And

leg ulcerated with open sores and matter issuing therefrom both up and down, the very swelling growing as high even as was the thickness of the thigh itself. But where the leg seemed smoother and less swollen, there small boils would burst out with itching, while in other places large blains blew up filled with water and smarting sorely. And now the leg became nearly all hollow with gathering matter, accompanied by such pain that I might scarcely endure any covering laid thereon or lifted thereoff. the physicians said that I had, without doubt, caught the disease which is called morbus chronicus, and is not to be healed by the hand of man. Yet God gave me such strength withal, that I could always get to holy church, but whenever I ministered to my duties, I had to do all things asitting, yea, even when I preached sermons before the people of our city. And during the last year that I bore this illness, the hurt grew so sore on me towards Eastertide that I fell into heaviness of mind, lest I should not be able to minister to any service at our Lord's Passion or His glorious Resurrection. What more or further? I prayed the gracious Lord for His mercy, and He listened to me a sinner, granting me the comfort that from Maundy Thursday even unto the fourth day after Easter, I might do all service within the church which it was chiefly my duty to perform. But after this my hurt grew painful anew, even more so than before, if more it could be. It now entered my heart, on hearing daily reports of the blessed miracles which the holy archbishop Thomas was working at Canterbury, that I had better visit his grave, whatever it might cost me. Having made up my mind,

9

ek hrærða1 mik heiman, ok framm 2 fèkk 3 ek komizt til Kantúaríam mæddr af vegarlengd ok laminn af meinlætum 5 míns sjúknaðar. Fram fell 6 ek til grafar Guðs píslarvotts, biðjandi líknar ok lækningar í hans árnaðarorði við várn Herra. Ok svá 5 reis ek þaðan upp, at ek hafði meira þegit, enn mèr væri 10 þá enn kunnigt. Fèkk 11 ek mèr vatn hins signaða Thóme, ok bar ek á fótinn, áðr ek fór at sofa. Ok svá gerða ek þrjú kveld hvert eftir 12 annat. Sem ek veik aftr 13 í veg, skipaðist nú annan veg 14 við 10 rekstrinn enn fyr, því at nú lètti 15 dag 16 frá degi, svá at fótr var alheill, er ek kom heim, svá at hvergi sá mark eða 17 munna, blöðru 18 nè 19 bólu, at hann hefði sjúkr verit. Máttu þá sjá ok skilja, minn kærasti 20 bróðir, hver lof ok þakklæti 21 þeir mundu gjalda Guði 15 ok hans virðuligum píningarvott, er sèð 22 höfðu minn langan vanmátt. Ok þat segi ek þinni elsku, at til allrar aflraunar 23 er sá fótr minn miklu öruggari enn sá annarr,25 er aldri sýktist. Nú er úti með sannendum þetta efni. Geymi þik Guð, minn góði vin, ok 20 efli þitt bróðerni til sinna boðorða.26

24

23 So Prof. Unger; alfrunnar, T.

24 auruggari, T.

25 annar, T.

26 This letter is found among Benedict's Miracula, Materials, ii., pp. 97-101, as addressed, at Benedict's request, to himself. But the differences between the two texts are so great, that the Latin text of the letter, as we have it now, could not have been the Icelandic translator's original. See Preface.

I betook me from home, and worked my way to Canterbury, weary with the long journey and sorely smitten with the hurt of my sickness. I knelt down at the grave of God's martyr praying for mercy and healing through his word of intercession with our Lord. And up I rose from that place in such a manner that I had received more than at the time I was aware of. Now I got the water (from the well) of St. Thomas, wherein I bathed the leg before I went to sleep; the which I did for three nights running. When I turned back on my way home, the disease took a different turn at my attempts at driving it out, for now I grew easier day by day, so that, when I came home, my leg was thoroughly whole, there being nowhere a mark or a scar to be seen, neither blain nor boil to show that it had ever been diseased. Now thou mayest see and understand, my dearest brother, what praise and thanks they gave unto God and His worthy martyr who had seen my long infirmity. And I tell your love, that for any exertion this leg is much stronger than the other, which never was diseased. Now this matter is truly told to the end. May God preserve thee, my good friend, and strengthen thy brotherhood in the keeping of all His commandments.

A maimed

man is

KAP. XCII.

AF JARTEIGNAGERDUM HINS HEILAGA THOME.

Nú er aftr1 at venda í sömu

9

8

frásögn, er næst 1 thoroughly var lesin, því at tvíföldu 5 efni má víst ei andsvara restored. með einligri frásögn. Byrjar þar nú annat sinn, 5 Sem príórr Robert er í Kantúaría með sitt fótarmein, heyrir hann í staðnum mikla frægðs af þeiri jarteign, er blezaðr Thomas hafði litlu unnit, ok sá maðr, sem heilsubótina hafði fengit ok þegit, hafði þar fyrir fám dögum verit. Enn þat tákn var flutt svá 10 mikillar dýrðar, at heilagr Thómas hefði gefit honum aftr 10 bæði augu, er áðr váro útstungin, ok þar með eistun, er út váro hleypt af manna völdum 12 ok í jörð grafin. þessi maðr var kynjaðr af þeim kaupstað, er Dedeford heitir. pat var í byskupsdæmi 13 ok sýslu 15 virðuligs herra Húgónis Dunelmensis. Enn er príórr 1 Robert skilr, at sá maðr hefir nýfarit burt af Kancía í sömo 15 hálfu landsins, sem nú liggja hans vegar heimleiðis, býðr hann sínu föruneyti,16 at þeir kosti með allri frètt 17 ok eftirleitan 18 at fá þenna mann, at 20 príórrinn heyri af sjálfum, hvat Guð hafði gert í sínum stórtáknum. Ok með vilja várs Herra gengr svá til efnis, at rètt 19 úti á veginum mæta20 þeir þessum manni, þar er hann gengr mæðiliga,21 ok dóttir hans ein með Evidence for honum. Príórr 22 lætr 23 þá eigi lengi at bidum, spyr, 25 hvárt hann er sá maðr, er augu sín ok eistu hafði

the miracle.

14

CHAP. XCII.

OF THE MIRACLES OF ST. THOMAS.

Now it behoveth to return unto the same tale that we read even now, as two events may nowise be set forth in one single story. So another tale begins thus: While prior Robert with the hurt of his leg sojourneth at Canterbury, he heareth in the city great praise spoken of a certain miracle which the blessed Thomas had then lately wrought; the man, who had got his health restored, having been there a few days before. And of this miracle the great glory was set forth, that the holy Thomas had given him back again both his eyes, which had already been gouged out, and therewithal, too, his testicles, which by the hand of man had been taken out of him and buried in the earth. This man was a native of the market-town of Detford, within the bishopric and diocese of lord Hugh of Durham. But when prior Robert heareth, that this man hath lately left Canterbury and gone into the same part of the country through which his ways now lie homewards, he enjoineth his company to try by every inquiry and search to get hold of this man, in order that the prior may hear for himself what God hath wrought for him in his great miracles. And by the will of our Lord it so cometh to pass, that on the open road they meet this very man whereas he walketh wearily on with one of his daughters beside him. The prior then tarrieth not, but asketh if he be the man who