Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/297

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XL. Some shipmen were rowing on the Tyrrhene sea,

as one goeth to Rome, and there suddenly came

such a great storm to them that they had no hope of life.

There was in the vessel an Egyptian merchant,

unbaptized as yet, but he with firm confidence said;

'O thou God of Martin! protect us now!'

And the sea straightway became exceeding smooth,

all its roughness ceasing, and they went joyfully on their way.

XLI. There was a certain barbarous count called Avitianus,

savage in his deeds, who bound many men

and brought them in chains to the city of Tours,

intending afterward in the morning to kill them cruelly

in the presence of the citizens, and it became known to the bishop.

Then the holy man considered how he might help them,

and went alone at midnight to his gates,

and when he could not get in he waited there outside.

Then the count was suddenly awaked by God's angel,

who said to him sternly, ' Liest thou and restest thyself,

and God's servant lieth at thy gates?'

And thereupon he arose terrified, and said to his men

that Martin was without his gates,

and bade them go to, and undo the gates,

that the servant of God might no longer suffer such insult.

Then they went out to the inner gate,

and told their lord that they saw no one there,

and said that he must have been deceived in sleep.

Then Avitianus went back to his bed

and was again awfully aroused from sleep,

and shouted to his men and said, that Martin was standing

before his gates, and therefore he could

have no rest, neither of mind nor of body.

Then they still delayed, but he went himself