John of Worcester. 24 Apr 1066. The same year a comet was seen on the eighth of the calends of May [24th April], not only in England, but, as it is reported, all over the world: it shone with excessive brilliance for seven days. Soon afterwards earl Tosti (age 40) returned from Flanders, and landed in the Isle of Wight [Map]; and, having compelled the islanders to give him pay and tribute, he departed, and plundered along the sea-coast, until he arrived at Sandwich, Kent [Map]. King Harold (age 44), who was then at London, having been informed of this, ordered a considerable fleet and a body of horse to be got ready, and prepared to go in person to the port of Sandwich, Kent [Map]. On receiving this intelligence, Tosti took some of the boatmen of the place, willing or unwilling, into his service, and, departing thence, shaped his course for Lindsey [Map], where he burnt several vills and slew a number of men. Thereupon Edwin, earl of Mercia, and Morcar, earl of Northumbria, flew to the spot with some troops, and drove him out of that neighbourhood; and, on his departure, he repaired to Malcolm (age 35), king of the Scots, and remained with him during the whole summer. Meanwhile king Harold arrived at the port of Sandwich, Kent [Map], and waited there for his fleet. When it was assembled, he sailed to the Isle of Wight [Map]; and as William (age 38), earl of Normandy, king Edward's cousin, was preparing an army for the invasion of England, he kept watch all the summer and autumn, to prevent his landing; besides which, he stationed a land army at suitable points along the sea-coast; but provisions failing towards the time of the feast of the Nativity of St. Mary [8th September], both the fleet and army were disbanded.

Flowers of History. Before 25 Dec 1066. And as they all fled to Malcolm, king of Scotland (age 35), they were all honorably received by him. Then also, [his future brother-in-law] Edgar Atheling (age 15), the legitimate heir of the kingdom of England, seeing his country plundered and disturbed on all sides, embarked on board ship with his mother Agatha, and his sisters [his future wife] Margaret (age 21) and [his future sister-in-law] Christina (age 9), and endeavoured to return into Hungary, where he had been born; but, a tempest arising, he was compelled to land on the coast of Scotland. And, in consequence of the occasion thus offered, it came to pass that Margaret was given as a bride to King Malcolm, whose exemplary life and virtuous death are plainly set forth in a book specially composed on that subject. But his sister Christina became a nun, and deserves our benediction as one who was married for ever to a heavenly bridegroom.

Flowers of History. 1071. Moreover, king William (age 43) went to Scotland, and invaded it in a hostile manner, thinking that some of his indomitable enemies, and some of the refugees were there at the king's court, and that some of his own subjects were sheltered there. But as he found no such persons there, when he had received the homage of the king of Scotland (age 39), he returned to his own country.

Flowers of History. 1071. In the same year, king William (age 43) invaded Scotland with a great army, and Malcolm, king of Scotland (age 39), came peaceably to Berwick [Map] to meet him, and became his subject. At this time, count Ranulph of Micenis governed the earldom of Carlisle, who had given efficacious assistance to king William in his conquest of England. He began to build the city of Carlisle [Map], and to strengthen the citizens with many privileges. But when king William was returning from Scotland through Cumberland, seeing so royal a city, he took it from count Ranulph, and gave him instead of it the earldom of Chester, which was endowed with many honours and privileges. And king William commanded Carlisle to be fortified with very strong towers and ramparts. Moreover, king William the Conqueror, on his return from Scotland, built a new castle at Durham [Map], to serve as a protection against the irruptions of the Scots.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1072. This year King William (age 44) led a naval force and a land force to Scotland, and beset that land on the sea-side with ships, whilst he led his land-force in at the Tweed;⁹⁶ but he found nothing there of any icon. King Malcolm (age 40), however, came, and made peace with King William, and gave hostages, and became his man; whereupon the king returned home with all his force.

Note 96. Florence of Worcester and those who follow him say that William proceeded as far as Abernethy; where Malcolm met him, and surrendered to him.

