Great Britain -- History -- Norman period, 1066-1154 -- Sources; Normans -- England
crown from our Lord’s head, all of beaten gold; then they took the
foot-spur that was underneath His foot, which was all of red gold.
They climbed up to the steeple, and brought down the crosier that was
there hidden; it was all of gold and of silver. They took there two
golden shrines, and nine of silver, and they took fifteen great roods,
both of gold and of silver. They took there so much gold and silver,
and so many treasures in money and in raiment and in books, as no man
may tell another, saying that they did it out of reverence for the
monastery. Then went they to the ships, fared to Ely, and there put
all the treasures. The Danish men deemed that they would overcome the
Frenchmen; they then drove away all the monks, none being left there
but one monk, who was named Leofwine Lange; he lay sick in the sick
man’s ward.
Then came abbot Turold and eight score Frenchmen with him, and all
fully armed. When he came thither, he found all burned within and
without, save the church only. The outlaws were then all afloat,
knowing that he would come thither. This was done on the fourth of June.
The two kings, William and Sweyn, were reconciled; and the Danish men
went forth out of Ely with all the aforesaid treasures, and took the
same with them. When they came into the midst of the sea, there came
a great storm and scattered all the ships wherein the treasures were;
some fared to Norway, some to Ireland, some to Denmark, and all that
came thither were the crosier and some shrines and some roods and many
of the other treasures; and they brought them to a king’s town and put
it all there in a church. Then afterwards, through their heedlessness,
and through their drunkenness, the church was burned one night, and all
that was therein. On this wise was the monastery of Peterborough burned
and plundered. May God Almighty have compassion upon it of his great
lovingkindness. And on this wise came the abbot Turold to Peterborough,
and the monks came then again, and did Christ’s service in their
church, which had stood a full sennight without any sort of rite. When
bishop Aegelric heard tell thereof, he excommunicated all the men who
had done that evil deed.
THE DEPRESSION OF THE ENGLISH (1070).
=Source.=--Florence of Worcester, _Chronicon_, ed. Thorpe, vol. ii.,
pp. 4, 5.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account