A.D. 979.] CORONATION OF ETHELKED. 267 ecclesiastical sépulture, as when. he was alive they robbed him of royal honour. But divine pity came to his aid, and ennobled the innocent victim with the grace of miracles ; for such a celestial light was shed on the place that even with its beams the lame were enabled to walk, the blind to see, and the dumb to speak, and all who laboured under any infirmity were healed. Multitudes from all parts of the kingdom resorted to the martyr's tomb, and among the rest his murderess took her journey thither. Having mounted her horse she urged him to go forward, when lo ! he who before outstripped the winds and was full of ardour to bear his mistress, now by the will of God stood immovable, nor could her attendants move him at all with their shouts and blows. Their labour was still in vain when another horse was put in his place. On this, Alfdritha, seeing God's miracle, became exceedingly penitent, insomuch that for many years her flesh, which she had nourished in delicacy, she mortified with hair-cloth at Wanvell, sleeping on the ground, and afflicting her body with all manner of sufferings. Elfery also, whom we have mentioned before as having destroyed the monasteries of the monks, bitterly repenting of his fault, removed the king's sacred body from that mean place, and interred it with due honour at Shaftesbury ; but not even so did he escape condign punishment, his whole body being eaten with worms the following year, as it is said. The glorious martyrdom of this most blessed king sheds a refulgence through endless ages. Amen. Coronation of king Ethelred. A.D. 979. Ethelred, brother of St. Eadward the king and martyr, and son of Alfdritha, a rare youth, of a graceful person, fair countenance, and lofty stature, received the royal diadem from the holy prelates Dunstan of Canterbury, and Oswald of York, and ten bishops, on Sunday, the 24th day of April, at Kingston. A t which coronation, the blessed Dunstan, filled with the spirit of prophecy, foretold to him what would befall him and what tribulation he must undergo, in the following words :— " Because thou hast aspired to the kingdom by the death of thy brother, whom thy mother slew, hear therefore the word of the Lord : thus saith the Lord, ' The sword shall not depart from thy house, but shall