A þēodscyld (Læden: chronica, of Grecas: χρονικά chroniká, of χρόνος, chrónos – "tima") is æn hihþryðing of ǣfenes þe āsamlīce bið on þrim timan, swā swā þe fæðm. Swīþe, æghwæt weorð is ǣgþeod for hihþfæst ǣfenes and ekki ǣfenes, se weard is þæt awriten of ġēonðe ǣfenes þe onfēngen is, geseon of ðære þingeryne. Æn þēodscyld þe þeorhige wīde middangeard is āne uniworlde þēodscyld. Þis is on ōrweardness to æn gemynd oþþe stǣd, in þǣm ān cræft ƿēoð ǣfenes to ǽtlean and ānforan and ǣrðyde þā ðing ðe se cræft not eardig is.
Þa witnesse swiðe for þeawrum on chronicle wæron mislice. Sume beoð awritene of þæs chronicle's andgiete, oðre fro witnesse oððe þa þe on cyððe wæron, ðeoda cynn færðe forð þurh cweðan. Sume brucað awriten ðing, swelce lyfdon, bóca, and ealdum chronicle. Oðre beoð secgas of uncuðum cyðan þe hæfdon mægen. Cwipend sædon swiðe chronicle in cræftigum awriten, to hælan oððe upaðwearcne, bæc cyðð on þa dæd þæt ne wæs æt þæs fruman chronicler. Onscawa þæt treowdom ðæs cyninge chronicle is wæs fæger to historiæn.