tially drained by the monks, the
"Isle of Croyland."

In many parts half bog, it was quite impracticable for heavy-armed
soldiers, and hence it offered a refuge to bands of patriots from
all the neighbouring districts when worsted by the Normans.

Hither came the true Englishman Stigand, sometime Archbishop of
Canterbury, and after the conquest of the north, Egelwin, Bishop of
Durham, who found both substantial entertainment at the board of
Abbot Thurstan, abbot of the great monastery of Ely, and one of the
stoutest patriots of the day.

At this time Hereward was living in Flanders; but hearing that his
father was dead, that a Norman had seized his inheritance, and was
grievously maltreating his aged mother, he returned home secretly,
and, assembling a band of relations and retainers, expelled the
intruder from his house after a sharp but brief conflict.

But he could not hope to rest after such an exploit; therefore he
waged open war with the Normans around, and by his extraordinary
bravery and good fortune soon attracted such universal attention
that the patriots in the Camp of Refuge besought him to come and be
their leader.

Here, for nearly three years, he defied all the efforts of William.
His uncle Brand, Abbot of Peterborough, conferred on him the order
of knighthood, for which act William designed adequate punishment.
The abbot would doubtless have been expelled, but death anticipated
the Conqueror of England. To punish the monks, the King appointed
the fighting abbot, Turauld, as the successor of Brand, and in
order to conciliate this ruffian-for such he was-the monks of
Peterborough prepared their best cheer. But Hereward and his merry
men anticipated Turauld's arrival by an hour or two, ate up the
dinner prepared for the Normans, and spoiled what the did not eat;
carried away, for safe keeping at Ely, all the treasures of the
abbey, and left an empty house for the intruder.

Shortly afterwards, that worthy, together with Ivo Taille-Bois,
concerted a plan for attacking the English. Hereward entrapped them
both, and kept them in captivity, much to the joy of the monks of
Peterborough, and the vassals of Ivo, as we have elsewhere noted.

All the valour and nobility of Old England yet surviving, gathered
around the great chieftain; thither came Edwin and Morcar, the
brothers-in-law of King Harold; and many an earl and knight,
fearless as the warriors of the Round Table, fought beneath the
banner of Her