury, and the Archbishop Thurstan of York,
and the Bishop Alexander of Lincoln, and the Bishop J. of
Lothian, and the Abbot G. of St. Alban's; and were there
received by the Pope Honorius with great respect; and
continued there all the winter. In this same year was so
great a flood on St. Laurence's day, that many towns and men
were overwhelmed, and bridges broken down, and corn and
meadows spoiled withal; and hunger and qualm152
in men and in cattle; and in all fruits such
unseasonableness as was not known for many years before. And
this same year died the Abbot John of Peterborough, on the
second day before the ides of October.
A.D. 1126.
All this year was the King Henry in Normandy -- all till
after harvest. Then came he to this land, betwixt the
Nativity of St. Mary and Michaelmas. With him came the
queen, and his daughter, whom he had formerly given to the
Emperor Henry of Lorrain to wife. And he brought with him
the Earl Waleram, and Hugh, the son of Gervase. And the earl
he sent to Bridgenorth in captivity: and thence he sent him
afterwards to Wallingford; and Hugh to Windsor, whom he
ordered to be kept in strong bonds. Then after Michaelmas
came David, the king of the Scots, from Scotland to this
land; and the King Henry received him with great worship;
and he continued all that year in this land. In this year
the king had his brother Robert taken from the Bishop Roger
of Salisbury, and committed him to his son Robert, Earl of
Glocester, and had him led to Bristol, and there put into
the castle. That was all done through his daughter's
counsel, and through David, the king of the Scots, her
uncle.
A.D. 1127.
This year held the King Henry his court at Christmas in
Windsor. There was David the king of the Scots, and all the
head men that were in England, learned and lewd. And there
he engaged the archbishops, and bishops, and abbots, and
earls, and all the thanes that were there, to swear England
and Normandy after his day into the hands of his daughter
Athelicia, who was formerly the wife of the Emperor of
Saxony. Afterwards he sent her to Normandy; and with her
went her brother Robert, Earl of Glocester, and Brian, son
of the Earl Alan Fergan;153 and he let her wed
the son of the Earl of Anjou, whose name was Geoffry Martel.
All the French and English, however, disapproved of this;
but the king did it for to have the alliance of the Earl of
Anjou, and for to have help against his nephew William. In
the Lent-tide of this same year was the Earl Charles of
Flanders slain in a church, as he lay there and prayed to
God, before the altar, in the midst of the mass, by his own
men. And the King of France brought William, the son of the
Earl of Normandy, and gave him the earldom; and the people
of that land accepted him. This same William had before
taken to wife the daughter of the Earl of Anjou; but they
were afterwards divorced on the plea of consanguinity. This
was all through the King Henry of England. Afterwards took
he to wife the sister of the king's wife of France; and for
this reason the king gave him the earldom of Flanders. This
same year he154 gave the abbacy of Peterborough
to an abbot named Henry of Poitou, who retained in hand his
abbacy of St. John of Angeli; but all the archbishops and
bishops said that it was against right, and that he could
not have two abbacies on hand. But the same Henry gave the
king to understand, that he had relinquished his abbacy on
account of the great hostility that was in the land; and
that he did through the counsel and leave of the Pope of
Rome, and through that of the Abbot of Clugny, and because
he was legate of the Rome-scot. But, nevertheless, it was
not so; for he would retain both in hand; and did so as long
as God's will was. He was in his clerical state Bishop of
Soissons; afterwards monk of Clugny; and then prior in the
same monastery. Afterwards he became prior of Sevigny; and
then, because he was a relation of the King of England, and
of the Earl of Poitou, the earl gave him the abbacy of St.
John's minster of Angeli. Afterwards, through his great
craft, he obtained the archbishopric of Besancon; and had it
in hand three days; after which he justly lost it, because
he had before unjustly obtained it. Afterwards he procured
the bishopric of Saintes; which was five miles from his
abbey. That he had full-nigh a week155 in hand;
but the Abbot of Clugny brought him thence, as he before did
from Besancon. Then he bethought him, that, if he could be
fast-rooted in England, he might have all his will.
