See! from on high the God descends, confined
In Mary's womb, to rescue lost mankind.
Behold! a spotless maid a God brings forth,
A God is born, who gave e'en nature birth!
The virgin-choir the mother-maid resound,
And chaste themselves, her praises shout around.
Her bright example numerous vot'ries raise,
Tread spotless paths, and imitate her ways.

The blessed Agatha and Eulalia trust

Sooner to flames, than far more dangerous lust.
Tecla and chaste Euphemia overcame

The fear of beasts to save a virgin name.

Agnes and sweet Cecilia, joyful maids,

Smile while the pointed sword their breasts invades.
Triumphing joy attends the peaceful soul,
Where heat, nor rain, nor wishes mean control.
Thus Etheldrida, pure from sensual crime,
Bright shining star! arose to bless our time.
Born of a regal race, her sire a king,
More noble honour to her lord shall bring.

A queen her name, her hand a sceptre rears,

But greater glories wait above the spheres.

What man wouldst thou desire? See Christ is made
Her spouse, her bless'd Redeemer weds the maid.
While you attend the heavenly Mother's train,
Thou shalt be mother of a heavenly reign.
The holy maid who twelve years sat a queen,
A cloister'd nun devote to God was seen.
Noted for pious deeds, her spotless soul
Left the vile world, and soar'd above the pole.
Sixteen Novembers since was the blest maid
Entomb'd, whose flesh no putrid damps invade.
Thy grace, O Christ! for in the coffin's found
No tainted vest wrapping the corpse around.
The swelling dropsy, and dire atrophy,
A pale disease from the blest vestments fly.
Rage fires the fiend, who whilome Eve betray'd,
While shouting angels hail the glorious maid.
See! wedded to her God, what joy remains,
In earth, or heaven, see! with her God she reigns!
Behold! the spouse, the festal torches shine,
He comes! behold! what joyful gifts are thine!

A.D. 660.

Et nova dulcisono modularis carmina plectro,
Sponsa hymno exsultas et nova dulcisono.
Nullus ab Altithroni comitatu segregat agni,
Quam affectu tulerat nullus ab Altithroni.

CAP. XXI.-UT THEODORUS

EPISCOPUS INTER
ET ETHELREDUM REGES PACEM FECERIT.

EGFRIDUM

NNO regni Egfridi nono, conserto gravi prœlio inter ipsum et Ethelredum regum Merciorum juxta fluvium Treentam, occisus est Elfwinus frater regis Egfridi, juvenis circiter decem et octo annorum, utrique provinciæ multum amabilis. Nam et sororem ejus, quæ dicebatur Osthrid, rex Ethelredus habebat uxorem. Cumque materies belli acrioris et inimicitiæ longioris inter reges populosque feroces videretur exorta, Theodorus Deo dilectus antistes, divino functus auxilio, salutifera exhortatione cœptum tanti periculi funditus exstinguit incendium ; adeo ut, pacatis alterutrum regibus ac populis, nullius anima hominis pro interfecto regis fratre, sed debita solummodo mulcta pecuniæ regi ultori daretur. Cujus fœdera pacis multo exinde tempore inter eosdem reges eorumque regna durarunt.

CAP. XXII.- -UT VINCULA CUJUSDAM CAPTIVI, CUM PRO EO MISSÆ CANTARENTUR, SOLUTA SINT.

Thou a new song on the sweet harp shalt sing,

A hymn of praise to thy celestial King.

None from the flock of the throned Lamb shall move,

Whom grateful passion bind, and heavenly love.

CHAP. XXI.-BISHOP THEODORE MADE PEACE BETWEEN

THE KINGS EGFRID AND ETHELRED.

A.D. 660.

Battle of the
A.D. 679.

N the ninth year of the reign of
King Egfrid, a great battle was Trent.
fought between him and Ethelred,
king of the Mercians, near the river
Trent, and Elfwin, brother to King
Egfrid, was slain, a youth about
eighteen years of age, and much
beloved by both provinces, for King

Ethelred had married his sister Osthrid. There was now
reason to expect a more bloody war, and more lasting
enmity between those kings and their fierce nations;
but Theodore, the bishop beloved of God, relying on the
Divine assistance, by his wholesome admonitions ex-
tinguished the dangerous fire that was breaking out; so
that the kings and their people on both sides being
appeased, no man was put to death, but only the usual
mulet paid to the king for his brother that had been
killed; and this peace continued long after between
those kings and their kingdoms.

