Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/165

 (though he  hardly  might,  for  their  great  love,

let him  go  from  him)  to  the  distant  land.

He found  also  four  other  monks  as  companions  for  him,

and some  laymen,  to  go  with  them  to  that  land,

and took  the  holy  rule,  which  he  had  written  with  his  own  hand,

and delivered  it  to  Maurus,  to  have  with  him,

together with  the  weight  for  their  bread,  and  the  measure  for their wine,

and sent  them  with  his  blessing  to  the  aforesaid  bishop.

Afterwards in  early  morning  the  venerable  Benedict  sent  forth

twain of  his  monks  to  Maurus  with  gifts,

that is,  with  holy  relics,  of  the  Saviour's  Hood,

and of  Mary's  garments,  and  of  a  hanging  from  S.  Michael's  Altar

and of  Stephen's  body,  and  of  Martin's  relics,

and a  written  message  in  these  words ;

' Receive,  my  beloved,  these  last  gifts

of thy  master,  for  a  long  remembrance,

and for  a  shield  to  you  against  the  devil's  snares.

I say  to  thee,  in  sooth,  that  thou  shalt  depart,

in the  sixteenth  year  since  thou  becamest  a  monk,

out of  this  world  to  glory  with  God,

even as  Christ  yesterday  showed  me  concerning  thee,

after thou  wentest  from  us  on  thy  journey.

I tell  thee  also  now  that  your  way

shall not  at  all  be  such  as  we  imagined,

but shall  be  ordered  otherwise,  and  in  another  place;

but Almighty  God  will  never  forsake  you

until ye  [all]  shall  be  established.

Fare ye  now  well,  and  be  ye  blessed.'

Then Maurus  fared  with  great  joy,

and his  companions  together,  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Franks  ;

but twain  of  his  companions  fell  by  the  way,

one from  off  a  tower,  the  other  on  a  stone,

so that  they  were  crushed,  and  lay  dying,

but Maurus  healed  them  in  the  name  of  Jesus.