Anglo-Saxons -- Early works to 1800; Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066 -- Sources
A.D. 1082. This year the king seized Bishop Odo; and this year
also was a great famine.
A.D. 1083. This year arose the tumult at Glastonbury betwixt the
Abbot Thurstan and his monks. It proceeded first from the
abbot's want of wisdom, that he misgoverned his monks in many
things. But the monks meant well to him; and told him that he
should govern them rightly, and love them, and they would be
faithful and obedient to him. The abbot, however, would hear
nothing of this; but evil entreated them, and threatened them
worse. One day the abbot went into the chapter-house, and spoke
against the monks, and attempted to mislead them; (101) and sent
after some laymen, and they came full-armed into the chapter-house
upon the monks. Then were the monks very much afraid (102)
of them, and wist not what they were to do, but they shot
forward, and some ran into the church, and locked the doors after
them. But they followed them into the minster, and resolved to
drag them out, so that they durst not go out. A rueful thing
happened on that day. The Frenchmen broke into the choir, and
hurled their weapons toward the altar, where the monks were; and
some of the knights went upon the upper floor, (103) and shot
their arrows downward incessantly toward the sanctuary; so that
on the crucifix that stood above the altar they stuck many
arrows. And the wretched monks lay about the altar, and some
crept under, and earnestly called upon God, imploring his mercy,
since they could not obtain any at the hands of men. What can we
say, but that they continued to shoot their arrows; whilst the
others broke down the doors, and came in, and slew (104) some of
the monks to death, and wounded many therein; so that the blood
came from the altar upon the steps, and from the steps on the
floor. Three there were slain to death, and eighteen wounded.
And in this same year departed Matilda, queen of King William, on
the day after All-Hallow-mass. And in the same year also, after
mid-winter, the king ordained a large and heavy contribution
(105) over all England; that was, upon each hide of land, two and
seventy pence.
A.D. 1084. In this year died Wulfwold, Abbot of Chertsey, on the
thirteenth day before the calends of May.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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