But enough has been said to show that the cathedral was in a most ruinous state, and so it remained until a twelvemonth after the Restoration. From a manuscript in the Ashmolean Collection at Oxford, it appears that Elias Ashmole had an interview with the king in June 1660 as to the condition of the cathedral. The memorandum reads: "16 June 1660. This morning Mr Rawlins of Lichfield tould me that the Clearke Viccars of the Cathedrall Church had entered the Chapter-house and there said service; and this when the Vestry was the only place in the Church yt had a roof to shelter them. This very afternoon, I, having an opportunity to waite on the Kg, and being in his Closet, tould him that the aforesaid remaining number of poore Clearks Vicarrs had assembled in the aforesaid place, and there kept their Canonicall houres and prayd for his Maty, which he was pleased to heare. Upon further discourse, I acquainted him with the desolacion of the place, which he much lamented, and said he had been informed that Winchestre Cathedrall had exceedingly suffred in these late tymes, and that they had turnd it into Brewhouses, Malt-houses, etc." And again, on "July 18, 1660, Mr Dugdale moved Dr Sheldon to become an instrument for the repair of Lichfield Cathedral; and proposed that the prebends, etc., that were admitted should part with one-half of their profits towards the repair of the fabrick, which would be no great burden to them; and by this example the gentry would be invited to join with them in some considerable contribution. _N.B._--I find this method succeeded accordingly." The see was vacant for nearly a year after the Restoration, as Bishop Frewen, who had been appointed to the see by Charles I., was almost at once made Archbishop of York. At last, in December 1661, John Hacket, Doctor of Divinity of Trinity College, Cambridge, was appointed, and he at once set himself to the repair of the dilapidated cathedral; on the very morning of his arrival at Lichfield he is said to have set his carriage-horses and servants to the work of clearing out the rubbish, and with his own hands to have set them an example at the start. The work to be done must have appeared to be almost impossible of completion, for the central spire was still lying in ruins over the chapter-house and choir, the roof was broken in, and the pavements completely destroyed: everything was ruinous, for the Parliamentary folk had during the Common-wealth seized all materials which seemed to be of use for the repair of the dwelling-houses in the close and neighbourhood. However, the work progressed; the bishop was so energetic that he was able to collect in the surrounding country about £8000, and so generous that he subscribed himself a sum of £1683, 12s.: and in eight years he succeeded in restoring the beauty of the cathedral.