s before King Alfred had sought just such a
shelter against the Danes, and had troubled his enemies as Hereward now
began to trouble his.

The exiles of the Camp of Refuge found new blood in their organization
when Hereward became their leader. Their feeble forays were quickly
replaced by bold and daring ones. Issuing like hornets from their nests,
Hereward and his valiant followers sharply stung the Norman invaders,
hesitating not to attack them wherever found, cutting off armed bands,
wresting from them the spoils of which they had robbed the Saxons, and
flying back to their reedy shelter before their foes could gather in
force.

Of the exploits of this band of active warriors but one is told in full,
and that one is worth repeating. The Abbey of Peterborough, not far
removed from Ely, had submitted to Norman rule and gained a Norman
abbot, Turold by name. This angered the English at Ely, and they made a
descent upon the settlement. No great harm was intended. Food and some
minor spoil would have satisfied the raiders. But the frightened monks,
instead of throwing themselves on the clemency of their
fellow-countrymen, sent word in haste to Turold. This incensed the
raiding band, composed in part of English, in part of Danes who had
little regard for church privileges. Provoked to fury, they set fire to
the monks' house and the town, and only one house escaped the flames.
Then they assailed the monastery, the monks flying for their lives. The
whole band of outlaws burst like wolves into the minster, which they
rapidly cleared of its treasures. Here some climbed to the great rood,
and carried off its golden ornaments. There others made their way to
the steeple, where had been hidden the gold and silver pastoral staff.
Shrines, roods, books, vestments, money, treasures of all sorts
vanished, and when Abbot Turold appeared with a party of armed Normans,
he found but the bare walls of the church and the ashes of the town,
with only a sick monk to represent the lately prosperous monastery.
Whether or not Hereward took part in this affair, history does not say.

King William had hitherto disregarded this patriot refuge, and the bold
deeds of the valiant Hereward. All England besides had submitted to his
authority, and he was too busy in the work of making a feudal kingdom of
free England to trouble himself about one small centre of insurrection.
But an event occurred that caused him to look upon Hereward with more
hostile