De sex caecis et septimo monoculo ad ejus sepulcrum illuminatis.
The King's Power Lives Beyond Death
The narrator recalls Edward's gift of healing the blind in life and promises it continues after death.
We have said that blessed Edward had a special power for giving sight to the blind while he was still alive, and the next chapter will make clear that this grace was not taken from him with death intervening.
Seven Blind Men Rush to the Tomb
Six blind men and one one-eyed man hurry to the royal tomb during the memorial liturgy, led in a striking procession.
A thirty-day memorial office was still being celebrated for the king when six blind men, with a one-eyed man following after them, hurried to the royal tomb. It was a remarkable sight: one man being dragged along by another, while a single man going ahead with his eyes was leading the way for all seven.
Tears and Confidence Before the Saint
The men pour out their suffering in prayer at the tomb, trusting that Edward's merit is undiminished in glory.
Positioned before the resting place of the holy body, they therefore laid out their misery with tears to the one by whom the steps of all of them were being guided, and urgently begged for help against the harm of their long darkness, asking for the aid of the most blessed king. Nor do they think it hard, in a region of light that no night ever interrupts, to obtain earthly light for mortal bodies from the Lord of light; and they judge him no less worthy of merit for being joined to angelic choirs than he had been when he was wrapped in corruptible limbs.
Mercy Answers Persistent Prayer
Divine mercy responds to their persistence, manifesting the saint's merits and consoling the suffering.
So divine mercy was not lacking to those who persisted in prayer, and it both made the merits of his saint more widely known and did not deny the longed-for consolation to the suffering.
Light Pours In
The leader receives sight first, then all seven are flooded with new light and marvel in disbelief.
For suddenly the one who had been the leader of the rest received the reward of his love with a doubled light, and looking back at his companions, he saw them too shining with the pouring in of a new light. They looked at one another, and each asked the other whether he could see; they were all amazed, and as if placed outside themselves, they did not know that what was happening was real, for they thought they were seeing a vision.
Joyful Thanksgiving and Proclamation
Restored to themselves, the men burst into praise, and returning home they proclaim God's work through blessed Edward.
At last they come back to themselves, and having experienced the great abundance of God's goodness, they break out into a voice of joy and thanksgiving, with many running up and marveling at their joy, and praising God in his holy one, Edward. But those who had received this saving gift returned home giving thanks to God, proclaiming the merits of the most blessed king and confirming his power by visible proof.
Read the original Latin
Diximus beatum Edwardum specialem in illuminandis caecis dum adviveret habuisse virtutem, hanc ei gratiam morte interveniente non esse subtractam sequens capitulum declarabit. Adhuc de morte tritennarium pro rege celebrabatur officium, cum sex caeci unum secuti monoculum ad sepulcrum regium properarunt. Mirabile spectaculum, cum alter ab altero traheretur, et unus praecedens oculis viris septem ducatum praestaret. Ab illo ergo quo gressus omnium regebatur, ante sacri corporis repositorium collocati, suam cum lacrymis exponunt miseriam, opem flagitant, contra diuturnae caliginis laedium beatissimi regis poscunt auxilium. Nec difficile putant in regione lucis quam nulla nox interpolat constituto, a domino lucis mortalibus corporibus lucem impetrare terrenam; nec minoris eum meriti choris immistum angelicis arbitrantur, quam fuerat cum membris esset corruptibilibus involutus. Illis itaque in oratione persistentibus clementia divina non defuit, quae et sancti sui merita latius propalaret, et desideratum miseris solatium non negavit. Subito enim is qui dux fuerat caeterorum, charitatis suae stipendium lumine duplicato recepit, sociosque respiciens, videt et ipsos novi luminis infusione splendere. Intuentur se mutuo, et unus ab alio sciscitatur an videat, stupent omnes et quasi extra se positi, nesciebant quia verum est quod fiebat, existimabant enim se visum videre.
Tandem in semetipsos reversi, et magnam multitudinem divinae bonitatis experti, erumpunt in vocem exsultationis et confessionis, multis accurrentibus et admirantibus prae gaudio, et laudantibus Deum in sancto suo Edwardo. Illi autem qui munus salutare acceperant gratias agentes Deo ad propria remearunt, beatissimi regis merita praedicantes et virtutem ejus argumento visibili comprobantes.
Aelred of Rievaulx, Vita Sancti Edwardi Regis et Confessoris companion
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