Incipit historia de sancto Cuthberto, et de commemoratione locorum regionumque ejus priscæ possessionis, a primordio usque nunc temporis. #

¹ In the name of the most high God, the history of St Cuthbert, and of the commemoration of the places and regions of his former possession, from the beginning until the present time, begins in this manner.

² In his early youth, when St Cuthbert was keeping watch over his master’s flocks near the water called the Leader, he prayed in spirit to the Lord, as had always been his custom from infancy, and as it remained for him as long as he lived among men. It was also his custom always to enter secretly into the coldest water, on his own initiative. And this was the first miracle divinely shown to him: that while he was keeping watch over the flocks, his companions being asleep, and was praying stretched out in the form of a cross, he saw the soul of the blessed Aidan, bishop of Lindisfarne, being carried by angels into heaven. And at once, when morning came, he would no longer keep the flocks, but gave them back to his master and went to the monastery called Melrose, and fell at the feet of the holy abbot Boisil with great devotion, and carefully told him everything he had seen concerning the blessed bishop’s soul. And at once, his head being tonsured and crowned, he was made a monk, and afterwards he kept both the contemplative and the active life well until the end of his life.

³ Then the holy abbot Boisil at once made the holy vision of the blessed Cuthbert known to King Oswiu, and that he was full of the Holy Spirit. Then the king and all the best men of the English gave St Cuthbert all this land which lies beside the river Bowmont, with these vills: Shotton, and Hethpool, and Kirknewton, and Wark, and Clifton, and Shilbottle, and Cowpen, and Allerburn, and Thornbrough, and Scotswood, and Gatton, and Mindrum. And the holy abbot himself, under the king’s witness, granted the monastery of Melrose with all its appurtenances, that he might have it as his own after the day of his death. When he died, St Cuthbert became abbot after him and lived there long, preaching the word of God and baptising a great multitude. At last, resolving to live more strictly, he left there and betook himself to a remote island named Farne, and there shut himself up for nine years as though in a prison, fighting against the enemy of the human race lest his mind be turned from God; and the Holy Spirit was with him there, as it is now and ever shall be. In this same island the holy bishop Aidan had long dwelt in the time of King Penda son of Pybba, to whom King Oswiu succeeded. In the same time King Oswiu died, and his son Ecgfrith reigned in his place. In his reign Archbishop Theodore of York and all the people, by common counsel and with one accord, acclaimed St Cuthbert to be made bishop at Hexham. But he resisted in every way, declaring himself a sinner and unworthy of the episcopate, and shutting himself up most strictly in his island — after the example of the blessed Pope Gregory who, when sought as bishop by the Romans, fled and returned only by force, according to the Gospel saying: “Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” Then King Ecgfrith and Archbishop Theodore and all the people, a synod being gathered, decreed by common counsel that they should bring him out of the island whether he wished it or not, and set him in the episcopate. And this was done. For seized by the people, he was led near the city of York to the vill called Alne. There, having received the oath of fealty from all, he was honourably conducted to the city of York, and in the church of the blessed apostle Peter was ordained by Archbishop Theodore. At that ordination there were seven bishops: Chad and Cedd, and four other holy bishops. On the same day Bishop Eata of Lindisfarne and St Cuthbert, by the common counsel of King Ecgfrith and the archbishop and those seven bishops and all the chief men, exchanged their sees. And so Eata sat at Hexham, while St Cuthbert, on account of his former manner of life there, obtained the seat of Lindisfarne.

⁴ And this is the boundary of the land of Lindisfarne: from the river Tweed as far as Warenmouth, and from there up to the place where this water called the Waren rises, beside the hill of Hybberndune, and from that hill to the river called the Bromic, and from there to the river called the Till; and all the land which lies on either side of that river Bromic up to the place where it rises. And the land beyond the Tweed, from the place where the river Edræ rises in the north, to the place where it falls into the Tweed, and all the land which lies between that river Edræ and the other river called the Leader towards the west, and all the land which lies from the east side of that water called the Leader to the place where it falls into the river Tweed towards the south; and all the land which belongs to the monastery of St Baldred, called Tyninghame, from Lammermuir as far as Eskmouth.

⁵ And King Ecgfrith and Archbishop Theodore gave St Cuthbert in the city of York all the land lying from the wall of St Peter’s church to the great gate towards the west, and from the wall of St Peter’s church to the city wall towards the south. They also gave him the vill called Crayke, and three miles round that vill, that he might have a lodging there whenever he went to the city of York or returned from it. And there St Cuthbert placed a congregation of monks and appointed an abbot. And because the land seemed small, he added the city called Carlisle, which has fifteen miles round it, and in that city he placed a congregation of nuns, appointed an abbess, and established schools.

