MASTER WACE

HIS CHRONICLE OF THE NORMAN CONQUEST

FROM THE

ROMAN DE ROU

TRANSLATED WITH NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS

BY EDGAR TAYLOR ESQ. F.S.A.

LONDON

WILLIAM PICKERING

1837

I VINT LI VIEL HUE DE GORNAI,
ENSEMLE O LI SA GENT DE BRAI.
Page 217.

TO HUDSON GURNEY, ESQ.
THIS CHRONICLE OF THE NORMAN CONQUEST
IS DEDICATED, IN TESTIMONY OF THE
TRANSLATOR'S RESPECT
AND REGARD.

[Pg vii]

CONTENTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

INTRODUCTION.

ILLUSTRATIONS—Frontispiece, the oath administered toHarold; from the Bayeux Tapestry. Title page vignette,including a coin of William, from Ruding, vol. iv.Dedication vignette, a group after the Bayeux Tapestry.[1]Map of Normandy. Initial letter to introduction [map and initial letters haven'tbeen retained, transcr. note], from theBattle abbey chronicle, p. xv. The Tapestry roll, aspreserved at Bayeux, p. xxix.

PROLOGUE.

CONCERNING THE AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK, SETTING FORTH HIS INTENT AND DEGREE

ILLUSTRATIONS—Baptism of Rollo, from the Museum MS. ofBenoit Sainte-More, to face p. 1. Initial letter, from theMS. of William of Jumieges in the library at Rouen, p. 1.Norman soldiers, from a capital in the chapel of Norwichcastle, p. 6. [These may be compared with the two knightsopposite, (p. 7,) from Bocherville.]

CHAPTER I.

HOW WILLIAM BECAME DUKE; AND HOW HIS BARONS REVOLTED AGAINST HIM

ILLUSTRATIONS—Norman knights, from a capital in the churchof St. Georges de Bocherville, p. 7. Two norman messengers;from the Bayeux Tapestry, p. 16.[Pg viii]

CHAPTER II.

HOW THE KING OF FRANCE CAME; AND THE BATTLE THAT WAS FOUGHT AT VAL DESDUNES

ILLUSTRATION—Group from the Bayeux Tapestry, p. 17.

CHAPTER III.

HOW CANUTE DIED, AND ALFRED FELL BY TREASON; AND HOW EDWARD AFTERWARDSBECAME KING

ILLUSTRATIONS—Two illuminations from the Cambridge MS.Estoire de Seint Ædward le Rei, representing the dispatch ofmessengers for Edward, p. 31. The like, representing hislanding and his coronation, p. 36.

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