worse, fo that when the Day return'd, he could scarce rise or go alone. Being in this weak Condition, a good Thought came into his Mind, which was to go to the Church, the best he could, to the Tomb of the most Reverend Father Cuthbert, and there on his Knees, to beg of the Divine Goodness, either to be deliver'd from that Disease, if it were for his good, or if the Divine Providence had ordain'd him longer to lye under the fame for his Punishment, that he might bear the Pain with Patience and a compos'd Mind. He did as he had thought, and supporting his weak Limbs with a Staff, enter'd the Church, where proftrating himself before the Body of the Man of God, he with a pious Intention, pray'd, that through his Interceffion, our Lord might be propitious to him. Falling as it were asseep at his Prayers, he felt, as he was afterwards wont to relate, as it were a large and broad Hand touch his Head, where the Pain lay, and by that Touch, all the Part of his Body which had been affected with the Distemper, deliver'd from the Weakness, and reftor'd to Health down to his Feet. Then awaking, he rofe up in perfect Health, and returning Thanks to God for his Recovery, told the Brothers what had happen'd to him; and to the Joy of them all, return'd the more zealous, as if he had been chastiz'd, to the Service he was wont before carefully to perform. The very Garments which had been on Cuthbert's Body, dedicated to God, either whilft living, or after he was dead, were not exempt from the Virtue of performing Cures, as may

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be seen in the Book of his Life and Miracles, by such as shall read it.

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CHAP. XXXII.

Of one cur'd of a Distemper in his Eye at the Relicks of St. Cuthbert.

N

OR is that to be pass'd over in Silence, which being perform'd by his Relicks three Years ago, was told me by the Brother himfelf, on whom it was wrought. This happen'd in the Monastery, which being built near the River Dacore, has taken its Name from the fame, over which, at that Time, the Religious Man Suidbert presided as Abbat. In that Monastery was a Youth whose Eyelid had a great Swelling on it, the which growing daily, threatned the Loss of the Eye. The Surgeons apply'd their Medicines to ripen it, but in vain. Some said it was to be cut off'; others oppos'd it for fear of worse Consequences. The Brother having long labour'd under that Uneasiness, and seeing no human Means likely to save his Eye, but that on the contrary, it grew daily worse; it happen'd that he was cur'd on a sudden, through the Divine Goodness, by the Relicks of the holy Father Cuthbert; for when the Brethren found his Body uncorrupted, after having been many Years bury'd, they took fome Part of the Hair, which they might, at the Request of Friends, give or show, in Testimony of the Miracle. One

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One of the Priests of that Monastery, call'd Thrydred, who is now Abbat there, had a fmall Part of these Relicks by him at that Time. He one Day in the Church, haying open'd the Box of Relicks, to give some Part to a Friend that begg'd it, it happen'd that the Youth who had the distemper'd Eye, was then in the Church: The Priest having given his Friend as much as he thought fit, delivered the rest to the Youth to put it into its Place. He being mov'd by wholsome Instinct, having receiv'd the Hairs of the holy Head, clapp'd them to the Sore Eyelid, and endeavour'd for some Time by the Application of them to soften and abate the Swelling. This done, he again laid the Relicks into the Box, as he had been order'd, believing that his Eye would foon be cur'd by the Hairs of the Man of God, which had touch'd it; nor did his Faith disappoint him. It was then, as he is wont to relate it, about the second Hour of the Day; but he being busie about other Things that belong'd to that Day, about the 6th Hour of the fame, touching his Eye on a sudden, found it as found with the Lid, as if there never had been any Swelling or Deformity on it.

The End of the Fourth Book.

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THE

How Oidilwald, Successor to Cuthbert, leading an Eremitical Life, quell'd a Tempest, the Brethren being in Danger

at Sea.

HE Venerable Man Ethelwald, who having receiv'd the Priestly Degree in the Monastery call'd Inhrypum, had, by Actions worthy of the fame, sanctify'd it, fucceeded the Man of God, Cuth

bert, in the Exercise of a folitary Life, which he had exercised before he was Bishop, in the

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Isle of Farne. For the more certain Demonstration of the Life he led, and his Merit, I will relate one Miracle of his, which was told me by one of the Brothers for and on whom the fame was wrought; viz. Guthfrid, the venerable Servant and Priest of CHRIST, who, afterwards, as Abbat, presided over the Brethren of the fame Church of Lindisfarn; in which he had been educated. I came, says he, to the Island of Farne, with two other Brothers, to Speak with the most Reverend Father Ethelwald. Having been refresh'd with his Discourse, and returning home, after taking his Bleffing; on a sudden, when we were in the midst of the Sea, the jair Weather that was wafting us over was disturb'd, and there enfu'd so great and dismal a Tempest, that neither the Sails nor Oars were of any use to us, nor had we any thing to expect but Death. After long struggling with the Wind and Waves to no effect, looking behind us to fee whether it were practicable at least, to recover the Island from whence we came, we found our selves on all Sides fo infested with the Storm, that there remain'd no Hopes of escaping. But looking out as far as we could fee, we obferv'd the most beloved Father of God, Oidilwald, come out of his lurking Place, fixing his Eyes on us; for he hearing the Noise of the Storm and raging Sea, was come out to see what was become of us. When he beheld us in Distress and Despair, he bow'd his Knees to the Father of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, to pray for our Life and Safety; and his Prayer being ended, the swelling Sea was afSwag'd, so that the dreadful Storm ceasing on all fides, a fair Wind attended us to the very Shore. Being landed, and having dragg'd on Ground the Small