After fifteen years of such a life, in fever, ague, and starvation,
no wonder if St. Guthlac died. They buried him in a leaden coffin
(a grand and expensive luxury in the seventh century) which had been
sent to him during his life by a Saxon princess; and then, over his
sacred and wonder-working corpse, as over that of a Buddhist saint,
there arose a chapel, with a community of monks, companies of
pilgrims who came to worship, sick who came to be healed; till at
last, founded on great piles driven into the bog, arose the lofty
wooden Abbey of Crowland; in "sanctuary of the four rivers," with
its dykes, parks, vineyards, orchards, rich ploughlands, from which,
in time of famine, the monks of Crowland fed all people of the
neighbouring fens; with its tower with seven bells, which had not
their like in England; its twelve altars rich with the gifts of
Danish vikings and princes, and even with twelve white bear-skins,
the gift of Canute's self; while all around were the cottages of the
corrodiers, or folk who, for a corrody, or life pittance from the
abbey, had given away their lands, to the wrong and detriment of
their heirs.

But within those four rivers, at least, were neither tyranny nor
slavery. Those who took refuge in St Guthlac's place from cruel
lords must keep his peace toward each other, and earn their living
like honest men, safe while they so did: for between those four
rivers St. Guthlac and his abbot were the only lords; and neither
summoner, nor sheriff of the king, nor armed force of knight or
earl, could enter--"the inheritance of the Lord, the soil of St.
Mary and St. Bartholomew, the most holy sanctuary of St. Guthlac and
his monks; the minister free from worldly servitude; the special
almshouse of most illustrious kings; the sole refuge of any one in