Part 40

If any one ask how this happened, we say, that this martyr had spent his life in a lay condition, when, through the persecution of heathen men, for belief in Christ, he was martyred; and christian men afterwards honourably deposited his holy body within the temple, together with his weapons. Afterwards, when the holy queen sent him, as we have said a little before, his spirit swiftly went, and with a bodily weapon stabbed the foe of God, while his guards were looking on.

My dearest brothers, let us call with constant prayers to the holy mother of God, that she may intercede for us in {455} our necessities with her Son. It is very credible that he will grant much to her, who vouchsafed through her to be born a human being for the redemption of the world, who is ever God without beginning, and now exists, in one person, true man and true God, ever to eternity. So as every man exists in soul and body one man, so is Christ, God and man, one Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen.

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VIII. [=KL]. SEPT.

PASSIO S[=CI] BARTHOLOMEI APOSTOLI.

Wyrd-writeras secgadh thaet dhry leodscipas sind geh['a]tene India. Seo forme India lidh to dhaera Silhearwena rice, seo odher lidh to Medas, seo dhridde to dham micclum garsecge; theos dhridde India haefdh on anre sidan theostru, and on odhere dhone grimlican garsecg. To dhyssere bec['o]m Godes apostol BARTHOLOMEUS, and eode into dham temple to dham deofolgylde Astarodh, and swa swa aeldheodig dhaer wunade. On dham deofolgylde wunade swilc deofol dhe to mannum thurh dha anlicnysse spraec, and gehaelde untruman, blinde and healte, tha dhe he sylf ['ae]r awyrde. He derode manna gesihdhum, and heora lichaman mid mislicum untrumnyssum awyrde, and andwyrde him dhurh dha anlicnysse, thaet hi him heora l['a]c offrian sceoldon, and he hi gehaelde; ac he him ne heolp mid nanre haele, ac dhadha hi to him bugon, dha geswac he dhaere lichamlican gedreccednysse, fordhan dhe he ahte dha heora sawla. Tha wendon dysige men thaet he h['i] gehaelde, dhadha he dhaere dreccednysse geswac.

Tha mid tham dhe se apostol into dham temple eode, dha adumbode se deofol Astarodh, and ne mihte nanum dhaera dhe h['e] {456} awyrde gehelpan, for dhaes halgan Godes dhegnes neawiste. Tha lagon dhaer binnan dham temple fela adligra manna, and daeghwomlice tham deofolgylde offrodon; ac thadha h['i] gesawon thaet he heora helpan ne mihte, ne nanum andwyrdan, tha ferdon h['i] to gehendre byrig, thaer dhaer odher deofol waes gewurdhod, thaes nama waes Beridh, and him offrodon, and befrunon, hwi heora god him andwyrdan ne mihte? Se deofol dha Beridh andwyrde, and cwaedh, "Eower god is swa faeste mid isenum racenteagum gewridhen thaet he ne gedyrstlaecdh thaet he furdhon ordhige odhdhe sprece sydhdhan se Godes apostol Bartholomeus binnan thaet tempel becom." H['i] axodon, "Hwaet is se Bartholomeus?" Se deofol andwyrde, "He is freond thaes Aelmihtigan Godes, and dhi he com to dhyssere scire thaet he aidlige ealle dha haedhengyld the dhas Indiscan wurdhiadh." H['i] cwaedon, "Sege us his nebwlite, thaet we hine oncnawan magon." Beridh him andwyrde, "He is blaecfexede and cyrps, hwit on lichaman, and he haefdh steape eagan, and medemlice nosu, and side beardas, hwon h['a]rwencge, medemne waestm, and is ymbscryd mid hwitum oferslype, and binnan six and twentig geara faece: naes his reaf h['o]rig ne tosigen, ne his scos forwerode. Hund sidhon he bigdh his cneowa on daege, and hund sidhon on nihte, biddende his Drihten. His stemn is swylce ormaete byme, and him faradh mid Godes englas, dhe ne gedhafiadh thaet him hunger derige, odhdhe aenig ateorung. Aefre he bidh anes modes, and glaed thurhwunadh. Ealle dhing he foresceawadh and w['a]t, and ealra dheoda gereord he cann. Nu iu he w['a]t hwaet ic sprece be him, fordhan dhe Godes englas him dheowiadh, and ealle dhing cydhadh. Thonne ge hine secadh, gif he sylf wyle, ge hine gemetadh; gif he nele, sodhlice ne finde ge hine. Ic bidde eow thaet ge hine geornlice biddon thaet he hider ne gewende, thelaes dhe Godes englas dhe him mid synd me gebeodon thaet hi minum geferan Astarodh gebudon." And se deofol mid thisum wordum suwode.

