Many Persons, Both Jews And Christians, Expressing
Their Astonishment, Flocked To The Place, Where For The Greater Part
Of The Day She Remained Motionless, That No Possible Doubt Might Be
Entertained Of The Miracle.
In the north of England beyond the Humber, in the church of
Hovedene, {37} the concubine of the rector
Incautiously sat down on
the tomb of St. Osana, sister of king Osred, {38} which projected
like a wooden seat; on wishing to retire, she could not be removed,
until the people came to her assistance; her clothes were rent, her
body was laid bare, and severely afflicted with many strokes of
discipline, even till the blood flowed; nor did she regain her
liberty, until by many tears and sincere repentance she had showed
evident signs of compunction.
What miraculous power hath not in our days been displayed by the
psalter of Quindreda, sister of St. Kenelm, {39} by whose
instigation he was killed? On the vigil of the saint, when,
according to custom, great multitudes of women resorted to the feast
at Winchelcumbe, {40} the under butler of that convent committed
fornication with one of them within the precincts of the monastery.
This same man on the following day had the audacity to carry the
psalter in the procession of the relics of the saints; and on his
return to the choir, after the solemnity, the psalter stuck to his
hands. Astonished and greatly confounded, and at length calling to
his mind his crime on the preceding day, he made confession, and
underwent penance; and being assisted by the prayers of the
brotherhood, and having shown signs of sincere contrition, he was at
length liberated from the miraculous bond. That book was held in
great veneration; because, when the body of St. Kenelm was carried
forth, and the multitude cried out, "He is the martyr of God! truly
he is the martyr of God!" Quindreda, conscious and guilty of the
murder of her brother, answered, "He is as truly the martyr of God
as it is true that my eyes be on that psalter;" for, as she was
reading the psalter, both her eyes were miraculously torn from her
head, and fell on the book, where the marks of the blood yet remain.
Moreover I must not be silent concerning the collar (torques) which
they call St. Canauc's; {41} for it is most like to gold in weight,
nature, and colour; it is in four pieces wrought round, joined
together artificially, and clefted as it were in the middle, with a
dog's head, the teeth standing outward; it is esteemed by the
inhabitants so powerful a relic, that no man dares swear falsely
when it is laid before him: it bears the marks of some severe
blows, as if made with an iron hammer; for a certain man, as it is
said, endeavouring to break the collar for the sake of the gold,
experienced the divine vengeance, was deprived of his eyesight, and
lingered the remainder of his days in darkness.
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