Econlib

The Library

Other Sites

Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow No. I.: Cruelties exercised by the Norman-Lords in their Castles. 1 - History of the Conquest of England by the Normans; Its Causes, and its Consequences, in England, Scotland, Ireland, & on the Continent, vol. 2

Return to Title Page for History of the Conquest of England by the Normans; Its Causes, and its Consequences, in England, Scotland, Ireland, & on the Continent, vol. 2

Search this Title:

Also in the Library:

Subject Area: History

No. I.: Cruelties exercised by the Norman-Lords in their Castles. 1 - Augustin Thierry, History of the Conquest of England by the Normans; Its Causes, and its Consequences, in England, Scotland, Ireland, & on the Continent, vol. 2 [1856]

Edition used:

History of the Conquest of England by the Normans; Its Causes, and its Consequences, in England, Scotland, Ireland, & on the Continent, translated from the seventh Paris edition, by William Hazlitt (London: H.G. Bohn, 1856). In 2 volumes. Vol. 2.

Part of: History of the Conquest of England by the Normans; Its Causes, and its Consequences, in England, Scotland, Ireland, & on the Continent, 2 vols.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


No. I.

Cruelties exercised by the Norman-Lords in their Castles.1

Hi suencten suithe the wrecce men of the land mid castelweorces. Tha the castles waren maked. Tha fylden hi mid deoules and yuele men. Tha namen hi tha men the hi wenden that ani god hefden. bathe be nihtes and be dæies. carl-men and wimmen. and diden heom in prisun efter gold and syluer. And pined heom untellendlice pining. for ne wæren næure nan martyrs swa pined alse hi wæron. Me henged up bi the fet and smoked heome mid ful smoke. Me henged bi the thumbes other bi the hefed. and hengen bryniges on her fet. Me dide enotted strenges abuton here hæued and uurythen to that it gæde to the hærnes. Hi diden heom in quarterne thar nadres and snakes and pades wæron inne. and drapen heom swa. Sume hi diden in crucet hus. that is in an ceste that was scort and nareu. and undep. and dide scærpe stanes ther inne. and threngde the man thær inne. Tha hi bræcon alle the limes. In mani of the castles wæron lof and grim. that væron sachenteges that twa other thre men hadden onoh to bæron onne. That was swa maced that is fæstned to an beom. And diden an scærp iren abuton tha mannes throte and his hals. that he ne mihte nowiderwardes ne sitten, ne lien. ne slepen. oc bæron al that iren. Mani thusen hi drapen mid hungær. I ne canne. and ne mai, tellen all the wundes. ne alle the pines. that hi diden wrecce men on this land. and that lastede tha xix. wintre wile Stephne was king. and æure it was uuerse and uuerse. Hi læiden gæildes on the tunes æureu wile. and clepeden it tenserie. Tha the wrecce men ne hadden nan more to given. Tha ræueden hi and brendon alle the tunes, that wel thu mihtes faren all a dæis fare sculdest thu neure finden man in tune sittende. ne land tiled. Tha was corn dære. and flec. and cæse. and butere. for nan ne wæs o the land. Wrecce men sturuen of hungær, sume jeden on ælmes the waren sum wile rice men. Sum flugen ut of lande. Wes næure gæt mare wreccehed on land. ne næure hethen men werse ne diden than hi diden. For oner sithon ne forbaren hi nouther circe ne circeiærd. oc nam al the god that thar inne was. and brenden sythen the circe hand altegædere. Ne hi ne forbaren biscopes land. ne abbotes. ne preostes. ac ræueden muneces. and clerekes. and æuric man other the ouer myhte. Gif twa men other thre coman ridend to an tun al the tunscipe flugæn for heom. wenden that hi wæron ræueres. The biscopes and lered men heom cursede æure oc was heom naht thar of. for hi wæron all for cursæd and for suoren and forloren. Was sæ me tilede. the erthe ne bar nan corn. For the land was all for don mild suilce dædes. And hi sæden openlice. that Crist slep. and his halechen. Suilc and mare thanne we cunnen sæin we tholenden xix. wintre for ure sinnes.

[1 ] Chron. Saxon., sub anno mcxxxvii.