work for which I have chosen them. The holy fellowship then, by God's
command and election, sent them to teach all countries concerning the
coming of Christ for the redemption of the world."

"Thus was Barnabas Paul's companion in preaching for a long time, when at
last it seemed good to them to go apart, and they did so. Paul was then
filled and comforted with the grace of the Holy Ghost, and went to many
countries, sowing God's seed. In one city he was twelve months, in one two
years, in one three, and appointed bishops, and mass-priests, and servants
of God; he went afterwards to another country, and did in like manner. But
he sent back letters to those whom he before had taught, and so by those
letters stimulated and confirmed them in the way of life."

We will now run over this reading with a short exposition, and explain any
obscurity there may be contained in it. Paul persecuted christian men, not
with hate, as the Jews did, but he was a partizan and defender of the old
law with great steadfastness: he thought that the faith of Christ was an
adversary to the old covenant: but Jesus who had established the old law by
divers miracles, the same afterwards by his {391} presence changed it to
truth, according to its ghostly signification. Now Paul knew not the
ghostly signification of that law, and was therefore its advocate, and a
persecutor of the faith of Christ. God Almighty, who knows all things, saw
his thoughts, that he did not persecute faithful men from rancour, but for
the defence of the old law, and spake to him from heaven, thus saying,
"Saul, why persecutest thou me? I am the Truth which thou defendest; cease
from persecution: hurtful will it be to thee to spurn against the goad. If
the ox spurneth against the goad, it hurteth himself; so also harmeth thee
thy warfare against me." He said, "Why persecutest thou me?" because he is
the head of christian men, and bewails whatsoever his limbs suffer on
earth, as he said through his prophet, "He who toucheth you, it shall be to
me as painful as if he touched the sight of my eye." He was prostrated,
thus saying, "Who art thou, Lord?" His pride was prostrated, and true
humility was raised up in him. He fell unrighteous, and was raised
righteous. Falling he lost bodily sight, rising he received his mind's
enlightening. Three days he continued without sight, because he had denied
the resurrection of Christ on the third day.

Ananias signifies in the Hebrew tongue, _sheep_. The gentle sheep then
baptized the impious Saul, and made him the pious Paul. He baptized the
wolf and made him a lamb. He changed his name with his character; and he
was then a true proclaimer of God's church, who had before afflicted it
with fierce persecution. He would flee from the machination of the Jewish
people, and consented to be let down in a basket over the wall: not because
he would not suffer death for the faith of Christ, but because he would
flee from immature death; for he had first to gain many a man to God by his
great wisdom, and afterwards with great honour stretch out his neck to
martyrdom. Much greater torments he suffered afterwards for Christ's name,
than he had ordered for {393} christian men before his conversion. Saul the
impious scourged the christians, but after his conversion the pious Paul
for the name of Christ was often scourged. Once he was stoned almost to
death, so that his persecutors left him for dead, but in the morning he
arose and went about his preaching. He was frequently in great peril, both
by sea and by land, in the waste, among thieves, from hunger and from
thirst, and from many watchings, from cold, and from nakedness, and from
many prisons: he so hastened with his preaching, as though he would bring
all mankind to God's kingdom: as well with precepts as with prayers and
with letters, he ever stimulated to the will of God. He was led to heaven
as far as the third flooring, and there he saw and heard God's secret,
which he might not make known to any man. He bewailed with weeping the sins
of other men, and to all the faithful he showed fatherly love. By his
handicraft he toiled for his own and his companions' support, and in
addition thereto there was nothing known in true piety which his
instruction did not confirm. The other apostles lived, by God's command, by
their teaching, free from danger; but, nevertheless, Paul alone, who by
worldly craft was a tent-wright, would not receive the sustenance allowed,
but by his own toil provided for his own and his companions' need. His
precepts and his acts are to us inscrutable, but happy will he be who obeys
his admonitions with diligence.

GOSPEL.

    Dixit Simon Petrus ad Jesum: et reliqua.

"He forsook all worldly things, and followed Jesus only," as this gospel
says, which ye now at this service have heard.

"At that time Peter the apostle said to Jesus, Behold we have left all
worldly things, and follow thee only: what wilt thou do for us in reward
thereof?" etc.

Great trust revolved in the heart of Peter: he alone spake {395} for the
whole company, "We have forsaken all things." What did Peter forsake? He
was a fisher, and by that craft provided for himself, and yet he spake with
great boldness, "We have forsaken all things." But he and his brothers
forsook much, when they forsook the will to possess. Though any one forsake
great possessions, and forsake not avarice, he forsakes not all things.
Peter forsook little things, scrip and net, but he forsook all things,
when, for love of God, he would have nothing. He said, "We follow thee." It
is not complete to forsake many possessions, unless a man follow God. For
the heathen philosophers forsook many things, as Socrates did, who
exchanged all his possessions for a wedge of gold, and then cast the wedge
into the wide sea, that desire of possessions might not obstruct his will,
and draw it from the worldly lore that he loved: but it profited him not so
to do, because he did not follow God, but his own will, and had not
therefore heavenly reward with the apostles, who, for love of Christ,
despised all worldly things, and with obedience followed him.

Peter then asked, "What shall become of us? We have done as thou
commandedst us, what wilt thou do for us in reward? Jesus answered, Verily
I say unto you, that ye who follow me shall, at the regeneration, sit on
twelve judgement-seats, when I shall sit on the seat of my majesty; and ye
then shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel." He called the common
resurrection, regeneration, at which our bodies will be regenerated to
incorruption, that is to eternity. Twice we are born in this life: the
first birth is fleshly, of father and of mother; the second birth is
ghostly, when we are regenerated at the holy baptism, in which all our sins
will be forgiven us, through grace of the Holy Ghost. The third birth is at
the common resurrection, at which our bodies will be regenerated to
incorruptible bodies.

At the resurrection the twelve apostles will sit with Christ {397} on their
judgement-seats, and will judge the twelve tribes of the people of Israel.
This twelvefold number has great signification. If the twelve tribes only
will be judged at the great doom, what then will the thirteenth tribe,
Levi, do? What will do all the nations of the world? Thinkest thou that
they will be sundered from the doom? But this twelvefold number is set for
all mankind of all the orb, for the perfectness of its signification. There
are twelve hours in the day, and twelve months in the year; there are
twelve patriarchs, twelve prophets, twelve apostles; and this number has a
greater import than the unlearned may understand. By this twelvefold number
therefore the orb of the whole earth is now signified.

The apostles and all the chosen who imitated them will be judges on the
great day with Christ. There will be four assemblages at the great doom,
two of chosen men, and two of rejected. The first assemblage will be of the
apostles and their imitators, who forsook all worldly things for the name
of God: they will be the judges, and to them shall no judgement be judged.
The second class will be of faithful men of this world: on them will doom
be set, so that they will be sundered from the fellowship of the rejected,
the Lord thus saying, "Come to me, ye blessed of my Father, and receive the
kingdom which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world." One
class will be of those rejected, who had knowledge of God, but did not
cultivate their faith with God's commandments: these will be condemned. The
other class is of those heathen men, who have had no knowledge of God: on
these will be fulfilled the apostolic sentence, "Those who have sinned
without God's law, shall perish also without any law." To these two classes
the righteous Judge will then say, "Depart from me, ye accursed, into the
everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his accursed
spirits."

