[[MS description from Notes volume:
"Laud Misc. 636, Bodleian Library (MS. E).... A new hand begins with
1132 and continues to the end in 1155 A.D."]]
[Headnote: The Anarchy]
[Sidenote: M·C·XXXII.]
f. 88v] ++Ðis gear co{m} henri king to þis land. þa co{m} henri
abbot [&] uureide þe muneces of burch to þe king forþi ð he uuolde
underþeden ð mynstr{e} to clunie. sua ð te king was wel neh
be{}paht. [&] sende eft{er} þe muneces. [&] þur`h´ godes milce [&]
þur`h´ þe b{iscop} of Seresb{er}i [&] te b{iscop} of linc{ol} [&] te
oþre ricemen þe {5} þer wæron þa wiste þe king ð he feorde mid
suicdo{m}. Þa he na{n} mor ne{}mihte. þa uuolde he ð his nefe sculde
ben abb{ot} in burch. oc xpist it ne{}uuolde. Was it noht suithe
lang þer{}eft{er} þatte king sende eft{er} hi{m}. [&] dide hi{m}
gyuen up ð abb{ot}rice of burch. [&] faren ut of lande. [&] te king
iaf ð abb{ot}rice an p{ri}or of S' neod Martin was {10} ge{}haten.
he co{m} on S' pet{res} messe{}dei mid micel wurscipe into the
minstre.
[Sidenote: M·C·XXXV.]
++On þis gære for se king h{enri} ouer sæ æt te la{m}masse. [&] ð
oþer dei þa he lai an slep in scip. þa þestrede þe dæi ouer al
landes [&] uuard þe sunne suilc als it {15} uuare thre niht ald
mone. an st{er}res abuten hi{m} at middæi. Wur`þ´en men suiðe
of{}uundred [&] of{}dred [&] sæden ð micel þing sculde cum{en}
her{}eft{er}. sua dide. for þat ilc gær warth þe king ded. ð oþer
daei eft{er} S' Andreas massedæi · on norm{andi}. Þa wes treson a
þas landes. for æuricman sone ræuede oþer þe mihte. {20} Þa namen
his sune [&] his frend [&] brohten his lic to engle{lande} [&]
bebiriend in Reding{e}. Godman he wes [&] micel æie wes of hi{m}.
durste nanman misdon wið oðer on his time. Pais he makede men [&]
dær. Wua{}sua bare his byrthen gold [&] sylure. durste na{n} man sei
to hi{m} naht bute god. {25}
[Linenote:
20. _þa wes treson a_ Emerson, in MS. _þa westre sona_.]
f. 89r] Enmang þis was his nefe cumen to engle{lande} Stephne de
blais. [&] co{m} to lundene. [&] te lundenisce folc hi{m} underfeng.
[&] senden [e,]ft{er} þe ærceb{iscop} Will{el}m curbuil. [&]
halechede hi{m} to kinge on midewintre{}dæi. On þis kinges time wes
al unfrið [&] yfel [&] ræflac. for agenes hi{m} risen sona þa
ricemen þe wæron swikes. alre fyrst Balduin {30} de Reduers [&] held
Execestre agenes hi{m}. [&] te king it be{}sæt. [&] siððan Bald{uin}
acordede. Þa tocan þa oðre [&] helden her castles agenes hi{m}. [&]
dauid king of scotland toc to uuerrien hi{m} · þa þohuuethere þat
here sandes feorden betwyx heo{m}. [&] hi to{}gædere comen [&] wurðe
sæhte. þoþ it litel forstode. {35}
[Sidenote: M·C·XXX`VII´.]
