Introduction
St Cuthbert’s miracles not only brought healing or deliverance from danger, but left others wiser and kinder for having lived through them. In this example, his friend Hildemer learnt that illness, and specifically mental illness, is nothing for a Christian to be ashamed of.
WHEN Cuthbert was at Melrose Abbey,* Hildemer, one of King Ecgfrith’s captains, rode up in distress. His wife, it seemed, was dying, and needed a priest. But when Cuthbert with a faraway look muttered ‘I must go myself’, Hildemer’s distress only grew.
It broke his heart that Cuthbert, a frequent guest at the couple’s home, would see his wife’s pitiable and witless convulsions, no doubt caused by an evil spirit. Might his friend even doubt she was really a Christian? He said nothing, but tears pricked his eyes.
“Do not weep!” remarked Cuthbert suddenly as they rode. “You dare not mention them, but the seizures make me think no less of her as a Christian. Devils torment the innocent too. Before we reach your house she will be freed; when she takes these reins her cure will be complete.” They duly arrived to find her weak but rational, and on touching the reins of Cuthbert’s horse she announced herself fitter than ever.
Not the Cistercian monastery founded in 1136 and now largely ruined, but an older monastery founded by St Aidan in 651, about two miles to the east. Cuthbert was Prior of the Abbey from about 664, until he took up the life of a hermit on Inner Farne in 676.
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Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Only. Sudden. You.
2 Myself. Real. Take.
3 Announce. Reach. See.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Adjectives Find in Think and Speak
For each word below, compose sentences to show that it may be used as an adjective. Adjectives provide extra information about a noun, e.g. a black cat, a round table, the early bird etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Tearful. 2 Broken. 3 Sudden. 4 Little. 5 Innocent. 6 Homeless. 7 Friendly. 8 Complete. 9 Frequent.
Variations: 1.show whether your adjective can also be used as e.g. a noun, verb or adverb. 2.show whether your adjective can be used in comparisons (e.g. good/better/best). 3.show whether your adjective can be used in attributive position (e.g. a dangerous corner) and also in predicate position (this corner is dangerous).
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Even. 2. Saw. 3. Found. 4. See. 5. Break. 6. Free.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
crsd (6)
caroused. coursed. creased. cruised. crusade. cursed.
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