The gospel says yet further, "Everyone who forsaketh, {399} for my name,
father or mother, brothers or sisters, wife or children, land or dwellings,
shall be requited an hundredfold, and he shall have, in addition thereunto,
everlasting life." An hundredfold number is perfect, and he who forsakes
perishable things for the name of God, will receive from God ghostly meed
an hundredfold. This saying is especially applicable to men of monastic
order, who, for the joy of heaven's kingdom, forsake father, and mother,
and fleshly relations. They receive many ghostly fathers and ghostly
brothers, for all men of that order, who live after rule, are accounted as
their fathers and brothers, and, in addition thereto, they will be enriched
with the reward of everlasting life. Those who, at God's behest, despise
all worldly things, and have their subsistence in common, are perfect, and
will be classed with the apostles. Others, who have not the merit of being
able to forsake all their possessions together, let them then give, for the
name of God, what portion it may please them, and they will be eternally
rewarded an hundredfold for whatsoever they singly and temporarily
distribute.

There is a great difference among converted men: some imitate the apostles,
some imitate Judas the betrayer of Christ, some Ananias and Sapphira, some
Gehazi. Those who, in imitation of the apostles, despise all transitory
things for the sake of everlasting life, shall have praise and everlasting
reward with Christ's apostles. He who, living among monks, guilefully
deceives in the property of the monastery, will be the companion of Judas,
who betrayed Christ, and will receive his punishment with the inmates of
hell. He who with twofold thoughts turns to monastic life, and bestows one
part of his property, holds one to himself, and has no trust in the
Almighty, that he will provide for him food and garments and other needs,
will receive the accursed sentence with Ananias and Sapphira, who deceived
in their own property, and fell dying with sudden death before the
apostles. {401} He who in monastic life is ill-inclined, and yearns for the
things which he had not in worldly life nor could obtain, without doubt to
him approximates the leper Gehazi, the prophet's servant, and that which he
suffered in body, this suffers in his soul. The servant followed the great
prophet Elisha: then there came to him a rich man of the nation which is
called Syria, his name was Naaman, and he was leprous. He came then to
God's prophet, Elisha, in Judea, and he, through God's might, healed him
from that disease. He then offered to the man of God, for his health,
precious treasures. The prophet answered him, "God's might hath healed
thee, not I. I will not receive thy money: thank God for thy health, and
enjoy thy possessions." Naaman then returned with all his company to his
own people.

Then was the prophet's servant, Gehazi, beguiled by avarice, and he ran
off, the officer Naaman thus deceiving by words, "Now suddenly the sons of
two prophets are come to my master: send him two garments and a pound." The
officer answered him, "It will be mean to send him so little; but take four
garments and two pounds." He then returned with the treasures, and
concealed his journey from the prophet. The prophet asked him, "Whence
comest thou, Gehazi?" He answered, "Sir, I was on no journey." The prophet
said, "I saw through the Spirit of God, that the officer alighted from his
chariot, and went towards thee, and thou tookest his treasures in money and
in raiment. Have also henceforth with the treasures his leprosy, thou and
all thy offspring for ever." And he turned from his sight stricken with
snow-white leprosy.

Now it is therefore for monastic men to shun with great care these evil
examples, and to imitate the apostles, that they, with them and with God,
may have everlasting life. Amen.

{402} DOMINICA XI. POST PENTECOSTEN.

    Cum adpropinquaret Iesus Hierusalem: et reliqua.

"On sumere tide wæs se Hælend farende to Hierusalem: ðaða he genealæhte
þære ceastre and hé hí geseah, ða weop hé ofer hí:" et reliqua.

Gregorius se trahtnere cwæð, þæt se Hælend beweope ðære ceastre
toworpennysse, ðe gelamp æfter his ðrowunge, for ðære wrace heora mándæda,
þæt hí ðone heofenlican Æðeling mánfullice acwellan woldon. He spræc mid
woplicre stemne, na to ðam weorc-stánum, oððe to ðære getimbrunge, ac spræc
to ðam ceastergewarum, þa hé mid fæderlicere lufe besargode, forðan ðe hé
wiste heora forwyrd hrædlice toweard. Feowertig geara fyrst Godes
mildheortnys forlét ðam wælhreowum ceastergewarum to behreowsunge heora
mándæda, ac hí ne gymdon nanre dædbote, ac maran mándæda gefremedon, swa
þæt hí oftorfodon mid stanum ðone forman Godes cyðere Stephanum, and
Iacobum, Iohannes broðer, beheafdodon. Eac ðone rihtwisan Iacobum hí
ascufon of ðam temple, and acwealdon, and ehtnysse on ða oðre apostolas
setton. Seo Godes gelaðung, þe on ðære byrig, æfter Cristes ðrowunge, under
þam rihtwisan Iacobe drohtnigende wæs, ferde eal samod of ðære byrig to
anre wíc wið ða éá Iordanen; forðan ðe him com to Godes hǽs, þæt hi
sceoldon fram ðære mánfullan stowe faran, ærðam ðe seo wracu come. God ða
oncneow þæt ða Iudeiscan nanre dǽdbote ne gymdon, ac má and má heora
mándæda geyhton: sende him ða to Romanisc folc, and hí ealle fordyde.

Uespasianus hatte se casere, ðe on ðam dagum geweold ealles middangeardes
cynedomes. Sé asende his sunu Titum to oferwinnenne ða earman Iudeiscan. Þa
gelámp hit swa þæt hí wæron gesamnode binnan ðære byrig Hierusalem, six
hund ðusend manna, swylce on anum cwearterne beclysede; and hí wurdon ða
utan ymbsette mid Romaniscum here swa lange þæt ðær fela ðusenda mid hungre
wurdon acwealde; and for ðære menigu man ne mihte hí bebyrigan, ac awurpon
{404} ða líc ofer ðone weall. Sume ðeah for mæiglicre sibbe hí bebyrigan
woldon, ac hí hrædlice for mægenleaste swulton. Gif hwa hwæt lytles æniges
bigwistes him sylfum gearcode, him scuton sona to reaferas, and ðone mete
him of ðam muðe abrudon. Sume hí cuwon heora gescý, sume heora hætera, sume
streaw, for ðære micclan angsumnysse ðæs hatan hungres. Hit nis na
gedafenlic þæt we on ðisum halgan godspelle ealle ða sceamlican yrmðu
gereccan þe gelumpon ðam ymbsettum Iudeiscum, ærðan ðe hi on hand gán
woldon. Wearð ða se mæsta dæl ðæra arleasra mid þam bysmerlicum hungre
adyd, and þa lafe ðæs hungres ofsloh se Romanisca here, and ða burh
grundlunga towurpon, swa þæt ðær ne beláf stán ofer stáne, swa swa se
Hælend ǽr mid wope gewítegode. Þæra cnapena ðe binnan syxtyne geara ylde
wæron, hund-nigontig ðusenda hí tosendon to gehwylcum leodscipum to ðeowte,
and on ðam earde ne beláf nan ðing ðæs awyrgedan cynnes. Seo burh wearð
syððan on oðre stówe getimbrod, and mid ðam Sarasceniscum gesett.

