Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/171

 to Saint  Martin's  church,  and  Maurus  went  in,

and prayed  the  Almighty,  of  His  clemency,

that He  would  have  mercy  on  the  priest,  and  mightily  heal  him.

He arose  then  straightway,  and  went  up  to  the  priest,

and made   the  sign  of  the  cross   on  his  wounds,   and  said   to him  boldly,

'In the  Creator's  name  who  created  man  out  of  the  earth,

arise thou  sound,  and  go  out  quickly,

to thy  wall-building,  and  finish  it  well.'

He arose  then  sound,  as  if  aroused  from  sleep,

and began  to  wonder  how  he  had  been  brought  thither.

Then said  the  holy  man,  'Thou  wast  not  borne  hither

on thine  own  feet,  but  others  bare  thee ;

but now  go  back  quickly  to  thy  work,

lest it  be  hindered  too  long  through  thee.'

Then went  the  priest  back  to  his  work,

and Florus  prostrated  himself  at  the  feet  of  Maurus,  and  said,

'Verily thou,  Maurus,  art  the  great  Benedict's  successor

in miracles,  of  whom  we  very  often  have  heard

tell the  like,'  and  he  thereafter  exceedingly

honoured Maurus,  and  had  him  in  admiration.

After this  began  some  of  the  assembled  workmen

to accuse  the  saint  who  had  healed  the  priest,

saying, that  he,  by  enchantments,  not  by  God's  power,

had wrought  this,  and  desired  to  be  greater

in another  country,  than  he  had  been  in  his  own,

rather for  covetousness  than  for  piety.

But while  they  were  most  fiercely  blaming  the  upright  Maurus,

then were  filled  with  the  evil  spirit

three of  the  workmen,  and  they  became  exceedingly  mad,

so that  one  of  them  died  immediately,

and the  other  twain  tare  themselves  severely

with their  own  teeth,  and  roared  fearfully.

Then straightway  Maurus  was  greatly  troubled,

and weeping,  went  into  the  church,

and with  great  agitation  besought  the  Almighty,