Hi gecyrdon ongean, and sceawodon aelces aeldheodiges mannes andwlitan and gyrlan, and hi nateshwon, binnan {458} twegra daga faece, hine ne gemetton. Tha betwux dhisum hrymde sum w['o]d mann dhurh deofles gast, and cwaedh, "Eala dhu Godes apostol, Bartholomee, dhine gebedu geancsumiadh me, and ontendadh." Se apostol dha cwaedh, "Adumba, dhu unclaena deofol, and gewit of dham menn." And dhaerrihte weardh se mann geclaensod fram dham fulan gaste, and gewittiglice spraec, sedhe for manegum gearum awedde.

Tha geaxode se cyning Polimius be dham witseocum menn, hu se apostol hine fram dhaere w['o]dnysse ahredde, and het hine to him gelangian, and cwaedh, "Min dohtor is hreowlice awed: nu bidde ic dhe thaet thu h['i] on gewitte gebringe, swa swa dhu dydest Seustium, sedhe for manegum gearum mid egeslicere w['o]dnysse gedreht waes." Thadha se apostol thaet maeden geseah mid heardum racenteagum gebunden, fordhan dhe heo b['a]t and totaer aelcne dhe heo geraecan mihte, and hire nan man genealaecan ne dorste, dha het se apostol h['i] unbindan. Tha dhenas him andwyrdon, "Hwa dearr hi hreppan?" Bartholomeus andwyrde, "Ic haebbe gebunden dhone feond the hi drehte, and ge g['y]t hi ondraedadh. Gadh to and unbindadh hi, and gereordigadh, and on aerne merigen l['ae]dadh h['i] to me." Hi dha dydon be dhaes apostoles haese, and se awyrigeda gast ne mihte na leng hi dreccan.

Tha dhaes on merigen se cyning Polimius gesymde gold, and seolfor, and deorwurdhe gymmas, and paellene gyrlan uppan olfendas, and sohte dhone apostol, ac he hine nateshwon ne gemette. Eft dhaes on merigen com se apostol into dhaes cyninges bure, beclysedre dura, and hine befr['a]n, "Hwi sohtest dhu me mid golde, and mid seolfre, and mid deorwurdhum gymmum and gyrlum? Thas l['a]c behofiadh tha dhe eordhlice welan secadh; ic sodhlice nanes eordhlices gestreones, ne flaesclices lustes ne gewilnige; ac ic wille thaet thu wite thaet dhaes Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu gemedemode hine sylfne thaet h['e] dhurh maedenlicne innodh acenned weardh, sedhe geworhte heofonas and eordhan and ealle gesceafta; and he haefde anginn on dhaere menniscnysse, sedhe naefre ne ongann on {460} godcundnysse, ac he sylf is anginn, and eallum gesceaftum, aegdher ge gesewenlicum ge ungesewenlicum, anginn forgeaf. Thaet maeden dhe hine gebaer forhogode aelces weres gemanan, and dham Aelmihtigan Gode hire maegdhhad behet. Hire com to Godes heah-engel Gabriel, and hire cydde thaes heofonlican Aedhelinges to-cyme on hire innodh, and heo his wordum gelyfde, and swa mid tham cilde weardh."

