LIVRE HUITIÈME

CBUADTÈS EXEIGÉES PAR LBS SEICNBUBS NORMANDS DANS LEURS CBATBAUX >.

Hi suencten suithe the wrecce men of the land mid castelweorces. Tha the casdes waren maked. Tha fylden hi mid deoules and yuele men. Tha namen hi tha men the hi wenden thai ani god hefden. bathe be nihtes and be daeies. carlnnen and wimmen. and diden heom in prisun efter gold and syluer. And pined heom nntellendlice pining. for ne waeren nsure nan martyrs swa pined aise hi wsron. Me henged np hi the fet and smoked heome mid fnl smoke. Me henged hi the ihnmbes. othei hi the hefed. and hengen bryniges on her fet. Me dide cnotted strenges abnton hère haeued and unrythen to that it gaede to the bernes. Hi diden heom in qnarteme thar nadres and snakes and pades waeron inné, and drapen heom swa. Sume hi diden in crucet bus. tbat is in an ceste that was scort and naren. and undep. and dide scaerpe stanes ther inné, and threngde the man thsr inné. That hi brscon aile the limes. In mani of fhe castles wsron lof and grim. that waeron sachenteges that twa other thre men hadden onoh to bseron onne. That was swa maced that is faestned to an beom. And diden an scsrp iren abnton tha mannes ihrote and bis bals, that be ne mihte nowiderwardes ne sitten , ne lien, ne slepen. oc bsronal thatiien. Mani thusen hi drapen mid bungaer. I ne canne, and ne mai, tellen aile the wundes. ne aile the pines. tbat hi diden wrecce men on this land. and that lastede tha xix. wintre wile Stephne was king. and aenre it was unerse and nuerse. Hi Isiden gaeildes on the tunes seurea wile. and clepeden it tetuerie, Tha the wrecce men ne hadden nan more to given. Tha ranieden hi and brendon aile the tunes, that wel thu mibtes faren ail a dsBis fare sculdestihn neure finden man in tune sittende. ne land tiled. Tha was corn daere. and flec. and esse, and butere. for nan ne wxs o the land. Wrecce men sturuen of hungfler. sume jeden on slmes the waren sum wile rice men. Sum flugen ut of lande. Wes naeure gst mare wreccebed on land. ne naeure bethen men werse ne diden than hi diden. For ouer sithon ne forbaren hi nouther circe ne circeiaerd. oc nam al the god that thar inné was. and brenden sythen the circe hand altega»dere. Ne hi ne forbaren biscopes land. ne abbotes. ne preostes. ac raeueden muneces. and clerekes. and aeuric man other the ouer mybte. Gif twa men other thre coman ridend to an tun. al the tunscipe flugaen for heom. wendon that hi

I Chroo. 8U00., éd. Ingram, sub aono hcxxztii, p. SM et 307.

waron rxueres. The biscopes and lered men heom cnnede soie, oc was heom naht thar of. for hi waeron ail for cuissd and for snoren and forbien. Was s» me tilede. the erthe ne bar nan corn. For the land was ail for don mild suiloe daBdes. And hi sœden openlice. that Grist slep. and his halechen. Snilc and ma^ thanne we connen sxin we tholenden xa. wintre fore nie sûmes.

TKADOCHON 00 MOBCBAU PIÉGÉOBfT ■.

