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ter, and Baldwin Abbot of St. Edmund's, both died during this festival. This year also died Turold Abbot of Peterborough. Moreover in the summer of this year a spring of blood burst out at Finchamsted, in Berkshire, according to the declaration of many men of credit, who said that they had seen it. And Earl Hugo was slain in Anglesey by foreign pirates; his brother Robert suceeded him, having obtained this of the King. Before Michaelmas-day the heaven appeared as it were on fire, almost all the night.—This was a year of much distress, caused by the manifold oppressive taxes: nearly all the crops in the marsh lands failed also from the great rains, which ceased not the whole year.
1099.
This year King William was in Normandy at Christmas; and at Easter he came hither; and at Pentecost he held his Court for the first time in the new building at Westminster, and there he gave the Bishoprick of Durham to his chaplain Rannulf, who had long been the chief manager and director in all the king's councils held in England. And soon afterwards William went over sea, and drove Earl Elias from Maine, and brought that province into subjection; and at Michaelmas he returned to this land. This
