Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/157

 so that  the  stones  fell  suddenly  together,

and thus  was  it  (the  gate)  wrought  into  a  wall.

Then were  they  terrified  on  account  of  that  wonderful  token,

and forthwith  looked  sorrowfully  to  heaven,

and saw  our  Lord's  cross  gloriously  shining  there;

and God's  angel  bore  it  above  the  gate,  and  thus  said:

'When that  the  heavenly  king,  Christ  Himself,  entered  in

through this  same  gate  to  His  own  passion,

He was  not  clothed  with  purple,  nor  adorned  with  royal  crown,

nor rode  He  through  this  stone  gate  upon  a  steed,

but on  the  back  of  an  ass  He  rode  meekly

as an  example  to  men,  that  they  should  shun  pride,'

And after  these  words  the  angel  went  up.

Lo! then the  emperor  quickly  alighted,

thanking God  for  the  lesson;

and he  took  off  his  purple  and  his  girdle  of  pall;

then he  went  with  naked  feet  and  took  the  rood,

praising God  with  shedding  of  tears.

Then befell  a  divine  miracle  to  the  stone-work.

When the  emperor  came  with  meekness  to  them,

then the  stones  parted,  and  the  gate  opened  itself.

There was  also  another  marvel,  so  that  a  winsome  (delightful)  odour

steamed from  the  holy  cross,  when  it  was  on  its  way  home,

throughout the  land  and  filled  the  air;

and the  people  rejoiced  on  account  of  this,  being  filled  with  the odour.

No perfume  could  give  out  so  delightful  a  smell.

And then  the  emperor  exclaimed  with  joy:

' O  thou  marvellous  rood  on  which  Christ  deigned  to  suffer,

and quench  our  sins  with  His  precious  blood!

O thou  rood,  shining  more  than  the  stars,

glorious on  this  middle  earth! Greatly art  thou  to  be  loved,