pose,.. in that case, considering the age in which Cadmon lived, no eulogy can exceed his merits, and we need not wonder at the effect which his poems are known to have produced in exciting the youthful mind of Alfred.

Whether the first manifestation of this highly gifted poet's powers is to be classed as an extraordinary fact relating to the developement of the intellect; or as a mere fable, like the inspiration of Hesiod and Hafiz; or with legends like that of St. Martin of Leon, (who, being old, unlearned,* and of slow parts, was made to eat a book in a waking vision, and thereupon found himself the next morning an accom

* St. Isidore prescribed the book, and Martin objected to it on the ground that he was keeping a fast, and therefore could not eat it with a safe conscience. And though St. Isidore assured him that he need not have any scruple upon that score, and told him who he was, and that he was the patron of that very monastery wherein he then appeared to him, and moreover that the Lord had sent him on that errand, Martin hesitated so long that the Saint became impatient, took him by the beard, opened his mouth, and forced the volume down his throat.

The reader who wishes to compare this statement with those authentic documents which it is insinuated I am not in the habit of consulting, may find the history of the blessed Martin in the Acta SS. Feb. t. ii. p. 568. He may also find the fact of eating the book, and digesting its contents, stated as an insigne milagro by Ambrosio Morales in his very learned and able History, lib. xii. c. 22. § 21. (t. vi. p. 136. ed. 1791.) And he

plished Latin scholar, and an excellent divine,) as a legend it was reported and believed, as

may read here the passage in the original from which the life in the Acta is translated: which original also happens to be in my possession:

“Carecia de letras, y particularmente de las necessarias para el conocimiento y intelligencia de la sagrada escriptura. Era estraño el desseo que toda la vida acia tenido de alcanzarlo. Tratavalo en la oracion con el Rey del Cielo, suplicandole con mucha ansia y fervor le concediesse este beneficio y merced tan pretendida. Ponia por intercessor y medianero al glorioso doctor, padre y patron de aquel monasterio, y suyo, Sant Isidro. Haziendo todas estas diligencias, buscando estos favores, y acudiendo a todos estos medios, acudia tambien al de su cuydado y trabajo. Mas faltavale ingenio, y maestro, que son las alas con que se alcanzan semejantes pretensiones. No echo Dios en olvido, la pia peticion de su siervo, ni quiso que diligencia y medios enderezados para tam buen fin, diessen en vazio. Assi siendo ya viejo, como estuviesse Martin una noche en oracion, segun tenia de costumbre, pidiendo con grande encarecimiento esta merced, le aparecio el glorioso Sant Isidro, con un libro en la mano, y le dixo, toma, Martin, este libro, y comelo; que con el te embia el Señor intelligencia de la escritura sagrada! Escusavasse el sancto varon de comerlo, diziendo que ayunara, y que no podia quebrar este precepto. 'Bien puedes comerlo (le dixo el glorioso Sant Isidro) sin temor de que te prive del merito del ayuno. Porque yo soy Isidoro, patron deste lugar, y me embia Dios, a que de su parte te de este recaudo. Estava Martino suspenso, sin saber que hazer. Pero el sancto doctor se llego a el, y asiendolo de la barba, se lo hizo por fuerza tragar, y con esto desaparecio.'"-Hist. de las Grandezas de la muy antigua e insigne Ciudad y Iglesia de Leon. Por Fr. Athanasio de Lobera. Valladolid, 1596. (ff. 314.)

such it was related by Bede, and upon the authority of that legend Saint Cædmon has a place in the Romish Kalendar.*

The last class of Romish miracles consists of those which are either palpable frauds, or not less palpable fictions; and the example which I am about to adduce belongs as decidedly to this order as the "Vision related to have been seen by Laurentius." Imma, a person of some rank in the Northumbrian court, having been left for dead upon the field in a battle near the river Trent between the Northumbrians and

* February 11, is his day; and his history, as taken from Bede, is in the second volume of the Acta Sanctorum for that month, p. 552, where there is a reference to Harpsfield (of historical and burning notoriety), and to Hieronimus Porter, for an account of his relics. One of the notes contains a remarkable instance of disingenuousness in Bolland, to use no harsher expression. Bede having said of the poet ut quidquid ex divinis litteris per interpretes disceret, hoc ipse post pusillum verbis poeticis maximá suavitate et compunctione compositis, in suấ, id est Anglorum linguâ, proferret, Bolland remarks, "non enim vernacula divini libri extabant," and then proceeding with a memorable extract from Knighton, in which Wicliffe is reprobated for translating the scriptures into the vulgar, and thus throwing the gospel pearls before swine, he says that Wicliffe was the first person who did this. It is true that in Cædmon's time no part of the scriptures had been rendered into AngloSaxon, but Bolland knew that Bede at the very hour of his death was employed in translating St. John's Gospel.

Mercians, was taken prisoner when endeavouring to make his way home, and carried before one of the Mercian chiefs. He was afraid to acknowledge his quality, lest he should be put to death, and therefore said that he was a poor married peasant, who happened to be with the army, because he had been employed with others in carrying provisions to it. Upon this his wounds were drest, and he was well used, except that, when he was almost healed, the precaution was taken of putting him in chains. at night to prevent him from making his escape. But no sooner every night were the men departed who had thus, as they supposed, secured him, than the irons fell off. For he had a brother, Tunna by name, Abbot of a monastery in the town which, after his name, was called Tunnacester: this Abbot, hearing that Imma had been slain, went to search the field for his body; he found one so like as to be mistaken for that which he was seeking, carried it to the monastery, interred it with due honours, and caused frequent masses to be performed for his soul; and it was by virtue of these masses that the chains were loosened. Extraordinary as the effect may appear, Imma himself apprehended the cause; and when the chief whose prisoner he was

asked him whether he had a written spell * about his person by reason of which it was impossible to hold him in bonds, he replied that he knew nothing of such arts, but that he had a brother who, he doubted not, caused masses to be said for him, believing him to have been slain; and if he had been dead, his soul, sans doubt, would through this intercession have been absolved from all pain, as his body was now freed from fetters. This, however, did not procure his enlargement, and the miracle went no farther. After a while his keepers began, by his countenance and manners and discourse, to suspect his rank, and the chief questioned him concerning it, promising that he should not be treated worse for acknowledging the truth. Upon this Imma confessed that he was one of the King's servants. I knew by thy speech, replied the Mercian, that thou wast no peasant. And now thou deservest to die, because all my brothers and kinsmen were slain in that battle; nevertheless, because of my promise I will not put thee to death. So he sold him to a certain Frison in London; there the same wonder regularly occurred, till his new owner allowed him to

*Literas solutorias, de quibus fabulæ ferunt,... perhaps a Runic charm is meant.

P