++Ðis gære for þe `k{ing}´ Steph{ne} ofer sæ to normandi [&] ther
wes under{}fangen for{}þi ð hi uuenden ð he sculde ben alsuic alse
the eo{m} wes. [&] for he hadde get his tresor. ac he to{}deld it
[&] scatered sotlice. Micel hadde henri k{ing} gadered gold [&]
syluer. [&] na god ne dide me for his saule thar{}of. {40}
Þa `þe´ king S{tephne} to englal{ande} co{m} þa macod he his
gadering æt Oxeneford. [&] þar he na{m} þe b{iscop} Roger of
Sereb{er}i [&] Alex{ander} b{iscop} of lincol [&] te canceler
Rog{er} hise neues. [&] dide ælle in p{ri}sun. 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 hi{m} 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 hi{m} 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 [&] wi{m}men.
[&] diden heo{m} `in p{ri}sun´ eft{er} gold [&] syluer. [&] pined
heo{m}; untellendlice pining. for ne uuæren næure nan martyrs swa
pined alse hi wæron. Me henged up bi the fet [&] smoked heo{m} ·
mid {55} ful smoke. Me henged bi the þu{m}bes other bi the hefed.
[&] hengen bryniges on `her´ fet. Me dide cnotted strenges abuton
here [f. 89v] hæued. [&] uurythen to ð it gæde to þe `h´ærnes. Hi
diden heo{m} in quarterne þar nadres [&] snakes [&] pades wæron
inne. [&] drapen heo{m} swa. Sume hi diden in crucethus ð is in an
c[e,]ste þat was scort [&] nareu. [&] {60} un{}dep. [&] dide scærpe
stanes þer{}inne. [&] þrengde þe man þær{}inne. ð hi{m} bræcon alle
þe limes. In mani of þe castles wæron lof [&] gri{m}. 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 u{m}wile [&] clepeden
it tenserie. þa {70} þe uureccemen ne hadden na{n} 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 su{m} 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 nam{en} al þe god ð þar{}inne was. [&] brenden
sythen þe cyrce [&] alte gædere. Ne hi ne forbaren b{iscopes} land
ne abb{otes} ne preostes. ac ræueden {80} munekes [&] clerekes. [&]
æuricman other þe ouer myhte. Gif twa men oþer ·iii· coman ridend to
an tun. al þe tunscipe flugæn for heo{m}. wenden ð hi wæron ræueres.
Þe biscopes [&] leredmen heo{m} cursede æure. oc was heo{m} 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. 90r] On al þis yuele time heold Martin
abbot his abbotrice ·xx· wint{re} [&] half gær [&] viii· dæis. mid
micel suinc. [&] fand þe munekes [&] te gestes al þat heo{m}
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 heo{m} into þe neuuæ mynst{re}
on S' PETRES mæsse dæi mid micel wurtscipe. ð was · anno ab
incarn{atione} d{omini} · M·c·xl. a co{m}bustio{n}e loci ·xxiii· [&]
he for `to´ Rome. [&] þær wæs wæl under{}fangen fra{m} þe pape {95}
Eugenie. [&] be{}gæt thare p{ri}uilegies. 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 Will{el}m
malduit þe heold Rogingha{m} þæ castel. he wan Cotingha{m} [&]
Estun. [&] Of hugo of {100} Walt{e}uile he uuan hyrtlingb{eri} · [&]
Stanewig. [&] lx · sol. of Aldewingle `ælc gær´. And he makede manie
munek{es} [&] plantede winiærd. [&] makede mani weorkes. [&] wende
þe tun betere þan it ær waes. [&] waes god munec [&] god man. [&]
forþi hi{m} luueden god [&] gode men. {105}
[Linenotes:
41. _Þa_] no paragraph in MS. || 46. After _maked_ erasure of two
letters. || 56. After _þumbes_, _[&]_ deleted. || 81. _þe ouer_]
_þeouer_ MS. || 97. After _moste_, _alse_ erased. ||
99. _strengthe_ corrected out of _strengthre_.]
Nu we willen sægen su{m}del wat belamp on Steph{nes} kinges time. On
his time þe iudeus of Noruuic bohton an xpisten cild be{}foren
estren [&] pineden hi{m} alle þe ilce pining ð ure drihten was
pined. [&] on langfridæi hi{m} on rode hengen for ure drihtines
luue. [&] sythen byrieden hi{m}. wenden ð it sculde ben for{}holen.
oc ure dryhtin {110} atywede ð he was hali m{arty}r. [&] to munekes
hi{m} namen. [&] bebyried hi{m} heglice in þe minst{re}. [&] he
maket þur[h] ure drihtin wunderlice [&] manifældlice miracles. [&]
hatte he S' Willelm.
