Watchful and sleepless, the king (Alfred) was lying in his bed, when, by permission of the merciful God, His servant St. Neot appeared to him. “Knowest thou not,” he said, “How vain are the thoughts of man. They who hope in the Lord shall take courage, they shall make to themselves wings as eagles, they shall fly and shall not faint. Now, therefore, up and be doing; for thou shalt go forth to do battle with these heathens, and the Lord shall be with thee, and they shall flee before thee, and King Guthrum and his nobles shall be humbled, and shall leave their idols and be baptized. And behold, I will go with thee, and with power from above I will lead thy forces to the battle and they shall be victorious. The seventh week after Easter thou shalt go forth.” (pg. 121 of Lives of the English Saints: Life of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Apostle of then English, with some account of the early British Church)