Se Hælend geswutelode for hwilcum intingan ðeos tostencednys þære byrig
gelumpe, ðaða hé cwæð, "Forðan þe ðu ne oncneowe ðone timan ðinre
geneosunge." He geneosode ða buruhware ðurh his menniscnysse, ac hí næron
his gemyndige, naðor ne ðurh lufe ne þurh ege. Be ðære gymeleaste spræc se
witega mid ceorigendre stemne, ðus cweðende, "Storc and swalewe heoldon
ðone timan heora to-cymes, and þis folc ne oncneow Godes dóm." Drihten cwæð
to ðære byrig, "Gif þu wistest hwæt þe toweard is, þonne weope ðu mid me.
Witodlice on ðisum dæge þu wunast on sibbe, ac ða toweardan wraca sind nu
bediglode fram ðinum eagum." Seo buruhwaru wæs wunigende on woruldlicere
sibbe, þaþa heo orsorhlice wæs underðeodd flæsclicum lustum, and hwonlice
hógode ymbe ða toweardan yrmða, ðe hyre ða-gyt bediglode wæron. Gif heo
ðære yrmðe forewittig wære, ne mihte heo mid orsorgum mode ðære
gesundfulnysse andweardes lifes brucan.

{406} Drihten adræfde of ðam temple ða cýpmen, þus cweðende, "Hit is
awriten, þæt min hús is gebed-hús, and ge hit habbað gedon sceaðum to
screafe." Þæt tempel wæs Gode gehalgod, to his ðenungum and lofsangum, and
to gebedum ðam geleaffullum; ac ða gytsigendan ealdor-biscopas geðafedon
þæt ðær cyping binnan gehæfd wære. Drihten, ðaða he þæt unriht geseah, he
worhte áne swipe of rápum, and hí ealle mid gebeate út-ascynde. Þeos
todræfednys getacnode ða toweardan toworpennysse ðurh þone Romaniscan here,
and se hryre gelámp swyðost þurh gyltas ðæra ealdor-biscopa ðe, binnan ðam
temple wunigende, mid gehywedre halignysse þæs folces lác underfengon, and
ðæra manna ehton ðe butan lace þæt tempel gesohton. Hwæt wæs þæt tempel
buton swylce sceaðena scræf, þaþa ða ealdor-biscopas mid swylcere gytsunge
gefyllede wæron, and ða leaslican ceapas binnan ðam Godes huse geðafedon?
Hit is on oðrum godspelle awriten, þæt ðær sæton myneteras, and ðær wæron
gecype hryðeru, and scép, and culfran. On ðam dagum, æfter gesetnysse ðære
ealdan ǽ, man offrode hryðeru, and scép, and culfran, for getacnunge
Cristes ðrowunge: ða tihte seo gitsung þa sacerdas þæt man ðillic orf þær
to ceape hæfde, gif hwá feorran come, and wolde his lác Gode offrian, ðæt
hé on gehendnysse to bicgenne gearu hæfde. Drihten ða adræfde ðillice cypan
of ðam halgan temple, forðan ðe hit næs to nanum ceape aræred, ac to
gebedum.

"Him ða to genealæhton blinde and healte, and he hi gehælde, and wæs
lærende þæt folc dæghwomlice binnan ðam temple." Se mildheorta Drihten, ðe
læt scinan his sunnan ofer ða rihtwisan and unrihtwisan gelice, and sent
renas and eorðlice wæstmas gódum and yfelum, nolde ofteon his lare þam
ðwyrum Iudeiscum, forðan ðe manega wæron góde betwux þam yfelan, þe mid
ðære lare gebeterode wæron, þeah ðe ða þwyran hyre wiðcwædon. Hé eac mid
wundrum ða lare getrymde, þæt ða gecorenan ðy geleaffulran wæron: and ða
wiðercorenan nane beladunge nabbað, forðan ðe hí ne {408} ðurh godcunde
tacna, ne þurh líflice lare, þam soðfæstan Hælende gelyfan noldon. Nu cwyð
se eadiga Gregorius, þæt heora toworpennys hæfð sume gelicnysse to
gehwilcum þwyrlicum mannum, þe blissiað on yfel-dædum, and on ðam wyrstan
ðingum fægniað. Swilcera manna besargað se mildheorta Drihten dæghwomlice,
seðe ða þa losigendlican buruhware mid tearon bemǽnde. Ac gif hí oncneowon
ða geniðerunge þe him onsihð, hí mihton hí sylfe mid sarigendre stemne
heofian.

Soðlice ðære losigendlican sawle belimpð þes æfterfiligenda cwyde, "On
ðysum dæge þu wunast on sibbe, ac seo towearde wracu is nu bediglod fram
ðinum eagum." Witodlice seo ðwyre sawul is on sibbe wunigende on hire dæge,
þonne heo on gewitendlicere tide blissað, and mid wurðmyntum bið up-ahafen,
and on hwilwendlicum bricum bið ungefoh, and on flæsclicum lustum bið
tolysed, and mid nanre fyrhte þæs toweardan wites ne bið geegsod, ac
bedygelað hire sylfre ða æfterfiligendan yrmða; forðan gif heo embe ða
smeað, þonne bið seo woruldlice bliss mid þære smeagunge gedrefed. Heo hæfð
ðonne sibbe on hire dæge, ðonne heo nele ða andweardan myrhðe gewǽcan mid
nánre care þære toweardan ungesælðe, ac gæð mid beclysedum eagum to ðam
witnigendlicum fyre. Seo sawul ðe on ðas wisan nu drohtnað, heo is to
geswencenne ðonne ða rihtwisan blissiað; and ealle ða ateorigendlican ðing,
þe heo nu to sibbe and blisse talað, beoð hire ðonne to byternysse and to
ceaste awende; forðan ðe heo micele sace wið hí sylfe hæfð, hwí heo ða
geniðerunge, ðe heo ðonne ðolað, nolde ær on life mid ænigre carfulnysse
foresceawian. Be ðam is awriten, "Eadig bið se man þe symle bið
forhtigende; and soðlice se heardmoda befylð on yfel." Eft on oðre stowe
mynegað þæt halige gewrit, "On eallum ðinum weorcum beo ðu gemyndig þines
endenextan dæges, and on ecnysse ðu ne syngast."

Seo halige ræding cwyð, "Se tyma cymð þæt ðine fynd ðe ymbsittað mid
ymbtrymminge, and ðe on ælce healfe {410} genyrwiað, and to eorðan þe
astreccað, and ðine bearn samod ðe on ðe sind." Þæra sawla fynd sind ða
hellican gastas þe besittað þæs mannes forðsið, and his sawle, gif heo
fyrenful bið, to ðære geferrǽdene heora agenre geniðerunge mid micelre
angsumnysse lædan willað. Þa deoflu æteowiað þære synfullan sawle ægðer ge
hyre yfelan geðohtas, and ða derigendlican spræca, and ða mánfullan dæda,
and hí mid mænigfealdum ðreatungum geangsumiað, þæt heo on ðam forðsiðe
oncnáwe mid hwilcum feondum heo ymbset bið, and ðeah nán ut-fær ne gemet,
hu heo ðam feondlicum gastum oðfleon mage. To eorðan heo bið astreht ðurh
hire scylda oncnawennysse, ðonne se lichama þe heo on leofode to duste bið
formolsnod. Hire bearn on deaðe hreosað, ðonne ða únalyfedlican geðohtas,
ðe heo nu acenð, beoð on ðære endenextan wrace eallunga toworpene, swa swa
se sealm-sceop be ðam gyddigende sang, "Nellað ge getruwian on
ealdormannum, ne on manna bearnum, on ðam nis nan hǽl. Heora gast gewit,
and hí to eorðan gehwyrfað, and on ðam dæge losiað ealle heora geðohtas."

