Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/445



We will  now  write,  wonderful  though  it  be,

concerning the  holy  Æthelthryth,  the  English  maiden,

who had  two  husbands  and  nevertheless  remained  a  virgin,

as the  miracles  show  which  she  often  worketh.

Her father,  the  king  of  the  East  Angles,  was  called  Anna,

a very  religious  man,  even  as  he  showed  by  his  deeds,

and his  whole  family  was  honoured  by  God.

Æthelthryth was  given  to  a  certain  alderman  [Tondbyrht]  to  wife;

but Almighty  God  would  not  that  her  virginity  should  be

destroyed through  cohabitation,  but  preserved  her  in  continence,

because He  is  God  Almighty  and  can  do  all  that  He  will,

and in  divers  ways  showeth  His  might.

The alderman  died  when  God  would,

and she  was  given  in  'marriage  to  King  Ecfrid.

And twelve  years  she  lived  in  wedlock  with  the  king,

yet continued  an  unpolluted  maiden ;  even  as  evident  miracles

often make  known  her  sacred  relics  and  her  virginity.

She loved  the  Saviour  who  kept  her  unspotted,

and honoured  God's  servants;    one  of  these  was  bishop  Wilfrid,

whom she  especially  loved,  and  he  told  Beda

that king  Ecfrid  often  promised  him  much

in lands  and  money  if  he  would  persuade

Æthelthryth his  wife  to  brook  the  marriage-connection.

Now the  holy  Beda  who  wrote  this  book

saith that  Almighty  God  might  easily  cause,