XXXII. Of one who was lately cured of a disease in
his eye at the relics of St. Cuthbert.
CHAP. XXXI.
Of one that was cured of a palsy at his tomb.
THERE was in that same monastery a brother whose name was Badudegn, who had for
no small time ministered to the guests of the house, and is still living, having
the testimony of all the brothers and strangers resorting thither, of being a
man of much piety and religion, and serving the office put upon him only for the
sake of the heavenly reward. This man, having one day washed in the sea the
coverings or blankets which he used in the guest chamber, was returning home,
when on the way, he was seized with a sudden infirmity, insomuch that he fell to
the ground, and lay there a long time and could scarce at last rise again. When
he got up, he felt one half of his body, from the head to the foot, struck with
palsy, and with great trouble made his way home by the help of a staff. The
disease increased by degrees, and as night approached, became still worse, so
that when day returned, he could scarcely rise or walk alone. Suffering from
this trouble, he conceived the wise resolve to go to the church, as best he
could, and approach the tomb of the reverend father Cuthbert, and there, on his
knees, humbly beseech the mercy of God that he might either be delivered from
that disease, if it were well for him, or if by the grace of God it was ordained
for him to be chastened longer by this affliction, that he might bear the pain
which was laid upon him with patience and a quiet mind.
He did accordingly as he had determined, and supporting his weak limbs with a
staff, entered the church. There prostrating himself before the body of the man
of God, he prayed with pious earnestness, that, through his intercession, the
Lord might be propitious to him. As he prayed, he seemed to fall into a deep
sleep, and, as he was afterwards wont to relate, felt a large and broad hand
touch his head, where the pain lay, and likewise pass over all that part of his
body which had been benumbed by the disease, down to his feet. Gradually the
pain departed and health returned. Then he awoke, and rose up in perfect health,
and returning thanks to the Lord for his recovery, told the brothers what had
been done for him; and to the joy of them all, returned the more zealously, as
if chastened by the trial of his affliction, to the service which he was wont
before to perform with care.
Moreover, the very garments which had been on Cuthbert's body, dedicated to God,
either while he was alive, or after his death, were not without the virtue of
healing, as may be seen in the book of his life and miracles, by such as shall
read it.
CHAP. XXXII.
Of one who was lately cured of a disease in his eye at the relics of St.
Cuthbert.
NOR is that cure to be passed over in silence, which was performed by his relics
three years ago, and was told me lately by the brother himself, on whom it was
wrought. It happened in the monastery, which, being built near the river
Dacore,has taken its name from the same, over which, at that time, the religious
Suidbertpresided as abbot. In that monastery was a youth whose eyelid was
disfigured by an unsightly tumour, which growing daily greater, threatened the
loss of the eye. The physicians endeavoured to mitigate it by applying
ointments, but in vain. Some said it ought to be cut off; others opposed this
course, for fear of greater danger. The brother having long laboured under this
malady, when no human means availed to save his eye, but rather, it grew daily
worse, on a sudden, through the grace of the mercy of God, it came to pass that
he was cured by the relics of the holy father, Cuthbert. For when the brethren
found his body uncorrupted, after having been many years buried, they took some
part of the hair, to give, as relics, to friends who asked for them, or to show,
in testimony of the miracle.
One of the priests of the monastery, named Thruidred, who is now abbot there,
had a small part of these relics by him at that time. One day he went into the
church and opened the box of relics, to give some part of them to a friend who
asked for it, and it happened that the youth who had the diseased eye was then
in the church. The priest, having given his friend as much as he thought fit,
gave the rest to the youth to put back into its place. But he having received
the hairs of the holy head, prompted by some salutary impulse, applied them to
the diseased eyelid, and endeavoured for some time, by the application of them,
to abate and mitigate the tumour. Having done this, he again laid the relics in
the box, as he had been bidden, believing that his eye would soon be cured by
the hairs of the man of God, which had touched it; nor did his faith disappoint
him. It was then, as he is wont to relate, about the second hour of the day; but
while he was occupied with other thoughts and business of the day, on a sudden,
about the sixth hour of the same, touching his eye, he found it and the eyelid
as sound as if there never had been any disfigurement or tumour on it.