Soðlice on ðam godspelle fyligð, "And hí ne forlǽtað on ðe stán ofer
stáne." Þæt ðwyre mod, þonne hit gehýpð yfel ofer yfele, and þwyrnysse ofer
þwyrnysse, hwæt deð hit buton swilce hit lecge stán ofer stáne? Ac ðonne
seo sawul bið to hire witnunge gelæd, ðonne bið eal seo getimbrung hire
smeagunge toworpen; forðan ðe heo ne oncneow ða tíd hire geneosunge. On
manegum gemetum geneosað se Ælmihtiga God manna sawla; hwiltidum mid lare,
hwilon mid wundrum, hwilon mit untrumnyssum; ac gif heo ðas geneosunga
forgymeleasað, ðam feondum heo bið betæht on hire geendunge, to ecere
witnunge, þam ðe heo ǽr on life mid healicum leahtrum gehyrsumode. Þonne
beoð ða hire witneras on ðære hellican susle, ða ðe ǽr mid mislicum lustum
hi to ðam leahtrum forspeonon.

Drihten eode into ðam temple, and mid swipe ða cypan ut-adræfde. Þa cypmen
binnon ðam temple getacnodon {412} unrihtwise láreowas on Godes gelaðunge.
Ðær wæron gecype oxan, and scép, and culfran, and þær sæton myneteras. Oxa
teolað his hlaforde, and se lareow sylð oxan on Godes cyrcan, gif he begæð
his hlafordes teolunga, þæt is, gif he bodað godspel his underðeoddum, for
eorðlicum gestreonum, and na for godcundre lufe. Mid sceapum he mangað, gif
he dysigra manna herunga cepð on arfæstum weorcum. Be swylcum cwæð se
Hælend, "Hi underfengon edlean heora weorca;" þæt is se hlisa idelre
herunge, ðe him gecweme wæs.

Se láreow bið culfran cypa, þe nele ða gife, ðe him God forgeaf butan his
geearnungum, oðrum mannum butan sceattum nytte dón; swa swa Crist sylf
tæhte, "Butan ceape ge underfengon ða gife, syllað hí oðrum butan ceape."
Se ðe mid gehywedre halignysse him sylfum teolað on Godes gelaðunge, and
nateshwón ne carað ymbe Cristes teolunge, se bið untwylice mynet-cypa
getalod. Ac se Hælend todræfð swylce cypan of his huse, ðonne hé mid
geniðerunge fram geferrædene his gecorenra hí totwæmð.

"Min hús is gebed-hús, and ge hit habbað gedón sceaðum to scræfe." Hit
getímað forwel oft þæt ða ðwyran becumað to micclum háde on Godes
gelaðunge, and hí ðonne gastlice ofsleað mid heora yfelnysse heora
underðeoddan, ða ðe hí sceoldon mid heora benum gelíffæstan. Hwæt sind
ðyllice buton sceaðan? Anes gehwilces geleaffulles mannes mód is Godes hús,
swa swa se apostol cwæð, "Godes tempel is halig, þæt ge sind." Ac þæt mód
ne bið na gebed-hús, ac sceaðena scræf, gif hit forlysð unscæððignysse and
bilewitnysse soðre halignysse, and mid ðwyrlicum geðohtum hógað oðrum dara.

"And he wæs tæcende dæghwomlice binnan ðam temple." Crist lærde ða þæt folc
on his andweardnysse, and he lærð nu dæghwomlice geleaffulra manna mód mid
godcundre láre smeaðancellice, þæt hí yfel forbugon and gód gefremman. Ne
bið na fulfremedlic þam gelyfedan þæt hé yfeles geswice, buton hé gód
gefremme. Se eadiga Gregorius cwæð, "Mine gebroðru, ic wolde eow ane lytle
race gereccan, seo mæig ðearle eower mód getimbrian, gif ge mid gymene hí
gehyran {414} wyllað. Sum æðelboren mann wæs on ðære scire Ualeria, se wæs
geháten Crisaurius, se wæs swa micclum mid leahtrum afylled swa micclum swa
hé wæs mid eorðlicum welum gewelgod. He wæs toðunden on modignysse, and his
flæsclicum lustum underðeod, and mid ungefohre gytsunge ontend. Ac ðaða God
gemynte his yfelnysse to geendigenne, ða wearð hé geuntrumod, and to
forðsiðe gebroht. Þa on ðære ylcan tide þe hé geendian sceolde, ða beseah
hé up, and stodon him abutan swearte gastas, and mid micclum ðreate him
onsigon, þæt hí his sawle on ðam forðsiðe mid him to hellicum clysungum
gegripon. He ongánn ða bifian and blácian, and ungefohlice swætan, and mid
micclum hreame fyrstes biddan, and his sunu Maximus, ðone ic geseah munuc
syððan, mid gedrefedre stemne clypode, and cwæð, Min cild, Maxime, gehelp
min; onfoh me on ðinum geleafan: næs ic ðe derigende on ænigum ðingum. Se
sunu ða Maximus mid micclum heofe gedrefed, him to cóm. Hé wand þa swa swa
wurm; ne mihte geðolian þa egeslican gesihðe ðæra awyrgedra gasta. Hé wende
hine to wage, ðær hi him ætwæron; he wende eft ongean, þær hé hí funde.
Þaða hé swa swiðe geancsumod his sylfes órwene wæs, ða hrymde hé mid
micelre stemne, and ðus cwæð, Lætað me fyrst oð to merigen, huru-ðinga
fyrst oð to merigen: ac mid ðisum hreame ða blacan fynd tugon ða sawle of
ðam lichaman, and awég gelæddon." Be ðam is swutol, þæt seo gesihð him
wearð æteowod for oðra manna beterunge, na for his agenre. La hwæt fremode
him, ðeah ðe hé on forðsiðe þa sweartan gastas gesawe, ðonne he ne moste
þæs fyrstes habban ðe he gewilnode? Ac uton we beon carfulle, þæt ure tima
mid ydelnysse ús ne losige, and we ðonne to wel-dædum gecyrran willan,
ðonne us se deað to forðsiðe geðreatað.

Þu, Ælmihtiga Drihten, gemiltsa us synfullum, and urne forðsið swa gefada,
þæt we, gebettum synnum, æfter ðisum frecenfullum life, ðinum halgum
geferlæhte beon moton. Sy ðe lóf and wuldor on ealra worulda woruld. Amen.

{403} THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.

    Cum adpropinquaret Jesus Hierusalem: et reliqua.

"On a time Jesus was going to Jerusalem: when he came near to the city and
saw it, he wept over it," etc.

Gregory the expounder said, that Jesus bewailed the overthrow of the city,
which happened after his passion, in vengeance of their crimes, because
they would sinfully slay the heavenly Prince. He spake with weeping voice,
not to the work-stones, nor to the building, but spake to the inhabitants,
whom he bewailed with fatherly love, because he knew that their destruction
was speedily to take place. A space of forty years the mercy of God left
the cruel inhabitants for repentance of their crimes, but they cared for no
penitence, but perpetrated greater crimes, so that they slew with stones
Stephen, the first martyr of God, and beheaded James, the brother of John.
The righteous James also they thrust from the temple, and slew, and raised
persecution against the other apostles. The congregation of God which,
after Christ's passion, was continuing in the city under the righteous
James, went all together from the city to a village on the river Jordan;
for God's command had come to them, that they should go from the wicked
place, ere the vengeance came. God knew then that the Jews cared for no
penitence, but more and more increased their crimes: he therefore sent to
them the Roman people, and they ruined them all.

