three bishops, to Fleury, to restore the greatest part of the body of St. Benedict to the monks of Cassino, but not to deprive the monastery of Fleury of the whole. When this became known to the brethren of Fleury, they fasted and prayed with tears three days before his tomb, exclaiming, " Ο father Benedict, our only hope next to God, regard, we beseech thee, our tears, and remain with us in the place which thou didst deign to choose for thyself; but if thou art provoked by the enormity of our sins, and wilt not remain, we are determined to go with thee." And after they had thus spent three whole days in tears and sighs, the aforesaid bishops arrived, and proceeded to fulfil the king's commands. On hearing'of their arrival and the object of it, the abbat Medo, who then governed the monastery, called to him the brethren of the congregation, and shut himself with them in the neighbouring church of the blessed Peter, where they gave themselves to prayer, lying prostrate on the ground and bathed in tears. When the bishops entered the temple of the holy mother of God, before they had reached St. Benedict's tomb, they Avere stricken with such fear and blindness, that they were unable to recognize each other; and perceiving that the visitation was from God, they began to grope their way through the church until they came to the bell-ropes, which they pulled with all their might in order to procure help. On hearing the noise, the abbat and brethren, who were engaged in prayer, entered the church, and finding the bishops unable to see, they asked them what was the matter. They replied, " We have rashly come hither to provoke the blessed father Benedict to vengeance ; woe unto us ! for we have sinned. But, ye servants of God, pray to almighty God for us, that he may open our eyes ; and we promise you that we will never more be guilty of the like presumption." On this the brethren, some with tears and others prostrate on the ground, earnestly prayed that God would, in his mercy, vouchsafe to restore their sight ; and while they were praying their eyes Avere opened, and the aforesaid bishops returned home in great fear. In the same year, Cuthbert archbishop of Canterbury, and Athelbald king of the Mercians, held a council. In the year of our Lord 749, died Eadbert, king of Kent, after wearing the diadem six years ; he was succeeded by