How the blessed Godric, by God's inspiration, chose his residence
at Finchale.

Returned from pilgrimage, he found a secret place in a forest, in the north of England, called Eskdale, which he thought would suit him to dwell in. He accordingly built a hut of logs, covering it with turf, and dwelt there a year and some months: but when the proprietors of the land began to annoy him, he left it and went to Durham, where he made such rapid progress in learning the Psalter afresh, that he soon knew as much of the psalms, hymns, and prayers, as he thought sufficient. Wherefore, one day, inspired from on high, he went into a grove in the neighbourhood, where he heard a shepherd say to his comrade, "Let us go and water our flocks at Finchale." Godric hearing these words, gave the shepherd the only penny he had, to conduct him to that place. As he proceeded towards the interior of the forest, there met him a fierce wolf of extraordinary size, which rushed upon him, as if it would tear him in pieces. Godric, perceiving that this was one of the wiles of the old enemy, made the sign of the cross, saying, "I adjure thee in the name of the Holy Trinity to depart with speed, if the service which I propose to discharge to God in this place is acceptable to him!" At these words, the animal prostrated himself with his impious feet, as if begging pardon of the holy man.

How Saint Godric dwelt at Finchale among the wild beasts and serpents.

Intending, therefore, to serve the Lord in this place, Godric, by licence of Ralph bishop of Durham, formed a cave in the earth near the bank of the river Wear, and covering it with turf, resided therein among the wild beasts and serpents. The number of serpents was fearful; but they were all tame towards the man of God, suffering themselves to be handled, and obedient to his commands. Sometimes as he sat by the fire they would twine round his legs, or coil themselves up in his dish or his cup. After having passed some years in this way of life, he thought that the serpents impeded his prayers; wherefore one day seeing them about him as usual, he commanded them to enter his house no more; upon which all those vermin wholly left it, and never again crossed his threshold. When, also, presents of food and other articles were offered to him, he declines

them altogether, preferring to live by the labour of his hands: and he burnt boughs and branches of trees to ashes, which he mixed with his barley flour in such proportion that the ashes formed one-third of the whole; and he restrained the passions of the body by weeping, watching, and fasting, so that sometimes he even passed six days without eating. After tempting him strongly with luxury, the devil appeared to him in the form of a wild beast, such as a bear, a lion, bull, or wolf, a fox, or a toad, and endeavoured to alarm him; but he was strong in faith and despised them all. To quench the burnings of the flesh, he subdued his body by the use of the harshest sackcloth, and for fifty years wore a coat of mail. His table was a broad flat stone, on which stood his bread, such as I have before described it, but he never tasted it until compelled by absolute necessity: his drink was a moderate draught of water, and only when urged by extreme thirst; he never reposed in a bed, but would lie on the ground when he was fatigued, with his sackcloth under him, and with his head reclining on the stone which served him for a table. When the moon shone, he devoted himself to his works, and, shaking off sleep, spent the time in prayer. In winter, amid snow and hail, he entered the river naked, and there, during the whole night, offered himself up a living victim to the Lord, immersed up to his neck, and in this state poured forth psalms, and prayers, and tears. Whilst he was in the water, the devil used often to appear to him with all his limbs distorted, and on the point of rushing on him, but he was repulsed in confusion at the sign of the holy cross; he endeavoured, however, to carry off the clothes of the holy man, but was so terrified by Godric's shouts, that he cast them also away and fled.

How Saint Godric one day saw a child come forth from the mouth of the crucifix, and reverently settle himself in the bosom of its mother. One day, whilst the man of God was sitting in his oratory repeating the psalter, he saw a little boy come out of the mouth of the crucifix, who, going to the image of the blessed virgin, which stood on the north end of the same plank, sat himself in her bosom. She, on the other hand, stretching out her hands to meet him, fondled him in her arms for nearly three hours. The boy during the whole time

moved as if he was alive; and both when he came and when he went, the image of the virgin trembled so much that the plank seemed likely to fall. Godric thought that the limbs of the image were filled with the spirit of life, and that the boy was no other than Jesus of Nazareth. The child afterwards returned into the mouth of the crucifix in the same way as it came out.

How our Lord's mother and Mary Magdalene appeared to Saint Godric, and of the song which our Saviour's mother taught him.

