All this year King Henry abode in Normandy, because of the war with the King of France and his other neighbours: then in the summer the King of France, and the Earl of Flanders with him, entered Normandy with an army, and remained in the country one night, and went away again in the morning without fighting. And Normandy was greatly oppressed by taxes and by the levies of troops that King Henry raised to oppose them. This nation also was sorely aggrieved in like manner, to wit, by the manifold taxes. This year also there was a violent storm of thunder and lightning, rain and hail, on the night of the calends of December; and on the 3d night of the ides of December the moon appeared for a long time as it were bloody, and then it was darkened. Also, on the night of the 17th of the calends of January the heaven appeared very red, as if it were burning. And on the octave of St. John the Evangelist’s day there was a great earthquake in Lombardy, by which many monasteries, towers, and houses were thrown down, and the inhabitants suffered greatly. This was a very bad year for the corn, through the rains which ceased scarcely at all. And Gilebert Abbot of Westminster died on the 8th of the ides of December, and Farits Abbot of Abingdon died on the 7th of the calends of March. And the same year ---- 1118. All this year King Henry was in Normandy, being at war with the King of France, and with the Earl of Anjou, and with the Earl of Flanders. And the Earl of Flanders was wounded in Normandy, on which he returned to Flanders. The King was greatly impoverished by this war, and lost much money and land, and he was most harrassed by his own men, who continually revolted and betrayed him, and went over to his enemies, and treacherously gave up their castles in the King’s despite. England paid dearly for all this by the manifold taxes which ceased not all this year. This year, one evening in Epiphany week, there was dreadful lightning which caused many deaths. And Queen Mahald (Matilda) died at Westminster on the calends of May, and was buried there. And Robert Earl of Mellent also died this year. This year also, on St. Thomas’ day, there was so exceedingly high a wind that none who then lived remembered a greater, and this might be seen every where from the state of the houses and of the trees. Pope Paschal also died this year, and John of Gaieta, whose other name was Gelasius, succeeded to the Popedom. 1119.