Valde afflixerunt miseram plebem hnjns terrsB castellis sdificandis, comqoe castella essent perfecta , in iis oollocamnt diabolicos et malos yiros. Tonc cepemnt qoibus aliquid boni snperesse arbitrabantur, tam nocte quamdie, viros et foBminas, atque in carceres conjecenmt propter anmm et argentom, aceos excruciabant infandis tormentis, adeo nt nnlli unqnam martyres talia senserint qualia illi. Ho6 suspendenmt pedibns , et snffocamnt fumo crasso ; illos suspendemnt poUidbns , aliosque capitibns et admoverunt ignés eorum pedibns. Aliomm capita laqneo arcte ligamnt et compressemnt, adeo nt attingeret cerebmm. Alios conmiisemnt carceribns, in qnibns erant serpentes, angues et bnfones, atqne eo modo excmciamnt. Alios injecerunt in cmcetnm , id est, dstam qns erat brevis et angnsta et depressa, in qna lapides acutos posneront, et in ea arctamnt homines, adeo nt confregerint omnia illomm membra. In complnribns castellornm erat horridnm quiddam ac detestandum , scilicet... quod dno aut très bomines aegre imponere possent, atque ita erat efformatum ut afftxum fuerit trabi; ac ferri acuti catena implicarunt hominis guttur et collum, ut non posset ullo modo sive sedere , sire cubare, sive dormire, coactus sustinere omne istud ferrum. Multa millia famé occidenmt; non autem possibile est mihi numerare omnia ruinera, omnesque calamitâtes, quibus afflixerunt miseros incolas hujus terrae : hoc yero durav;[t xix aniios quibus Stephanus fuit rex , et quotidie détériore erant conditione. linposuerunt tributa oppidis valde fréquenter, et illud vocarunt... cumque miser! homines non habereut quicquam amplius quod darent , vastarunt et incendemnt onmia oppida, adeo ut posses iter diei conflcere, nec tamen reperire quemvis hominem in oppido viventem , aut terram cultam. Hinc fuit firumentnm camm , etcaro, etcaseus, et butyrum; quippenihil eorum fuit in hac terra. Panperes peribant famé; nonnulli ostiatim victum petebant, qui ftierant olim divites, et aliqui terram reliquerunt. Nunquam adhuc erant majores calamitates in hac terra, neque umquam pagani plus mali quam hi fecemnt ; tandem enim neqne pepercerunt ecclesiae , neque caemiterio, sed eripuerunt quicquid boni inibi fuit, tuncqne igues admoverunt ecclesiae , et rébus qus superessent. Non peperoemnt episcopomm terris, nec abbatum, nec prassbyterorum; sed spoliarunt monachos et dericos et quoscunque alios possent. Si duo aut très équités appropinquarent alicui oppido, omnes oppidani fugerunt, opinati eos esse direptores. Episcopi et clerici Ulos sempcr execrabantur ; verum nihil profecerunt; omnes enim il erant malédicti et perjuri et moribus perditi. Littus arabant; terra enim nullas fmges tulît, quippe ea fuit devastata per hujusmodi facta : dixerunt etiam aperte quod Ghri^ tus dormivit ejusque sancti. His similia, etplura quam nos possumns explicare , passi fuimus per xix annos ob nostra peccata.

■ Chron. saxon., éd. Gilwon, sob aono hgxxxvu» p.S3a-M0.

CRAmOR CUniIÉlB DU TKOUBAOOUI BKinUlID DB BOIR,

snomm m bautomt *.

Be m play lo douz tempe de pasoor Que fai fbelbas e flors venir; E play mi quant ang la bandor Del anzels que fan retentir

Lor chan per lo boscatge ; E play me qnan vey sns els pratz Tendaz e pavallos fermatz;

E plai m'en mon ooratge Qnan vey per campanhas rengatz Gavalliers ab cavals armatz.

£ play mi qnan U oorredor Fan las gens els avers fogir; E plai me qnan vey aprop lor Gran ren d'armatz ensems brugir ;

Et ai gran alegratge, Qnan vey fortz castelhs asseijatz , E mnrs fondre e decoratz ,

E vey Tost pel ribatge Qu'es tôt entom clans de fossatz Ab lissas de fortz pals serratz.

Atressi me play de bon senbor Quant es primiers à renrazir, Ab caval armât, ses temor; C'aissi foi los siens enardir

Ab valen vassallatge ; E quant el es el camp intratz, Quascus deu esser assermatz ,

£ segr* el d'agradatge Quar nulbs hom non es ren presatz Tro qu'a manbs colps près e donatz.

Lansas e brans, elms de color, Escntz traucar e desgnamir Veyrem a l'intrar de Testor, E manbs vassalbs ensems ferir

Don anaran a ratge Cavalbs dels mortz e dels natetz ; E ja pus Testom er mesclatz ,

Negns bom d'ant paratge Non pens mas d'asdar caps e bratz , Que mais val mortz que vins sobratz.

le us die que tan no m'a sabor Manjars ni beure ni dormir, Cum a quant aug cridar : A lor I D'ambas las partz ; et aug agnir

Gavais voitz per l'ombratge , Et aug cridar : Aidatz ! Aidatzl .

E vei cazer per los fossatz

Panes e grans per l'erbatge, E vei los mortz que pels costatz An los tronsons outre passatz.

Baros , metetc en gatge Castels e vilas et ciutatz , Enans q'usquecs no us gueireiatz.

PapioP d'agradatge Ad Oc e No ' t'en vai viatz , Die li que trop estan en patz.