The admirable life of Saint VVenefride virgin, martyr, abbesse. Written in Latin aboue 500. yeares ago, by Robert, monke and priour of Shrewsbury, of the ven. Order of S. Benedict. Deuided into two bookes. And now translated into English, out of a very ancient and authenticall manuscript, for the edification and comfort of Catholikes. By I.F. of the Society of Iesus

CHAP. II.

Of a blind maid restored to her sight, by washing her head in S. Wenefrids Well, and praying in her Chappell.

A POORE Carpenter dwelling not far from S. VVenefrides VVell, had a Daughter borne blind, who hauing hard of the wonder∣full cures wrought there, by the intercession and merits of that holy Virgin, ceased not to importune her Fa∣ther daily, that she might

be ledd to that miraculous VVell; and hauing finally obteyned the same, she first bathed her head in the wa∣ter thereof, and then be∣ing conducted to the Chap∣pell neere vnto it, she spent the whole night deuoutely in prayer, that God would be pleased through the me∣rits and intercession of the Saint, there martyred for his sake, to bestow vpon her corporall sight, the better to serue him afterwards: & falling into a slumber, to∣wards the morning in a cor∣ner

of the Chappell, she was no sooner awaked, but she found herselfe to see per∣fectly; which being percea∣ued by her Father, he cea∣sed not, togeather with his Daughter, ioyfully to pro∣clayme that miraculous fa∣uour by S. VVenefrids power∣full prayers, euidently ob∣teyned.

The fame of this mira∣cle generally diuulged, bred a fresh deuotion in others, to repayre in like manner to that place, for obteyning help, and comfort in their

corporall and spirituall di∣stresses; and they were not frustrated of their hopes, faythfully, and deuoutely so conceaued: whereby the former great Fame of the place, became more vniuer∣sally and gloriously diuul∣ged, to the honour of him, by whose omnipotency and gracious goodnes these mi∣raculous cures were multi∣plied, delightfully glori∣fied in the honours done to his Saintes, and in their glories eternally exalted.

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before the Aultar, vttered his cōplaintes to the Saint of the iniury, and losse ther∣by sustained, beseeching her to punish, as they deserued the wrongfull Authors of that and other mischiefes, to the great harme of ho∣nest people sinfully com∣mitted, and by some exem∣plar reuenge taken vpon them, to warne, and deterre others, from violating in like manner, the safety of her Chappel, and reuerence due vnto it; and so departed onwards in his iourney, not

frustrate afterward of what he had prayed for.

For Almighty God, in honour of S. VVenefrid and her Chappell, forthwith af∣flicted the Theefe that had vnloosed, and taken away the horse, with such a ra∣ging extremity of payne, throughout his whole body, that he often desired to be freed by death from so in∣tollerable a torment, daily increasing on him, till the humours which caused the same, fel into his right arme, making it first to swell, and

afterwards to rot in a most horrible, and loathesome manner, vntill at length humbled by affliction, and hopeles of all ease otherwise he came in a very penitent manner, to the Saints chap∣pell, confessing his fault, & demaunding her pardon, with many teares, for so great a wrong and insolen∣cy committed there by him.

Vpon this his humilia∣tion he became eased by de∣grees, and by little and little cured of his paineful vlcer, praysing God, and the holy

Martyr for their mercyes towards him, & remayning euer afterwards whilst he liued, a dreadfull exam∣ple, to warne others, from violating, as he had done, the sanctity of that place, or wronging S. VVenefrids clients running for succour in their distresses vnto her.

The Fame also of this miracle diuulged abroad, increased much the peoples opinion of the place, and their deuotion towards the Saint, who had shewed her∣selfe so powerfull a Patro∣nesse

of her Chappell, and Defendresse of such, as for their safety, and prote∣ction from iniuries, repay∣red vnto it.