CHAPTER 6: Boisil’s prophecy. Cuthbert arrives at Melrose, is welcomed and remains there
CHAPTER 6
Boisil’s prophecy. Cuthbert arrives at Melrose, is welcomed and remains there
OUR venerable servant of God, meanwhile, was hastening to leave the world and take upon himself monastic discipline. Spurred on by his heavenly vision of the joys of eternal bliss, he was ready to suffer hunger and thirst in this life in order to enjoy the banquets of the next. The community of Lindisfarne, he knew, was well adorned with holy monks, under whose example and teaching he might make good progress, but the reputation for sublime virtue enjoyed by Boisil, priest of Melrose, led him to enter there. By chance Boisil was standing at the monastery gates when he arrived and thus saw him first. Cuthbert dismounted, gave his horse and spear to a servant (he had not yet put off secular dress), and went into the church to pray. Boisil had an intuition of the high degree of holiness to which the boy he had just been looking at would rise, and said just this single phrase to the monks with whom he was standing: ‘Behold the servant of the Lord,’ imitating Him who, at the approach of Nathaniel, exclaimed: ‘Behold an Israelite indeed, one in whom there is no guile’. An old veteran, Sigfrith, priest of Jarrow monastery, told me the tale; he was there with Boisil at the time, a mere youth in the first steps of the monastic life. Now he is living the life of perfection. He has only a few feeble breaths left in him and is thirsting for the joys of the future life.
Boisil said no more. He welcomed Cuthbert and when he explained the purpose of his visit, namely to leave the world behind him, Boisil received him with great kindness into the community. Boisil himself was prior. A few days later the priest Eata arrived, then Abbot of Melrose and later Abbot and Bishop of Lindisfarne. Boisil told him about Cuthbert, explained how well disposed he was, and gained permission for him to receive the tonsure and become one of the community. Once admitted, Cuthbert was careful to keep up with the rest in observing the rule. He excelled them in zeal for strict discipline. He watched, prayed, worked, and read harder than anyone else. Like Samson the Nazarite he carefully abstained from all alcoholic drink, but he was not so severe with himself as regards food lest his work should suffer. He was robust and strong, fit enough to carry out everything he chose to put his hand to.