[Sidenote: M·C·XXXVI`II´.]
++On þis gær co{m} dauid king of Scotl{and} mid ormete færd to
þis land. wolde winnan þis land. {115} [&] hi{m} co{m} togænes
Will{el}m eorl of Albamar þe þe king adde beteht euorwic [&] to
other æuez men mid fæumen [&] fuhten wid heo{m}. [&] fle{m}den þe
king æt te Standard. [&] sloghen suithe micel of his genge.
[f. 90v]
[Sidenote: M·C·XL.]
++On þis gær wolde þe king Steph{ne} tæcen Rodb{er}t eorl {120} of
gloucestre þe kinges sune · Henries. ac he ne myhte for he wart it
war. Þer{}eft{er} 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· k{alend}. Ap{ri}l'. wæron men suythe of wundred.
Þer{}eft{er} fordfeorde Will{elm} ærceb{iscop} of
cantwarb{eri}. {125} [&] te king makede Teodbald ærceb{iscop} þe was
abbot in the bec. Þer eft{er} wæx suythe micel uuerre be{}tuyx þe
king [&] Randolf eorl of cæstre noht for{}þi ð he ne iaf hi{m} al ð
he cuthe axen hi{m}. alse he dide alle othre. oc æfre þe mare he iaf
heo{m}. þe wærse hi wæron hi{m}. Þe eorl heold lincol agænes þe
king. [&] be{}na{m} hi{m} al ð he {130} ahte to hauen. [&] te king
for þider [&] besætte hi{m} [&] his brother Will{el}m de R[om]are in
þe castel. [&] te æorl stæl ut [&] ferde eft{er} Rodb{er}t eorl of
gloucestre. [&] brohte hi{m} þider mid micel ferd. [&] fuhten suythe
on Candel masse dæi agenes heore lauerd. [&] namen hi{m} for his men
[h]i{m} suyken [&] flugæn. [&] læd hi{m} to Bristowe [&] {135} diden
þar in p{ri}sun [&] [fe]teres. þa was al englel{and} styred mar þan
ær wæs. [&] al yuel wæ[s i]n lande. Þer{}eft{er} co{m} þe king{es}
doht{er} henries þe hefde ben emp{er}i[ce] i[n A]lamanie. [&] nu wæs
cuntesse in Angou. [&] co{m} to lundene [&] te lundenissce folc hire
wolde tæcen. [&] scæ fleh [&] forles þar mic[el.] Þer eft{er} þe
biscop of Wincestre henri {140} þe king{es} brother Steph{nes} spac
wid Rodb{er}t eorl [&] wyd þe{m}p{er}ice [&] suor heo{m} athas ð he
neure ma mid te king his brother wolde halden. [&] cursede alle þe
men þe mid h[i{m}] heoldon. [&] sæde heo{m} ð he uuolde ííuen heo{m}
up Wincestre. [&] dide heo{m} cumen þider. Þa hi þær inne wæren. þa
co{m} þe king{es} cuen [mid al]hire strengthe. {145} [&] besæt
heo{m}. ð þer wæs inne micel hungær. Þa hi ne leng ne muhten þolen
þa stali hi ut [&] flugen. [&] hi wurthen war wid{}uten [&]
folecheden heo{m}. [&] namen Rodb{er}t eorl of glouc{estre}. [&]
ledden hi{m} to Rouecestre. [&] diden hi{m} þare in p{ri}sun. [&] te
emp{er}ice fleh in{}to an minstre. [f. 91r] Þa feorden þe wisemen
betwyx þe kinges {150} freond [&] te eorles freond [&] sahtlede sua
ð me sculde leten ut þe king of p{ri}sun for þe eorl. [&] te eorl
for þe king. [&] sua diden. Sithen þereft{er} 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 hi{m} sithen na{m} in ha{m}tun. þurhc wicci {155} ræd. [&] dide
hi{m} in p{ri}sun. [&] ef{}sones he let hi{m} ut þurhc wærse red. to
ð forewarde ð he suor on halido{m} [&] 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 þe{m}p{er}ice. for
þa þe {160} king was in p{ri}sun þa wenden þe eorles [&] te ricemen
þat he neure mare sculde cum{en} ut. [&] sæh`t´leden wyd
þe{m}p{er}ice. [&] 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 eft{er} 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 heo{m} til hi aiauen up here castles.
