Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/245

 the people  were  excited  to  utter  a  great  shout,

that the  attestation  of  God  Himself  had  there  been  manifested,

and Defensor  ought  to  acknowledge  his  slander,

and that  God  desired  to  perfect  His  praise

in the  innocent  Martin  and  to  shame  Defensor.

Then the  holy  man  received  episcopal  consecration  there,

and so  kept  the  office,  as  is  past  telling,

with the  same  steadfastness  in  which  he  had  before  lived,

and with  the  same  humility,  and  with  his  former  (monastic)  habit;

and he  was  so  filled  with  piety

and with  the  dignity  of  his  office  that  he,  in  his  works,  fulfilled

both the  episcopal  office  with  all  honour

and preserved  the  monastic  state  amongst  men.

He was  just  in  judgement,  and  devout  in  preaching,

venerable in  manners  and  vigilant  in  prayers,

constant in  reading,  steadfast  in  his  look,

virtuous in  desire,  and  reverent  in  his  duties.

Oh! what benignity  was  in  his  sayings,

and what  excellence  was  in  his  manners,

and how  great  gladness  in  spiritual  works

dwelt in  the  Saint  with  lofty  perfection!

Blessed was  the  man  in  whom  dwelt  no  guile;

he condemned  no  man,  neither  did  he  repay  to  any

evil with  evil;    but  meekly  endured

the injuries  of  men  with  great  patience.

No man  ever  saw  him  ever  so  little  angry,

nor murmuring  in  mind  nor  evilly  disposed,

but ever  continuing  in  one  steadfastness  '

above man's  measure  with  great  gladness.

For some  time  he  had  a  house  close  to  the  church;

then, after  some  space,  for  an  example  to  the  people

and   because    of   the    unstillness,    he    established    for    himself   a monastery

two miles  from  the  city;  and  the  place  was  so  secret

that he  desired  no  other  desert.

On one  side  of  the  monastery  was  an  immense  cliff