rules, he
laid it among his bees, thinking that by doing so he would bring all
the bees in the neighbourhood, with their honey, to his hives. So far
did his project succeed; but the bees brought no fruit which the
wicked peasant could desire. They hummed melodious music, and built a
small wax church at the time the wicked wretch thought they should be
collecting honey for him. One day, walking near the hive into which he
had put the host, the bees came out, and stung him nearly to death.
Remorse seized him, and in bitter anguish he went to the priest to
confess his fault. As the case was an extraordinary one, the priest
consulted the bishop, who advised that the parishioners, headed by the
priest, should go in procession to the hives. On the people's arrival,
the bees testified their joy by their melodious humming. In the hive
into which the host had been put an altar of wax was found, and a
sacred relic lying thereon.

In 1399 a woman and her daughter engaged to procure consecrated hosts
for a band of wicked Jews, who intended to use them for unhallowed
purposes. The woman went to a church and stole three hosts when the
friars were at dinner. Having received the hosts, the Jews assembled
in a cellar, threw them contemptuously on a table, and stabbed them
with a dagger. Blood spurted out from the dagger holes, and covered
the faces of the impious men. The marks could not be washed away, so
that they, Cain-like, bore unmistakeable signs of guilt to the day of
their death. Blood also ran on the cellar floor, and could not by any
means be removed. The Jews being terrified, sent two men to bury the
hosts in a field. As the men passed a pious youth, named Paul, who had
charge of two oxen, the hosts flew up in the air, and became like
beautiful butterflies. At the sight of these, the oxen kneeled down on
the ground. Paul, on becoming acquainted with what had happened,
hastened to a magistrate to give information against the wicked
people. Instead of being believed, he was cast into prison as a base
fellow. In answer to his prayers, the prison gates opened of
themselves; so he went out, and again presented himself before the
judge. This time Paul's word was taken. The case was reported to the
bishop, who ordered the hosts to be collected for preservation.
Proceedings were taken against the Jews: they were burned, and their
goods confiscated. By order of the king, a church was built at the
place where the hosts appeared to Pau