Meeting, the following extracts will give some idea of the nature and value of the work. The earliest are from Edmer the singer, whose work is now in part first published from a manuscript in the library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
"A.D. 602.—When Augustine (the first archbishop of Canterbury) assumed the episcopal throne in that royal city, he recovered therein, by the king's assistance, a church which, as he was told, had been constructed by the original labour of Roman believers. This church he consecrated in the name of the Saviour, our God and Lord Jesus Christ; and there he established an habitation for himself, and for all his successors." p. 7. from Bede.
"A.D. 940 to 960.—In the days of Archbishop Odo (the twenty-second) the roof of Christ Church had become rotten from excessive age, and rested throughout upon half-shattered pieces: wherefore he set about to reconstruct it, and being also desirous of giving to the walls a more aspiring altitude, he directed his assembled workmen to remove altogether the disjointed structure above, and commanded them to supply the deficient height of the walls by raising them." p. 3. from Edmer.
"A.D. 1011.—In the primacy of Archbishop Elphege (the twenty-eighth) the sack of Canterbury by the Danes took place. During the massacre of the inhabitants, the monks barricaded themselves in the church. The archbishop at length rushed out, and appealed in vain to the conquerors, in favour of the people: he was immediately seized, and dragged back to the churchyard. 'Here these children of Satan piled barrels one upon another, and set them on fire, designing thus to burn the roof. Already the heat of the flames began to melt the lead, which ran down inside, when the monks came forth,' and submitted to their fate: four only of their number escaped slaughter. 'And now that the people were slain, the city burnt, and the church profaned, searched and despoiled,' the archbishop was led away bound, and, after enduring imprisonment and torture for seven months, was finally slain." p. 7. from Osbern.
"It must be remarked, however, that the church itself at the time of the suffering of the blessed martyr Elphege, was neither consumed by the fire, nor were its walls or its roof destroyed. "We know indeed that it was profaned and despoiled of many of its ornaments, and that the furious band attacked it, and applied fire from without to drive out the pontiff" who was defending himself inside. But when they had laid hands upon him on his coming forth, they abandoned their fire, and other evil deeds which were addressed to his capture, and after slaying his monks before his eyes, they carried him away."
"A.D. 1067.—After these things, and while misfortunes fell thick upon all parts of England, it happened that the city of Canterbury was set on fire by the carelessness of some individuals, and that the rising flames caught the mother church thereof. How can I tell it?—the whole was consumed, and nearly all the monastic offices that appertained to it, as well as the church of the blessed John the Baptist, where the remains of the archbishops were buried." p. 9. from Edmer.
