280
lands. This year also died Earl Elias, who whilst living held Maine of King Henry, but on his death the Earl of Anjou took possession of that province, and kept it against the King's will. This was a year of much distress from the taxes which the King raised for his daughter's dowry, and from the bad weather by which the crops were greatly injured, and nearly all the fruit on the trees destroyed throughout the country.—This year men first began to work at the new monastery of Chertsey.
1111.
This year King Henry wore not his crown at Christmas, nor at Easter, nor at Pentecost.—And in August he was called over sea to Normandy, by the hostility of certain of his enemies on the marches of France, and principally by that of the Earl of Anjou who held Maine against him: and after his arrival many were the intrigues and great the burning and plundering carried on by either party against the other.—This year Robert Earl of Flanders died and his son Baldwin succeeded him. The winter was very long this year, a heavy and a severe time, by which the fruits of the earth were much injured; and there was the greatest pestilence among the cattle ever remembered.
