The Woes of Time: A Lament for Our Sufferings

Æfter ure Drihtnes Hælendes Cristes gebyrtide. an þusend wintra 7 seofan 7 hundeahtatig wintra. on þam an 7 twentigan geare þæs þe Willelm weolde 7 stihte Engleland swa him God uðe. gewearð swiðe hefelic and swiðe woldberendlic gear on þissum lande. Swylc coðe com on mannum. þæt fullneah æfre þe oðer man wearð on þam wyrrestan yfele. þet is on ðam drife. 7 þet swa stranglice. þæt mænige menn swulton on ðam yfele. Syððan com þurh þa mycclan ungewiderunge þe comon swa we beforan tealdon. swyðe mycel hungor ofer eall Engleland. þæt manig hundred manna earmlice deaðe swulton þurh þone hungor. Eala hu earmlice 7 hu reowlic tid wæs ða. Ða ða wreccæ men lægen fordrifene fullneah to deaðe. 7 syððan com se scearpa hungor 7 adyde hi mid ealle. Hwam ne mæg earmian swylcere tide?

After our Lord Jesus Christ's birth, a thousand winters and seven and seventy winters. In the one and twentieth year in which William ruled and governed England as God willed him. There was great hardship and very intolerable years in this land. Such woes came upon men that almost every other man became the worst of evils; that is in the strife. And it was so severe that many men perished from that evil. Then came through the great tempest that arrived as we before recounted, a great hunger over all England such that many hundreds of miserable men died through that hunger. Oh how miserable and how pitiful was that time! When the exiled men lay driven nearly to death. And then came the sharp hunger and afflicted them utterly. Who can lament such a time?