Horse Anecdotes on Windsor Castle:
"King Oswin, ruler of the former British province of Deira and a friend of the holy Aidan's (d. 651), gave that bishop a fine horse. Soon afterward Bishop Aidan met a beggar who asked him for alms; he at once dismounted and gave the horse, with all its costly trappings, to the poor man. When this charitable deed came to the king's ears, he taxed Aidan:
'Why did you give away the horse that we specially chose for your personal use when we knew that you had need of one for your journeys? We have many less valuable horses that would have been suitable for beggars.'
Replied Aidan, 'Is this foal of a mare more valuable to you than a child of God?' The king pondered, then, suddenly casting his sword aside, knelt at Aidan's feet and begged his forgiveness. Aidan, greatly moved, begged the king to go to his dinner and be merry. As Aidan watched the king go, he became very melancholy. When the bishop's chaplain asked why, Aidan replied,
'I know that the king will not live long, for I have never seen a king so humble as he is. He will be taken from us as the country is not worthy to have such a king.'
This foreboding was proved correct: King Oswin was treacherously killed by his northern neighbor, King Oswy."