Albans men who were prisoners of
war in France, bidding them tell the Abbot that they owed their release
to him. The Abbot was strict in correcting faults, curbing excesses,
cutting away abuses, and putting things right; he was revered by all,
feared by many. He was appointed by the King as visitor to numerous
monasteries, and in 1351 was President of a general chapter of
Benedictines. Moreover his knowledge of painting was such that Edward
III. appointed him master of the painters assigned for the works to be
executed at the chapel of the Palace of Westminster, and the ornamental
painting and glazing of St. Stephen's Chapel was carried on for several
years under his supervision. After having been Abbot for some years he
wished to resign, but Edward III. would not hear of it. In the time of
Richard II. an attack was made by the followers of Wat Tyler on the
Abbey. They succeeded in extorting certain charters from the Abbot, but
after the collapse of the rebellion the King himself came to the Abbey
and stayed there for eight days, summoning all the commons of the county
to make oath to do suit and service to the Abbot and the convent in the
customary manner.
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