Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/135

 and lay  in  bed  very  severely  afflicted,

until some  one  fetched  to  him,  from  the  aforesaid  cross,

some part  of  the  moss  with  which  it  was  overgrown,

and the  sick  [man]  was  forthwith  healed  in  sleep

I in  the  same  night,  through  Oswald's  merits.

The place  is  called  Heayenfield  in  English,

near the  long  wall  which  the  Romans  built,

where Oswald  overcame  the  cruel  king.

And afterward  there  was  reared  a  very  famous  church

to the  honour  of  God  who  liveth  for  ever

Well then! Oswald began  to  enquire  concerning  the  will  of  God

as soon  as  he  obtained  sovereignty,  and  desired  to  convert

his people  to  the  faith  and  to  the  living  God.

Then he  sent  to  Scotland  where  the  faith  was  then,

and prayed  the  chief  men  that  they  would  grant  his  requests,

and send  him  some  teacher  who  might  allure

his people  to  God,  and  this  was  granted  him.

Then they  sent  straightway  to  the  blessed  king

a certain  venerable  bishop,  named  Aidan.

He was  a  very  famous  man  in  the  monastic  way  of  life,

I and  he  had  cast  away  all  worldly  cares  from  his  heart,

desiring nothing  but  God's  will.

Whatever came  to  him  of  the  king's  gifts,

or [of  those]  of  rich  men,  that  he  quickly  distributed

to the  poor  and  needy  with  benevolent  mind.

Lo then! Oswald the  king  rejoiced  at  his  coming,

and honourably  received  him  as  a  benefit  to  his  people,

that their  faith  might  be  turned  again  to  God

from the  apostasy  to  which  they  had  been  turned.

It befell  then  that  this  believing  king

explained to  his  counsellors  in  their  own  language

the bishop's  preaching  with  glad  mind,