E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Chris Pinfield, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 37780-h.htm or 37780-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/37780/pg37780-images.html) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37780/37780-h.zip) Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). Text enclosed by equal sings is in bold face (=bold=). Characters following a carat are superscrpted (example: MCCC.LXXVII^o). Small capitals are rendered in upper case. [Illustration: frontispiece] THE CHRONICLE OF JOCELIN OF BRAKELOND: A PICTURE OF MONASTIC LIFE IN THE DAYS OF ABBOT SAMSON. Newly Edited by SIR ERNEST CLARKE M.A. F.S.A. [Illustration: _Seal of Abbot Samson. (Slightly enlarged. The length of the original is 3-1/2 inches._)] THE CHRONICLE OF JOCELIN OF BRAKELOND: A PICTURE OF MONASTIC LIFE IN THE DAYS OF ABBOT SAMSON Newly Edited by SIR ERNEST CLARKE Alexander Moring The De La More Press 298 Regent Street London W 1903 "A VERITABLE MONK OF BURY ST. EDMUND'S: WORTH LISTENING TO, IF BY CHANCE MADE VISIBLE AND AUDIBLE. HERE HE IS; AND IN HIS HAND A MAGICAL SPECULUM, MUCH GONE TO RUST, INDEED, YET IN FRAGMENTS STILL CLEAR; WHEREIN THE MARVELLOUS IMAGE OF HIS EXISTENCE DOES STILL SHADOW ITSELF, THOUGH FITFULLY, AND AS WITH AN INTERMITTENT LIGHT." _Carlyle: Past and Present._ Chapter 1. LIST OF CONTENTS SEAL OF ABBOT SAMSON. _Frontispiece_ _EDITOR'S PREFACE._ Page Samson and his arch-eulogist--The Chronicle--Previous Editions of the Chronicle--The Chronicler--The Central Figure of the Chronicle--Samson in Subordinate Offices--Samson as Abbot--Relations with Church and State--Samson as an Author--Samson's Masterfulness--Samson as an Administrator--Epilogue xv.-xliii. CHAPTER I. _BURY ABBEY UNDER ABBOT HUGH._ The last years of Abbot Hugh--The monastery under a load of debt, and in the hands of Jew money-lenders--Inquiry by the Royal almoner--Caustic comment by Samson, master of the novices--Exemption obtained by Hugh from visitation by the Legate--Jocelin's reflection thereon--The Convent debt--Entertainment of strangers--Samson in various offices, but disliked by the Abbot--Accident to Hugh at Canterbury--His death--His house despoiled by his servants 1-11 CHAPTER II. _THE MONKS DISCUSS THE VACANCY._