Chronicle of Richard of Devizes
Translated by J. A. Giles
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The opening
IN THE YEAR OF THE LORD MCLXXXIX.
§ 3 Now in the year of our Lord’s incarnation 1189, Richard, the son of King Henry the Second by Eleanor brother of Henry the Third, was consecrated king of the English by Baldwin, archbishop of Canterbury, at Westminster, on the third of the nones of September (3 Sept.). On the very day of the coronation, about that solemn hour, in which the Son was immolated to the Father, a sacrifice of the Jews to their father the devil was commenced in the city of London, and so long was the duration of this famous mystery, that the holocaust could scarcely be accomplished the ensuing day. The other cities and towns of the kingdom emulated the faith of the Londoners, and with a like devotion despatched their blood-suckers with blood to hell. In this commotion there was prepared, although unequally, some evil against the wicked, everywhere throughout the realm, only Winchester alone, the people being prudent and circumspect, and the city always acting mildly, spared its vermin. It never did anything overspeedily; fearing nothing more than to repent, it considers the result of every thing before the commencement. It was unwilling, unprepared, to cast up violently through the parts the indigestion by which it was oppressed to its bodily peril, and it was careful for its bowels, in the mean time temperately concealing its uneasiness, until it should be possible for it, at a convenient time for cure, to cast out the whole cause of the disease at once and once for all.
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About this edition
- The words
- J. A. Giles's English translation, copied word for word.
- Left out
- Page numbers and running heads from the printed pages, in 4 places
- Other material that isn't the author's
- The title page and opening pages before chapter 1, in 3 places
- Notes and pages added by translators, editors or publishers, in 2 places