Page:The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Giles).djvu/167

Hereward and his train, would pillage the monastery, because they had heard that the king had given the abbacy to a French abbat named Turold, and that he was a very stern man, and that he was come into Stamford with all his French followers. There was, at that time, a church-warden named Ywar; who took all that he could by night, gospels, mass-robes, cassocks, and other garments, and such other small things as he could carry away, and he came before day to the abbat Turold, and told him that he sought his protection, and told how the outlaws were coming to Peterborough, and he said that he had done this at the desire of the monks. Then early in the morning all the outlaws came with many ships, and they endeavoured to enter the monastery, but the monks withstood them, so that they were not able to get in. Then they set fire to it, and burned all the monks' houses, and all those in the town, save one: and they broke in through the fire at Bolhithe-gate,^[1] and the monks came before them and desired peace. However they gave no heed to them, but went into the monastery, and climbed up to the holy crucifix, took the crown from our Lord's head, which was all of the purest gold, and the footstool of red gold from under his feet. And they climbed up to the steeple, and brought down the table^[2] which was hidden there; it was all of gold and silver. They also seized two gilt shrines, and nine of silver, and they carried off fifteen great crosses of gold and silver. And they took so much gold and silver, and so much treasure in money, robes, and books, that no man can compute the amount; saying they did this because of their allegiance to the monastery: and afterwards they betook themselves to their ships and went to Ely, where they secured their treasures. The Danes believed that they should overcome the Frenchmen, and they drove away all the monks, leaving only one named Leofwin the Long, and he lay sick in the hospital. Then came the abbat Turold, and eight score Frenchmen with him, all well armed; and when he arrived he found all burnt both within and without, excepting the church itself; and all the outlaws were then embarked, knowing that he would come thither. This happened on the fourth day before

1. Bulldyke Gate.
2. Ingram so translates the word, referring to a Gallo-Norman poem published by Sharpe. Gibson, Lye, and Miss Gurney read "cope."