Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/175

 and himself  bare  his  offering,  and  laid  it  upon  the  altar.

Then Florus  bade  men  bring  forth  his  fair  treasures

in gold  and  silver,  and  he  offered  them  to  God,

and freed  his  serfs  before  the  altar,

and threw  away  his  weapons,  and  was  there  shorn

in the  presence  of  the  king,  for  the  service  of  Christ;

and the  king  rejoiced,  and  was  blithe  in  mood

for the  thane's  conversion  and  true  faith.

Again, after  the  feast,  the  noble  king  bade

that Florus  should  speak  with  him,  ere  he  went  thence,

and he  came  immediately  with  some  other  monks,

clad in  monkish-wise. Then the  king  wept,

and thanked  God  for  his  good  will,

and earnestly  exhorted  him  to  be  zealous

in the  spiritual  life,  and  in  God's  service,

as he  had  before  lived  prudently  in  the  things  of  the  world;

and the  king  afterwards  journeyed  thence.

After this,  in  the  morning,  rode  Maurus  to  the  estate,

which the  king  had  given  him,  and  a  bed-ridden  man  sought him,

who had  lain  seven  year  with  relaxed  limbs,

and was  borne  thither  to  pray  for  his  healing.

Then Maurus  blessed  [signed]  the  bedridden  man,

and he  immediately  rose  up  by  himself  sound,

so that  it  could  not  be  perceived  that  he  had  been  sick.

Then all  the nobly-born men  devoted  themselves

to the  monastic  work  in  Maurus'  monastery;

some also  committed  their  sons  to  him

for God's  service,  until  there  were  gathered  together

one hundred  and  forty  monks  in  all.

Then said  the  abbot  and  all  the   brothers,

that no  more  monks  could  dwell  there,

lest victuals  should  fail  the  brothers,

but that  the  tale  (of  140)  should  always  continue,

neither less  nor  more,  in  the  monastic  life.