[&] hi nan helpe ne hæfden of þe k{inge}. Þa ferde Eustace þe
king{es} sune to france [&] na{m} þe king{es} 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]
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]teb{eri}. God wi{m}man scæ wæs. oc scæ hedde litel
blisse mid hi{m}. [&] 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 co{m} to þe iunge eorl henri. [&] he toc hire to
wiue. [&] al [f. 91v] peitou mid hire. Þa ferde he mid micel færd
into engle[la]nd. [&] wan castles. [&] te king ferde agenes hi{m}
mid {180} micel mare ferd. [&] þoþwæthere fuhtten hi noht. oc ferden
þe ærceb{iscop} [&] te wise me`n´ betwux heo{m}. [&] makede ð sahte
ð te king sculde ben lauerd [&] king wile he liuede. [&] æft{er} his
dæi ware henri king. [&] he held`e´ hi{m} for fader [&] he hi{m} for
sune. [&] sib [&] sæhte sculde ben betwyx heo{m}. [&] on al
engleland. Þis [&] te othre foruuardes {185} þet hi makeden. suoren
to halden þe king [&] te eorl [&] te b{iscopes} & te eorles [&]
ricemen alle. Þa was þe eorl under{}fangen æt Wincestre [&] æt
lundene mid micel wurtscipe. [&] alle diden hi{m} manred. [&] suoren
þe pais to halden. [&] hit ward sone suythe god pais. sua ð neure
was here. Þa was þe k{ing} strengere þanne he æuert her was. [&] te
eorl {190} ferde ouer sæ. [&] al folc hi{m} luuede for he dide god
iustise [&] makede pais. {192}
[Linenotes:
135-45. MS. rubbed here. || 172. MS. mutilated here.]
[Sidenote: M·C·LIIII.]
++On þis gær wærd þe king Steph{ne} ded [&] bebyried þer his wif
`[&] his sune´ wæron bebyried æt fauresfeld. þæt minst{re} 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 hi{m}. þa he to
engleland co{m}. þa was he underfangen mid micel wurtscipe. and to
king bletcæd in lundene on þe sunnen dæi be{}foren midwint{er} dæi.
[&] held þær micel curt.
Þat ilce dæi þat Mart{in} abb{ot} of burch sculde þider faren.
þa {200} sæclede he [&] ward ded ·iiii· Ñ. iañ. [&] te munek{es}
innen dæis cusen oþer of heo{m} sælf. Will{el}m de Walt{e}uile is
gehaten. god clerc [&] god man. [&] wæl luued of þe k{inge} [&] of
alle godemen. and o[n cyric]en byrie{den} þabb{ot} hehlice [&] sone
þe cosan ab{bot} ferde [&] te muneces [mid him to] oxenforde to þe
k{ing} [[&] he] iaf hi{m} þat abb{ot}rice. [&] he {205} ferde hi{m}
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 p{ro}cessiun. [&] sua he was alsua at Ramesæie. [&] at
Torn{ey}. [&] at . . n [&] Spall{ding} [&] at {S. l.} bares. [&] . .
. [&] [he nu is] abbot. [&] fa[ire] haued begunnon. xp[ist] him
un[ne gode endinge]. {210}
[Linenotes:
203. MS. mutilated and defaced from this place onward. ||
204. _byrie^d_ in MS.]