nd Stanwick, and sixty shillings from Oldwinkle
each year. And he made many monks, and planted a vine-yard, and
constructed many works, and made the town better than it was
before. He was a good monk, and a good man; and for this reason
God and good men loved him. Now we will relate in part what
happened in King Stephen's time. In his reign the Jews of
Norwich bought a Christian child before Easter, and tortured him
after the same manner as our Lord was tortured; and on Long-Friday
(164) hanged him on a rood, in mockery of our Lord, and
afterwards buried him. They supposed that it would be concealed,
but our Lord showed that he was a holy martyr. And the monks
took him, and buried him with high honour in the minster. And
through our Lord he worketh wonderful and manifold miracles, and
is called St. William.

A.D. 1138. In this year came David, King of Scotland, with an
immense army to this land. He was ambitious to win this land;
but against him came William, Earl of Albemarle, to whom the king
had committed York, and other borderers, with few men, and fought
against them, and routed the king at the Standard, and slew very
many of his gang.

A.D. 1140. In this year wished the King Stephen to take Robert,
Earl of Gloucester, the son of King Henry; but he could not, for
he was aware of it. After this, in the Lent, the sun and the day
darkened about the noon-tide of the day, when men were eating;
and they lighted candles to eat by. That was the thirteenth day
before the kalends of April. Men were very much struck with
wonder. Thereafter died William, Archbishop of Canterbury; and
the king made Theobald archbishop, who was Abbot of Bec. After
this waxed a very great war betwixt the king and Randolph, Earl
of Chester; not because he did not give him all that he could ask
him, as he did to all others; but ever the more he gave them, the
worse they were to him. The Earl held Lincoln against the king,
and took away from him all that he ought to have. And the king
went thither, and beset him and his brother William de Romare in
the castle. And the earl stole out, and went after Robert, Earl
of Glocester, and brought him thither with a large army. And
they fought strenuously on Candlemas day against their lord, and
took him; for his men forsook him and fled. And they led him to
Bristol, and there put him into prison in close quarters. Then
was all England stirred more than ere was, and all evil was in
th