Noma/eng/thomon
Thomas av Monmouth, Life and Miracles of St William of Norwich
DVM hec et alia huiusmodi ad gloriosi martiris Saudem et
gloriam Norwici contingerent magnalia, in marl quoque uirtus
eiusdem insignia patuifc et gloriosa. Maris etenim seuientibus ni-
mium procellis, quedam longe a continent! periclitabatur nauis.
Inimanes siquidem fluctuum globi tum in ima depressi quendam hor-
ridum faciebant hiatum, tum se in altum preter morem extoUentes
subitum fragili earine minabantur precipitium. Vnde nunc quasi
in celum efiferebatur nauis, nunc ruine patebat honibili. Porro
ingruente magis ac magis uentorum rabie, imbrimn inundantia,
turbatur cehim, turbantur maria, et interitum minantur uniuersa.
Rudentes et anteune rumpuntur, uelum scissum dissoluitur, nialus
egre se continet, mortem sotam superatitem nauis titubans per-
suadet. Desperatus itaque nauta' quid faciat prorsus ignorat.
Potion tamen usus consilio, derelictum nauis applustre arripiens,
proram ad continentem conuertib, cursum deatinatum pretermisit,
ac persuadentibus sociis et maxime presbitero quodam Thetford-
ensi qui cum eis de Norweia aduenerat, beati marfciris Willelmi
opem inuocauib. Se quippe omnes et sua omnia pariter cum
naui eius committunt patrociniis et sic directo cursu ad proximum
tenditur litus. Quid plura ? Inuocata sancbi martiris ope, con-
tinue uentorum cepit conquiescere rabies; in serenum aer et
pelaguB in planitiem paulatim redigitur. Currens uero propero
cursu nauis, estu secedente marino, non longe a continents promi-
nentem arenarum incurrit raolem, et absorbenti insidit sabulo.
Fere nusquam tuta securitas. In maris perturbati profundibate
periculum euaserat, in uadosa planitie incurrebat. Quo uiso,
turbati conclamant naute, atque naui tunc masime diffidentee,
immo et quassatam estimantea, quam intus habebant scapham
exponunt, et solis saltern saluandis consulunt corporibus. Cor-
porum igibur salubi consulenbes, sua omnia et nauem cum uelo
erecto deserunt, sancti martiria Willelmi tuitioni uniuersa com-
mittunt, eique omnium que intus habebant si conseruentur,
decimam uouentes repromittunt. Ventis, inquam, et man nauis
* exponitur, et appulsa libtori cum nautis nauicula conser-
uatur. Sero erat, et incumbentibus iam tenebris nox imminebat.
Mira rea et pens incredibilis ! Nauis siquidem tota nocte fluctibus
exposita pro marini estus uiciesitudine nunc sabulo imprimitur,
nuDC in altum tollitur, sed diuine uirtutis anchora quasi littori
affixa tenetur. Uluscescente diluculo, ad reuisendam nauem con-
curritur, et noa submersam admirantur. Ingressi ergo nauiculam,
tranquilli maris famulante nnda, ad nauem nauigio properant,
quam saluam reperienfces efc integram, obstupescentes exultant.
Nee mora; quisque pro niribus unanimiter communi feruent ne-
gotio. Velo nempe quamtotius reparato refectisque funibus ad
uelificandum aceiugiintur. Estu quoque fauente et aura, portui
qui Charlefluot dicitur cursu prospero iuuehuntur. Appuisi uero,
deo sanctoque Willelmo conseruatori suo gratias agunt, et, ut
uouerant, que in naui habebant uniuersa deciinaruut. Deciniarum
collectum precium per manus memorati Thetfordensia presbiteri et
quorundam consodalium Norwicum saneto martiri transmittunt, et
86 illius commendant patrociniis.
xvii. Of certain sa/ved at sea.
Whilst these and other like miraiiles were happening at Norwich to
the honour and praise of the glorious martyr, hie power was also
brilliantly shewn forth upon the sea. For once when a great storm
was raging, a certain ship, far from land, was in great peril. Huge
masses of waves sometimes sinking away opened a horrid gulf, and
again rising to unwonted heights threatened instant destruction to the
frail bark : so the ship at one moment was raised as I may say to
heaven, and at the next was exposed to a frightful plunge. The rage of
the winds and the pouring of the rain increased, sea and sky were in
confusion and everything threatened destruction : cables and yards
were snapped, the sail was rent, the mast hardly held its place, and
the reeling of the vessel convinced all that death alone remained : the
despairing captain was at his wits' end. Yet coming to better mind, he
' Hadestou, a hamlet of Banwell, ten miles south of Norwioh.
seized the tiller, which had been abandoned, turned her head to land,
leaving their projected course, and at the advice of his comradea and
especially of a priest of Thetford who had come with them from
Norway, called on the blessed martyr William for aid. To his protection
all on board committed themselves, their goods and the ship, and so
headed straight for land. What morel When the holy martyr's help
had been invoked, the rage of the winds began to be soothed, the air to
clear and the sea to calm. The ship, however, ninnirig quickly with
the ebbing tide, grounded on a sandbank not far from the mainland and
settled on a quicksand. Scarce anywhere was there safety ; she had
escaped danger in the stormy deep only to run into it in the shallows.
Seeing this, the sailors cried out in terror, and no longer trusting the ship
— nay, believing her to be breaking up, — they got out their boat, and took
measures to save their bare livea With this in view, they abandoned
their goods and left the vessel with her sails set, committing every-
thing to the protection of the holy martyr William, and vowing him
a tenth of all they had, if it were preserved. The ship, I say, was
left exposed to winds and waves, and the boat and sailors got safe
to land. It was late, and darkness and night were coming on. What
happened is hardly credibla The ship exposed all night to the waves
was now dashed on the aand, now raised high above it, according as the
tide ebbed or flowed, but was held fixed to the shore ae by the anchor of
God's power. At dawn, all ran to look for the ship, and marvelled that
she had not sunk. They took boat, and aided by a calm sea, speedily
reached the ship : and finding her safe and sound were filled with joy and
amazement. All at once set to work, repaired the sail, replaced the rigging
and set sail. So, with favouring wind and tide, they reached the
harbour called Charifleet '. On landing they gave thanks to God and their
preserver Saint William, and as they had vowed, set a^de a tenth of all
that was in the ship. They then sent the value of this tithe to Norwich
to the holy martyr by the hands of the aforesaid priest of Thetford and
some of their companions ; and commended themselves to the saint's
protection.