⁶ And after St Cuthbert had raised a boy from the dead in the vill called Escanford, King Ecgfrith gave him the land called Cartmel, and all the Britons with it, and the vill called South Gedding, and whatever pertains to it. All these things committed to him by St Cuthbert the good abbot Cynefrith son of Cygincg wisely ordered, as he wished.

⁷ At that time King Ecgfrith fought against Wulfhere son of Penda, king of the Mercians, and when his army had been cut down he defeated him and put him to flight with only one boy attending him. And this he obtained through the help of St Wilfrid who was with him, but chiefly through the prayers of St Cuthbert, who was absent. After this battle King Ecgfrith gave St Cuthbert Carham, and whatever pertains to it. And he held him in the highest veneration as long as he lived, he and all his kindred, until at his death the Scaldingi came and broke the city of York and laid waste the land.

⁸ After this Ceolwulf son of Cuthwine succeeded to the kingdom, who also submitted himself to St Cuthbert, and leaving the kingdom, for the love of God betook himself with his wife and a great treasure to the monastery of Lindisfarne, laid aside his beard, received the tonsure, and gave St Cuthbert the vill named Warkworth with its appurtenances. And these are the bounds of that vill: from the water called the Line to Coquet Wood, and from there to the town called Brinkburn, and from Coquet Wood to Hafodscelfe towards the east, and from the Alne to halfway between the Coquet and the Alne.

⁹ At this time St Cuthbert died, and Bishop Ecgred succeeded, who transported a certain church formerly built by the blessed Aidan in King Oswald’s time from the island of Lindisfarne to Norham, and there rebuilt it, and translated to it the body of St Cuthbert and of King Ceolwulf, and gave that same vill to the holy confessor with two other vills, Jedworth and the other Jedworth, and whatever pertains to them, from the Dun to the mouth of the Tweed, and from there to Whilton, and from there beyond the mountain towards the south. Afterwards the same holy bishop Ecgred built a church at the vill called Gainford, and gave it to St Cuthbert, and whatever pertains to it, from the river Tees to the Wear, and from the road called Dere Street to the mountain towards the west — and beyond the river Tees three miles towards the south, and six towards the west. And the same bishop built two vills, Elcliffe and Wycliffe, beyond the Tees, and Billingham in Hartness, and gave them to St Cuthbert.

¹⁰ After this King Osberht took from St Cuthbert two vills, Warkworth and Tynemouth. But after the space of one year God took from him life and kingdom. King Ælle succeeded him, who promised well to the holy confessor but acted ill; for he took from him Billingham, and Elcliffe, and Wycliffe, and Crayke, and therefore the anger of God and of the holy confessor was kindled against him. For Ubba, duke of the Frisians, came into his kingdom with a great army of Danes, and landed at the city of York on the holy day of Palms. When Ælle heard this — who was then staying at Crayke out of hatred for St Cuthbert — he rose up in great pride, gathered an army with his brother Osberht, and rushed upon the enemy; but soon, terrified by the anger of God and of the holy confessor, his army being cut down, he fled and fell, and lost his life and kingdom. So it once befell King Saul son of Kish who, when he had promised well to God and to the prophet Samuel, lied and acted ill; and therefore in the battle against the Philistines he fell with his son Jonathan and the best of the sons of Israel. Therefore let kings and princes beware lest they lie, and lest they take anything from St Cuthbert, or consent to those who take it. For, as St Paul says: “Not only do they sin who do these things, but also those who consent to them.”

¹¹ Before the Scaldingi came into England, King Ceolwulf and Bishop Eardulf gave St Cuthbert four vills: namely Woodchester, and Whittingham, and Eadwulfincham, and Ecgwulfincham; and the same bishop consecrated the churches of these vills.

¹² So when Ælle and his brother Osberht had been killed, none of their kindred reigned — St Cuthbert obtaining this from God, against whom they had sinned greatly — for the Scaldingi killed nearly all the English in the southern and northern parts, and broke and plundered the churches. Then Halfdan, king of the Danes, entered the Tyne and sailed as far as Warkworth, laying waste everything and sinning cruelly against St Cuthbert. But soon the anger of God and of the holy confessor came upon him. For he began to rave and stink so foully that his whole army expelled him from among them and drove him far out to sea, and he was never seen again.

