Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/285

 and one  of  the  priests,  and  one  of  the  nuns  saw

above Martin's  head  as  it  were  a  burning  globe,

so that  the  flame  drew  the  hair  far  up,

and no  more  men  might  see  this  miracle.

XXX. At that  same  time  there  was  a  sick  man

called Evantius,  very  grievously  afflicted,

who expected  his  death  rather  than  his  life.

He was  a  good  Christian,  and  sending  then  to  Martin

besought his  visitation;    and  the  bishop  went  instantly

to the  sick  man,  but  he  soon  perceived

Martin's might  before  he  came  to  midway,

and was  immediately  healed  through  the  saint's  might,

and went  to  meet  him  and  received  him  reverently.

XXXI. After this  in  the  morning,  as  Martin  was  setting  out,

a certain  boy  of  the  noble's  household

was bitten  by  an  adder  and  nearly  slain,

so that  the  poison  spread  through  the  whole  body,

and it  was  all  swollen  up  in  the  likeness  of  a  butt.

Then Evantius,  the  master,  took  the  boy

and brought  him  to  Martin,  greatly  trusting

that it  would  not  be  impossible  for  him  to  heal  the  boy.

Then the  holy  man  straightway  laid  his  hand  on  the  boy,

and touched  all  his  limbs,  and  after  that  placed

his fingers  on  the  wound  which  the  worm  had  bitten.

Then they  all  saw  that  the  poison  flowed  out

of all  his  limbs  through  the  little  wound

as if  from  a  vein  with  its  own  blood;

and the  boy  arose  up  sound,

and they  thereupon  greatly  extolled  Martin.

XXXII. The holy  man  was  once  journeying  to  teach  the  people

throughout his  bishopric,  and  his  companions  remained

for some  need  behind,  and  he  himself  rode  forward;

then came  suddenly  toward  him  a  company  of  the  soldiery