ABSTRACT
In the Benedictine monastery at Peterborough an anonymous scribe acquired a version of the Old English Annals and brought the compilation up to date as far as the year 1121. In summarizing the reign of King William I (1066–87) he presents a memorable prose account of the Conqueror, presumably drawn from his own observations. His extensive entry for the year 1087 (erroneously recorded as 1086) well illustrates the presence of a conscious literary style even at a time when Late Old English was about to become Early Middle English. The author writes critically, shows a real sense of history, understands the relation between cause and effect, and appreciates the significance of individual personality. He delights in rhetorical balance and, particularly in the passage quoted here, heightens his effects by the use of rhyme and alliteration. For the symbols ċ and ġ, see Appendix 1, page 548.
