Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/289

 Then Martin  straightway  compassionated  the  men,

and let  them  go  forth  with  their  chariot,

and their  mules,  those  who  had  before  stood  stiff

even as  stones,  were  immediately  able  to  go.

The holy  man  nevertheless  knew  that  they  had  been  set  fast

before they  had  come  to  him,  and  made  that  known  to  his  companions,

because he  often  knew  many  a  thing  from  afar

before it  happened,  through  the  spirit  of  prophecy.

XXXIII. The  holy   man    was  once    travelling  with   his    company,

when there  came  to  him  suddenly  a  great  crowd  of  men,

and filled  the  field  through  which  Martin  was  passing

as if  for  wonder  at  the  holy  man;

they were  all  heathen,  and  no  man  of  the  town

to which  they  belonged  knew  the  Saviour.

Then Martin  perceived  that  he  ought  to  work  a  miracle,

and preached  the  Lord's  word  to  the  foolish  heathen,

and with  frequent  sighings  sorely  bemoaned

that   so    great    a    multitude    should    not    know    the    Almighty God.

It was  God's  providence  that  a  woman  brought  thither

her dead  son's  body  who  had  departed  a  little  before,

and with  outstretched  hands  said  to  the  holy  man;

'We know,  Master,  that  thou  art  unlyingly  God's  friend,

heal me  my  son,  for  he  is  my  only  son.'

And the  heathen  folk  also  helped  the  woman.

Then the  holy  man  took  the  corpse  in  his  hand,

and with  bended  knees  prayed  to  God;

and  when  he  arose  up,  his  prayer  being  ended,

he gave  back  the  boy  to  his  mother  alive.

Then the  heathen  cried  with  a  loud  voice,

and said  with  faith  that  Christ  was  true  God,

and fell  all  heap-meal  at  the  holy  man's  knees,

earnestly praying  him  that  he  would  make  them  Christians.

Neither did  he  hesitate  to  anoint  the  heathen  as  catechumens