Vespasian the emperor was called, who in those days ruled the kingdom of
the whole world. He sent his son Titus to conquer the miserable Jews. It
then so happened that they were assembled within the city of Jerusalem, six
hundred thousand men, enclosed as it were in a prison; and they were
surrounded without by the Roman army so long that many thousands were
killed by hunger; and they could not bury them by reason of the number, but
cast the corpses over the {405} wall. Some, however, would bury them for
the sake of kinship, but they soon died from weakness. If any one had
provided any little sustenance for himself, robbers would suddenly rush on
him, and pull the meat from his mouth. Some chewed their shoes, some their
garments, some straw, for the great anguish of hot hunger. It is not
fitting that we, in this holy gospel, recount all the shameful miseries
which befell the besieged Jews before they would yield. The greater part of
the wicked ones was then destroyed by the ignominious famine, and the Roman
host slew the leavings of the famine, and razed the city to the ground, so
that there remained not stone over stone, as Jesus had erewhile with
weeping prophesied. Of boys who were within sixteen years of age, they sent
ninety thousand to all nations in slavery, and in the country there
remained nothing of the accursed race. The city was afterwards built in
another place, and peopled with Saracens.

Jesus showed for what cause this dispersion of the city happened, when he
said, "Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." He visited the
inhabitants in his humanity, but they were not mindful of him, neither by
love nor by fear. Of that heedlessness the prophet spake with lamenting
voice, thus saying, "The stork and the swallow keep the time of their
coming, and this people knew not the doom of God." The Lord said to the
city, "If thou knewest what is to befall thee, then wouldst thou weep with
me. Verily on this day thou dwellest in peace, for the vengeances to come
are now hidden from thine eyes." The inhabitants were dwelling in worldly
peace, while they were heedlessly subservient to fleshly lusts, and little
thought of the miseries to come, which were yet hidden from them. If they
had been foreknowing of that misery, they could not with heedless mind have
enjoyed the prosperity of the present life.

{407} The Lord drove the chapmen from the temple, thus saying, "It is
written, that my house is a house of prayer, and ye have made it a den for
thieves." The temple was hallowed to God, for his services, and songs of
praise, and prayers of the faithful; but the covetous high-priests allowed
chapping to be held therein. The Lord, when he saw that wickedness, made a
scourge of ropes, and with beating hurried them all out. This dispersion
betokened the future destruction by the Roman army, and the ruin happened
chiefly through the sins of the high-priests, who, dwelling within the
temple, with pretended holiness received the people's offerings, and
persecuted those men who sought the temple without offerings. What was that
temple but, as it were, a den of thieves, when the chief priests were
filled with such covetousness, and allowed false bargains within the house
of God? It is written in another gospel, that there sat moneyers, and there
were oxen for sale, and sheep, and doves. In those days, according to the
institute of the old law, they offered oxen, and sheep, and doves, in token
of Christ's passion: then covetousness stimulated the priests to have such
animals there for sale, that, if any one came from afar, and would offer
his gift to God, he might have it ready at hand to buy. The Lord then drove
such chapmen from the holy temple, because it was not raised for any
trading, but for prayers.

"Then the blind and the halt drew near unto him, and he healed them, and
was teaching the folk daily within the temple." The merciful Lord, who lets
his sun shine over the righteous and unrighteous alike, and sends rains and
earthly fruits to the good and evil, would not withdraw his instruction
from the perverse Jews, because many were good among the evil, who were
bettered by that instruction, although the perverse opposed it. He also
confirmed his instruction by miracles, that the chosen might be the more
believing: and the rejected shall have no excuse, because they neither by
divine {409} signs, nor by vital lore, would believe in the true Saviour.
Now the blessed Gregory says, that their desolation has some likeness to
all perverse men, who exult in evil deeds, and rejoice in the worst things.
Such men the merciful Lord bewails daily, who then the perishing townsfolk
with tears bemoaned. But if they knew the condemnation that hangs over
them, they would themselves lament with sorrowing voice.

Verily this following sentence applies to the perishing soul, "On this day
thou dwellest in peace, for the vengeance to come is now hidden from thine
eyes." The perverse soul is indeed dwelling in peace in its day, when in
transient time it rejoices, and is exalted with dignities, and in temporary
enjoyments is immoderate, and is dissolved in fleshly lusts, and is awed by
no fear of future punishment, but hides from itself the miseries following
after; because if it reflect on them, then will worldly bliss be troubled
by that reflection. It has then peace in its day, when it will not afflict
the present mirth with any care for the future unhappiness, but goes with
closed eyes to the penal fire. The soul which in this wise now lives, shall
be afflicted when the righteous rejoice; and all the perishable things,
which it now accounts as peace and bliss, shall then be turned for it to
bitterness and strife; for it will have great contention with itself, why
it would not before in life with any carefulness foresee the condemnation
which it then is suffering. Concerning which it is written, "Blessed is the
man who is ever fearing; and verily the hardened shall fall into evil."
Again in another place holy writ admonishes, "In all thy works be thou
mindful of thy last day, and in eternity thou wilt not sin."

The holy lesson says, "The time cometh that thy foes shall encompass thee
with a leaguer, and shall straiten thee on {411} every side, and shall
prostrate thee to earth, together with thy children which are in thee." The
foes of the soul are the hellish spirits which beset a man's departure, and
with great tribulation will lead his soul, if it be sinful, to the
fellowship of their own damnation. The devils show to the sinful soul its
evil thoughts, and pernicious speeches, and wicked deeds, and with manifold
reproaches afflict it, that on its departure it may know by what foes it is
beset, and yet find no outlet whereby it may flee from the hostile spirits.
To earth it shall be prostrated by a knowledge of its sins, when the body
in which it lived shall be rotted to dust. Its children shall fall in
death, when the unallowed thoughts, which it now gives birth to, shall, in
the last vengeance, be wholly rendered vain, as the psalmist melodiously
sang, "Trust not in princes, nor in the children of men, in whom there is
no health. Their spirit departs, and they return to earth, and in that day
all their thoughts perish."

Verily in the gospel it follows, "And they shall not leave in thee stone
over stone." The perverse mind, when it heaps evil over evil, and
perversity over perversity, what does it, but as though it lay stone over
stone? But when the soul shall be led to its punishment, then will all the
structure of its cogitation be overthrown; for it knew not the time of its
visitation. In many ways the Almighty God visits the souls of men;
sometimes with instruction, sometimes with miracles, sometimes with
diseases; but if it neglect these visitations, it will be at its end
delivered for eternal punishment to fiends, whom it had previously with
deadly sins obeyed in life. Then shall those be its tormentors in
hell-torment, who had before allured it by divers pleasures to those sins.

The Lord went into the temple, and with a scourge drove out the chapmen.
The chapmen within the temple betokened {413} unrighteous teachers in God's
church. There were for sale oxen, and sheep, and doves, and there sat
moneyers. The ox toils for his lord, and the teacher sells oxen in God's
church, if he perform his Lord's tillage, that is, if he preach the gospel
to those under his care, for earthly gains, and not for godly love. With
sheep he traffics, if he seek after the praises of foolish men in pious
works. Of such Jesus said, "They have received the reward of their works;"
that is the fame of idle praise, which was pleasing to them.