Wherefore he besought the king, and said unto him, that he
was an old man -- a man completely broken -- that he could
not brook the great injustice and the great hostility that
were in their land: and then, by his own endearours, and by
those of all his friends, he earnestly and expressly
entreated for the abbacy of Peterborough. And the king
procured it for him, because he was his relation, and
because he was the principal person to make oath and bear
witness when the son of the Earl of Normandy and the
daughter of the Earl of Anjou were divorced on the plea of
consanguinity. Thus wretchedly was the abbacy given away,
betwixt Christmas and Candlemas, at London; and so he went
with the King to Winchester, and thence he came to
Peterborough, and there he dwelt156 right so as a
drone doth in a hive. For as the drone fretteth and draggeth
fromward all that the bees drag toward [the hive],
so did he. -- All that he might take, within and without, of
learned and lewd, so sent he over sea; and no good did there
-- no good left there. Think no man unworthily that we say
not the truth; for it was fully known over all the land:
that, as soon as he came thither, which was on the Sunday
when men sing "Exurge quare o D-- etc." immediately after,
several persons saw and heard many huntsmen hunting. The
hunters were swarthy, and huge, and ugly; and their hounds
were all swarthy, and broad-eyed, and ugly. And they rode on
swarthy horses, and swarthy bucks. This was seen in the very
deer-fold in the town of Peterborough, and in all the woods
from that same town to Stamford. And the monks heard the
horn blow that they blew in the night. Credible men, who
watched them in the night, said that they thought there
might well be about twenty or thirty horn-blowers. This was
seen and heard from the time that he157 came
thither, all the Lent-tide onward to Easter. This was his
entry; of his exit we can as yet say nought. God
provide.
A.D. 1128.
All this year was the King Henry in Normandy, on account of
the hostility that was between him and his nephew, the Earl
of Flanders. But the earl was wounded in a fight by a swain;
and so wounded he went to the monastery of St. Bertin; where
he soon became a monk, lived five days afterwards, then
died, and was there buried. God honour his soul. That was on
the sixth day before the calends of August. This same year
died the Bishop Randulph Passeflambard of Durham; and was
there buried on the nones of September. And this same year
went the aforesaid Abbot Henry home to his own minster at
Poitou by the king's leave. He gave the king to understand,
that he would withal forgo that minster, and that land, and
dwell with him in England, and in the monastery of
Peterborough. But it was not so nevertheless. He did this
because he would be there, through his crafty wiles, were it
a twelvemonth or more, and come again afterwards. May God
Almighty extend his mercy over that wretched place. This
same year came from Jerusalem Hugh of the Temple to the king
in Normandy; and the king received him with much honour, and
gave him rich presents in gold and in silver. And afterwards
he sent him into England; and there he was received by all
good men, who all gave him presents, and in Scotland also:
and by him they sent to Jerusalem much wealth withal in gold
and in silver. And he invited folk out to Jerusalem; and
there went with him and after him more people than ever did
before, since that the first expedition was in the day of
Pope Urban. Though it availed little; for he said, that a
mighty war was begun between the Christians and the
heathens; but when they came thither, then was it nought but
leasing.158 Thus pitifully was all that people
swinked.159
A.D. 1129.
In this year sent the King to England after the Earl
Waleram, and after Hugh, the son of Gervase. And they gave
hostages for them. And Hugh went home to his own land in
France; but Waleram was left with the king: and the king
gave him all his land except his castle alone. Afterwards
came the king to England within the harvest: and the earl
came with him: and they became as good friends as they were
foes before. Soon after, by the king's counsel, and by his
leave, sent the Archbishop William of Canterbury over all
England, and bade bishops, and abbots, and archdeacons, and
all the priors, monks, and canons, that were in all the
cells in England, and all who had the care and
superintendence of christianity, that they should all come
to London at Michaelmas, and there should speak of all God's
rights. When they came thither, then began the moot on
Monday, and continued without intermission to the Friday.