CHAP. XXII.-HOW A CERTAIN CAPTIVE'S CHAINS FELL

OFF WHEN MASSES WERE SUNG FOR HIM.

A captive

his chains.

N the aforesaid battle, wherein Elf-
win, the king's brother, was killed, freed from
a memorable fact is known to have A.D. 679.
happened, which I think ought not
to be passed by in silence; for the
relation of the same will conduce to
the salvation of many. In that
battle, one Imma, a youth belonging

illo et nocte sequenti inter cadavera occisorum similis mortuo jaceret, tandem recepto spiritu revixit, ac residens sua vulnera, prout potuit, ipse alligavit; dein modicum requietus levavit se, et cœpit abire sicubi amicos, qui sui curam agerent, posset invenire. Quod dum faceret, inventus est et captus a viris hostilis exercitus, et ad dominum ipsorum, comitem videlicet Ethelredi regis, adductus; a quo interrogatus quis esset, timuit se militem fuisse confiteri, rusticum se potius et pauperem, atque uxoreo vinculo colligatum fuisse respondit, et propter victum militibus afferendum in expeditionem se cum sui similibus venisse testatus est. At ille suscipiens eum, curam vulneribus egit; et ubi sanescere cœpit, noctu eum, ne aufugeret, vinciri præcepit. Nec tamen vinciri potuit; nam mox ut abiere, qui vinxerant, eadem ejus sunt vincula soluta.

Habebat enim germanum fratrem, cui nomen erat Tunna, presbyterum et abbatem monasterii in civitate, quæ hactenus ab ejus nomine Tunnacestir cognominatur; qui cum eum in pugna peremtum audiret, venit quærere si forte corpus ejus invenire posset, inventumque alium illi per omnia simillimum, putavit ipsum esse, quem ad monasterium suum deferens honorifice sepelivit, et pro absolutione animæ ejus sæpius missas facere curavit. Quarum celebratione factum est quod dixi, ut nullus eum posset vincire, quin continuo solveretur. Interea comes, qui eum tenebat, mirari et interrogare cœpit quare ligari non posset, an forte literas solutorias, de qualibus fabulæ ferunt, apud se haberet, propter quas ligari non posset. At ille respondit, nihil se talium. artium nosse; "sed habeo fratrem," inquit, "presbyterum in mea provincia, et scio quia ille me interfectum putans pro me missas crebras facit; et si nunc in alia vita essem, ibi anima mea per intercessiones ejus solveretur a pœnis."

Dumque aliquanto tempore apud comitem teneretur,

to the king, was left as dead, and having lain so all that A.D. 679. day and the next night among the dead bodies, at length he came to himself, and sitting, bound up his wounds in the best way he could. Then having rested awhile, he stood up, and began to go off to seek some friends that might take care of him; but in so doing he was discovered and taken by some of the enemy's army, and carried before their lord, who was an earl belonging to King Ethelred. Being asked by him who he was, and fearing to own himself a soldier, he answered, "He was a peasant, poor and married, and that he came to the army with others to bring provisions to the soldiers." The earl entertained him, and ordered his wounds to be dressed; and when he began to recover, to prevent his escaping, he ordered him to be bound; but that could not be performed, for as soon as they that bound him were gone, his bonds were all loosened.

He had a brother called Tunna, who was a priest and abbot of a monastery in the city, which from him is still called Tunnacester. Hearing that his brother had been killed in the fight, he went to see whether he could find his body; and finding another very like him in all respects, concluding it to be his, he carried the same to his monastery, and buried it honourably, and took care often to say masses for the absolution of his soul; the celebration whereof occasioned what I have said, that none could bind him but he was presently loosed again. In the meantime, the earl that kept him was amazed, and began to inquire why he could not be bound; whether he had any spells about him, as are spoken of in fabulous stories. He answered, "He knew nothing of those contrivances; but I have," said he, "a brother who is a priest in my country, and I know that he, supposing me to be killed, causes masses to be said for me; and if I were now in the other life, my soul there, through his intercession, would be delivered from pain."

Having continued with the earl some time, those who

Н