THE MARRIAGE OF ST. CUTHBURGA. 179 



connection, and loved him so greatly that he was deemed worthy to 

 be made an Apostle and Evangelist, and was called ' that disciple 

 whom Jesus loved,' and beyond every created being beheld the glory 

 of the Godhead. And to him our Saviour, when placed upon the cross, 

 commended His mother, a virgin to a virgin, and the virgin disciple 

 served the virgin mother. Consider, therefore, how great is the glory 

 of majesty, how great the excellence of virginity. By it the blessed 

 Mary pleased God beyond all women ; by it God loved the apostle 

 John above all men. Whosoever, therefore, desires to please his 

 Maker and to obtain exceeding glory in the kingdom of heaven, who- 

 soever jaants to see God face to face, let him study to keep a clean heart 

 and a chaste bod v." 



The seventh Chapter. 



Then the king, aided by the jDresence of the Holy Sjjirit, is said to 

 have answered the blessed Cuthburga in these words : — " All that 

 thou sayest, most dear one, I know to be true, and I confess that pure 

 virginity, if it be allied with humility, surpasses the other virtues as 

 thou dost claim. Wherefore, as it inay be gathered from thy words, 

 thou hast consecrated thy virginity to God, and hast determined, as 

 it seems to me, to remain ever a virgin. It were unjust in me to bring 

 to bear aiiy force against thy will, and to recall thy mind from so holy 

 a purpose. Thou needest from henceforth be afraid of nothing from 

 me, nor fear to suffer any molestation in this matter at my hands ; but 

 I permit thee to maintain thy intended chastity, and may God grant 

 thee such perseverance in thy holy enterprise that after the pilgrimage 

 of this life thou mayest deserve to attain to the contemplation of the 

 most high God. For me, too, do not cease to address kind Jesus with 

 unceasing prayers that He may pour into me the spirit of His love, 

 penetrated with which I may despise all worldly honours and riches, 

 and may overcome all the snares of this present life, so that, living 

 righteously and holily in this present world, I may in the world to 

 come obtain the mercy of God." At these words the blessed virgin 

 Cuthburga, rejoicing in the Holy Spirit, began to give hearty thanks 

 to the Omnipotent One. 



The eighth Chapter. 



And so, after a certain space of time, the hajjpy and blessed virgin 

 Cuthburga, permission having been obtained, and every imperial 

 glory being despised and cast away, built that place which is called 

 Winburne, and there erected a basilica to the honour of the holy mother 



