A.D. 1115. ΗΈΝΕΓ EETTONS TO ENGLAND. 205 sea. In this year, the river which hears the name of Medway, for a distance of some miles, receded so far from its bed, on the sixth day before the ides of October, that in the very middle of it not even the smallest vessel could make the slightest way. On the same day, the river Thames was also sensible of a similar decrease ; for between the bridge and the royal tower,52 and even under the bridge, so greatly was the water of the river diminished, that an innumerable multitude of men and boys forded it on foot, the water scarcely reaching to their knees. This ebb of the tide continued from the middle of the preceding night until dark on the following night. We have heard also on good authority that on the same day a similar low tide happened at Girvemuthe53 and other places throughout England. In the year 1115, there was a most severe winter, so much so, that nearly all the bridges throughout England were broken by the ice. The emperor Henry, after besieging the city of Cologne and losing many of his men in a pitched battle, made peace, which he ratified by oath at the city of Neuss.54 On the fifth day before the calends of July, being the Lord's day, Ealph, archbishop of Canterbury, received the pall from Anselm,55 the legate of the holy Roman Church, at Canterbury, and on the same day was consecrated with great honor ; at which place, also, were assembled the bishops of the whole of England. Teulph, bishop of Worcester, departed this life, and was succeeded by Wilfrid, bishop of Saint David's, in Wales ; up to this time, the bishops of that see had been Welchmcn, but he was succeeded by Barnard, the queen's chancellor. On the octave of the Apostles Saint Peter and Paul, a great council, was held at Chalons, by Conon, a cardinal of the •Roman church, at which he excommunicated those bishops who were not present at the council, and degraded some ; some abbats also he deprived of their staffs and removed from their offices, forbidding them the performance of ecclesiastical duties. In the month of July, Henry, king of the English, returned to England. Turgot, formerly prior of the church of Durham, 52 The Tower of London. 53 He probably means the vicinity of Jarrow ; in allusion to the large inlet of shoaly water, now called Jarrow Slake. 54 A town or city of Germany, not far from Cologne. 55 He was nephew to archbishop Anselm, then lately deceased.