Se apostol dha tham cyninge bodade ealne cristendom, and middangeardes alysednysse dhurh dhaes Haelendes to-cyme, and hu he dhone hellican deofol gewylde, and him mancynnes benaemde, and cwaedh, "Drihten Crist, sedhe dhurh his unscyldigan deadh thone deofol oferswidhde, sende us geond ealle dheoda, thaet we todraefdon deofles dhenas, dha dhe on anlicnyssum wuniadh, and thaet we dha haedhenan dhe hi wurdhiadh of heora anwealde aetbrudon. Ac we ne underfodh gold ne seolfor, ac forseodh, swa swa Crist forseah; fordhan dhe we gewilniadh thaet we rice beon on his rice, on dham naefdh adl, ne untrumnyss, ne unrotnyss, ne deadh, naenne stede, ac thaer is ece gesaeldh and eadignys, gefea butan ende mid ecum welum. Fordhi ic ferde to eowerum temple, and se deofol dhe eow dhurh dha anlicnysse geandwyrde, dhurh Godes englas dhe me sende, is gehaeft. And gif dhu to fulluhte gebihst, ic do thaet thu dhone deofol gesihst, and gehyrst mid hwilcum craefte he is gedhuht thaet he untrumnysse gehaele. Se awyrigeda deofol, sidhdhan he dhone frumsceapenan mann besw['a]c, sydhdhan he haefde anweald on ungelyfedum mannum, on sumum maran, on sumum laessan: on dham maran dhe swidhor syngadh, on dham laessan dhe hwonlicor syngadh. Nu dedh se deofol mid his lotwrencum thaet dha earman men geuntrumiadh, and tiht h['i] thaet h['i] sceolon gelyfan on deofolgyld: thonne geswicdh he dhaere gedreccednysse, and haefdh heora sawla on his anwealde; thonne h['i] cwedhadh to dhaere deofollican anlicnysse, Thu eart min god. Ac dhes deofol, dhe binnan eowrum temple waes, is gebunden, and ne maeg nateshw['o]n andwyrdan dham the him to gebiddadh. Gif dhu wylt afandian thaet ic sodh secge, ic hate hine faran into dhaere {462} anlicnysse, and ic do thaet he andet this ylce, thaet he is gewridhen, and nane andsware syllan ne maeg."

Tha andwyrde se cyning, "Nu to-merigen haefdh this folc gemynt thaet h['i] heora l['a]c him offrion, dhonne cume ic dhaerto, thaet ic geseo dhas wunderlican daeda." Witodlice on dham odhrum daege com se cyning mid thaere burhware to dham temple, and dha hrymde se deofol mid egeslicere stemne dhurh dha anlicnysse, and cwaedh, "Geswicadh, earme, geswicadh eowra offrunga, dhelaes dhe ge wyrsan pinunge dhrowion dhonne ic. Ic eom gebunden mid fyrenum racenteagum fram Cristes englum, dhone dhe dha Iudeiscan on r['o]de ah['e]ngon: wendon thaet se deadh hine gehaeftan mihte; he sodhlice dhone deadh oferswydhde, and urne ealdor mid fyrenum bendum gewradh, and on dham dhriddan daege sigefaest ar['a]s, and sealde his rode-t['a]cen his apostolum, and tosende h['i] geond ealle dheoda. An dhaera is her, dhe me gebundenne hylt. Ic bidde eow thaet ge me to him gedhingion, thaet ic mote faran to sumere odhre scire."

Tha cwaedh se apostol Bartholomeus, "Thu unclaena deofol, andette hw['a] awyrde dhas untruman menn." Se unclaena gast andwyrde, "Ure ealdor, swa gebunden swa he is, sent us to mancynne, thaet we h['i] mid mislicum untrumnyssum awyrdon; aerest heora lichaman, fordhan dhe we nabbadh naenne anweald on heora sawlum, buton hi heora l['a]c us geoffrion. Ac dhonne h['i] for heora lichaman haeldhe us offriadh, thonne geswice we dhaes lichaman gedreccednysse, fordhan dhe we habbadh sydhdhan heora sawla on urum gewealde. Thonne bidh gedhuht swilce we hi gehaelon, dhonne we geswicadh thaera awyrdnyssa. And menn us wurdhiadh for godas, thonne we sodhlice deoflu sind, thaes ealdres gingran dhe Crist thaes maedenes Sunu gewradh. Fram dham daege the his apostol Bartholomeus hider com, ic eom mid byrnendum racenteagum dhearle fornumen, and fordhi ic sprece dhe he me het; elles ic ne dorste on his andwerdnysse sprecan, ne furdhon ure ealdor."

