Life and Miracles of Saint Cuthbert 287
also, my brethren, in order that by the judgment of your authority, what I have written might be either corrected, if false, or certified to be true. Whilst, with God's assist- ance, I was so engaged, and my book was read during two days by the elders and teachers of your congregation, and was accurately weighed and examined in all its parts, there was nothing at all found which required to be altered, but every thing which I had written was by common consent pronounced worthy to be read without any hesitation, and to be handed over to be copied by such as by zeal for reli- gion should be disposed to do so. But you also, in my presence, added many other facts of no less importance than what I had written, concerning the life and virtues of that blessed man, and which well deserved to be men- tioned, if I had not thought it unmeet to insert new matter into a work, which, after due deliberation, I considered to be perfect.
Furthermore, I have thought right to admonish your gracious company, that, as I have not delayed to render prompt obedience to your commands, so you also may not be slow to confer on me the reward of your intercession ; but when you read this book, and in pious recollection of that holy father lift up your souls with ardour in aspira- tion for the heavenly kingdom, do not forget to entreat the Divine clemency in favour of my littleness, in as far as I may deserve both at present with singleness of mind to long for and hereafter in perfect happiness to behold the goodness of our Lord in the land of the living. But also when I arri defunct, pray ye for the redemption of my soul, for I was your friend and faithful servant ; offer up masses for me, and enrol my name among your own. For you, also, most holy prelate, remember to have promised this to me, and in testimony of such future ertrolment you gave orders to your pious brother Guthfrid, that he should even now enrol my name in the white book of your holy con- gregation. And may your holiness know that I already have written in heroic verse, as well as in this prose work, which I offer to you, the life of this same our father beloved by God, somewhat more briefly indeed, but nevertheless in the same order, because some of our brethren entreated the same of me : and if you wish to have those verses, you can obtain from me a copy of them. In the preface of that work I promised that I would write more fully at
