A.D. 931. DEATH OE THE BISHOP ΟΓ CBEDITON. 467 A.D. 929. King Athelstan, determining to seek all the relics of the different saints throughout his kingdom, for the sake of praying before them, first of all went devoutly to the monastery of Glastonbury. And there was there a certain noble matron of die name of Elfleda, the niece of the king, who wishing to Uve a widowed life ever since the death of her husband, had chosen an abode for herself in the western side of the monastery. This religious woman carefully prepared a dinner for king Athelstan, who, she knew beforehand, was coming to Glastonbury for the purpose of prayer. But the precursors of the royal household knowing that the king had granted to his niece an exemption from the obligation of receiving travellers, to the intent that she might have leisure to devote to her own thoughts, came the day before, to see if everything that was necessary had been prepared. And when they had carefully inspected everything, they said to her: " You have plenty of every kind of necessary supplies, if you had only plenty of mead, which the king prefers for his own drinking above all other liquors." And she replied : " The Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ will never permit mead to be wanting at the table of the king/' Then, entering the church of the Mother of God, she prostrated herself in prayer to God and his Mother. Why need I be tedious ? The king came, accompanied with a numerous retinue of servants, and after the celebration of mass, he was invited to dinner, and went in accordingly. But, at the first passing of the cup, the greedy drinkers emptied the vessel within the measure of one palm, and afterwards, God increasing the liquor, and the blessed woman well deserving such a miracle, it remained the whole day, though the cup-bearers continued to carry it round to such a degree that, to the marvel of all men, it sufficed for the whole company of guests. And when the king had heard of this miracle by the relation of his servants, he became changed in his mind, and said to his followers : " We have sinned too much in vexing this servant of God by our excessive superfluity ;" and so, rising up and saluting his niece, he went on his holy journey. The same year, Stephen was created pope, and filled the chair at Rome two years and one month. A.D. 930. Wilferth, bishop of Worcester, died, and Kinewolth succeeded him in his bishopric. A.D. 931. Eadulf, bishop of Crediton, died, and was sue IT TT Ο