Hereward
struck so valiant a last blow for England that he won the admiration of
his great opponent; but William was not the man to rest content with
aught short of victory, and every successful act of defence on the part
of the English was met by a new movement of assault. Despite all
Hereward's efforts, the causeway slowly but surely moved forward across
the fens.
But Hereward's chief danger lay behind rather than before; in the island
rather than on the mainland. His accessions of nobles and commons had
placed a strong body of men under his command, with whom he might have
been able to meet William's approaches by ship and causeway, had not
treason laid intrenched in the island itself. With war in his front and
treachery in his rear the gallant Wake had a double danger to contend
with.
This brings us to a picturesque scene, deftly painted by the old
chroniclers. Ely had its abbey, a counterpart of that of Peterborough.
Thurston, the abbot, was English-born, as were the monks under his
pastoral charge; and long the cowled inmates of the abbey and the armed
patriots of the Camp of Refuge dwelt in sweet accord. In the refectory
of the abbey monks and warriors sat side by side at table, their
converse at meals being doubtless divided between affairs spiritual and
affairs temporal, while from walls and roof hung the arms of the
warriors, harmoniously mingled with the emblems of the church.
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