The history of the Church of Englande. Compiled by Venerable Bede, Englishman. Translated out of Latin in to English by Thomas Stapleton student in diuinite

How by the signe of the Crosse, which the same kinge set vp when he fought against the Barbarous Britons, he cōquered thē: and among diuers other miraculous cures a certaine yownge man was healed of a desease in his arme.

The. 2. Chap.

THe place is shewed vntill this daye, and is had in greate reuerence, where Oswald when he should come to this battayle did set vp a signe of the holy crosse, amd besee∣ched God humbly vppon his knees that with his heauenly helpe he would succour his seruauntes being in so great a di∣stresse. The report also is, that ( the crosse being made with quic¦ke spede, and the hole prepared wherein it should be sette) the kinge being feruent in faithe did take it in hast, and did put it in the hole, and held it with both his handes, when it was sett vp, vntill it was fastened to the earth with duste which the souldiars heaped about it. Nowe when this was done he cried out a loude to his whole armie: Let vs all kneele apon our knees, and let vs all together pray ernestly the almighty, liuing, and true God, mercifully to defend vs from the proude and cruell ennemy: for he knoweth, that we enterprise warres in a ryghtfull quarell for the saulfegard of our subiectes. All did as he commaunded them. And thus in the dawning of the day they marched forth, encountred with their enemie, and (according to the merite of their faith) atchieued and wonne the victorie. In the place of which prayer manifold miraculous cures are knowen to be done, questionlesse in token and re∣membraunce of the kinges faith. For euen vntill this present day many men do customablye cut chyppes out of the veraye tree of that holy crosse which casting into waters and geuing thereoff to sick men and beastes to drinke, or sprinckling them therwith, many forthwith are restored to their helth. That pla∣ce is in the Englishe tongue named heauen feld and was so called long before, not without a sure and a certaine fore sight of thinges to come, as signifieng vndoubtedly, that in the same place a heauenly memoriall was to be set vp, a heauenly victorie should be gotte, heauenly miracles should be wrought and remembred euen vnto our dayes.

[illustration]

[illustration]

This place is nere to that wal which stādeth toward the north∣east, wherwith the Romaines did ones in time past cōpasse all whole Britaine frō sea vnto sea to kepe of the inuasions of fo∣renners as we haue declared before. In the self same place the religious mē of Hagstalden church (which is not far frō thēce) haue now of long time been accustomed to come euery yere, the eue and the day that the same king Oswald was afterward slaine to kepe Diriges there for his soule, and in the morning after psalmes being saied solemnely to offer for him the sa∣crifice of holy oblation. This good custome longe continuing the place was made more holy, and is now much honoured of al men by the reason of the church that was lately builded and dedicated in the same place. And not without a cause, con∣sidering that no signe of the Christen faith, no church, no aul∣tar was sett vpp in all the whole countrey of the Bernicians, before that this vertuous warrier, moued wyth harty deuotion of vnfained fayth dyd sett vpp this baner of the holy Crosse, when he should fight agaynst his cruell ennemie. It shall not be beside owr purpose to recounte of many which were done, yet one miracle more mightely wrought at this holy Crosse. One of the religiouse men of the foresaide church of Hagstal∣den, called Bothelme, who lyueth yet at this daye, a few yeres past, when by chaunce in the night he went vnwares on the yse sodaynely falling downe brake his arme, and began to be so vexed with greauous anguishe thereof, that for vehemency of payne he was not able to bryng his arme to his mouth. This man hearing that one of the brethren had appointed to go vp to the place of the same holy crosse, prayed him that at his re∣turne he would bring him a piece of that blessed wood, saying that he beleeued that by Gods grace he might haue his helth thereby. He dyd so as he was desired: and when he was come home agayne about euening, the brethren being sett at the ta∣ble to eate, he gaue the deseased party some of the old mosse,

wherewyth the ouermoste part of the wodde was couered. Who sitting also then at table, and hauing at hand no better place to laie vp the gift wherewith he was presented, put it in to his bosome. After going to bed, and forgetting to laye it a side he lett it lye all night in his bosome. At midnight he wa∣ked and feling a colde thing lying nere to his side, sturring him selfe to finde what that should be, sodenly he findeth his arme and hand hole and sounde, as if he had neuer had the de∣sease.

Notes

• A crosse erected by king Os∣wald.
• Diriges o∣uer night and Mas∣se in the morning for the dead.