Page "Ælfric of Eynsham" Paragraph 11

Ælfric was a conscientious monk who left careful instructions to future scribes to copy his works carefully because he did not want his works ' scholarly, salvation-bringing words marred by the introduction of unorthodox passages and scribal errors.

Through the centuries, however, Ælfric ’ s sermons were threatened by the terrorism of Viking axes and the dangerous banality of human neglect when — some seven hundred years after their composition — they nearly perished in London's Cotton Fire that scorched or destroyed close to 1, 000 invaluable ancient works.