Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/313

 was loudly  sounding  there,   and  especially  the  wail

of the  monks  and  nuns  at  Martin's  death.

LIII. A certain  bishop  Severinus,  in  the  city  of  Cologne,

a man  of  holy  life,  heard  in  the  early  morning

a very  loud  song  in  the  heavens,  and  therewith  he  summoned  to  him

his archdeacon,  and  asked  him  whether

he had  heard  the  voice  of  the  heavenly  rejoicing.

He answered  and  said  that  he  had  heard  nothing  of  it.

Then the  bishop  bade  him  to  hearken  more  carefully;

so he  stood  and  listened,  leaning  on  his  staff,

and could  hear  nothing  of  that  mirth.

Then they  both  prostrated  themselves,  praying  the  Almighty

that he  might  hear  the  heavenly  music;

then he  listened  again,  and  said  that  he  heard

voices of  singers,  sounding  in  heaven,

and knew  not,  nevertheless,  what  the  voices  were.

Then Severinus  said;    '  I  tell  thee,  concerning  this,

that the  blessed  Martin  hath  departed  from  this  world;

and now  angels,  singing,  carrying  his  soul

with them  to  heaven;    and  the  hateful  devil

with his  unrighteous  spirits  would  have  hindered  him,

but he  departed,  confounded,  away  from  the  saint,

and found  nothing  of  his  own  in  him.

How will  it  be  with  us  sinful  ones,  since  the  guileful  devil

thought to  hurt  so  illustrious  a  priest?'

Then the  archdeacon  sent  forthwith  to  Tours,

to Martin's  episcopal  see,  and  bade  enquire  concerning  him;

then it  was  truly  told  him  that  he  had  given  up  his  soul

at the  same  hour  in  which  they  had  heard  the  song.