vassal kings.

[Illustration: Remains of Saxon Church]

The King came to visit the monastery thus rebuilt under his direction.
The Archbishops, Dunstan and Oswald, with a large company of the
nobility and clergy attended at the same time. The King is said to have
inspected some old deeds which had been saved from the general
destruction a century before, and to have wept for joy at reading the
privileges belonging to the place. He therefore granted a new charter,
confirming all the old privileges and possessions. Since in this charter
no allusion is made to the triple dedication of the church, but S. Peter
alone seems named as the Patron Saint, it is not unreasonable to
conclude that the first church of Burgh monastery was dedicated to S.
Peter only, and that the dedication of the original minster to SS.
Peter, Paul, and Andrew, was not repeated. Edgar says that he renews the
ancient privileges "_pro gratia Sancti Petri_"; and that certain
immunities shall continue as long as the Abbot and the inmates of the
house remain in the peace of God, and the Patron Saint continues his
protection, "_ipso Abbate cum subjecta Christi familia in pace Dei, et
superni Janitoris Petro patrocinio illud (sc. coenobium) regente._" This
charter is noteworthy for the title the King gives himself, "_Ego Edgar
totius Albionis Basileus._"

For some time this establishment continued to flourish. But the
troublous times that followed the Norman conquest did not leave Burgh
undamaged. It plays a considerable part in the story of Hereward, the
Saxon patriot. Situated on the direct line between Bourne, his paternal
inheritance, and the Camp of Refuge near Ely, it was exposed to the
attacks of both the contending parties. Brando (1066-1069) had made
Hereward, who was his nephew, a knight; and the patriot might be
credited with a regard for the holy place where he had been girt at a
solemn service with the sword and belt of knighthood; but upon Brando's
death the abbacy had been granted to a Norman, doubtless with the
intention of making the place available as a military centre. Hereward
joined the Danes, who had again begun to infest the district, in an
attack upon the abbey. The accounts vary as to the time at which this
attack was made. One says that it was before Turold, the Norman Abbot,
had entered upon possession: another says that Turold had in person
joined Ivo Taillebois in an attempt to surprise Hereward and his men in
the woods near B