d from the Bishops of Argyle and Glasgow to aid
the restoration of the building, the work was begun. Besides, the abbey
was from 1388 to 1408 under the ban of excommunication, and this must
have powerfully added to the delay in the building operations. Part of
this work was carried out under Abbot Lithgow (1384-1433), who was
buried by his own desire in the north porch, where his memory is still
preserved. The chief part of the rebuilding of the abbey church was
carried out under Abbot Thomas de Tervas (1445-1459). The _Chronicle of
Auchinleck_ says of this abbot:--

"The quhilk wes ane richt gud man, and helplyk to the place of ony
that ever wes, for he did mony notabil thingis, and held ane nobil
hous, and wes ay wele purvait. He fand the place al out of gud
reule, and destitute of leving, and al the kirkis in lordis handis,
and the kirk unbiggit. The bodie of the kirk fra the bucht stair up
he biggit, and put on the ruf, and theekit it with sclats and riggit
it with stane, and biggit ane great porcioun of the steple, and ane
staitlie yet-hous: and brocht hame mony gude jowellis, and clathis
of gold, silver, and silk, and mony gud bukis, and made statelie
stallis, and glassynnit mekle of al the kirk, and brocht hame the
staitliest tabernakle that wes in al Skotland, and the maist
costlie: and schortlie he brocht al the place to fredome and fra
nocht till ane michty place, and left it out of al kind of det, and
al fredome, till dispone as them lykit, and left ane of the best
myteris that wes in Skotland, and chandillaris of silver, and ane
lettren of brass, with mony uther gud jowellis."[376]

Abbot Thomas is said to have obtained the privilege of having a tavern
and selling wine within the gates of the monastery, and is believed to
have raised money thereby for the reconstruction of his church.[377] The
quaint language of the ancient _Chronicle of Auchinleck_, translated
into ordinary English, means that besides journeying to Rome and
procuring the articles mentioned, he carried up the triforium and
clerestory, finished the roof, erected a great part of the steeple, and
built a stately gate-house.

At the death of Abbot Tervas, Pope Pius II. decreed that the disposition
of the office and of the whole revenues of the monastery should fall to
the Pope, and he appointed Henry Crichton, a monk of Dunfermline, to be
commendator of the abbey, and assigned a p