The teacher is a chapman of doves, who will not without money give for use
of other men, the gift which God, without his deserts, has given to him; as
Christ himself taught, "Without price ye have received the gift, give it to
others without price." He who with assumed holiness toils for himself in
God's church, and cares nothing for Christ's tillage, will undoubtedly be
accounted a money-chapman. But Jesus will drive such chapmen from his
house, when, with condemnation, he shall separate them from the fellowship
of his chosen.

"My house is a prayer-house, and ye have made it a den for thieves." It
happens too often that the perverse come to great dignity in God's church,
and they then, with their evilness, spiritually slay those placed under
their care, whom they ought with their prayers to quicken. What are such
but thieves? The mind of every believing man is a house of God, as the
apostle said, "The temple of God is holy, which ye are." But the mind will
be no prayer-house, but a den of thieves, if it lose the innocence and
meekness of true holiness, and with perverse thoughts meditate harm to
others.

"And he was teaching daily within the temple." Christ then taught the
people in his presence, and he now daily teaches the minds of believing men
with godly lore, by meditation, to eschew evil and perform good. It is not
perfect for the believing man to cease from evil, unless he performs good.
The blessed Gregory said, "My brothers, I would relate to you a little
narrative, which may greatly edify your minds, if ye with heedfulness will
hear it. There was a {415} certain nobleman in the province of Valeria, who
was called Chrysaurius, who was as much filled with sins as he was enriched
with earthly riches. He was inflated with pride, and a slave to his fleshly
lusts, and inflamed with excessive covetousness. But when God designed to
put an end to his wickedness, he became sick, and brought to departure
hence. Then at the very time that he should die, he looked up, and there
stood about him swart spirits, and in a great company descended on him,
that they might snatch his soul, on its departure, with them to the
barriers of hell. He began then to tremble and grow pale, and incredibly to
sweat, and with great cry to pray for a respite, and with troubled voice
called his son Maximus, whom I afterwards saw as a monk, and said, My
child, Maximus, help me; receive me in thy faith: I have not in any way
been hurtful to thee. The son Maximus then, troubled with great sorrowing,
came to him. He was then turning like a worm; he could not endure the
dreadful sight of the accursed spirits. He turned himself to the wall,
there they were present to him; he turned back again, there he found them.
When he, so greatly afflicted, was hopeless of himself, he cried with a
loud voice, and thus said, Grant me a respite till to-morrow, at least a
respite till to-morrow: and with this cry the black fiends drew the soul
from the body, and led it away." From this it is manifest, that the vision
was shown to him for the bettering of other men, not for his own. Alas,
what did it profit him, though, on his departure, he saw the swart spirits,
when he might not have the respite which he desired? But let us be careful,
that our time escape not from us in vanity, and we turn to good deeds, when
death urges us to departure.

Thou, Almighty Lord, have mercy on us sinful, and so order our departure,
that we, having atoned for our sins, may, after this perilous life, be
associated with thy saints. To thee be praise and glory for ever and ever.
Amen.

{416} IIII. IDUS AUGUSTI.

PASSIO BEATI LAURENTII MARTYRIS.

On Decies dæge, þæs wælhreowan caseres, wæs se halga biscop Sixtus on
Romana byrig drohtnigende. Ða færlice het hé his gesihum, ðone biscop mid
his preostum samod geandwerdian. Sixtus ða unforhtmod to his preostum
clypode, "Mine gebroðra, ne beo ge afyrhte, cumað, and eower nan him ne
ondræde ða scortan tintregunga. Þa halgan martyras geðrowodon fela pinunga,
þæt hí orsorge becomon to wulder-beage þæs ecan lifes." Þa andwyrdon his
twegen diaconas, Felicissimus and Agapitus, "Ðu, ure fæder, hwider fare we
butan ðe?" On ðære nihte wearð se biscop mid his twám diaconum hrædlice to
ðam reðum ehtere gebroht. Se casere Decius him cwæð to, "Geoffra ðine lác
ðam undeadlicum godum, and beo ðu þæra sacerda ealdor." Se eadiga Sixtus
him andwyrde, "Ic symle geoffrode, and gýt offrige mine lác ðam Ælmihtigan
Gode, and his Suna, Hælendum Criste, and ðam Halgum Gaste, hluttre
onsægednysse and ungewemmede." Decius cwæð, "Gebeorh ðe and ðinum preostum,
and geoffra. Soðlice gif ðu ne dest, þu scealt beon eallum oðrum to bysne."
Sixtus soðlice andwyrde, "Hwene ær ic ðe sæde, þæt ic symle geoffrige ðam
Ælmihtigum Gode." Decius ða cwæð to his cempum, "Lædað hine to ðam temple
Martis, þæt he ðam gode Marti geoffrige: gif he nelle offrian, beclysað
hine on ðam cwearterne Mamortini." Þa cempan hine læddon to ðam
deofolgylde, and hine ðreatodon þæt he ðære deadan anlicnysse his lác
offrian sceolde. Þaða he ðæs caseres hæse forseah, and ðam deofolgylde
offrian nolde, ða gebrohton hi hine mid his twam diaconum binnan ðam
blindan cwearterne.

Þa betwux ðam com LAURENTIUS, his erce-diacon, and ðone halgan biscop mid
ðisum wordum gespræc, "Ðu, mín fæder, hwider siðast ðu butan ðinum bearne?
Þu halga {418} sacerd, hwider efst ðu butan ðinum diacone? Næs ðin gewuna
þæt ðu butan ðinum diacone Gode geoffrodest. Hwæt mislicode ðe, min fæder,
on me? Geswutela ðine mihte on ðinum bearne, and geoffra Gode þone ðe ðu
getuge, þæt þu ðy orsorglicor becume to ðam æðelan wulder-beage." Þaða se
eadiga Laurentius mid þisum wordum and ma oðrum bemǽnde þæt he ne moste mid
his lareowe ðrowian, ða andwyrde se biscop, "Min bearn, ne forlæte ic ðe,
ac ðe gerist mara campdom on ðinum gewinne. We underfoð, swa swa ealde men,
scortne ryne þæs leohtran gewinnes; soðlice þu geonga underfehst miccle
wulderfulran sige æt ðisum reðan cyninge. Min cild, geswic ðines wopes:
æfter ðrim dagum ðu cymst sigefæst to me to ðam ecum life. Nim nu ure
cyrcan maðmas, and dæl cristenum mannum, be ðan ðe ðe gewyrð."

Se erce-diacon ða, Laurentius, be ðæs biscopes hæse ferde and dælde þære
cyrcan maðmas preostum, and ælðeodigum ðearfum, and wudewum, ælcum be his
neode. He com to sumere wudewan, hire nama wæs Quiriaca, seo hæfde behyd on
hire hame preostas and manega læwede cristenan. Ða se eadiga Laurentius
ðwoh heora ealra fét, and ða wudewan fram hefigtimum heafod-ece gehælde.
Eac sum ymesene man mid wope his fét gesohte, biddende his hæle. Laurentius
ða mearcode rode-tacen on ðæs blindan eagan, and he ðærrihte beorhtlice
geseah. Se erce-diacon ða-gyt geaxode má cristenra manna gehwær, and hí ær
his ðrowunge mid gastlicere sibbe and mid fót-ðweale geneosode.