¹³ At that time St Cuthbert appeared in the night to the holy abbot of Carlisle, named Eardulf, strictly commanding him these things: “Go,” he said, “over the Tyne to the army of the Danes, and tell them that if they wish to be obedient to me, they are to show you a certain purchased boy of a widow’s, named Guthred, the son of Hardacnut; and early in the morning you and the whole army are to give the widow the price for him. At the third hour pay the price; at the sixth hour lead him before the whole multitude that they may choose him as king. At the ninth hour lead him with the whole army onto the hill called Oswie’s Down, and there place a golden bracelet on his right arm, and so let them all make him king. Tell him also, after he has been made king, to give me all the land between the Tyne and the Wear, and that whoever flees to me, whether for homicide or for any other need, shall have peace for thirty-seven days and nights.” Assured by this vision and strengthened by the blessed confessor’s reasonable command, that holy abbot hastened confidently to the barbarian army; and honourably received by it, he faithfully carried out all in the order enjoined on him. For he found that boy, redeemed him, and with the great favour of the whole multitude made him king, and received the land and the peace. Then Bishop Eardulf brought the body of St Cuthbert to that army and to that hill, upon which the king himself and the whole army swore peace and fidelity as long as they lived; and this oath they kept well.

¹⁴ So that army which Ubba, duke of the Frisians, and Halfdan, king of the Danes, had brought into England was divided into three parts: one rebuilt the city of York, cultivated the land round about, and remained there; another occupied the land of the Mercians, and the third invaded the land of the South Saxons. For three years they did many evils and killed all of royal blood, save only Alfred, the father of King Edward, who for those three years lay hidden in the marsh of Glastonbury in great poverty.

¹⁵ So one day, when he had sent all his household out fishing save his wife and one attendant servant, a certain pilgrim appeared, came in to him, and asked for food. When he had ordered it to be given him charitably out of human kindness, and had learned from the servant that there was nothing there for the whole day’s provision save one loaf and a little wine, he gave thanks to God and ordered half of both to be freely bestowed on him. When the servant had devoutly fulfilled this and reported his thanks to his lord, returning quickly there he found the loaf and the wine whole, but could not find the man, nor discover how he had come or gone through those marshes, especially as there was no boat there. While Alfred marvelled at this not a little and pondered, see at the ninth hour of the day his household returned from fishing with three boats entirely full of fish, declaring they had caught more that day than in the three years they had dwelt in the marsh. Joyful therefore, and thoughtful about this event, he passed that day more happily and abundantly than usual. And when night came he went to sleep with his wife.

¹⁶ While she was lost in sleep and Alfred was keeping watch, anxious about the day’s event, see a great light shone like the sun, and in that light appeared an aged priest in sacred vestments with grey hairs, holding in his right hand a text of the Gospel adorned with gold and gems, and so blessed him as he watched with these words. And when Alfred carefully asked him who he was and what he was called, he said: “Dear Alfred, be glad; I am he to whom you charitably gave food today, and I am called Cuthbert, a soldier of Christ. Be strong, and attend carefully and with a glad mind to what I shall tell you; for henceforth I will be your shield, and your friend, and the defender of your sons. And now I will tell you what you must do hereafter. Rise at first dawn and sound your horn strongly three times, so that your enemies may hear and be terrified; and about the ninth hour you shall have five hundred armed men; and believe by this sign that after seven days you will have, by God’s gift and my help, the whole army of this land ready to aid you at the hill called Ashdown. And so you shall fight against your enemies, and without doubt you will overcome them. After this be glad and strong without fear, because God has delivered your enemies into your hands, and all this land, and the hereditary kingdom to you and your sons and your sons’ sons. Be faithful to me and to my people, because all Albion is given to you and your sons. Be just, because you are the chosen king of all Britain. May God be merciful to you, and I will be such a friend to you that no adversary shall be able to prevail against you.”

¹⁷ And all these things were done according to what the Holy Spirit said through the mouth of David the prophet: “The Lord at your right hand has broken kings in the day of his wrath.” And elsewhere: “Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your seat.” Then Alfred gave thanks to God and St Cuthbert for their mercy and perpetual help, according to what God said to David through the mouth of the prophet Samuel: “The Lord has sworn, and will not repent.” And elsewhere: “Your sons, and the sons of your sons, shall sit upon your seat.” Thus did this holy confessor of Christ Cuthbert visit, comfort, teach and help Alfred, just as once — as we read in the English history — St Peter appeared to the pagan King Edwin carrying a golden cross in his right hand, declared himself to be Peter the prince of the apostles, showed him a crown, commanded him to abandon paganism, and so foretold that he would everywhere be victorious; as Samuel likewise did for King David. From then on King Alfred was strong and glad, because he knew he would everywhere be victorious, as long as he lived, through God’s gift and the help of his patron St Cuthbert.

