sleeping sacrist. The plunder they carried off was valuable, but it was
recovered when the thieves were overtaken. The King, though he may have
punished the robbers, retained the goods so that they were never
restored to the abbey.

That Ernulf (1107-1114) should not have done anything towards improving
the church is a fact that speaks as plainly as possible of its being
already in good condition. Had there been anything like the desolation
that some accounts pretend, Ernulf would have spared no exertions in his
endeavours to put things right. He came from Canterbury, where he was
Prior, and where he had already distinguished himself as a zealous
builder; but all that is recorded as due to him at Burgh is the
completion of some unfinished buildings, the dormitory, the refectory,
and the chapter-house. We may feel confident therefore that the Saxon
Church built by Ethelwold remained substantially as first erected until
the time of Ernulf's successor; and that the remains to be seen to this
day were in their present position when Edgar and Dunstan visited the
place.

These newly erected buildings were all that escaped a terrible
conflagration that occurred in the time of John of Sais (1114-1125).
Hugo Candidus, the chronicler, was an eye-witness of this fire, and has
left us an account of it. On the second day of the nones of August,
being the vigil of Saint Oswald, King and Martyr (4th Aug. 1116),
through neglect, the whole monastery was burnt down, except the
chapter-house, dormitory, refectory, and a few outside offices. The
refectory had only been in use for three days, having been apparently
opened (as we should say in these days) by an entertainment given to the
poor. The whole town shared the fate of the monastery. The Abbot was a
very passionate man, and being in a great rage, when he was disturbed at