Tha cwaedh se apostol, "Hwi nelt dhu gehaelan dhas untruman, swa swa dhin gewuna waes?" Se sceocca andwyrde, "Thonne {464} we manna lichaman derigadh, buton we dhaere sawle derian magon, dha lichaman thurhwuniadh on heora awyrdnysse." Bartholomeus cwaedh, "And h['u] becume ge to dhaere sawle awyrdnysse?" Se deofol andwyrde, "Thonne h['i] gelyfadh thaet we godas sind, and us offriadh, thonne forl['ae]t se Aelmihtiga God h['i], and we dhonne forl['ae]tadh dhone lichaman ungebrocodne, and cepadh dhaere sawle the ['u]s to gebeah, and heo dhonne on ure anwealde bidh."

Tha cwaedh se apostol to eallum dham folce, "Efne nu ge habbadh gehyred hwilc dhes god is dhe ge wendon thaet eow gehaelde; ac gehyradh nu dhone sodhan God, eowerne Scyppend, the on heofonum eardadh; and ne gelyfe ge heonon-fordh on idele anlicnyssa: and gif ge willadh thaet ic eow to Gode gedhingige, and thaet dhas untruman haeldhe underfon, towurpadh thonne dhas anlicnysse, and tobrecadh. Gif ge dhis dodh, thonne halgige ic dhis tempel on Cristes naman, and eow dhaer on-innan mid his fulluhte fram eallum synnum adhwea." Tha het se cyning dha anlicnysse towurpan. Hwaet thaet folc dha caflice mid rapum hi bewurpon, and mid stengum awegdon; ac hi ne mihton for dham deofle tha anlicnysse styrian.

Tha het se apostol tolysan dha rapas, and cwaedh to dham awyrgedan gaste dhe hire on sticode, "Gyf dhu wylle thaet ic dhe on niwelnysse ne asende, gewit of dhyssere anlicnysse, and tobrec h['i], and far to westene, thaer nan fugel ne flyhdh, ne yrdhling ne eradh, ne mannes stemn ne swegdh." He dhaerrihte ['u]t-gew['a]t, and sticmaelum tobraec dha anlicnysse, and ealle dha graeftas binnon dham temple tobrytte. Thaet folc dha mid anre stemne clypode, "An Aelmihtig God is, dhone dhe Bartholomeus bodadh." Se apostol dha astrehte his handa widh heofonas weard, thus biddende, "Thu Aelmihtiga God, on dham dhe Abraham gelyfde, and Isaac, and Iacob; thu dhe asendest dhinne ancennedan Sunu, thaet he us alysde mid his deorwurdhan blode fram deofles dheowdome, and haefdh us geworht dhe to bearnum; thu eart unacenned Faeder, he is Sunu of dhe aefre acenned, and se Halga Gast is aefre fordhstaeppende of dhe and of dhinum {466} Bearne, se forgeaf us on his naman dhas mihte, thaet we untrume gehaelon, and blinde onlihton, hreoflige geclaensian deoflu aflian, deade araeran, and cwaedh to ['u]s, Sodh ic eow secge, Swa hwaet swa ge biddadh on minum naman aet minum Faeder, hit bidh eow getidhod. Nu bidde ic on his naman thaet theos untrume menigu sy gehaeled, thaet hi ealle oncnawon thaet dhu eart ana God on heofonan, and on eordhan, and on s['ae], thu dhe haeldhe ge-edstadhelast dhurh dhone ylcan urne Drihten, sedhe mid dhe and mid tham Halgan Gaste leofadh and rixadh on ealra worulda woruld." Mid tham dhe h['i] andwyrdon, "Amen," tha weardh eall seo untrume menigu gehaeled: and dhaer com dha fleogende Godes engel scinende swa swa sunne, and fleah geond dha feower hwemmas thaes temples, and agrof mid his fingre rode-tacn on dham fydherscytum st['a]num, and cwaedh, "Se God dhe me sende cwaedh, Thaet swa swa dhas untruman synd gehaelede fram eallum codhum, swa he geclaensode this templ fram thaes deofles fulnyssum, dhone dhe se apostol het to westene gewitan. And God bebead me thaet ic dhone deofol eowrum gesihdhum aer aeteowige. Ne beo ge afyrhte thurh his gesihdhe, ac mearciadh rode-tacen on eowrum foreheafdum, and aelc yfel gewit fram eow."

