Page:The Elene of Cynewulf.djvu/49



Then straightway in the presence of the nobles Elene accomplished all. She bade deck the bridle of the prince, gift-giver of men, and unto her own son she sent the glorious present over the stream of the ocean as an offering. Then she bade assemble together in the town, in that holy city, those whom she knew as the best among the Jews, that race of heroes. And the queen began to teach the throng of her dear subjects that they should steadfastly hold to the love of the Lord, and maintain peace one with another, and that they should hearken unto the lore of the teacher, and the customs of the Christians, which Cyriacus, wise in the knowledge of books, should declare unto them. The bishopric was well established. Often there came to him from afar the lame, the halt, the weak, the maimed, the bleeding, the leprous, the blind, the poor, the sad in heart, and ever found they health and relief there at the hands of their bishop during all of their life. And again Elene gave unto him gifts of great worth when she was ready for the journey back to her own land, and when she bade all those who glorified God in that kingdom, both men and women, to honor in their thought with heart and strength that great day on which the holy rood was found, most wondrous tree of them that have grown up from the earth, laden with leaves. And, save for six nights ere the coming of summer on the kalends of May, the spring was gone. May hell’s portal be closed and heaven’s opened, may the eternal kingdom of the angels be revealed with joy unceasing, and may their part be assigned with