Page:A literal translation of the Saxon Chronicle.djvu/248

236 1087.

The year 1087 after the birth of Christ our Saviour, and the one and twentieth of King William's reign, during which he governed and disposed of the realm of England even as God permitted him, was a very grievous time of scarcity in this land. There was also so much illness, that almost every other man was afflicted with the worst of evils, that is, a fever; and this so severe, that many died of it. And afterwards, from the badness of the weather which we have mentioned before, there was so great a famine throughout England, that many hundreds died of hunger. O how disastrous, how rueful were those times! when the wretched people were brought to the point of death by the fever, then the cruel famine came on and finished them.—Who would not deplore such times, or who is so hard hearted that he will not weep for so much misery? But such things are, on account of the sins of the people, and because they will not love God and righteousness. Even so was it is those days; there was little righteousness in this land amongst any, excepting the monks alone who lived piously. The King and the chief men loved much; and over much, to amass gold