¹⁸ So when morning came he arose, sailed to land, and gave the signal with his horn three times; at the sound of which all his friends were lifted up and his enemies brought low. And so, according to the word of God, about the ninth hour of that day, five hundred of his best and dearest friends being gathered to him, he publicly related what he had seen the previous night and heard from the holy confessor, and how he had been comforted by him. He also assured them that through God’s gift and the help of St Cuthbert — whom they must from then on deservedly obey — they would overcome their enemies and obtain the land by hereditary right. He also admonished them, according to the blessed Cuthbert’s teaching, to flee avarice, envy, lingering anger, adultery, perjury, homicide and all evils; that they should be faithful to God, patient, humble, hospitable, almsgiving, merciful and modest, and that they should keep holy faith, justice and truth among themselves. He also admonished his son Edward, who was there, that if he wished to be faithful to God and St Cuthbert, he need not fear his enemies. Then, according to the word of the man of God, Alfred rushed upon his enemies and overcame them, and received the kingdom of Britain, and was holy and just and good to all in common, to poor and rich, to good and evil, to friends and enemies, according to the Gospel precept.

¹⁹ Distinguished by these and very many other virtues, after he understood the end of his life was at hand — having reigned long and being full of good old age — he called this same son of his, Edward, and through him sent to St Cuthbert two bracelets and a golden censer, and earnestly admonished him to love God and St Cuthbert and hope in them, as he himself had always hoped and still especially hoped. So before God called this faithful king from this life, certain estates were added to the church of the holy confessor. For the same Abbot Eardulf bought from the same King Guthred and from the army of the Danes — who had divided the land among themselves under him — these vills: Skelton, Hutton, the two Yedens, Holme, Hoton, and Twingate, and conferred them on St Cuthbert.

²⁰ At the same time the good bishop Eardulf and Abbot Eardulf took the body of St Cuthbert from the island of Lindisfarne and wandered with it through the land, carrying it from place to place for seven years; and at last they came to the river called Derwentmouth, and placed it there in a ship, intending to carry it over the nearby sea to Ireland. Then all his people, who had long followed him, grieving that their pious patron was being snatched away, stood on the shore weeping and wailing, because they themselves were being left captive and their captive lord was being carried off. Then God showed a great miracle for love of his beloved confessor: a terrible storm having arisen on the sea, three huge waves fell upon the ship, and at once — wondrous to tell — that water was turned into blood. Seeing this, the bishop and the abbot fell at the holy man’s feet and, terrified with fear, returned to the shore as quickly as possible, and carried that holy body to Crayke; and there, charitably received by a good abbot named Geve, they remained four months, and then translated the holy body to Chester-le-Street. At that time King Alfred and Bishop Eardulf died.

²¹ Then Edward, long and wisely taught by his father, succeeded to the kingdom and ruled it wisely; and Cuthheard received the episcopal seat at Chester-le-Street. At that time Bishop Cuthheard, faithful bishop, bought with St Cuthbert’s money the vill called Sedgefield and whatever pertains to it, except what three men — Aculf, Ethelbert and Frithlaf — held; yet over this the bishop had sake and soke. The same bishop also bought with St Cuthbert’s money the vill called Bedlington with its appurtenances: Nedderton, Grubba, Twisle, Choppington, Sliceburn and Commer. In the time of the same King Edward, Tilred abbot of Heversham bought the vill called South Yoden; half of it he gave to St Cuthbert so that he might be a brother in his monastery, and the other half to Norham so that he might be abbot there. At the same time the priest Berrard gave his vill, named Twingate, to St Cuthbert so that he might be a brother in his monastery.

