Bishop Cuthbert was come to the City of Carlifle, repair'd thither to him, according to Custom, being defirous to be still more and more inflam'd in Heavenly Defires, through his wholsome Admonitions; whilft they alternatively entertain'd one another with the Delights of the Celestial Life, the Bishop, among other Things, faid, Brether Hereberht, remember at this Time to ask me all the Questions you would have refolu'd, and say all you design; for we Shall fee one another no more in this World. For I am sure that the Time of my Dissolution is at hand, and I shall speedily lay down this Tabernacle. He hearing these Words, fell down at his Feet, and shedding Tears, with a Sigh, faid, I beseech you by our Lord, not to forsake me; but that you remember your most faithful Companion, and intreat the Supreme Goodness, that as we Serud him together upon Earth, we may depart together to see his Bliss in Heaven. For you know that I have always endeavour'd to live according to your Directions, and whatsoever Faults I have committed, either through Ignorance or Frailty, I have presently Submitted to be corrected according to your Will. The Bishop apply'd himself to Prayer, and having presently had Intimation in the Spirit, that he had obtain'd what he begg'd of our Lord, he said, Rife, Brother, and do not weep, but rejoice, because the Heavenly Goodness has granted what we defir'd. The Event prov'd the Truth of this Promise and Prophecy, for after their parting at that Time, they no more saw one another corporally; but their Souls quitting their Bodies, on the very fame Day, that is, on the 13th Day of the Kalends of April, they were immediately again

7

united in the beatifical Vision, and tranflated to the Heavenly Kingdom by the Ministry of Angels. But Hereberht was first prepar'd by a tedious Sickness, through the Dispensation of the Divine Goodness, as may be believ'd, to the end, that if he was any thing inferior in Merit to the Blesled Cuthbert, the same might be made up by the chastizing Pain of a long Sickness; that being thus made equal in Grace to his Interceffor, as he departed out of the Body at the very same Time with him, fo he might be receiv'd into the like and same Seat of Eternal Bliss. The most Reverend Father dy'd in the Iile of Farne, earnestly intreating the Brothers, that he might also be bury'd in that lame Place, where he had ferv'd God a confiderable Time. However, at length yielding to their Intreaties, he consented, to be carry'd back to the Isle of Lindisfarn, and there bury'd in the Church. That being done accordingly, the venerable Bishop Wilfrid, held the Epifcopal See of that Church one Year, till such Time as one was chofen to be ordain'd in the room of Cuthbert. Afterwards Eadbert was confecrated, a Man renowned for his Knowledge in the Divine Writings, as also for keeping the Divine Precepts, and chiefly for Almsgiving; so that, according to the Law, he every Year gave the tenth Part, not only of four footed Beafts, but also of all Corn and Fruit, as alfo of Garments to the Poor.

CHAP. XXX.

Hore St. Cuthbert's Body was found altogether uncorrupted after it had been bury'd eleven Years; and how his Succeffor in the Bishoprick departed this World not long after.

T

HE divine Dispensation designing to make known, in how much Glory the Man of God, Cuthbert, liv'd after Death, his fublime Life having been before his Death signaliz'd by the Tokens of frequent Miracles, when he had been bury'd eleven Years, put it into the Minds of the Brethren to take up his Bones, expecting, as is usual with dead Bodies, to find all the Flesh confum'd and reduc'd to Ashes, and the rest dry'd up, and intending to put the fame into a new Coffin, and to be laid in the same Place, but above the Pavement, for the Honour due to him. Having acquainted Bishop Eadberht with their Design, he confented to it, and order'd that the same should be done on the Anniversary of his Deposition. They did so, and opening the Grave, found all the Body whole, as if it had been alive, and the Joints being pliable, much more like one afleep than a dead Person; besides, that all the Vestments the Body had on, were not only found, but wonderful for their Freshnefs and Glofs. The Brothers seeing this, with much

b

much Amazement hasted to tell the Bishop what they had found; he being then alone in a Place remote from the Church, all encompass'd by the Sea. There he always us'd to spend the Time of Lent; there he was wont to continue forty Days before the Birth of our Lord, in great Devotion of Abstinence, Prayer and Tears. There also his venerable Predecessor Cuthbert had some Time serv'd God in private, before he went to the Ifle of Farne. They brought him some Part of the Garments that had cover'd the Holy Body; the which Presents he thankfully accepting, and attentively liftning to the Miracles, for he with wonderful Affection kiss'd those Garments, as if they had been still upon his Father's Body, he said, Let the Body be put into new Garments, in lieu of these you have brought, and fo lay it into the Coffin you have provided; for I am most certain, that Place will not long remain empty, having been fanctify'd with fo many Miracles of Heavenly Grace; and how happy is he, to whom our Lord, the Author and Giver of all Bliss, shall grant the Privilege of lying in the Jame. The Bishop having said this and much more, with many Tears, and extraordinary Compunction, the Brothers did as he had commanded them, and when they had dress'd the Body in new Garments, and laid it in a new Coffin, they plac'd it on the Pavement of the Sanctuary. Soon after the beloved Bishop of God, Eadberht, fell grievously sick, and his Distemper daily increasing, in a short Time, that is, the Day before the Nones of May, he also departed to our Lord; and they laying his Body in the Grave of the Holy Father Cuthbert, plac'd the Coffin over it, with the

Bb2

un

uncorrupted Remains of that Father. The Miracles fometimes wrought in that. Place te fstify the Merits of them both; some of which we have formerly preserv'd the Memory of in the Book of his Life; and have thought fit to addone more in this History, which we hapned lately to hear.

:

1

+

CHAP. XXXI.

Of one that was cur'd of a Palsey at the
Tomb of St. Cuthbert.

T

HERE was in that same Monastery a Brother, whose Name was Beaduthegen, who had for a confiderable Time serv'd the Guests, and is still living, having the Testimony of all the Brothers and Strangers reforting thither, of being a Man of much Piety and Religion, and serving the Office put upon him only for the sake of the Heavenly Reward. This Man having on a Day wash'd the Mantles or Garments he wore in the Hospital, in the Sea, as he was returning home, about half Way, was seiz'd with a fudden Distemper in his Body, infomuch, that falling down, and having lain some Time, he could scarce rise again. Being got up, he felt one half of his Body, from the Head to the Foot taken with the Palfy, and with much Difficulty got home, by the help of a Staff. The Distemper increas'd by Degrees, and Night coming on was still