Þaða hé ðanon gewende, ða wæs his láreow Sixtus mid his twam diaconum of
ðam cwearterne gelædd, ætforan ðam casere Decium. He wearð þa geháthyrt
ongean ðone halgan biscop, ðus cweðende, "Witodlice we beorgað ðinre ylde:
gehyrsuma urum bebodum, and geoffra ðam undeaðlicum godum." Se eadiga
biscop him andwyrde, "Ðu earming, beorh ðe sylfum, and wyrc dædbote for
ðæra halgena blode {420} ðe ðu agute." Se wælhreowa cwellere mid gebolgenum
mode cwæð to his heah-gerefan, Ualeriane, "Gif ðes bealdwyrda biscop
acweald ne bið, siððan ne bið ure ege ondrædendlic." Ualerianus him
andwyrde, "Beo he heafde becorfen. Hat hí eft to ðæs godes temple Martis
gelǽdan, and gif hí nellað to him gebigedum cneowum gebiddan, and heora lác
offrian, underfón hí beheafdunge on ðære ylcan stowe." Þæs caseres cempan
hine læddon to ðam deofolgylde mid his twam diaconum: ða beseah se biscop
wið ðæs temples, and ðus cwæð, "Þu dumba deofolgyld, þurh ðe forleosað
earme menn þæt ece lif: towurpe ðe se Ælmihtiga Godes Sunu." Þa mid þam
worde tobærst sum dæl ðæs temples mid færlicum hryre. Laurentius ða clypode
to ðam biscope, "Þu halga fæder, ne forlǽt ðu me, forðan ðe ic aspende ðære
cyrcan maðmas swa swa ðu me bebude." Hwæt ða cempan ða hine gelæhton,
forðan ðe hí gehyrdon hine be ðam cyrclicum madmum sprecan. Sixtus ða
soðlice underhnáh swurdes ecge, and his twegen diaconas samod, Felicissimus
and Agapitus, ætforan ðam temple, on ðam sixtan dæge þyses monðes.

Laurentius witodlice wearð siððan gebroht to ðam casere, and se reða
cwellere hine ða befrán, "Hwær sind ðære cyrcan madmas ðe ðe betæhte
wæron?" Se eadiga Laurentius mid nanum worde him ne geandwyrde. On ðam
ylcan dæge betæhte se Godes feond ðone halgan diacon his heah-gerefan
Ualeriane, mid ðysum bebode, "Ofgang ða madmas mid geornfulnysse, and hine
gebig to ðam undeadlicum godum." Se gerefa ða hine betæhte his gingran, ðæs
nama wæs Ypolitus, and he hine beclysde on cwearterne mid manegum oðrum. Þa
gemette hé on ðam cwearterne ænne hæðenne man, se wæs ðurh micelne wóp
ablend. Ða cwæð he him to, "Lucille, gif ðu gelyfst on Hælend Crist, he
onliht ðine eagan." He andwyrde, "Æfre ic gewilnode þæt ic on Cristes naman
gefullod wære." Laurentius him to cwæð, "Gelyfst ðu mid ealre heortan?" He
andwyrde mid wope, "Ic {422} gelyfe on Hælend Crist, and ðam leasum
deofolgyldum wiðsace." Ypolitus mid geðylde heora wordum heorcnode. Se
gesæliga Laurentius tæhte ða ðam blindan soðne geleafan ðære Halgan
Þrynnysse, and hine gefullode. Lucillus æfter ðam fulluht-bæðe mid beorhtre
stemne clypode, "Sy gebletsod se Eca God, Hælend Crist, ðe me ðurh his
diacon onlihte. Ic wæs blind bám eagum, nu ic beorhtlice leohtes bruce."
Witodlice ða fela oðre blinde mid wope comon to ðam eadigan diacone, and hé
asette his handa ofer heora eagan, and hí wurdon onlihte.

Se tún-gerefa Ypolitus cwæð ða to ðam diacone, "Geswutela me ðære cyrcan
madmas." Laurentius cwæð, "Eala ðu Ypolite, gif ðu gelyfst on God Fæder,
and on his Sunu Hælend Crist, ic ðe geswutelige ða madmas, and þæt ece líf
behate." Ypolitus cwæð, "Gif ðu ðas word mid weorcum gefylst, ðonne do ic
swa ðu me tihst." Laurentius ða halgode fant, and hine gefullode. Soðlice
Ypolitus æfter ðam fulluht-bæðe wæs clypigende mid beorhtre stemne, "Ic
geseah unscæððigra manna sawla on Gode blissigan." And he mid tearum to ðam
eadigan diacone cwæð, "Ic halsige ðe on ðæs Hælendes naman, þæt eal min
híwræden gefullod wurðe." Witodlice Laurentius mid bliðum mode him ðæs
getiðode, and nigontyne wera and wifa his híwisces mid wuldre gefullode.

Æfter ðisum sende se heah-gerefa, and bebead Ypolite þæt he Laurentium to
ðæs cynges cafer-tune gelædde. Ypolitus þæt bebod mid eadmodre spræce cydde
ðam eadigan Laurentie. He cwæð, "Uton faran, forðan ðe me and ðe is wuldor
gegearcod." Hi ða hrædlice comon, and unforhte him ætforan stodon. Þa cwæð
Ualerianus to ðam halgan cyðere, "Awurp nu ðine anwilnysse, and agif ða
madmas." Se Godes cyðere him andwyrde, "On Godes ðearfum ic hí aspende, and
hí sind ða ecan madmas, ðe næfre ne beoð gewanode." Se gerefa cwæð, "Hwæt
fagettest ðu mid wordum? Geoffra ðine lác urum gudum, and forlǽt ðone {424}
drycræft ðe ðu on getruwast." Laurentius cwæð, "For hwilcum ðingum neadað
se deofol eow þæt ge cristene men to his biggengum ðreatniað? Gif hit riht
sy þæt we to deoflum us gebiddon swiðor þonne to ðam Ælmihtigan Gode, deme
ge hwá þæs wurðmyntes wurðe sy, se ðe geworht is, oððe se ðe ealle ðing
gesceop." Se casere ða andwyrde, "Hwæt is se ðe geworht is, oððe hwæt is se
ðe geworhte?" Godes cyðere cwæð, "Se Ælmihtiga Fæder ures Hælendes is
Scyppend ealra gesceafta, and ðu cwyst þæt ic me gebiddan sceole to dumbum
stanum, ða ðe sind agrafene ðurh manna handa." Hwæt se casere ða hine
gebealh, and het on his gesihðe ðone diacon unscrydan, and wælhreowlice
swingan, and se casere sylf clypode, "Ne hyrw ðu ure godas." Se eadiga
Laurentius on ðam tintregum cwæð, "Witodlice ic ðancige minum Gode, þe me
gemedemode to his halgum; and ðu, earming, eart geancsumod on ðinre
gewitleaste." Decius cwæð to ðam cwellerum, "Arærað hine upp, and æteowiað
his gesihðum eal þæt wita-tól." Þa wurdon hrædlice forðaborene isene
clutas, and isene clawa, and isen bedd, and leadene swipa and oðre gepilede
swipa. Þa cwæð se casere, "Geoffra ðine lác urum godum, oððe þu bist mid
eallum ðisum pinung-tólum getintregod." Se eadiga diacon cwæð, "Þu
ungesæliga, þas estmettas ic symle gewilnode: hí beoð me to wuldre, and ðe
to wite." Se casere cwæð, "Geswutela us ealle ða mánfullan ðine gelican,
þæt ðeos burh beo geclænsod; and ðu sylf geoffra urum godum, and ne truwa
ðu nateshwon on ðinum gold-hordum." Þa cwæð se halga martyr, "Soðlice ic
truwige, and ic eom orsorh be minum hordum." Decius andwyrde, "Wenst ðu la
þæt þu beo alysed mid ðinum hordum fram ðisum tintregum?" and het ða mid
gramlicum mode þæt þa cwelleras mid stearcum saglum hine beoton. Witodlice
Laurentius on ðam gebeate clypode, "Þu earming, undergyt huru nu þæt ic
sígrige be Cristes madmum, and ic ðine tintregu naht ne gefrede." Decius
cwæð, "Lecgað ða isenan clutas hate glowende to {426} his sidan." Se eadiga
martyr ða wæs biddende his Drihten, and cwæð, "Hælend Crist, God of Gode,
gemiltsa þinum ðeowan, forðan ðe ic gewreged ðe ne wiðsoc, befrinen ic ðe
geandette." Þa het se casere hine aræran, and cwæð, "Ic geseo þæt ðu, ðurh
ðinne drycræft, ðas tintregan gebysmerast; ðeah-hwæðere ne scealt ðu me
gebysmrian. Ic swerige ðurh ealle godas and gydena, þæt þu scealt
geoffrian, oððe ic ðe mid mislicum pinungum acwelle." Laurentius ða
bealdlice clypode, "Ic on mines Drihtnes naman nateshwon ne forhtige for
ðinum tintregum, ðe sind hwilwendlice: ne ablin ðu þæt ðu begunnen hæfst."

