The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle In Plain and Simple English (Digital Download)
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Excerpt From The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle In Plain and Simple English

The island Britain is 800 miles long, and 200 miles broad. And there are in the island five nations; English, Welsh (or British), Scottish, Pictish, and Latin. The first inhabitants were the Britons, who came from Armenia , and first peopled Britain southward. Then happened it, that the Picts came south from Scythia, with long ships, not many; and, landing first in the northern part of Ireland, they told the Scots that they must dwell there. But they would not give them leave; for the Scots told them that they could not all dwell there together; "But," said the Scots, "we can nevertheless give you advice. We know another island here to the east. There you may dwell, if you will; and whosoever withstandeth you, we will assist you, that you may gain it." Then went the Picts and entered this land northward. Southward the Britons possessed it, as we before said. And the Picts obtained wives of the Scots, on condition that they chose their kings always on the female side ; which they have continued to do, so long since. And it happened, in the run of years, that some party of Scots went from Ireland into Britain, and acquired some portion of this land. Their leader was called Reoda , from whom they are named Dalreodi (or Dalreathians).

The island of Britain is 800 miles long, and 200 miles wide. There are five different races in the island; English, Welsh (or British), Scottish, Picts and Romans. The first inhabitants were the Britons, who came from Armenia and were the first to populate Britain, in the south. Then the Picts came south from central Europe, in long ships, though there were not many of them; they landed initially in northern Ireland, and told the Scots that they intended to live there.  But the Scots would not give them permission, saying that they could not live there together; “However," said the Scots, “we can still give you advice. We know of another island to the east of here. If you wish, you can live there, and if anybody tries to stop you, we will help you to overcome them." So the Picts went and entered that island from the North. As we said before, the Britons had possession of the South. The Picts intermarried with the Scots, on condition that they always chose their kings from the female line of descent; they have always maintained this practice. Eventually, as time went by, some Scots moved from Ireland to Britain, and took over some of the country. Their leader was called Reoda, and this is what gives them their name of Dalreodi (or Dalreathians).

 Sixty winters ere that Christ was born, Caius Julius, emperor of the Romans, with eighty ships sought Britain. There he was first beaten in a dreadful fight, and lost a great part of his army. Then he let his army abide with the Scots , and went south into Gaul. There he gathered six hundred ships, with which he went back into Britain. When they first rushed together, Caesar's tribune, whose name was Labienus , was slain. Then took the Welsh sharp piles, and drove them with great clubs into the water, at a certain ford of the river called Thames. When the Romans found that, they would not go over the ford. Then fled the Britons to the fastnesses of the woods; and Caesar, having after much fighting gained many of the chief towns, went back into Gaul.

Sixty years before Christ was born, Julius Caesar,

Emperor of the Romans, sailed to Britain with 80 ships. At first he was defeated in a terrible battle, and lost a large part of his army. Then he left his army with the Scots, and went south back to France. In France he gathered a force of six hundred ships, and returned with them to Britain. In the first battle Labenius, Caesar's Tribune, was killed. Then the Welshmen took sharp stakes, and using great hammers fixed them in the riverbed of the Thames, at a ford. When the Romans discovered this, they could not cross the ford. Then the Britons fled to their hiding places in the woods, and Caesar, who had gained many of the most important towns of the many battles, returned to France.

A.D. 1. Octavianus reigned fifty-six winters; and in the forty-second year of his reign Christ was born. Then three astrologers from the east came to worship Christ; and the children in Bethlehem were slain by Herod in persecution of Christ.

Augustus ruled for fifty-six years; in the forty-second year of his reign Christ was born. Then three astrologers came from the East to worship Christ, and the children of Bethlehem were killed by Herod in his attempt to kill Christ.

A.D. 3. This year died Herod, stabbed by his own hand; and Archelaus his son succeeded him. The child Christ was also this year brought back again from Egypt.

King Herod died this year, of suicide; he was succeeded by his son Archelaus. This was also the year in which the child Christ returned to Israel from Egypt.

From the beginning of the world to this year were agone five thousand and two hundred winters.

This year marked five thousand two hundred years from the creation of the Earth.

