878 Report of Meetings for 1S8G. By J. Haidy. 



cause of the slaughter of all those that were killed in the battle so well 

 known to those who live in this country, which took place on the field 

 between Lidel and Carwanolow ; in which battle the heavens were rended 

 above me, and I heard as it were, a mighty voice calling to me from 

 Heaven : Lailoken ! Lailoken ! for that thou alone art guilty of the blood 

 of all those that are slain, thou alone shalt do penance for the sins of all; 

 seeing that, given over unto Satan, thou shalt have thy dwelling among 

 the beasts, until the hour of thy death. And when I directed my gaze in 

 the direction of the voice which I heard, I beheld an exceeding brightness, 

 such as human nature could not endure. For there were to be seen the 

 squadrons of a countless host in the air, like unto lightning, grasping fiery 

 lances and sparkling' javelins in then' hands, which they shook most 

 cruelly at me. Whereupon the evil spirit seized me, who had turned away 

 from myself, and gave me a place, as thou seest, among the wild beasts.' 

 And when he had said this, he leapt away into the trackless thickets, 

 known only to the wild beasts and birds. 



" Now blessed Kentigern, deeply bewailing,- his misery, fell upon his face 

 on the earth, and said ' Lord Jesus, this most wretched of wretched men, 

 how he inhabited! this wretched wilderness, among the beasts, himself 

 like a beast, naked, and outcast, fed only on the pasture of herbage. 

 Bristles and hair are the natural coverings of the brutes, the green sward, 

 roots and leaves their proper food, and behold this our brother in form, 

 fiesh, and blood like ourselves, will die in nakedness and hunger. Where- 

 fore, after the confession thou hast just now made to me, if thou art 

 truly penitent, and if thou deem thyself worthy of so great a gift, there is 

 the saving host laid upon the table of Christ (ecce Chrisfci mensae inrposi- 

 ram hostiam salutarem). Only approach it in the fear of (iod to take it 

 in all humility, as Christ himself deigneth to receive thee also, for 1 dare 

 neither give it thee, nor forbid thee. : 



" But the wretched creature, straightway washed with water, and faith- 

 fully acknowledging one God in Trinity, humbly approached the altar, and 

 with pure faith and the greatest devotion, .took the strengthening of the 

 uncircumscribed sacrament. And when he had received it, raising his 

 hands to heaven, he said, ' I thank thee, Lord Jesus Christ, that I have 

 obtained that most holy sacrament which I desired. 5 And turning to 

 blessed Kentigern, he said, 'Father, if to-day in the world my life should 

 be completed, as thou hast heard from me, the most distinguished king of 

 Britain, the most holy of bishops, and the most noble of the earls (Comi- 

 tum), will follow me this year.' The holy bishop replied, 'My brother, 

 thou remainest still in thy simplicity not entirely free from irreverence. 

 Go in peace, and the Lord be with thee.' But Lailoken, on receiving the 

 episcopal benediction, sprung forth like a wild buck (capreolus) escaped 

 from the trap (laqneo) of the hunter, and sounding forth the joyful strain, 

 Misericord las Domini in ceternum cantdbo, he gladly betook himself to the 

 thicket of the wilderness. But as the things which are predestinated by 

 God cannot be evaded, but must take place, it happened on the same day, 

 that by some of the shepherds of Prince Meldred (reguli Meldredi), being 



