Henry I of England

On þison geare wæs se cyng Henri to Natiuiteð æt sc̃e Albane. and þær lét ꝥ mynster halgian. and to Eastron on Wudiham. And wes eac þyses geares swiðe hefig tyme winter and strang and lang. wið orf and wið ealle þing. [...] Ðis wæs swiðe g'swincfull gear and byrstfull on eorð wæstman. þurh þa ormæte reinas þe coman sona onforan August. and swiðe gedrehton and geswencton þe gyt þe cō Candel mæssan. Eac þis gear wæs swa gæsne on mæstene. swa ꝥ on eallon þison lande ne eac on Wealon ne g'hyrde me of nanan segcean. Ðis land and þas leodon wurdon eac þyses geares oftrædlice sare geswencte. þurh þa gyld þe se cyng nā. ægðer ge binnan burgan and butan. On þisū ylcan geare bærnde eall ꝥ mynstre of Burh. and eallæ þa husas butan se Captel hus and se Slæpperne. and þær to eac bærnde eall þa mæste dæl of þa tuna. Eall þis belap̃ on an Frig dæg. ꝥ wæs ii no Aug't.

In this year King Henry was at St. Albans for Christmas, and there he had the minster consecrated. At Easter he was at Odiham. This year, too, there was a very hard winter, harsh and long, for cattle and for everything. This was a very hard year, and a disastrous one for crops, because of the enormous rains that came just before August. They brought great trouble and hardship until Candlemas came. This year, too, the mast failed so completely that no one heard of any, in all this land or in Wales either. This land and its people were also hard pressed again and again this year by the taxes the king took, both in the towns and outside them. In this same year the whole minster at Peterborough burned down, with all the buildings except the chapter house and the dormitory. Most of the town burned as well. All this happened on a Friday, August 4.

On þis geare wæs se king Heanri on Cristes mæssan on Norhtwic. and on Pasches he weas on Norht hamtune. And on þone lenten tyde þær toforen for bearn se burch on Gleawe ceastre. þa hwile þe þa munecas sungen þære messe. and se dæcne hafde ongunnan þone godspel P'teriens Ih̄c. þa cō se fir on ufen weard þone stepel. and for bearnde ealle þe minstre. and ealle þa gersumes þe þær binnen wæron foruton feawe bec. and iii messe hakeles. þet wes þes dæies viii id' Mr'. And þær æfter þe Tywesdæi æfter Palmes Sunendæi wæs swiðe micel wind on ꝥ dæi xi k' Apr'. þær æfter comen feale tacne wide hwear on Engla land and feole dwild wearen geseogen and geheord. And þes niht viii k' Aug' wæs swiðe micel eorð dyne ofer eal Sumer sete scire and on Gleawe cestre scire. Siððon on þæs dæi vi id' Sept' þet wæs on sc̃e Marie messe dæi. þa wearð swiðe mycel wind frā þa undern dæies to þa swarte nihte. [...] Þær æfter wæron feole scip men on sæ. and on wæter. and sædon ꝥ hi sægon on norð east fir mycel and brad wið þone eorðe. and weax on lengþe up on an to þam wolcne. and se wolcne un dide on fower healfe and faht þær togeanes. swilc hit scolde á cwencen. and se fir weax na þa ma up to þe heouene. Þæt fir hi seagon in ðe dæi rime and læste swa lange ꝥ hit wæs liht ofer eall. þet wæs þæs dæies vii idus Decembr'.

In this year King Henry was at Norwich for Christmas and at Northampton for Easter. Before that, in Lent, the town of Gloucester burned. The monks were singing their mass, and the deacon had begun the Gospel reading “Jesus, passing by,” when the fire caught the top of the tower. It burned the whole minster and all the treasures in it, except a few books and three mass vestments. That was on March 8. After that, on the Tuesday after Palm Sunday, March 22, there was a very great wind. After that many signs appeared far and wide in England, and many uncanny things were seen and heard. On the night of July 25 there was a very great earthquake over all Somerset and Gloucestershire. Then on September 8, the feast of St. Mary, a very great wind blew from morning until black night. After that, many sailors at sea and on inland waters said they had seen a great, broad fire in the northeast, close to the earth. It grew taller and taller, right up to the clouds. The clouds opened on four sides and fought against it, as if to put it out, and the fire grew no higher toward heaven. They saw that fire at daybreak, and it lasted until it was light everywhere. That was on December 7.

Ðis geares wæs se mynstre of Cantwarabyri halgod frā þone ærce b' Will'm þes dæies iv no' Mai. [...] Ðes feorðe dæges þær æft' wæs se king Heanri on Roue ceastre. and se burch for bernde æl mæst. and se ærce b' Will'm halgede s' Andreas mynstre and ða for sprecon bisc̃ mid hī. [...]

This year the minster at Canterbury was consecrated by Archbishop William on May 4. Four days later King Henry was at Rochester, and the town burned almost entirely. And Archbishop William consecrated St. Andrew’s minster there, with the bishops already named.

On þis gære for se king H' ouer sæ æt te Lāmasse. ⁊ ð oþer dei þa he lai an slep in scip. þa þestrede þe dæi ouer al landes and uuard þe sunne suilc als it uuare thre niht ald mone. an st'res abuten hī at mid dæi. [...]

In this year King Henry crossed the sea at Lammas. And the next day, while he lay asleep on the ship, the day grew dark over all lands. The sun became like a moon three nights old, with stars around it at midday.