Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/481

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wrought by the power of God in the sight of the people,

both on prisoners, and on sick men,

to manifest to men that they themselves may

merit the kingdom of heaven by good works,

even as Swithhun did, who now shineth through his miracles.

The Old church was hung all round with crutches,

and with the stools of cripples, (from one end to the other

on either wall), who had been healed there,

and not even so could they put half of them up.

Such tokens declare that Christ is Almighty God,

Who revealed His Saint by such good deeds,

though the Jews, deceived by the devil,

will not believe in the living Christ,

until Antichrist shall be destroyed by God.

Then shall those miserable people, with all who remain

at the end of this world, submit themselves with faith to Christ,

and the men of old shall be lost who formerly would not believe.

We have now spoken thus briefly of Swithhun,

and we say of a truth that the time was blessed

and winsome in England, when King Eadgar

furthered Christianity, and built many monasteries,

and his kingdom still continued in peace,

so that no fleet was heard of,

save that of the people themselves who held this land ;

and all the kings of the Cymry and Scots

that were in this island, came to Eadgar

once upon a day, being eight kings,

and they all bowed themselves to Eadgar's rule.

Then moreover were such wonders wrought

through Saint Swithhun, as we said before,

and as long as we have lived frequent miracles were done there.

At that time there were also worthy bishops,