Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1111. This year the King Henry (age 43) bare not his crown at Christmas, nor at Easter, nor at Pentecost. And in August he went over sea into Normandy, on account of the broils that some had with him by the confines of France, and chiefly on account of the Earl of Anjou (age 22), who held Maine against him. And after he came over thither, many conspiracies, and burnings, and harrowings, did they between them. In this year died the [his father] Earl Robert of Flanders (age 46), and his son Baldwin (age 18) succeeded thereto.¹⁴¹ This year was the winter very long, and the season heavy and severe; and through that were the fruits of the earth sorely marred, and there was the greatest murrain of cattle that any man could remember.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1117. All this year remained the King Henry (age 49), in Normandy, on account of the hostility of the King of France and his other neighbours. And in the summer came the King of France and the Earl of Flanders (age 24) with him with an army into Normandy. And having stayed therein one night, they returned again in the morning without fighting. But Normandy [Map] was very much afflicted both by the exactions and by the armies which the King Henry (age 49) collected against them. This nation also was severely oppressed through the same means, namely, through manifold exactions. This year also, in the night of the calends of December, were immoderate storms with thunder, and lightning, and rain, and hail. And in the night of the third day before the ides of December was the moon, during a long time of the night, as if covered with blood, and afterwards eclipsed. Also in the night of the seventeenth day before the calends of January, was the heaven seen very red, as if it were burning. And on the octave of St. John the Evangelist was the great earthquake in Lombardy; from the shock of which many minsters, and towers, and houses fell, and did much harm to men. This was a very blighted year in corn, through the rains that scarcely ceased for nearly all the year. And the Abbot Gilbert of Westminster died on the eighth day before the ides of December; and Faritz, Abbot of Abingdon, on the seventh day before the calends of March. And in this same year….

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1118. All this year abode the King Henry (age 50) in Normandy [Map] on account of the war of the King of France and the Earl of Anjou, and the Earl of Flanders (age 25). And the Earl of Flanders (age 25) was wounded in Normandy, and went so wounded into Flanders. By this war was the king (age 50) much exhausted, and he was a great loser both in land and money. And his own men grieved him most, who often from him turned, and betrayed him; and going over to his foes surrendered to them their castles, to the injury and disappointment of the king (age 50). All this England dearly bought through the manifold guilds that all this year abated not. This year, in the week of the Epiphany, there was one evening a great deal of lightning, and thereafter unusual thunder. And the Queen Matilda died at Westminster on the calends of May; and there was buried. And the Earl Robert of Mellent died also this year. In this year also, on the feast of St. Thomas, was so very immoderately violent a wind, that no man who was then living ever remembered any greater; and that was everywhere seen both in houses and also in trees. This year also died Pope Paschalis; and John of Gaeta succeeded to the popedom, whose other name was Gelasius.