SECTION IV.

Of the Miracles performed by the four Martyrs.

It is not the custom in that country to commit the bodies of their dead to the grave, but they are exposed in the fields, that they may be consumed by the heat of the sun.  But after the bodies of these martyrs had remained fourteen days exposed to the sun, they remained as fresh and uncorrupted as on the day of their martyrdom.  On this being seen by the Christians who inhabited the land, they buried the bodies with great reverence.  When I, Oderic, heard of the circumstances attending the death of these martyrs, I went to the place and dug up their bodies; and having collected all their bodies into beautiful towallias, I carried them with me into upper India to a certain place, assisted by a companion and a servant.  While we were on our way, we rested in the house of a hospitable person, and placing the bones at my head, I went to sleep.  And while I was asleep, the house was suddenly set on fire by the Saracens, that I might be burnt therein.  My companion and servant made their escape, leaving me and the bones in the burning house.  Seeing the fire above and all around me, I took up the bones, and withdrew, with them into one of the angles of the house; whence I saw all the other three corners on fire, while I remained safe along with the bones.  So long as I remained there with the bones, the fire kept itself above my head, like lucid air; but the moment that I went out with the bones, the whole of that place where I had stood was enveloped in the flames, and many other surrounding buildings were likewise burnt to the ground.

Another miracle happened as I was going by sea with the bones to the city of Polumbrum, where, pepper grows in great abundance, when the wind totally failed us.  On this occasion, the idolaters began to pray to their gods for a favourable wind; but which they were unable to attain.  Then the Saracens industriously made their invocations and adorations, to as little purpose.  After this, I and my companion were ordered to pray to our God, and the commander of the ship said to me in the Armenian language, which the rest of the people on board did not understand, that unless we could procure a favourable wind from our God, he would throw both us and the bones into the sea.  Then I and my companion went to our prayers, and we vowed to celebrate many masses in honour of the Holy Virgin, if she would vouchsafe us a wind.  But as the time passed on, and no wind came, I gave one of the bones to our servant, whom I ordered to go to the head of the ship, and cast the bone into the sea; which he had no sooner done, than a favourable gale sprung up, which, never again failed us till we had arrived at our destined port in safety, owing entirely to the merit of these holy martyrs.  We then embarked in another ship, on purpose to sail to the higher India; and we arrived at a certain city