Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/145

 many infirm  men  of  various  diseases.

The water  with  which  they  had  washed  the  bones

within the  church  had  been  poured  out

as it  were  in  a  corner,  and  the  earth  afterward

that had  received  the  water  became  a  remedy  to  many.

By means  of  that  dust  devils  were  put  to  flight  from  men

who before  were  afflicted  with  madness

So also  from  the  spot  where  he  fell  slain  in  the  battle

men took  of  the  earth  for  diseased  men,

and put  it  in  water  for  the  sick  to  taste,

and they  were  healed  through  the  holy  man.

A certain  wayfaring  man  rode  towards  the  field,

when his  horse  became  sick,  and  soon  fell  down  there

rolling all  over  the  earth,  most  like  a  mad  creature.

"While it  was  thus  rolling  about  the  extensive  field,

it came  at  length  where  king  Oswald

fell in  the  fight,  as  we  have  said  before;

and it  rose  up  as  soon  as  it  touched  the  place,

whole in  all  its  limbs,  and  the  master  rejoiced  thereat;

the rider  then  went  forward  on  his  way

whither he  had  intended. There was  there  a  maiden

lying in  paralysis,  long  afflicted;

he began  to  relate  what  had  happened  to  him  during  the  ride,

and they  carried  the  maiden  to  the  aforesaid  place.

Then she  fell  asleep,  and  soon  afterward  awoke,

sound in  all  her  limbs  from  the  terrible  disease;

she covered  up  her  head  and  blithely  journeyed  home,

going on  foot  as  she  had  never  done  before.

Again afterward,  a  certain  horseman  bound  on  an  errand

was passing  by  the  same  place,  and  bound  up  in  a  cloth

some of  the  holy  dust  from  the  precious  place,

and carried  it  forward  with  him  to  where  he  was  hastening.