²² In those days Alfred son of Brihtwulf, fleeing from pirates, came beyond the mountains towards the west and sought the mercy of St Cuthbert and of Bishop Cuthheard, that they might grant him some lands. Then Bishop Cuthheard, for the love of God and love of St Cuthbert, granted him these vills: Easington, Skelton, Thorpe, Horden, Yoden, the two Shottons, South Yoden, Holme, Hoton, Twinlingate, and Billingham with its appurtenances, Scurnfatun. All these vills, as I have said, the bishop granted to Alfred on condition that he be faithful to him and the congregation, and render full service for them. And this he faithfully did until King Ragnall came with a great multitude of ships and occupied the land of Ealdred son of Eadulf, who was beloved of King Edward, as his father Eadulf had been beloved of King Alfred. So Ealdred, driven out, went into Scotland, sought the help of King Constantine, and led him into battle against King Ragnall at Corbridge. In that battle — by what sin occasioned I know not — the pagan king prevailed, put Constantine to flight, scattered the Scots, and killed Alfred, St Cuthbert’s faithful man, and all the best of the English, save Ealdred and his brother Uhtred.

²³ When they had been routed and the whole land subdued, he divided the vills of St Cuthbert, and gave the southern part to a certain powerful soldier of his called Scula, from the vill called Yoden as far as Billingham. And the other part he gave to a certain man called Onlafbal, from Yoden as far as the river Wear. And this son of the devil was an enemy, in every way he could be, to God and St Cuthbert. So one day, full of an unclean spirit, he entered the church of the holy confessor in a rage, Bishop Cuthheard and the whole congregation standing by: “What,” he said, “can this dead man Cuthbert do against me, whose threats are daily set against me? I swear by my mighty gods Thor and Odin that from this hour I will be most hostile to all of you.” And when the bishop and the whole congregation bent their knees before God and St Cuthbert and begged of them vengeance for these threats, as it is written, “Vengeance is mine, and I will repay” — that son of the devil turned in great pride and indignation to go out. But when he had already set one foot outside the threshold, he felt as it were iron driven deep into the other foot. The pain piercing his devilish heart, he fell, and the devil thrust his sinful soul into hell. And St Cuthbert, as was just, received back his own land.

²⁴ In the time of the same King Edward, Wulfheard son of Hwætred gave St Cuthbert the vill called Benwell. At the same time Eardred son of Ricsige rode westwards beyond the mountains, killed Prince Eardulf and seized his wife against the peace and will of the people, and fled to St Cuthbert’s protection. And there he remained three years, peacefully cultivating the land granted him by Bishop Cuthheard and the congregation, from Chester-le-Street to the river Derwent, and from there to the Wear towards the south, and from there to the road called Dere Street on the west and south, and the vill on the Tees called Gainford and whatever pertains to it. This land the same Eardred held in fealty to St Cuthbert and faithfully rendered tribute; until the same King Ragnall, having again gathered an army, fought at Corbridge, killed this Eardred and a very great multitude of English and, being made victor, took from St Cuthbert all that land which Eardred had held, and gave it to Esbrid son of Eardred and to his brother Earl Elstan, who had been sturdy warriors in that battle. At last that accursed king perished with his sons and friends, and carried away with him nothing of what he had taken from the holy confessor except sin.

²⁵ At that time King Edward, full of days and stricken with good old age, called his son Æthelstan, handed over his kingdom to him, and earnestly impressed upon him to love St Cuthbert and honour him above all saints, making known to him how mercifully he had aided his father King Alfred in poverty and exile, and how manfully he had helped him against all enemies, and how he had always been a most ready helper to himself in all his needs, most evidently. When this admonition had been made, he died happily.

²⁶ So King Æthelstan led out a great army from the southern part, drawing it with him towards the northern region into Scotland, and turned aside to the oratory of St Cuthbert, gave it royal gifts, and there composed the following written bequest, and placed it at St Cuthbert’s head:

²⁷ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I, King Æthelstan, give to St Cuthbert this Gospel-book, two chasubles, one alb, one stole with a maniple, one girdle, three altar-coverings, one silver chalice, two patens — one fashioned in gold, the other skilfully made in the Greek manner — one silver censer, one cross skilfully made of gold and ivory, one royal cap woven with gold, two tablets made of gold and silver, two silver candlesticks set with gold, one missal, two Gospel-books adorned with gold and silver, one life of St Cuthbert written in verse and in prose, seven palls, three curtains, three tapestries, two silver cups with covers, four great bells, three horns made of gold and silver, two banners, one lance, two golden bracelets, and my beloved vill of South Wearmouth with its appurtenances, that is: Weston, Ufferton, Silksworth, the two Ryhopes, Burdon, Seaham, Seaton, Dalton, and Dawdon, Heselden. All these I give under the witness of God and St Cuthbert, that if anyone takes anything from them, he be damned on the day of judgement with Judas the traitor and thrust into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

²⁸ He also filled the same cups with the best money, and at his command his whole army offered twelve hundred pounds and more to St Cuthbert. And he first carefully taught his brother Edmund about the holiness and faithful patronage of the holy confessor, and brotherly admonished him that if anything ill befell him on this expedition, he should bring his body back to St Cuthbert and commend it to him to be presented to God on the day of judgement. After this he went away, fought happily, returned prosperously, reigned wisely for many years afterwards, and at last died happily.

