WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR
[Old English Chronicle]

		After the birth-tide of our Lord Jesus Christ one thousand and seven and eighty winters, in the one and twentieth year after William ruled and held despotic sway over England, as God had granted him, there was a very heavy pestilent year in this land. Such a malady came on men that almost every other man was in the worst evil, that is with fever, and that so strongly that many men died of the evil. Afterwards there came, through the great tempest which came as we have before told, a very great famine over all England, so that many hundred men perished by death through that famine.Alas! how miserable and how rueful a time was then ! when the wretched men lay driven almost to death, and afterwards came the sharp famine and quite destroyed them. Who cannot feel pity for such a time? or who is so hard-hearted that cannot bewail such misfortune? But such things befall for a folk's sins, because they will not love God and righteousness: so as it was in those days, that little righteousness was in this land with any man, save with the monks alone, wherever they fared well.
William's Seal

The king and the head men loved much, and over much, covetousness in gold and silver, and reeked not how sinfully it might be got provided it came to them. The king gave his land as dearly for rent as he possibly could ; then came some other and bid more than the other had before given, and the king lot it to the man who had bidden him more; then came a third and bid yet more, and the king gave it up to the man who had bidden most of all. And he recked not how very sinfully the reeves got it from poor men, nor how many illegalities they did; but the more that was said about right law the more illegalities wore done. They levied unjust tolls, and many other unjust things they did, which are difficult to reckon. Also, in the same year, before autumn, the holy monastery of St. Paul, the episcopal see of London, was burnt, and many other monasteries, and the greatest and fairest part of the whole city. So also, at the same time, almost every chief town in all England was burnt Alas ! how false and how unstable is this world's wealth ! He who was before a powerful king, and lord of many a land, had then of all his land only a portion of seven feet; and he who was whilom decked with gold, and with gems, lay then covered over with mould. He left after him three sons; Robert was the eldest named, who was count of Normandy after him; the second called William, who bare after him the royal crown of England; the third son was called Henry, to whom his father bequeathed treasures innumerable. If any one desires to know what kind of man he was, or what worship he had, or of how many lands he was lord, then we will write of him as we understood him who have looked on him, and at another time sojourned in his court. The king William, about whom we speak, was a very wise man, and very powerful; more dignified and strong than any of his predecessors were. He was mild to the good men who loved God; and over all measure severe to the men who gainsaid his will. On the same stead, on which God granted him that he might subdue all England, he reared a noble monastery, and there placed monks, and well endowed it. In his days was the noble monastery at Canterbury built, and also very many others over all England. This land was also plentifully supplied with monks, and they lived their lives after the rule of St. Benedict. And in his day Christianity was such that every man who would followed what belonged to his condition.

He was also of a great dignity; thrice every year he bare his crown, as oft as he was in England. At Easter he bare it in Winchester; at Pentecost in Westminster; at Midwinter in Gloucester. And there were with him all the great men over all England, archbishops and suffragan bishops, abbots and earls, thanes and knights. So also was he a very stark and cruel man, so that no one durst do anything against his will. He had earls in his bonds, who had acted against his will; bishops he cast from their bishoprics, and abbots from their abbacies, and thanes into prison; and at last he spared not his own brother named Odo: he was a very rich bishop in Normandy, at Bayeux was his episcopal see; and he was the foremost man besides the king; and he had an earldom in England, and when the king was in Normandy, then was he the most powerful in this land; and him he set in prison. Among other thing. I. not to be forgotten the good peace that he made in this land; so that a man who had any confidence in himself might go over his realm, with his bosom full of gold unhurt. Nor durst any man slay another man had he done ever so great evil to the other.

He reigned over England, and by his sagacity so thoroughly surveyed it, that there was not a hide of land within England that he knew not who had it, or what it was worth, and afterwards set it in his writ. Brytland (Wales) was in his power, and he therein wrought castles, and completely ruled over that race of men. In like manner he also subjected Scotland to him by his great strength. The land of Normandy was naturally his, and over the county which is called to Maine he reigned; and if he might yet have lived two years he would, by his valour, have won Ireland, and without any weapons. Certainly in his time men had great hardships and very many injuries. Castles he caused to be made, and poor men to be greatly oppressed. The king was so very stark, and took from his subjects many a mark of gold, and more hundred pounds of silver, which he took, by right and with great unright, from his people for little need. he had fallen into covetous-ness, and altogether loved greediness. He planted a great preserve for deer, and he laid down laws there-with; that whosoever should slay the hart or hind should be blinded. He forbade the harts and also the boars to be killed. As greatly did he love the tall deer as if he were their father. He so ordained con-cerning the hares, that they should go free. His great men bewailed it, and the poor men murmured thereat; but he was so obdurate, that he reeked not of the hatred of them all; but they must wholly follow the king's will, if they would live, or have land or property, or even his peace. Alas! that any man should be so proud, to raise himself up, and account himself above all men. May the Almighty God show mercy to his soul, and grant him forgiveness of his sins! These things we have written concerning him, both good and evil, that good men may imitate their goodness, and wholly flee from the evil, and go in the way that leads us to the kingdom of heaven.