Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, Book III Chapter X
by Venerable Bede
THE POWER OF THE EARTH OF THAT PLACE AGAINST FIRE. [A.D. 642]
ABOUT the same time, another person of the British nation, as is reported, happened to
travel by the same place, where the aforesaid battle was fought, and observing one
particular spot of ground greener and more beautiful than any other part of the field, he
judiciously concluded with himself that there could be no other cause for that unusual
greenness, but that some person of more holiness than any other in the army had been
killed there. He therefore took along with him some of that earth, tying it up in a linen
cloth, supposing it would some time or other be of use for curing sick people, and
proceeding on his journey, came at night to a certain village, and entered a house where
the neighbors were feasting at supper; being received by the owners of the house, he sat
down with them at the entertainment, hanging the cloth, in which he had brought the earth,
on a post against the wall. They sat long at supper and drank hard, with a great fire in
the middle of the room; it happened that the sparks flew up and caught the top of the
house, which being made of wattles and thatch, was presently in a flame; the guests ran
out in a fright, without being able to put a stop to the fire. The house was consequently
burnt down, only that post on which the earth hung remained entire and un- touched. On
observing this, they were all amazed, and inquiring into it diligently, understood that
the earth had been taken from the place where the blood of King Oswald had been shed.
These miracles being made known and reported abroad, many began daily to frequent that
place, and received health to themselves and theirs.
