A.D. 1083. CHABTER OF AECHBISHOP THOMAS. 165 among the bishoprics and abbacies, and there kept in confinement. After the king's death, the same abbat repurchased the abbey from his son, king "William, for a sum of five hundred pounds of silver, and wandering about for some years among the possessions of that church, at a distance from the monastery itself, just as was befitting a homicide, died in misery. The monks assembled69 at Durham, by command of king "William the Younger, on the seventh day before the calends of June, being the sixth day of the week. On the fourth day before the nones of November, being the fifth day of the week, queen Matilda departed this life in Normandy, and was buried at Caen. " Thomas,70 by the grace of God archbishop of York, to the. bishops and abbats, both those who now hold the said offices in England also as those who shall succeed them hereafter, and to all the archbishops, his successors for ever in the see of York, greeting : Inasmuch as it is our office to perform the duties of religion to all, so in especial are we bound to pay pious respect to those Saints of God, from whose bounty it is manifest that we have received especial benefits. Therefore, we having been chastened with the scourge of God, and having been parched in an incredible manner during a period of two years with weakness from the attacks of fever ; and whereas all the physicians declared that it was evident that death alone would be the termination of our sufferings, and that there were no means by which they might counteract the evil effects of this prolonged weakness. Wherefore, being warned in a vision, groaning and weeping I passed a night at the tomb of Saint Cuthbert, where, being wearied out with disease and fatigue, I was overcome with sleep ; upon whieh Saint Cuthbert appeared to me in a vision, and touching each of my limbs with his hands, rendered me, when I awoke, whole from all infirmity ; and whereas, at the same time, he commanded me to be duteous to him in all respects, and requested that all things whatsoever in my diocese he or his should possess, should be free and discharged from all burdens whatso- 65 This seems to allude to the monks of Glastonbury, who had been driven from the abbey by William the First, and placed in confinement ; otherwise, the event is not inserted in its proper place. 70 There is probably an omission here, nothing being stated by way of introduction to this letter.