S'JU KOtìU! O F WEXHOVEK. [Λ.η . 1J17. Alban's too, the abbat of wliir.li bad a snort time before satisfied the demands of Louis by the payment of a large sum of money, escaped tlx- hands of the robbers, so that they stole nothing except meat and drink. Of a vi iractc of the Lorif s cross. On the following day they moved their camp, proceeding towards the town of Dunstable, and, at the town of Kedbourn, they pillaged the church of St. Amphibalns. and stripped the monks even to their inner clothing : they also took the relics of the saints from above the great altar and polluted them with their in) phuts hands. One among them seized on a silver and gold ornamented cross, in which was contained a piece of our Lord's cross, and hid it in bis wicked bosom unknown to his companions ; but before lie had left the oratory, he was possessed by a devil, and fell down grinding bis teeth and foaming at the mouth, then rising quickly on the instigation of the devil, he endeavoured to strike at his companions with his sword; they, however, pitying his agony, tied his hands, and, not knowing tin- cause of it, took him to the, church of h'lam-tead in a state of the wildest frenzy. As these robljors were entering that church for the purpose of robbing it, thev were met by the priest, clad in white robes, in order to check the evil disposition of those impious men; however, being alarmed about their mad companion whom thev had brought with them, they refrained from plunder, and there, in the presence of the superior and many others, the aforesaid cross leapt forth from the madman's bosom and fell on the ground; the superior then took it up with reverence and astonishment, and, holding it up, asked the robbers wdiat it was. At length on consideration they found out, by means of this visitation of God, that he had clandestinely taken it from the monks whom they had robbed in the adjoining town, and thev we're all in a state of great perplexity and fear, lest the evil spirit should possess them also, and torture them, as it had «Ione their companion. They therefore in great alarm delivered the cross up to the superior, beseeching him, by the virtue of God and in peril of his order, before he took any food, to go to the place and restore the cross to the monks: the superior therefore made all haste to the oratory of St. Amphihalus, and with due reverence