Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/277

 and innocence,  and  at  last  he  said

that angels  had  spoken  with  him,  customarily,  very  often.

Then after  a  space,  when  he  further  erred,

he said  that  heavenly  angels  went  daily

between the  Lord  and  himself;    and  he  himself  was

an unlying  prophet,  and  Clarus  believed  him.

Then he  promised  him  God's  anger  and  evil  punishments

if he  would  not  believe  that  he  was  holy;

and at  last  said  that  in  the  same  night

there should  come  to  him  from  the  Almighty  God

heavenly raiment;  and  he,  dwelling  amongst  them,

clothed therewith,  would  manifest  God's  might.

Lo! then at  midnight  the  monastery  was  aroused,

and there  was  a  great  noise  of  mocking  devils,

and the  monk's  cell  was  filled  with  light,

and he  himself  went  out  with  the  shining  raiment,

and showed  the  glorious  sights  to  another  monk;

then there  came  more,  and  lastly  Clarus,

and examined  the  shining  garment  by  the  light.

It was  very  soft,  shining  like  purple,

but they  could  not  make  out  of  what  kind  it  was,

neither could  they  perceive  more  than  that  it  was  a  robe,

neither by  their  touch  nor  by  their  sight.

Then in  the  morning  it  befell  that  they  would  have  led  the  monk

to the  holy  Martin,  but  the  monk  would  not,

saying that  he  could  not  go  to  Martin;

because he  knew  that  he  could  not

by his  fiendly  craft  deceive  Martin's  vision.

Then they  dragged  him  against  his  will  thitherward,

and the  raiment  instantly  vanished  from  their  sight,

and then  was  manifested  his  sorcery  and  hypocrisy.

Those mighty  works  we  ascribe  to  Martin's  merits,

that the  devil  could  not  conceal  his  delusions

if ever  he  came  before  Martin's  sight.

At that  same  time  were  other  deceivers,