and he that neglected it should heavily atone for it
by fasting for seven days continuously.
Thenceforth they ever observed this custom,
as we ourselves have very often seen,
and have not seldom sung this hymn with them.
A certain man was accused of stealing,
who however was innocent, and they at once seized him,
and according to the sentence, put out his eyes,
and cut off his ears; then the blood ran
into his head, so that he could not hear;
then for seven months he thus continued blind,
and without his hearing, until he went in faith
to the holy Swithhun, and sought his bones,
praying the saint that he would hear his petition,
and at least grant that he might hear,
because he did not believe that he could ever again see;
and said that he had been unjustly so punished.
Then God's wonder was wrought in that man
through Swithhun's intercession, that he saw clearly
with perfect eyes, though they had before been thrust out
of the eye-rings [sockets] and one apple [ball] was removed,
and the other hung down whole, at his cheek.
It was also granted him that he could hear well,
he who formerly had neither eyes nor hearing.
Nevertheless it is to wit, that we must not pray
to God's Saints as to God Himself,
because He alone is God, and above all things;
but we should truly pray the saints
to intercede for us with the All-ruling God,
Who is their Lord, that He may help us.
Once men were keeping vigil by a corpse,
as is customary, and there was a foolish man,
jesting unmeetly, who said to the men,
as if in sport, that he was Swithhun.
'Ye may know in sooth that I am Swithhun