And se engel dha aeteowde tham folce dhone awyrigedan gast on dhyssere gelicnysse. He weardh dha aeteowod swylce ormaete Silhearwa, mid scearpum nebbe, mid sidum bearde. His loccas hangodon to dham anccleowum, his eagan waeron fyrene spearcan sprengende; him st['o]d swaeflen l['i]g of dham mudhe, he waes egeslice gefidherhamod, and his handa to his baece gebundene. Tha cwaedh se Godes engel to dham atelican deofle, "Fordhan dhe dhu waere gehyrsum dhaes apostoles haesum, and tobraece thas deofellican anlicnysse, nu aefter his behate ic dhe unbinde, thaet thu fare to westene, thaer dhaer nanes mannes drohtnung nis; and dhu thaer wunige odh thone micclan dom." And se engel hine dha unband, and he mid hreowlicere w['a]nunge aweg-gew['a]t, and nawar sidhdhan ne aeteowde. Se engel dha, him eallum onlocigendum, fleah to heofonum.

{468} Hwaet dha se cyning Polimius, mid his wife and his twam sunum, and mid ealre his leode, gelyfde on dhone sodhan God, and weardh gefullod, and awearp his cynehelm samod mid his purpuran gyrlum, and nolde dhone Godes apostol forlaetan, Aefter dhisum gesamnodon gehwylce dhwyrlice widhercoran, and wrehton dhone cyning to his bredher Astrigem, se waes cyning on odhrum leodscipe, and cwaedon, "Thin brodher is geworden anes dryes folgere, se geagnadh him ure tempel, and ure godas tobrycdh." Tha weardh se cyning Astriges gehathyrt, and sende dhusend gewaepnodra cempena, thaet hi dhone apostol gebundenne to him bringan sceoldon. Thadha se apostol him to gelaed waes, dha cwaedh se cyning, "Hw['i] amyrdest dhu minne brodhor mid thinum drycraefte?" Bartholomeus andwyrde, "Ne amyrde ic hine, ac ic hine awende fram haedhenum gylde to dham sodhan Gode." Se cyning him to cwaedh, "Hw['i] towurpe dhu ure godas?" He andwyrde, "Ic sealde dha mihte dham deoflum, thaet h['i] tocwysdon dha idelan anlicnysse the h['i] on wunodon, thaet thaet mennisce folc fram heora gedwyldum gecyrde, and on dhone ecan God gelyfde." Tha cwaedh se cyning, "Swa swa dhu dydest minne brodhor his god forlaetan, and on dhinne god gelyfan, swa do ic eac dhe forlaetan dhinne god, and on minne gelyfan." Tha andwyrde se apostol, "Ic aeteowode thone god dhe dhin brodhor wurdhode him gebundenne, and ic het thaet he sylf his anlicnysse tobraece. Gif dhu miht dhis d['o]n minum Gode, thonne gebigst dhu me to dhines godes biggengum: gif dhu dhonne this minum Gode d['o]n ne miht, ic tobryte ealle dhine godas, and dhu dhonne gelyf on dhone sodhan God the ic bodige."

