Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England

CHAP. XIII. How a certain person in Ireland was restored, when at the point of death, by
his relics.
NOR was the fame of the renowned Oswald confined to Britain, but, spreading rays of healing
light even beyond the sea, reached also to Germany and Ireland. For the most reverend prelate,
Acca,is wont to relate, that when, in his journey to Rome,he and his bishop Wilfrid stayed some
time with Wilbrord,the holy archbishop of the Frisians, he often heard him tell of the wonders
which had been wrought in that province at the relics of that most worshipful king. And he used
to say that in Ireland, when, being yet only a priest, he led the life of a stranger and pilgrim for love
of the eternal country, the fame of that king’s sanctity was already spread far and near in that island
also. One of the miracles, among the rest, which he related, we have thought fit to insert in this our
history.
"At the time," said he, "of the plague which made such widespread havoc in Britain and Ireland,
among others, a certain scholar of the Scottish race was smitten with the disease, a man learned in
the study of letters, but in no way careful or studious of his eternal salvation; who, seeing his death
near at hand, began to fear and tremble lest, as soon as he was dead, he should be hurried away to
the prison-house of Hell for his sins. He called me, for I was near, and trembling and sighing in his
weakness, with a lamentable voice made his complaint to me, after this manner: ‘You see that my
bodily distress increases, and that I am now reduced to the point of death. Nor do I question but
that after the death of my body, I shall be immediately snatched away to the everlasting death of
my soul, and cast into the torments of hell, since for a long time, amidst all my reading of divine
books, I have suffered myself to be ensnared by sin, instead of keeping the commandments of God.
But it is my resolve, if the Divine Mercy shall grant me a new term of life, to correct my sinful
habits, and wholly to devote anew my mind and life to obedience to the Divine will. But I know
that I have no merits of my own whereby to obtain a prolongation of life, nor can I hope to have
it, unless it shall please God to forgive me, wretched and unworthy of pardon as I am, through the
help of those who have faithfully served him. We have heard, and the report is widespread, that
there was in your nation a king, of wonderful sanctity, called Oswald, the excellency of whose faith
and virtue has been made famous even after his death by the working of many miracles. I beseech
you, if you have any relics of his in your keeping, that you will bring them to me; if haply the Lord
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The Venerable Bede
Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England

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shall be pleased, through his merits, to have mercy on me.’ I answered, ‘I have indeed a part of the
stake on which his head was set up by the pagans, when he was killed, and if you believe with
steadfast heart, the Divine mercy may, through the merits of so great a man, both grant you a longer
term of life here, and render you worthy to be admitted into eternal life.’ He answered immediately
that he had entire faith therein. Then I blessed some water, and put into it a splinter of the aforesaid
oak, and gave it to the sick man to drink. He presently found ease, and, recovering of his sickness,
lived a long time after; and, being entirely converted to God in heart and deed, wherever he went,
he spoke of the goodness of his merciful Creator, and the honour of His faithful servant."