The
Anglo-Saxon Chronicles are a collection
of seven manuscripts written by monks living in England between the
9th and 12th centuries. The chronicles, written in Anglo-Saxon
(Old English) in the form of a diary, tell the story of England, and
cover a period of over a thousand years. In some cases the entries
were made several years after the events took place. Some passages
in the various manuscripts are identical suggesting that a certain
amount of copying took place.
There are three manuscripts that cover the period of the Norman
Conquest. It is believed that Version C was written in Abingdon
near Oxford, Version D in Worcester and
York, and Version E in Canterbury.
After 1079 only the Peterborough Chronicle
continued. The last entry was for 1154.
(1)
Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle, Version E, entry for 1083.
He made large forests for the deer,
and passed laws, so that whoever killed a hart or a hind should be
blinded. The rich complained and the poor murmured, but the king was
so strong that he took no notice of them.
(2) Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle, Version E, entry for 1087.
King William and the chief men loved
gold and silver and did not care how sinfully it was obtained provided
it came to them. He (William) did not care at all how wrongfully his
men got possession of land nor how many illegal acts they did.
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