ar to weep over the grave in which he had laid
his brethren.

From this time until the reign of Alfred the Great [872] the monastery
of _Medeshamstede_ was frequently invaded, and the lands which
belonged to it were seized by the conquerors. It was left for the
wisdom and courage of Alfred to restore that tranquility to England
which it had so long lost, and to give protection and security to his
subjects. The Danes who had committed so many depredations before his
accession to the throne were now beaten back and finally checked by the
powerful fleet which he built to protect the kingdom from invasion.
King Edgar, who succeeded Alfred, followed his example in this respect,
and kept up the strength of the fleet. By this means increased security
was given to England, and the people, comparatively happy in their
internal government, and freed from the fear of foreign interruption,
began to improve their public buildings and religious houses.

It was in 966 that the monastery of _Medeshamstede_ was rebuilt after
the old model, at the instigation of Athelwold, who was at that time
Bishop of Winchester. King Edgar assisted in the re-construction of the
monastery; and so important did he consider religion to be in the
amelioration of the morals of his subjects, that he is said to have
rebuilt upwards of forty religious establishments during his reign.

[Illustration: Ancient Monumental Stone in the Cathedral.]

After the abbey of _Medeshamstede_ was finished in 972, he ratified all
the former charters which it possessed, and gave it the name of Burgh.

The first abbot of the monastery, after its destruction, was called
Adulphus, formerly the king's chancellor; but having accidentally been
the cause of the death of his only son, he could no longer live happily
in the world, and he therefore endowed the abbey with all his wealth,
and was elected its first abbot.

The monastery of _Burgh_ was now in a more prosperous and wealthy
condition than ever; all the neighbouring country was subject to it,
and its possessions were so immense that its name was changed to
_Gildenburg_. Adulphus, wishing to increase the value of the estates of
the monastery and to encourage agriculture, had all the surrounding
forests cut down and the lands cultivated. He was afterwards made
Archbishop of York, [992,] and the eloquent Kenulfus succeeded him in
the reign of Ethelred. Kenulfus built a high wall round the monastery,
part of which is still