is body from the shrine, put it into a coffin, and with it many of the
relics of the good Aiden. Besides these, they took, in a sort of ark,
"the famous illuminated and jewelled copy of the gospels, which
Eadfrith had written," and a few other treasures, and went away to seek
a place of safety.

Many miracles were ascribed to St. Cuthbert while living, but still
greater wonders are recorded as having taken place long after his
death. For seven weary years of wandering, the monks carried about his
body. At the beginning of their journey, the water was supernaturally
driven back, though, at the time, it was high tide, and they were able
to cross on dry land. They went among the hills of Kyloe, and
travelled about, through the south of Scotland, and north of England;
but though they were everywhere treated with respect, no one was able
to offer them a permanent place of safety. At last they decided that
they would go over to Ireland, and actually embarked, when a severe
storm arose and drove them back to the very spot from which they
started. They found that their precious copy of the gospels had been
destroyed, and mourned over its loss. But supposing the shipwreck to
be an indication that they must not go to Ireland, they went to
Scotland, and there, on the Galloway coast, they found their lost
treasure!

It is said that the body of the saint floated down the Tweed in its
stone coffin. Sir Walter Scott has referred to this legend in
Marmion:--

"From sea to sea, from shore to shore,
Seven years St. Cuthbert's corpse they bore.
They rested them in fair Melrose;
But though alive he loved it well,
Not there his relics might repose,
For--wondrous tale to tell!
In his stone coffin forth he rides,
(A ponderous bark for river-tides),
Yet light as gossamer it glides,
Downwards to Tillmouth's cell."

Surtees wrote on the subject of the coffin itself:--"It is
finely-shaped, ten feet in length, three feet and a half in diameter,
and only four inches thick, and has been proved by experiments to be
capable of floating with a weight equal to the human body."

The remains of St. Cuthbert rested at length at Chesterle-Street, where
Guthrun, the Christian king, built a church for the wanderers, and
richly endowed it. Both Athelstane and "Edmund, the Magnificent,"
visited the tomb, and rendered homage to the saint. The latter brought
valuable presents to the shrine, consisting of Byzantine workman