The edifice was probably well advanced in the course of the thirteenth century, when in 1270, as we are informed by Fordun, the cathedral and the houses of the canons were destroyed by fire. Mr. Billings is of opinion that the most of the structure now remaining was erected after that date. It will, however, be seen that this can scarcely have been the case. In 1390 the building suffered from another great conflagration, caused by Alexander Stewart, son of Robert II., who bore the title of Earl of Buchan, but was better known as the “Wolf of Badenoch.” Having interfered with some of the cathedral lands, and refusing reparation, he was excommunicated by the bishop, and by way of revenge the “Wolf” descended in force from his mountain fastness and plundered Forres and Elgin, reducing the latter town and cathedral to ruins. It is evident, however, from the style of much of the work which still remains that this catastrophe, terrible as it was, caused only a partial destruction of the cathedral, and it is likely that the previous fire (in 1270), above referred to, was not of so serious a character as this one, the memory of which long lingered in the province as the most terrible disaster ever experienced there. The aged Bishop Bur appealed for redress to the king, and the “Wolf of Badenoch” was not only forced to do penance, but also to contribute largely towards the expense of the restoration of the damage he had caused.[48] The work of reconstruction proceeded under Bishops Spynie and Innes and other Bishops, and probably lasted during the most of the fifteenth century. At the election of a new bishop in 1414, after the death of Bishop Innes, the canons agreed and made oath that the new bishop about to be elected should bestow one-third of the revenues of the bishopric on the rebuilding of the church until its complete restoration was accomplished. Several parts of the work, such as portions of the west front and the interior of the chapter house, indicate by their architecture that they belong to the fifteenth century. Early in the sixteenth century the central tower showed signs of weakness, and had to be rebuilt in 1538. Some years before the Reformation the period of decline began. In 1535 Patrick Hepburn, son of the first Earl of Bothwell, was made bishop. Like many of the other Church dignitaries of that period he caused great dilapidation of the ecclesiastical possessions, and almost all the charters of alienation of the cathedral lands were granted by him.[49] In 1568 the exigencies of the Regent Moray compelled the Privy Council to order the removal of the lead from the roofs of the cathedrals of Aberdeen and Elgin that money might be provided for the soldiers, but the ship which was conveying the lead to Holland for sale sank, and the whole was lost. The roofs were thus left unprotected, and in a great storm which occurred in 1637 the rafters were blown down.