line of battle; after which, the fleet turned towards the north shore, as it was its intention to surround the king's fleet. For the king had both a fleet and a numerous land army; but because both with the king and with Godwin there were very few who had any spirit (so greatly did almost all the English abhor fighting against their own kindred and fellow-countrymen), the consequence was, that all the more prudent men on either side, effecting a reconciliation between the king and the earl, bade the army lay aside their arms. The following morning the king held a council, and fully restored to Godwin and his wife and all his sons, with the exception of Sweyn, their former honors.

He, being moved with penitence, because, as previously mentioned, he had slain his cousin Beorn, journeyed from Flanders to Jerusalem, barefoot, and on his return thence, having contracted a discase from the excessive cold, died in Lycia. Edgitha, also, his queen, the daughter of the earl, the king received with due honor, and restored her to her former dignity.

Peace and concord being thus established, to all the people they promised good laws, and banished all the Normans who had instituted unjust ones, and had pronounced unjust judgments, and had given the king bad counsel against the English. Some few, however, namely, Robert Le Dragon, and his son-in-law, Richard the son of Scrobi, Alfred, the king's master of the horse, Aufrid, surnamed Ceokesfot, and some others whom the king loved more than the rest, and who had preserved their fidelity to him and all the people, they allowed to remain in England. But Robert, the archbishop of Canterbury, William, the bishop of London, and Ulph, the bishop of Lincoln, with difficulty escaping with their Normans, crossed the sea; however, on account of his virtues, William was shortly after recalled and reinstated in his bishopric.

Osborn, however, surnamed Pentecost, and his companion, Hugh, surrendered their castles, and, with the permission of earl Leofric, passing through his earldom, repaired to Scotland, where they were received by Machetad, king of the Scots. In the same year, on the night of the feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle, there was a wind so strong and violent that it blew down many churches and houses, and broke numberless trees, or tore them up by the roots.

2 The king who is more generally known as Macbeth.

3

In the year 1053, the brother of Griffin, king of South Wales, whose name was Rees, on account of the frequent depredations which he had committed, was slain by command of king Edward, at a place called Bulendun, and his head was brought to the king at Gloucester, on the vigil of the Epiphany. In the same year, when the second day of the festival of Easter was being celebrated, a dreadful calamity befel earl Godwin at Winchester, while, as usual, he was sitting at table with the king. For, being suddenly attacked by a fatal malady, he sank down on his seat bereft of speech on seeing which, his sons, Harold, Tosti, and Girth, carried him into the king's chamber, hoping that, after a little while, he would recover from the attack; but he, being deprived of all strength, departed this life on the fifth day after, being the seventeenth day before the calends or May, and was buried in the old monastery there. He was succeeded in the dukedom by his son Harold, whose earldom was given to Algar, the son of earl Leofric.

In the year 1054, Siward, the valiant earl of Northumbria, by command of king Edward, invaded Scotland, with both an army of horse and a strong fleet, and fought a battle with Machetad, king of the Scots; and, after many thousands of the Scots, and all the Normans, of whom mention has been made above, were slain, put him to flight, and gave the crown to Malcolm, son of the king of the Cumbrians, as king Edward had commanded. But in this battle his own son, and many of the English and Danes, were slain.

4

On the death of Godwin, the abbat of Winchelcomb, Alred, bishop of Worcester, on the feast of Saint Kenelm, appointed abbat in his room Godric, the son of Godman, the king's chaplain. After this, the same bishop was dispatched on an embassy, with costly presents, to the emperor; by whom, and Herman, archbishop of Cologne, he was entertained with great honor, and remained with them a whole year; on the king's behalf, he also suggested to the emperor to send ambassadors to Hungary, and bring back his cousin, the son of king Edmund Ironside, and procure his return to England.

In the year 1055, Siward, earl of Northumbria, died at 4 Osborn.

3 Bullingdon.

York, and was buried at the monastery of Galmanho," which he had founded, and his earldom was given to Tosti, the brother of duke Harold.

A short time after this, a council was held in London, and king Edward outlawed earl Algar, the son of earl Leofric, without any blame on his part; who immediately went to Ireland, and, having procured eighteen piratical ships, returned, and going to Griffin, king of the Welsh, begged that he would aid him against king Edward; on which he, immediately collecting from the whole of his kingdom a numerous army, requested Algar, with his forces, to meet him and his army at a place named. Having met, they entered the province of Hereford, for the purpose of laying waste the territories of the English; whereupon the timid duke Rodulph, nephew of king Edward, collecting an army, met them two miles from the city of Hereford, on the ninth day before the calends of November. He ordered the English, contrary to their usage, to fight on horseback; but, just when they were about to engage, the duke, with his Franks and Normans, was the first to take to flight, which the English seeing, followed their leader's example.