A.D. 11. This year Herod the son of Antipater undertook the government in Judea.

In this year Herod Antipas took over the government of Judaea.

A.D. 12. This year Philip and Herod divided Judea into four kingdoms.

Philip and Herod divided Judaea into four kingdoms.

A.D. 16. This year Tiberius succeeded to the empire.

 Tiberius became Roman emperor.

A.D. 26. This year Pilate began to reign over the Jews.

Pontius Pilate became governor of Judaea.

A.D. 30. This year was Christ baptized; and Peter and Andrew were converted, together with James, and John, and Philip, and all the twelve apostles.

Christ was baptised, and Peter and Andrew, James, John and Philip and all the twelve apostles were converted.

A.D. 33. This year was Christ crucified;  about five thousand two hundred and twenty six winters from the beginning of the world.

Christ was crucified, and this was about five thousand two hundred and twenty six years from the creation of the world.

A.D. 34. This year was St. Paul converted, and St. Stephen stoned.

 St Paul converted to Christianity, and St Stephen was martyred by stoning.

 A.D. 35. This year the blessed Peter the apostle settled an episcopal see in the city of Antioch.

 The blessed apostle Peter became Bishop of Antioch.

 A.D. 37. This year  Pilate slew himself with his own hand.

Pontius Pilate killed himself.

A.D. 39. This year Caius undertook the empire.

Caius became Roman emperor.

A.D. 44. This year the blessed Peter the apostle settled an episcopal see at Rome; and James, the brother of John, was slain by Herod.

The blessed apostle Peter became Bishop of Rome, and James, the brother of John, was executed by Herod.

 A.D. 45. This year died Herod, who slew James one year ere his own death.

 Herod died, who had killed James one year before he died himself.

A.D. 46. This year Claudius, the second of the Roman emperors who invaded Britain, took the greater part of the island into his power, and added the Orkneys to rite dominion of the Romans. This was in the fourth year of his reign. And in the same year  happened the great famine in Syria which Luke mentions in the book called "The Acts of the Apostles". After Claudius Nero succeeded to the empire, who almost lost the island Britain through his incapacity.

Claudius, the second Roman Emperor to invade Britain, took control of the majority of the island, also adding the Orkney Islands into his empire. This was in the fourth year of his rule. In the same year there was the great famine in Syria which Luke mentions in the Acts of the Apostles. After this Claudius Nero became emperor, and through his incompetence he almost lost control of the island.

 A.D. 47. This year Mark, the evangelist in Egypt beginneth to write the gospel.

Mark the Evangelist, settled in Egypt, began to write his gospel.

A.D. 50. This year Paul was sent bound to Rome.

The apostle Paul was sent to Rome as a prisoner.

A.D. 62. This year James, the brother of Christ, suffered.

James, the brother of Christ, was martyred.

A.D. 63. This year Mark the evangelist departed this life.

Mark the Evangelist died.

A.D. 69. This year Peter and Paul suffered.

Peter and Paul were martyred.

A.D. 70. This year Vespasian undertook the empire. 

Vespasian became Roman emperor.

A.D. 71. This year Titus, son of Vespasian, slew in Jerusalem eleven hundred thousand Jews.

Titus, the son of Vespasian, killed eleven hundred thousand Jews in Jerusalem.

A.D. 81. This year Titus came to the empire, after Vespasian, who said that he considered the day lost in which he did no good.

Titus took over as Emperor from Vespasian, who said that if he hadn't done a bad deed in a day he thought the day was wasted.

A.D. 83. This year Domitian, the brother of Titus, assumed the government.

Titus' brother Domitian took over as Emperor.

A.D. 84. This year John the evangelist in the island Patmos wrote the book called "The Apocalypse".

On the island of Patmos John the Evangelist wrote the book of the Bible called The Apocalypse.

A.D. 90. This year Simon, the apostle, a relation of Christ, was crucified: and John the evangelist rested at Ephesus.

The apostle Simon, a relation of Christ, was crucified, and John the Evangelist was living at Ephesus.

A.D. 92. This year died Pope Clement.

Pope Clement died.
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