ff and pulled it out of
the earth, incontinent by the might of our Lord, sourded and sprang
there a fair well or fountain of clear water which refreshed him well
and all his fellowship. And about that well they rested all that night,
and they that dwelled thereby saw all that night over that place a great
light coming from heaven which covered all that place where these holy
men lay. And on the morn St. Austin wrote in the earth with his staff
beside the well these words following: Here had Austin, the servant of
the servants of God, hospitality, whom St. Gregory the pope hath sent to
convert England.

On the morn when the holy men were departed, the dwellers of the coasts
thereby which saw the light in the night tofore, came thither and found
there a fair well, of the which they marvelled greatly. And when they
saw the scripture written in the earth they were greatly abashed because
of their unkindness, and repented them full sore of that they had mocked
them the day before. And after, they edified there a fair church in the
same place in the worship of St. Austin, the which the bishop of Anjou
hallowed. And to the hallowing thereof came so great multitude of people
that they trod the corn in the fields down all plain, like unto a floor
clean swept, for there was no sparing of it. Notwithstanding, at the
time of reaping, that ground so trodden bare more corn and better than
any other fields beside, not trodden, did. And the high altar of that
church standeth over the place where St. Austin wrote with his staff by
the well, and yet unto this day may no woman come in to that church. But
there was a noble woman that said that she was not guilty in offending
St. Austin, and took a taper in her hand and went for to offer it in the
said church; but the sentence of Almighty God may not be revoked, for as
soon as she entered the church her bowels and sinews began to shrink and
she fell down dead in ensample of all other women; whereby we may
understand that injury done against a saint displeaseth greatly Almighty
God.

And from thence St. Austin and his fellowship came into England and
arrived in the isle of Thanet in East Kent, and king Ethelbert reigned
that time in Kent, which was a noble man and a mighty. To whom St.
Austin sent, showing the intent of his coming from the court of Rome,
and said that he had brought to him right joyful and pleasant tidings,
and said that if he would obey and do after his preaching that he s