XXII. How a certain captive’s chains fell off when Masses were sung for Him. [679 A. D.]
CHAP. XXI.
How Bishop Theodore made peace between the kings Egfrid and Etheired. [679 A.
D.]
IN the ninth year of the reign of King Egfrid, a great battlewas fought between
him and Ethelred, king of the Mercians, near the river Trent, and Aelfwine,
brother to King Egfrid, was slain, a youth about eighteen years of age, and much
beloved by both provinces; for King Ethelred had married his sister
Osthryth.There was now reason to expect a more bloody war, and more lasting
enmity between those kings and their fierce nations; but Theodore, the bishop,
beloved of God, relying on the Divine aid, by his wholesome admonitions wholly
extinguished the dangerous fire that was breaking out; so that the kings and
their people on both sides were appeased, and no man was put to death, but only
the due mulct4 paid to the king who was the avenger for the death of his
brother; and this peace continued long after between those kings and between
their kingdoms.
CHAP. XXII.
How a certain captive's chains fell off when Masses were sung for Him. [679 A.
D.]
IN the aforesaid battle, wherein King Aelfwine was killed, a memorable incident
is known to have happened, which I think ought by no means to be passed over in,
silence; for the story will be profitable to the salvation of many. In that
battle a youth called Imma, one of the king's thegns, was struck down, and
having lain as if dead all that day and the next night among the bodies of the
slain, at length he came to himself and revived, and sitting up, bound his own
wounds as best as he could. Then having rested awhile, he stood up, and went
away to see if he could find any friends to take care of him; but in so doing he
was discovered and taken by some of the enemy's army, and carried before their
lord, who was one of King Ethelred's nobles. Being asked by him who he was, and
fearing to own himself a thegn, he answered that he was a peasant, a poor man
and married, and he declared that he had come to the war with others like
himself to bring provisions to the army." The noble entertained him, kind
ordered his wounds to be dressed, and when he began to recover, to prevent his
escaping, he ordered him to be bound at night. But he could not be bound, for as
soon as they that bound him were gone, his bonds were loosed.
Now he had a brother called Tunna, who was a priest and abbot of a monastery in
the city which is still called Tunnacaestir after him.(Towcester) This man,
hearing that his brother had been killed in the battle, went to see if haply he
could find his body; and finding another very like him in all respects, he
believed it to be his. So he carried it to his monastery, and buried it
honourably, and took care often to say Masses for the absolution of his soul;
the celebration whereof occasioned what I have said, that none could bind him
but he was presently loosed again. In the meantime, the noble that had kept him
was amazed, and began to inquire why he could not be bound; whether perchance he
had any spells about him, such as are spoken of in stories. He answered that he
knew nothing of those arts; "but I have," said he, "a brother who is a priest in
my country, and I know that he, supposing me to be killed, is saying frequent
Masses for me; and if I were now in the other life, my soul there, through his
intercession, would be delivered from penalty."
When he had been a prisoner with the noble some time, those who attentively
observed him, by his countenance, habit, and discourse, took notice, that he was
not of the meaner sort, as he had said, but of some quality. The noble then
privately sending for him, straitly questioned him, whence he came, promising to
do him no harm on that account if he would frankly confess who he was. This he
did, declaring that he had been a thegn of the king's, and the noble answered,
"I perceived by all your answers that you were no peasant. And now you deserve
to die, because all my brothers and relations were killed in that fight; yet I
will not put you to death, that I may not break my promise."
As soon, therefore, as he was recovered, he sold him to a certain Frisian at
London, but he could not in any wise be bound either by him, or as he was being
led thither. But when his enemies had put all manner of bonds on him, and the
buyer perceived that he could in no way be bound, he gave him leave to ransom
himself if he could. Now it was at the third hour, when the Masses were wont to
be said, that his bonds were most frequently loosed. He, having taken an oath
that he would either return, or send his owner the money for the ransom, went
into Kent to King Hlothere, who was son to the sister of Queen Ethelthryth,above
spoken of, for he had once been that queen's thegn. From him he asked and
obtained the price of his freedom, and as he had promised, sent it to his master
for his ransom.
Returning afterwards into his own country, and coming to his brother, he gave
him an exact account of all his misfortunes, and the consolation afforded to him
in them; and from what his brother told him he understood, that his bonds had
been generally loosed at those times when Masses had been celebrated for him;
and he perceived that other advantages and blessings which had fallen to his lot
in his time of danger, had been conferred on him from Heaven, through the
intercession of his brother, and the Oblation of the saving Sacrifice. Many, on
hearing this account from the aforesaid man, were stirred up in faith and pious
devotion to prayer, or to alms-giving, or to make an offering to God of the
Sacrifice of the holy Oblation, for the deliverance of their friends who had
departed this world; for they knew that such saving Sacrifice availed for the
eternal redemption both of body and soul. This story was also told me by some of
those who had heard it related by the man himself to whom it happened;
therefore, since I had a clear understanding of it, I have not hesitated to
insert it in my Ecclesiastical History.