Mid tham dhe h['i] dhis spraecon, tha cydde sum man tham cyninge thaet his maesta god Baldadh feolle, and sticmaelum toburste. Se cyning dha totaer his purpuran reaf, and het mid stidhum saglum dhone apostol beatan, and sidhdhan beheafdian. And he dha on dhisum daege swa gemartyrod to dham ecan life gew['a]t. Witodlice aefter dhisum com se brodhor mid his folce, and dhone halgan lichaman mid wulderfullum lofsangum {470} aweg ferodon, and getimbrodon mynster wundorlicere micelnysse, and on dham his halgan reliquias arwurdhlice gelogedon. Eornostlice on dham thrittigodhan daege, se cyning Astriges, dhe dhone apostol ofslean het, weardh mid feondlicum gaste gegripen, and egeslice awedde: swa eac ealle dha dhwyran haedhengyldan, the dhone apostol mid nidhe to dham cyninge gewregdon, aweddon samod mid him, and urnon h['i] and he to his byrgene, and dhaer wedende swulton. Tha aspr['a]ng micel ['o]ga and gryre ofer ealle dha ungeleaffullan, and hi dha gelyfdon, and gefullode wurdon aet dhaera maessepreosta handum, dhe se apostol ['ae]r geh['a]dode. Tha onwreah se apostol Bartholomeus be dham geleaffullan cyninge Polimius, thaet he biscoph['a]d underfenge; and dha Godes dheowan and thaet geleaffulle folc hine anmodlice to dham h['a]de gecuron. Hit gelamp dha, aefter dhaere h['a]dunge, thaet he worhte fela t['a]cna on Godes naman, dhurh his geleafan, and dhurhwunode twentig geara on dham biscopdome, and on godre drohtnunge; and fulfremedum gedhincdhum gew['a]t to Drihtne, tham is wurdhmynt and wuldor ['a] on worulde.

We magon niman bysne be dhaere apostolican lare, thaet nan cristen mann ne sceal his haele gefeccan buton aet dham Aelmihtigan Scyppende, dham dhe gehyrsumiadh lif and deadh, untrumnys and gesundfulnys, sedhe cwaedh on his godspelle, thaet ['a]n lytel fugel ne befyldh on deadh butan Godes dihte. He is swa mihtig, thaet he ealle dhing gediht and gefadadh butan geswince; ac he beswincgdh mid untrumnyssum his gecorenan, swa swa he sylf cwaedh, "Tha dhe ic lufige, dha ic dhreage and beswinge." For mislicum intingum beodh cristene men geuntrumode, hwilon for heora synnum, hwilon for fandunge, hwilon for Godes wundrum, hwilon for gehealdsumnysse g['o]dra drohtnunga, thaet h['i] dhy eadmodran beon; ac on eallum dhisum thingum is gedhyld nyd-behefe. Hwilon eac thurh Godes wrace becymdh tham arleasan menn swidhe egeslic yfel, swa thaet his wite ongindh on dhyssere worulde, and his sawul gewit to dham ecum witum for his waelhreawnysse; swa swa {472} Herodes dhe dha unscaedhdhigan cild acwealde on Cristes acennednysse, and manega odhre to-eacan him. Gif se synfulla bidh gebrocod for his unrihtwisnysse, thonne gif he mid gedhylde his Drihten heradh, and his miltsunge bitt, he bidh dhonne adhwogen fram his synnum dhurh dha untrumnysse, swa swa horig hraegl thurh sapan. Gif he rihtwis bidh, he haefdh thonne maran gedhincdhe thurh his brocunge, gif he gedhyldig bidh. Se dhe bidh ungethyldig, and mid gealgum mode ceoradh ongean God on his untrumnysse, he haefdh twyfealde genidherunge, fordhan dhe he geycdh his synna mid thaere ceorunge, and dhrowadh nadhelaes.

God is se sodha laece, the dhurh mislice swingla his folces synna gehaeldh. Nis se woruld-laece waelhreow, dheah dhe he thone gewundodan mid baernette, odhdhe mid ceorfsexe gel['a]cnige. Se laece cyrfdh odhdhe baerndh, and se untruma hrymdh, theah-hwaedhere ne miltsadh he thaes odhres w['a]nunge, fordhan gif se laece geswicdh his craeftes, thonne losadh se forwundoda. Swa eac God gel['a]cnadh his gecorenra gyltas mid mislicum brocum; and theah dhe hit hefigtyme sy dham dhrowigendum, theah-hwaedhere wyle se g['o]da Laece to ecere haeldhe hine gel['a]cnigan. Witodlice se dhe n['a]ne brocunge for dhisum life ne dhrowadh, he faerdh to dhrowunge. For agenum synnum bidh se mann geuntrumod, swa swa Drihten cwaedh to sumum bedridan, dhe him to geboren waes, "Min bearn, dhe synd thine synna forgifene: aris nu, and ber ham dhin leger-bed."