When it all came forth, then was it all found to be about
archdeacons' wives, and about priests' wives; that they
should forgo them by St. Andrew's mass; and he who would not
do that, should forgo his church, and his house, and his
home, and never more have any calling thereto. This bade the
Archbishop William of Canterbury, and all the diocesan
bishops that were then in England, but the king gave them
all leave to go home. And so they went home; and all the
ordinances amounted to nothing. All held their wives by the
king's leave as they did before. This same year died the
Bishop William Giffard of Winchester; and was there buried,
on the eighth day before the calends of February. And the
King Henry gave the bishopric after Michaelmas to the Abbot
Henry of Glastonbury, his nephew, and he was consecrated
bishop by the Archbishop William of Canterbury on the
fifteenth day before the calends of December. This same year
died Pope Honorius. Ere he was well dead, there were chosen
two popes. The one was named Peter, who was monk of Clugny,
and was born of the richest men of Rome; and with him held
those of Rome, and the Duke of Sicily. The other was
Gregory: he was a clerk, and was driven out of Rome by the
other pope, and by his kinsmen. With him held the Emperor of
Saxony, and the King of France, and the King Henry of
England, and all those on this side of the Alps. Now was
there such division in Christendom as never was before. May
Christ consult for his wretched folk. This same year, on the
night of the mass of St. Nicholas, a little before day,
there was a great earthquake.
A.D. 1130.
This year was the monastery of Canterbury consecrated by the
Archbishop William, on the fourth day before the nones of
May. There were the Bishops John of Rochester, Gilbert
Universal of London, Henry of Winchester, Alexander of
Lincoln, Roger of Salisbury, Simon of Worcester, Roger of
Coventry, Geoffry of Bath, Evrard of Norwich, Sigefrith of
Chichester, Bernard of St. David's, Owen of Evreux in
Normandy, John of Sieyes. On the fourth day after this was
the King Henry in Rochester, when the town was almost
consumed by fire; and the Archbishop William consecrated the
monastery of St. Andrew, and the aforesaid bishops with him.
And the King Henry went over sea into Normandy in harvest.
This same year came the Abbot Henry of Angeli after Easter
to Peterborough, and said that he had relinquished that
monastery160 withal. After him came the Abbot of
Clugny, Peter by name, to England by the king's leave; and
was received by all, whithersoever he came, with much
respect. To Peterborough he came; and there the Abbot Henry
promised him that he would procure him the minster of
Peterborough, that it might be subject to Clugny. But it is
said in the proverb, "The hedge abideth, that acres
divideth." May God Almighty frustrate evil designs. Soon
after this, went the Abbot of Clugny home to his country.
This year was Angus slain by the army of the Scots, and
there was a great multitude slain with him. There was God's
fight sought upon him, for that he was all forsworn.
Notes
|
144
|
The Nativity of the Virgin
Mary.
|
|
145
|
i.e. an inclosure or park for
deer. This is now called Blenheim Park, and is one
of the few old parks which still remain in this
country.
|
|
146
|
This may appear rather an
anticipation of the modern see of Salisbury, which
was not then in existence; the borough of Old
Saturn, or "Saresberie", being then the episcopal
seat.
|
|
147
|
St. Osythe, in Essex; a priory
rebuilt A. 1118, for canons of the Augustine order,
of which there are considerable remains.
|
|
148
|
i.e. Of the Earl of
Anjou.
|
|
149
|
The writer means, "the remainder
of this year"; for the feast of Pentecost was
already past, before the king left
England.
|
|
150
|
The pennies, or pence, it must
be remembered, were of silver at this
time.
|
|
151
|
i.e. Clergy and
laity.
|
|
152
|
This word is still in use, but
in a sense somewhat different; as qualms of
conscience, etc.
|
|
153
|
See an account of him in "Ord.
Vit." 544. Conan, another son of this Alan, Earl of
Brittany, married a daughter of Henry I.
|
|
154
|
i.e. Henry, King of
England.
|
|
155
|
"A se'nnight", the space of
seven nights; as we still say, "a fortnight", i.e.
the space of fourteen nights. The French express
the space of one week by "huit jours", the origin
of the "octave" in English law; of two by "quinte
jours". So "septimana" signifies "seven mornings";
whence the French word "semaine".
|
|
156
|
Literally, "woned". Vid Chaucer,
"Canterbury Tales", v. 7745. In Scotland, a lazy
indolent manner of doing anything is called
"droning".
|
|
157
|
The Abbot Henry of
Angeli.
|
|
158
|
"Thou shalt destroy them that
speak `leasing,'" etc. "Psalms".
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159
|
i.e. Vexed, harassed, fatigued,
etc. Milton has used the word in the last
sense.
|
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160
|
The monastery of
Angeli.
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The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
1111 to 1120
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1140
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