John of Worcester. After 15 Aug 1072. After the Assumption of St. Mary [15th August], William (age 44), king of England, attended by Edric the Forester, made an expedition into Scotland with a naval force and an army of cavalry, and reduced it under his own dominion; and Malcolm (age 41), king of Scots, met him at a place called Abernethy, and did him homage. Ethelric, formerly bishop of Durham, died at Westminster, where king William had sent him into confinement, on Monday, the ides [the 15th] of October. Walchere, a native of Lorraine, succeeded Ethelwine in the see of Durham.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1074. This year King William (age 46) went over sea to Normandy; and child [his brother-in-law] Edgar (age 23) came from Flanders into Scotland on St. Grimbald's mass-day; where King Malcolm (age 42) and his sister [his wife] Margaret (age 29) received him with much pomp. At the same time sent Philip, the King of France (age 21), a letter to him, bidding him to come to him, and he would give him the castle of Montreuil [Map]; that he might afterwards daily annoy his enemies. What then? King Malcolm and his sister Margaret gave him and his men great presents, and many treasures; in skins ornamented with purple, in pelisses made of martin-skins, of grey-skins, and of ermine-skins, in palls, and in vessels of gold and silver; and conducted him and his crew with great pomp from his territory. But in their voyage evil befel them; for when they were out at sea, there came upon them such rough weather, and the stormy sea and the strong wind drove them so violently on the shore, that all their ships burst, and they also themselves came with difficulty to the land. Their treasure was nearly all lost, and some of his men also were taken by the French; but he himself and his best men returned again to Scotland, some roughly travelling on foot, and some miserably mounted. Then King Malcolm advised him to send to King William over sea, to request his friendship, which he did; and the king gave it him, and sent after him. Again, therefore, King Malcolm and his sister gave him and all his men numberless treasures, and again conducted him very magnificently from their territory. The sheriff of York came to meet him at Durham, and went all the way with him; ordering meat and fodder to be found for him at every castle to which they came, until they came over sea to the king. Then King William received him with much pomp; and he was there afterwards in his court, enjoying such rights as he confirmed to him by law.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1077. This year the moon was eclipsed three nights before Candlemas; and in the same year died Aylwy, the prudent Abbot of Evesham, on the fourteenth day before the calends of March, on the mass-day of St. Juliana; and Walter was appointed abbot in his stead; and Bishop Herman also died, on the tenth day before the calends of March, who was Bishop in Berkshire, and in Wiltshire, and in Dorsetshire. This year also King Malcolm (age 45) won the mother of Malslaythe…. and all his best men, and all his treasures, and his cattle; and he himself not easily escaped…. This year also was the dry summer; and wild fire came upon many shires, and burned many towns; and also many cities were ruined thereby.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1079. This year came King Malcolm (age 47) from Scotland into England, betwixt the two festivals of St. Mary, with a large army, which plundered Northumberland till it came to the Tine, and slew many hundreds of men, and carried home much coin, and treasure, and men in captivity.

Flowers of History. 1080. This year also, king William (age 52) led a powerful army into Wales, and subjugated it; and received homage and hostages for their fidelity from the petty kings of the viscounty. The same year, Antioch was taken by the pagans, together with the adjacent province, which had been a Christian land ever since the time of Saint Peter, without any disturbances. The same year, Malcolm, king of Scotland (age 48), became furious a second time after the Assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary, and ravaged the whole of Northumberland, as far as the river Tyne. But when he heard of this, the king of England sent his son Robert (age 29) with an army into Scotland, who returned without having succeeded in his objects, and built a new castle [Map] in the river Tyne, and then returned to his father. The same year also, the king sent his brother Odo, bishop of Bayeux, with a large army, to lay waste Northumberland, the people of which district had risen in insurrection against the king, and had murdered Walcher, bishop of Durham, a man of exemplary character, at Gateshead.

Florence of Worcester. 24 Aug 1093. Malcolm (age 62), king of the Scots, met king William (age 37) the younger at Gloucester, on the day of the feast of St. Bartholomew the apostle, as they had previously concerted through their ambassadors, in order that peace being restored, there might be a firm alliance between them, agreeably to the wishes of some of the principal English nobles. But they separated without coming to any agreement; for William's pride and insolence was such, that he refused to have any interview and conference with Malcolm. Moreover, he sought to compel him to do him homage in his own court, and abide the judgment of his own barons only ; but Malcolm was by no means disposed to do this, except on the borders of his own kingdom, where the kings of Scotland were wont to do homage to the kings of England, and according to the judgment of the barons of both kingdoms.