Ælfric the eleventh abbot

The successor was Ælfric, brother, of the same mother, of the aforementioned Abbot Leofric. Besides being of the same noble birth as his brother and predecessor, Ælfric's own qualities of body and mind shone out clearly and he had been well schooled in the sacred writings. When he was entering upon his pastoral office, Leofstan, whom I mentioned in the last chapter, said to him:

Ælfric listened to Leofstan's advice and daily he advanced from the good to the better, and with the help of his brother the archbishop he put down many rebels. For both in his life and in his preaching he was a faultless teacher and pastor, eloquent in speech and far-seeing in counsel. He was a generous host, a man of religion for the monks, severe on the rebellious, careful for the welfare of the poor, and with a compassionate heart for the afflicted.

The story and commemoration of Saint Alban by the aforesaid abbot is set to music and instituted

Following the instructions of St Alban in a vision, Alfric wrote the story of the saint that is sung nowadays and set it to music. On the authority of his brother, the archbishop, he had it copied for many places in England and a day set aside for the honour of the same martyr, decreeing that on Thursdays, unless there was already some special mass, his mass about St Alban with its musical accompaniment should be solemnly celebrated at the proper times.

And when he was still in the world and the chancellor of King Athelred, Alfric had bought from the king the royal fortress of Kingsbury together with the fishponds and woods belonging to it: some of the lands were to be held in tenancy, some to be legally owned by him for ever. And later, when he became a monk, he confirmed the king's acceptance of his purchase.