For fandunge beodh sume menn geuntrumode, swa swa waes se eadiga Iob, dhadha he waes rihtwis, and Gode gehyrsum. Tha baed se deofol, thaet he his fandigan moste, and he dha anes daeges ealle his aehta amyrde, and eft hine sylfne mid tham maestan broce geuntrumode, swa thaet him weollon madhan geond ealne dhone lichaman. Ac se gedhyldiga Iob, on eallum dhisum ungelimpum, ne syngode mid his mudhe, ne nan dhing stuntlices ongean God ne spraec, ac cwaedh, "God me forgeaf dha aehta, and h['i] eft aet me genam; sy his nama gebletsod." God eac dha hine gehaelde, and his aehta mid twyfealdum him {474} forgeald. Sume menn beodh geuntrumode for Godes t['a]cnum, swa swa Crist cwaedh be sumum blindan men, dhadha his leorning-cnihtas hine axodon, for hwaes synnum se mann wurde swa blind acenned. Tha cwaedh se Haelend, thaet he naere for his agenum synnum, ne for his maga, blind geboren, ac fordhi thaet Godes wundor thurh hine geswutelod waere. And he thaerrihte mildheortlice hine gehaelde, and geswutelode thaet he is sodh Scyppend, dhe dha ungesceapenan eahhringas mid his halwendan spatle geopenode.

For gehealdsumnysse sodhre eadmodnysse beodh forwel oft Godes gecorenan geswencte, swa swa Paulus se apostol be him sylfum cwaedh, "Me is geseald sticels mines lichaman, and se sceocca me gearplaet, thaet seo micelnys Godes onwrigenyssa me ne onhebbe; fordhan ic baed thriwa minne Drihten, thaet he afyrsode thaes sceoccan sticels fram me; ac h['e] me andwyrde, Paule, dhe genihtsumadh min gifu. Sodhlice maegen bidh gefremod on untrumnysse. Nu wuldrige ic lustlice on minum untrumnyssum, thaet Cristes miht on me wunige."

Se cristena mann dhe on aenigre thissere gelicnysse bidh gebrocod, and he dhonne his haeldhe secan wyle aet unalyfedum tilungum, odhdhe aet wyrigedum galdrum, oththe aet aenigum wiccecraefte, dhonne bidh he dham haedhenum mannum gel['i]c, the dham deofolgylde geoffrodon for heora lichaman haeldhe, and swa heora sawla amyrdon. Se dhe geuntrumod beo, bidde his haele aet his Drihtne, and gedhyldelice tha swingla forbere; loc h['u] lange se sodha laece hit foresceawige, and ne beceapige na dhurh aenigne deofles craeft mid his sawle dhaes lichaman gesundfulnysse; bidde eac g['o]ddra manna bletsunge, and aet halgum reliquium his haele gesece. Nis nanum cristenum menn alyfed thaet he his haele gefecce aet nanum stane, ne aet nanum treowe, buton hit sy halig rode-tacen, ne aet nanre stowe, buton hit sy halig Godes hus: se dhe elles dedh, he begaedh untwylice haedhengild. We habbadh hwaedhere tha bysne on halgum bocum, thaet mot se dhe wile mid sodhum laececraefte his lichaman getemprian, swa swa dyde se w['i]tega Isaias, the {476} worhte dham cyninge Ezechie clidhan to his dolge, and hine gel['a]cnode.

Se wisa Augustinus cwaedh, thaet unpleolic sy theah hw['a] laece-wyrte dhicge; ac thaet h['e] taeldh to unalyfedlicere w['i]glunge, gif hw['a] dha wyrta on him becnitte, buton he h['i] to dham dolge gelecge. Theah-hwaedhere ne sceole we urne hiht on laece-wyrtum besettan, ac on dhone Aelmihtigan Scyppend, the dham wyrtum dhone craeft forgeaf. Ne sceal nan man mid galdre wyrte besingan, ac mid Godes wordum h['i] gebletsian, and swa dhicgan.