Page:The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Giles).djvu/191

A.D. 1097—1099. Normandy; but whilst he waited for a fair wind, his train did as much injury in the county in which they were detained, as any prince's retinue, or even an army could have committed in a peaceable land.

This year was in all respects a very heavy time, and the weather was singularly bad at the seasons when men should till their lands and gather in the harvest; and the people had nevertheless no respite from unjust taxes. Many shires, moreover, which are bound to duty in works at London, were greatly oppressed in making the wall around the tower, in repairing the bridge which had been almost washed away, and in building the king's hall at Westminster. These hardships fell upon many. This year also, at Michaelmas, Edgar etheling, with the king's aid, led an army into Scotland, and won that country by hard fighting, and drove out the king Dufnal, and established his kinsman Edgar the son of king Malcolm and queen Margaret, as king in fealty to William, and then he returned into England.

A. 1098. This year king William was in Normandy at Christmas; and Walkelin bishop of Winchester, and Baldwin abbat of St. Edmund's, both died during this festival. This year also died Turold abbat of Peterborough. Moreover in the summer of this year a spring of blood burst out at Finchamstead, in Berkshire, according to the declaration of many men of credit, who said that they had seen it. And earl Hugo was slain in Anglesey by foreign pirates; his brother Robert succeeded him, having obtained this of the king. Before Michaelmas-day the heaven appeared as it were on fire, almost all the night. This was a year of much distress, caused by the manifold oppressive taxes; nearly all the crops in the marsh lands failed also from the great rains, which ceased not the whole year.

A. 1099. This year king William was in Normandy at Christmas; and at Easter he came hither; and at Pentecoast be held his court for the first time in the new building at Westminster, and there he gave the bishopric of Durham to his chaplain Panulf, who had long been the chief manager and director of all the king's councils held in England. And soon afterwards William went over sea, and drove earl Elias from Maine, and brought that province into subjection; and at Michaelmas he returned to this land. This year also, on