Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/459

 Thereupon he  drew  the  iron  out  of  the  stone  as  easily

as if  it  had  stood  in  sand,  and  greatly  wondered  thereat.

Afterward he  replaced  it  in  the  same  hole,

and pressed  it  with  his  foot,  and  it  again  stood  so  fast

that no  man  was  able  to  draw  it  therefrom.

Then went  the  smith  awestricken  thence,

and in  the  market-place  met  a  serf  of  this  Eadsige,

and told  him  exactly  what  Swithhun  bade  him,

and earnestly  prayed  him  to  report  it  to  him.

He said  that  he  would  make  it  known  to  his  lord,

but however  he  durst  not  tell  it  at  first,

until he  bethought  him  that  it  would  not  be  well  for  him

if he  hid  from  his  lord  the  saint's  behest.

Then he  told  him  in  order  what  Swithhun  had  enjoined  him.

At that  time  this  Eadsige  shunned  bishop  AEthelwold

and all  the  monks  who  were  in  the  minster

because of  the  ejection  that  he  had  made  regarding  them,

and would  not  obey  the  saint's  command,

though the  saint  was  of  worldly  kindred  to  him.

He retreated  however  within  two  years

to that  same  monastery,  and  became  a  monk  through  (the  grace of)  God,

and there  continued  till  he  departed  this  life.

Blessed is  the  Almighty  God,  Who  humbleth  the  proud,

and exalteth  the  humble  to  high  estate,

and correcteth  the  sinful,  and  ever  preserveth  the  good

who hope  in  Him,  forasmuch  as  He  is  the  Saviour.

Again, there  was  a  certain  poor  churl,  awfully  humpbacked,

and painfully  bowed  together  in  consequence  of  the  broad  hump.

To him  was  certainly  revealed  in  a  dream,

that he  should  obtain  at  Swithhun's  sepulchre