Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/235

 Lo! who   can    doubt    that    it    was    because    of   this    believing man

that the  victory  was  gained,  since  to  him  it  was  granted,

that he  might  not  be  cast,  all  weaponless,  to  the  army?

Although, indeed,  the  beneficent  Lord  might  easily

have preserved  His  champion  safe  and  sound,

He prevented  that  battle,  that  Martin's  eyes

might in  no  way  be  stained  by  other  men's  death.

What other  victory  could  our  Lord

have given  for  His  champion's  sake  better  than  that,

that no  man  should  die,  but  that  they  should  come  to  peace?

IV. Then Martin  quitted,  as  he  had  long  ago  intended,

worldly warfare  and  went  to  the  holy  man

Hilary, the  bishop,  in  the  town

which is  called  Poitiers,  because  he  was  experienced

in God's  faith  and  in  good  doctrine,

and abode  thereafter  with  the   man  some  while.

Then the  holy  man  desired  to  ordain  him  deacon,

but he  frequently  refused,  saying  that  he  was  not  worthy.

Then the  bishop  perceived  that  he  might  persuade  him

if he  offered  him  a  lesser  office,  and  offered  him  that  he  should  be

ordained exorcist,  as  we  call  one  who  adjureth,

or   one    who    commandeth    devils    that    they    should    go    out    of possessed  men.

And he  then  refused  not  the  humble  office,

but was  so  ordained  by  the  holy  bishop.

Then after  some  time  he  was  admonished  in  a  dream

that he  ought  to  visit  his  native  country  and  his  home,

and father  and  mother  who  were  wickedly  heathen;

and he  thereupon  went  by  permission  of  the  aforesaid  bishop,

who earnestly  besought  him  to  come  back  again.

Then Martin  journeyed  to  the  distant  land;

and when  he  came  to  the  mountains,  then  met  he  with  robbers,