Another time, when the man of God was praying before the altar of the blessed virgin mother of God, he saw two girls, of tender age, and of the utmost beauty, standing at the two horns of the altar, and clothed in garments of snowy whiteness. They stood some time looking at one another, and Godric did not dare to move, but turned his eyes from one to the other, and occasionally bowed his head in adoration. The virgins then approached him, and she who was at the right hand of the altar asked him, "Dost thou know me, Godric?" To whom he answered, "That is impossible, lady, except to whom you design to reveal yourself." She replied, "Of a truth thou hast said that I am the mother of Christ, and through me thou shalt obtain his grace. This other lady is the female apostle of the apostles, Mary Magdalene." Godric now threw himself at the feet of the mother of God, saying, "I commit myself to thee, my lady, and beseech thee to take me under thy protection." She then placed both of her hands on his head, and smoothing down his hair, filled the house with a sweet odour. After this she sang, and taught Godric to sing a song, which he afterwards often repeated and imprinted it firmly on his memory: the song in the English idiom is as follows:*

"Seinte Marie, clane virgine,

Moder Jesu Christ Nazarene,
Onfo, scild, help thin Godrich

Onfang, bring heali widh the in Godes rich.

Seinte Marie, Christes bour,

Meidenes clenhed, moderes flour,

Delivere mine sennen, regne in min mod,

Bringe me to blisse wit thi selfe, God."

*These are the exact words of the original, and form a curious

fragment of early English religious poetry.

This song may thus be rendered in Latin:- "Sancta Maria, virgo munda, mater Jesu Christi Nazareni, suscipe, adduc, sancta, tecum in Dei regnum. Sancta Maria, Christi thalamus, virginalis puritas, matris flos, dele mea crimina, regna in mente mea, duc me ad felicitatem cum solo Deo." This song Christ's mother told Godric to sing whenever he was fearful of being overcome by pain, sorrow, or temptation. "And when you call on me by singing it," continued she, "you shall immediately have my help." She then made the sign of the cross upon his head, and in his sight went up to heaven, leaving behind a pleasant odour.

How Saint Godric raised two dead persons to life again.

The

One day there came to the man of God a husband and wife, and besought him mercifully to restore to life their daughter who was dead, and at the same time they produced her body from a sack which they brought with them. man of God, judging himself unworthy to perform such a meritorious deed, made no answer, but went into the field to his usual labour; at which the two persons were disturbed and took their departure, leaving the body in his oratory, "for," said they, "he may keep the corpse and bury it, or else restore it to life; which he could do if he pleased. In the evening Godric returning, found the body in the corner of his oratory, and immediately began devoutly to pray God, who is the source of life and health to all, to bring back the girl to life. This he continued to do for three days and two nights; when, on the third day, whilst he was still lying prostrate before the altar, he saw the girl advance towards it; upon which he forthwith called her parents and restored her to their cares, making them at the same time swear that, so long as he lived, they would reveal this secret to no one. At another time, also, when the dead body of a boy was brought by his parents privately to the man of God, he bade them place it on the altar of the blessed virgin in his oratory, saying, "Do not suppose that the boy is dead, but kneel down with me and entreat the divine mercy for the child.” When they had prayed, he told them to go and take the boy from the altar, which when they went to do, they found him alive and smiling. The man of God afterwards bound them by oath, not to reveal this deed to any one as long as he should be alive.

Of the answer which the man of God gave to one who wished to write his life.

The saint had some intimate friends among the monks of Durham, especially one whose name was NThis man was repeatedly urged to write the life and virtues of St. Godric for the benefit of posterity, and to obtain more certain information on the subject, he came to the man of God, to learn from him what he should write. Whilst sitting at the saint's feet, he said that he proposed to write his life, and stated the benefit which would result to posterity from a knowledge of what he had done to which the man of God replied with much energy, "My friend, the life of Godric is as follows:-In the first place, Godric the coarse rustic, the unclean fornicator, a falsifier, deceiver, and perjurer, a vagrant, petulant and gluttonous, a foul dog, a base worm, not a hermit but a hypocrite, not a solitary but a looseminded fellow, a devourer of alms, contemptuous, a lover of pleasure, negligent, slothful, and snoring away his time, prodigal and ambitious, unworthy to serve others, and ever lashing or rebuking those who ministered to himself. These are the things, and still worse than these which you will have to write about Godric." When he had said these words, indignantly, he held his peace, and the monk retired in confusion: but when some years had intervened, he did not dare again to question the saint about his past life, until Godric himself, in compassion, or perhaps because he repented of the wrong he had done him, of his own accord told him what he wished to know, but at the same time adjured the monk, by the regard which they had for one another, to show the book to no one during his life.

Of the answer which Godric gave when asked concerning the departure of the soul, and its state after death.

Another time, when the same monk came to him at the feast of Saint John the Baptist to celebrate mass for him, he sat outside the door of his oratory, and heard Godric within singing. After vespers, the brother asked him what was the nature of the soul's departure from this world: to which he

* We learn from other sources that this man's name was Reginald. N. for nomen, is the letter commonly used by the medieval writers and copyists, to occupy the place of a name not known to them.