²⁹ When he died his brother Edmund succeeded to the kingdom, again gathered a great army, and hastened into Scotland. On the way, however, he turned aside to St Cuthbert’s oratory, bent his knees before his tomb, poured forth prayers, and commended himself and his men to God and the holy confessor. The army offered sixty pounds; but he himself with his own hand placed upon the holy body two golden bracelets and two Greek palls; and he gave and confirmed to all St Cuthbert’s land the best peace and law it ever had; and he became like another Abraham, who hastening against the enemy offered bread and wine to Melchizedek. When the prayer was ended, commending himself and the whole army many times to the blessed confessor, he departed.

³⁰ In the name of the most high God and the undivided Trinity. I, Styr son of Ulf, obtained from my lord King Æthelred that he should give St Cuthbert the vill called Darlington with sake and soke. And I bought with my own money and gave to St Cuthbert three carucates of land in Kettleness, and four in Cockerton, and four in Haughton, and three in Normanby, and two in Ketton with sake and soke, and two in Lumley, under the witness of King Æthelred and Ælfric archbishop of York, and Aldhun bishop of Lindisfarne, and Abbot Ælfwold who was under the bishop, and all those princes who were with the king in the city of York that day. And if anyone takes anything of St Cuthbert’s from these, let him receive this curse on the day of judgement: “Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire.”

³¹ Likewise Snaculf son of Cytel gave this land to St Cuthbert: Bridekirk, Mordon, Sockbridge and Greysouthen, with sake and soke.

³² These are the lands which Bishop Aldhun and the whole congregation of St Cuthbert granted to these three earls — Earl Æthelred, Earl Northman and Earl Uhtred: Gainford, Whorlton, Sliddewesse, Bereford, Stretford, Lartington, Marrwood, Stainton, Streetley, Cleatlam, Langton, Morton, Piercebridge, the two Alclits, Copland, Wardseatle, Binchester, Cuthbertston, Thickley, Eden, Witton, Hunwick, Newton and Helme. Whoever takes anything of these from St Cuthbert, let him perish on the day of judgement.

³³ Likewise King Cnut gave to St Cuthbert, in the time of Bishop Eadmund, as he himself had held it, with sake and soke, the vill called Staindrop with its appurtenances: Knapton, Shotton, Raby, Wakefield, Evenwood, Alclit, Luterington, Elledun, Ingleton, Thickley and Middleton. Whoever takes anything of these from St Cuthbert, may God be turned away from him. Likewise King Cnut gave St Cuthbert, in the time of Bishop Eadmund, Brompton with sake and soke.

³⁴ This is a miracle of God and St Cuthbert most worthy of notice and magnification: that once the Scots crossed the river Tweed with an innumerable multitude, laid waste St Cuthbert’s land, and plundered the monastery of Lindisfarne, never before violated. Hearing this, King Guthred hastened there for the holy confessor’s vengeance with a very small force, and met them at the end of the day in the place called Mundingdene; and so no battle was begun. But on the following night, when King Guthred, much terrified and anxious — because he himself had the smallest army while the enemy, who were already at hand, had a very great one, so that he could neither fight nor flee — had fallen asleep from excessive and manifold care, look, the soldier of Christ Cuthbert appeared to him openly, and heartened his much-fainting spirit with these words: “Fear not,” he said, “for I am with you; do not distrust the smallness of your force, for my enemies, though they live yet a little while, are already dead before God, nor can they withstand you, who did not fear to violate the peace of God and mine. When morning comes, rise quickly and rush upon them confidently, for at the first clash the earth will open and send them down alive into hell.” Having said this, he departed; and the king awoke. Springing up, he summoned the army and publicly related all these things to everyone; and as soon as morning came he rushed upon the enemies; but, according to the word of the man of God, he soon found that at the first clash they had been swallowed alive by the gaping earth — the ancient miracle being there wondrously renewed, when “the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the congregation of Abiram.”