XI. How a light from Heaven stood all night over his relics,
and how those possessed with devils were healed by them. [679-697 A.D.]
CHAP. X. How the dust of that place prevailed against fire. [After 642 A.D.]
ABOUT the same time, another traveller, a Briton, as is reported, happened to
pass by the same place, where the aforesaid battle was fought. Observing one
particular spot of ground greener and more beautiful than any other part of the
field, he had the wisdom to infer that the cause of the unusual greenness in
that place must be that some person of greater holiness than any other in the
army had been killed there. Ide therefore took along with him some of the dust
of that piece of ground, tying it up in a linen cloth, supposing, as was indeed
the case, that it would be of use for curing sick people, and proceeding on his
journey, came in the evening to a certain village, and entered a house where the
villagers were feasting at supper. Being received by the owners of the house, he
sat down with them at the entertainment, hanging the cloth, with the dust which
he had carried in it, on a post in the wall. They sat long at supper and drank
deep. Now there was a great fire in the middle of the room, and it happened that
the sparks flew up and caught the roof of the house, which being made of wattles
and thatch, was suddenly wrapped in flames; the guests ran out in panic and
confusion, but they were not able to save the burning house, which was rapidly
being destroyed. Wherefore the house was burnt down, and only that post on which
the dust hung in the linen cloth remained safe and untouched by the fire. When
they beheld this miracle, they were all amazed, and inquiring into it
diligently, learned that the dust had been taken from the place where the blood
of King Oswald had been shed. These wonderful works being made known and
reported abroad, many began daily to resort to that place, and received the
blessing of health for themselves and their friends.
CHAP. XI. How a light from Heaven stood all night over his relics, and how those
possessed with devils were healed by them. [679-697 A.D.]
AMONG the rest, I think we ought not to pass over in silence the miracles and
signs from Heaven that were shown when King Oswald’s bones were found, and
translated into the church where they are now preserved. This was done by the
zealous care of Osthryth, queen of the Mercians,the daughter of his brother
Oswy, who reigned after him, as shall be said hereafter.
There is a famous monastery in the province of Lindsey, called Beardaneu, which
that queen and her husband Ethelred greatly loved and venerated, conferring upon
it many honours. It was here that she was desirous to lay the revered bones of
her uncle. When the wagon in which those bones were carried arrived towards
evening at the aforesaid monastery, they that were in it were unwilling to admit
them, because, though they knew him to be a holy man, yet, as he was a native of
another province, and had obtained the sovereignty over them, they retained
their ancient aversion to him even after his death. Thus it came to pass that
the relics were left in the open air all that night, with only a large tent
spread over the wagon which contained them. But it was revealed by a sign from
Heaven with how much reverence they ought to be received by all the faithful;
for all that night, a pillar of light, reaching from the wagon up to heaven, was
visible in almost every part of the province of Lindsey. Hereupon, in the
morning, the brethren of that monastery who had refused it the day before, began
themselves earnestly to pray that those holy relics, beloved of God, might be
laid among them. Accordingly, the bones, being washed, were put into a shrine
which they had made for that purpose, and placed in the church, with due honour;
and that there might be a perpetual memorial of the royal character of this holy
man, they hung up over the monument his banner of gold and purple. Then they
poured out the water in which they had washed the bones, in a corner of the
cemetery. From that time, the very earth which received that holy water, had the
power of saving grace in casting out devils from the bodies of persons
possessed.
Lastly, when the aforesaid queen afterwards abode some time in that monastery,
there came to visit her a certain venerable abbess, who is still living, called
Ethelhild, the sister of the holy men, Ethelwinand Aldwin, the first of whom was
bishop in the province of Lindsey, the other abbot of the monastery of
Peartaneu; not far from which was the monastery of Ethelhild. When this lady was
come, in a conversation between her and the queen, the discourse, among other
things, turning upon Oswald, she said, that she also had that night seen the
light over his relics reaching up to heaven. The queen thereupon added, that the
very dust of the pavement on which the water that washed the bones had been
poured out, had already healed many sick persons. The abbess thereupon desired
that some of that health-bringing dust might be given her, and, receiving it,
she tied it up in a cloth, and, putting it into a casket, returned home. Some
time after, when she was in her monastery, there came to it a guest, who was
wont often in the night to be on a sudden grievously tormented with an unclean
spirit; he being hospitably entertained, when he had gone to bed after supper,
was suddenly seized by the Devil, and began to cry out, to gnash his teeth, to
foam at the mouth, and to writhe and distort his limbs. None being able to hold
or bind him, the servant ran, and knocking at the door, told the abbess. She,
opening the monastery door, went out herself with one of the nuns to the men’s
apartment, and calling a priest, desired that he would go with her to the
sufferer. Being come thither, and seeing many present, who had not been able, by
their efforts, to hold the tormented person and restrain his convulsive
movements, the priest used exorcisms, and did all that he could to assuage the
madness of the unfortunate man, but, though he took much pains, he could not
prevail. When no hope appeared of easing him in his ravings, the abbess
bethought herself of the dust, and immediately bade her handmaiden go and fetch
her the casket in which it was. As soon as she came with it, as she had been
bidden, and was entering the hall of the house, in the inner part whereof the
possessed person was writhing in torment, he suddenly became silent, and laid
down his head, as if he had been falling asleep, stretching out all his limbs to
rest. "Silence fell upon all and intent they gazed," anxiously waiting to see
the end of the matter. And after about the space of an hour the man that had
been tormented sat up, and fetching a deep sigh, said, "Now I am whole, for I am
restored to my senses." They earnestly inquired how that came to pass, and he
answered, "As soon as that maiden drew near the hall of this house, with the
casket she brought, all the evil spirits that vexed me departed and left me, and
were no more to be seen." Then the abbess gave him a little of that dust, and
the priest having prayed, he passed that night in great peace; nor was he, from
that time forward, alarmed by night, or in any way troubled by his old enemy.
