GKOXDEX ABBEY. 113 



"busied with the erection of very many buildings," wrote 

 out with his own hand the beautiful volumes containing 

 the greater part of the Bible. He died, or as the old 

 chronicler expresses it, "he rested in the Lord," on the 

 4th of December, 1229, and was buried in the chapter 

 house. The buildings upon which he was engaged seem 

 to nave formed the foundations of the church and of some 

 parts of the domestic buildings, but his interment in the 

 chapter house, and that of Nicholas de Verdun before the 

 high altar, seem to indicate that the plan, at least, of the 

 buildings was arranged and carried out. 



In 1230 Walter de Chacumb was elected abbot. He 

 ruled but a short time, and was buried in the chapter 

 house on the south side of his predecessor. 



In 1234 William de Esseburn was elected abbot on the 

 octave of John the Baptist, but he died in the autumn of 

 1237, on his return from Citreaux, and was buried "in 

 foreign parts," and to him succeeded John de Tillon, but 

 he "laid down his office in 1242." 



In this year Walter London, prior of Stratford (in Essex,) 

 was elected abbot, and on the Sunday before Ascension 

 undertook the government of the house, at whose entrance 

 upon office the monks believed that the Lord had bestowed 

 a special blessing upon their place. He wonderfully aug- 

 mented the convent, and made the buildings very beautiful 

 in the gates of the monastery, the half of the church and 

 chapter house, and of the refectory. He built the kitchen, 

 the dormitory, the chamber of the sick, with its cloister, 

 and the sheepcote, and he erected many other buildings 

 with great skill, and furnished them in a laudable manner. 

 Lastly, towards the close of his life he erected a stone 

 i 