Nearly the whole of the enemy pursued them, and slew of them four or five hundred men, and wounded a great number; after which, having gained the victory, king Griffin and earl Algar entered Hereford, and, having slain seven canons who had defended the doors of the principal church, and having burnt the monastery (which bishop Athelstan, the true worshipper of Christ, had built), with all its ornaments, and the relics of Saint Egelbert, the king and martyr, and of other Saints, and having slain some of the citizens and taken many prisoners, and spoiled and burnt the city, they enriched themselves with a vast amount of plunder.

After this, the king commanded an army to be levied in England, and, assembling it at Gloucester, gave the command of it to the valiant duke Harold, who followed them, and, boldly entering the territories of the Welch, pitched his camp beyond Straddele. But they, being aware that he was a brave man and a warlike commander, did not dare to join battle with him, but fled into South Wales; on discovering which, he dispatched 5 An abbey, afterwards incorporated with St. Mary's, at York. 6 North Wales.

thither the greater part of his army, and commanded them, if necessity demanded it, manfully to resist the enemy. Returning with the rest of his troops to Hereford, he surrounded it with a deep trench, and fortified it with gates and bars.

In the meantime, messages being interchanged, Griffin, Algar, and Harold, and those who were with them, met at a place which is called Billigesleage, and, peace being granted and received, agreed upon a lasting friendship between them. This being settled, the fleet of earl Algar proceeded to Chester, and there awaited the pay that had been promised it; but he himself went to the king, and received back from him his earldom. At the same period, Tremerin, the bishop of Wales, a religious man, departed this life. He had for a long time been the coadjutor of Athelstan, bishop of Hereford, after he himself had become unable to perform the duties of the bishopric; for, during a period of thirteen years, he was deprived of his eyesight.

8

Herman, the bishop of the province of Wiltshire, being annoyed because the king was unwilling to allow the transfer of the see from the town which is called Ramnebirig9 to the abbey of Malmesbury,10 resigned the bishopric, and, crossing the sea, assumed the monastic habit at Saint Bertin's, and remained at the monastery there three years.

In the year 1056, the emperor Henry died at Rome, and was succeeded by his son Henry. Athelstan, the bishop of Hereford, a man of great sanctity, departed this life on the fourth day before the ides of February, at the town which is called Bosanbrig, and his body being taken to Hereford, was buried in the church there, which he had built from the foundation. He was succeeded by Leonegar, the chaplain of duke Harold, who, in the same year, on the sixteenth day before the calends of July, was slain at the place which is called Glastingeberie," together with his clergy, and the sheriff Agelnoth, and many others, by Griffin, king of the Welsh. He enjoyed the bishopric eleven weeks and four days.

After his death, the bishopric of Hereford was given in charge to Aldred, bishop of Worcester, until a bishop should be appointed. Afterwards, the same bishop, and the nobles 9 Ramesbury. 11 Glastonbury.

7 Or Bilsley.

8 Of Saint David's. 10 Roger of Wendover says Salisbury.

Leofric and Harold, reconciled Griffin, king of the Welsh, with king Edward. Earl Agelwin Oddo," the lover of churches, the supporter of the poor, the defender of widows and orphans," the guardian of chastity, having received the monastic habit a month before his death from Aldred, bishop of Worcester, died on the second day before the calends of September, at Deorhirst, but being honorably buried in the monastery of Pershore, rests there. Algeric, the bishop of Durham, having of his own accord resigned the bishopric, retired to his own monas tery, which is called Burgh, where he was educated, and became a monk, and lived there twelve years. He was succeeded in the bishopric by his brother, Egelwin, a monk of the monastery.

In the year 1057, the Clito Edward, son of king Edmund Ironside, according to the command of his uncle, king Edward, came to England from Hungary, whither, as previously mentioned, he had long before been sent into banishment. For the king had determined to make him heir to the kingdom in succession to himself; but, shortly after he had arrived, he departed this life at London. Leofric, the praiseworthy earl, and of happy memory, son of duke Leofwin, departed this life at a good old age, at his own town, which is called Bromleage," on the second day before the calends of September, and was honorably buried at Coventry: which monastery, among the other good works which he did in his lifetime, he himself and his wife, the noble countess Godiva, a worshipper of God, and a devoted lover of Saint Mary ever a virgin, had built with their patrimonial possessions from the very foundation, and abundantly endowed it with lands, and so enriched it with various ornaments, that in no monastery throughout the whole of England could such a quantity of gold, silver, jewels, and precious stones be found, as was at that period contained therein.

The monasteries, also, of Leominster and Wenlock, and of Saint John the Baptist, and Saint Werburgh the Virgin, at Chester, and the church which Eadnoth, bishop of Lincoln, had built at the famous place which, in English is called

11* Earl of Devon.

12 This seems to be intended as the meaning of the word "pupillorum" 13 Burgh, near Stamford. 14 Bromley.

here.