Þa wearð se casere mid swyðlicere hátheortnysse geyrsod, and het ðone
halgan diacon mid leadenum swipum langlice swingan. Laurentius ða clypode,
"Hælend Crist, þu ðe gemedemodest þæt ðu to menniscum menn geboren wære,
and us fram deofles ðeowte alysdest, onfoh minne gást." On ðære ylcan tide
him com andswaru of heofonum, þus cweðende, "Gyt ðu scealt fela gewinn
habban on ðinum martyrdome." Decius ða geháthyrt clypode, "Romanisce weras,
gehyrde ge ðæra deofla frofor on ðisum eawbræcum, ðe ure godas geyrsode ne
ondræt, ne ða asmeadan tintregan? Astreccað hine, and mid gepiledum swipum
swingende geangsumiað." Laurentius ða astreht on ðære hengene, mid
hlihendum muðe ðancode his Drihtne, "Drihten God, Fæder Hælendes Cristes,
sy ðu gebletsod, þe us forgeafe ðine mildheortnysse; cyð nu ðine
arfæstnysse, þæt ðas ymbstandendan oncnawon þæt ðu gefrefrast ðine ðeowan."
On ðære tide gelyfde án ðæra cempena, ðæs nama wæs Romanus, and cwæð to ðam
Godes cyðere, "Laurentie, ic geseo Godes engel standende ætforan ðe mid
hand-claðe, and wipað ðine swatigan limu. Nu halsige ic ðe, þurh God, þæt
þu me ne forlæte." Þa wearð Decius mid facne afylled, and cwæð to his
heah-gerefan, "Me ðincð þæt we sind ðurh drycræft oferswiðde." And he het
ða alysan ðone diacon of ðære hengene, and betæcan ðam tún-gerefan Ypolite,
and nyste ða-gýt þæt hé cristen wæs.

{428} Þa betwux ðam brohte se gelyfeda cempa Romanus ceacfulne wæteres, and
mid wope ðæs halgan Laurenties fét gesohte, fulluhtes biddende. Laurentius
ða hrædlice þæt wæter gehalgode, and ðone geleaffullan ðegen gefullode.
Þaða Decius þæt geaxode, ða het he hine wǽdum bereafian, and mid stearcum
stengum beatan. Romanus ða ungeaxod clypode on ðæs caseres andwerdnysse,
"Ic eom cristen." On ðære ylcan tide het se reða cwellere hine underhnígan
swurdes ecge. Eft on ðære ylcan nihte, æfter ðæs cempan martyrdome, ferde
Decius to ðam hatum baðum wið þæt botl Salustii, and het ðone halgan
Laurentium him to gefeccan. Þa ongann Ypolitus sarlice heofian, and cwæð,
"Ic wylle mid ðe siðian, and mid hluddre stemne hryman, þæt ic cristen eom,
and mid þe licgan." Laurentius cwæð, "Ne wep ðu, ac swiðor suwa and blissa,
forðan ðe ic fare to Godes wuldre. Eft æfter lytlum fyrste, ðonne ic ðe
clypige, gehyr mine stemne, and cum to me."

Decius ða het gearcian eal þæt pinung-tól ætforan his dómsetle, and
Laurentius him wearð to gelæd. Decius cwæð, "Awurp ðone truwan ðines
drycræftes, and gerece ús ðine mægðe." Se eadiga Laurentius andwyrde,
"Æfter menniscum gebyrde ic eom Hispanienscis, Romanisc fostor-cild, and
cristen fram cild-cradole, getogen on ealre godcundre ǽ." Decius andwyrde,
"Soðlice is seo ǽ godcundlic ðe ðe swa gebylde þæt ðu nelt ure godas
wurðian, ne ðu nanes cynnes tintregan þe ne ondrætst." Laurentius cwæð, "On
Cristes naman ne forhtige ic for ðinum tintregum." Se wælhreowa casere ða
cwæð, "Gif ðu ne offrast urum godum, eall ðeos niht sceal beon aspend on ðe
mid mislicum pinungum." Laurentius cwæð, "Næfð min niht nane
forsworcennysse, ac heo mid beorhtum leohte scinð." Þa het se wælhreowa mid
stanum ðæs halgan muð cnucian. Hwæt ða Laurentius wearð gestrangod ðurh
Godes gife, and mid hlihendum muðe cwæð, "Sy ðe lóf, Drihten, forðan ðe ðu
eart ealra ðinga God." Decius cwæð to ðam cwellerum, {430} "Ahebbað þæt
isene bed to ðam fyre, þæt se modiga Laurentius hine ðæron gereste." Hí
ðærrihte hine wædon bereafodon, and on ðam heardan bedde astrehton, and mid
byrnendum gledum þæt bed undercrammodon, and hine ufan mid isenum geaflum
ðydon.

Decius cwæð ða to þam Godes cyðere, "Geoffra nu urum godum." Laurentius
andwyrde, "Ic offrige me sylfne ðam Ælmihtigan Gode on bræðe wynsumnysse;
forðan þe se gedrefeda gast is Gode andfenge onsægednys." Soðlice ða
cwelleras tugon ða gleda singallice under þæt bedd, and wið-ufan mid heora
forcum hine ðydon. Ða cwæð Laurentius, "Eala ge ungesæligan, ne undergyte
ge þæt eowre gleda nane hǽtan minum lichaman ne gedoð, ac swiðor célinge?"
He ða eft mid þam wlitegostan nebbe cwæð, "Hælend Crist, ic ðancige ðe þæt
ðu me gestrangian wylt." He ða beseah wið þæs caseres, þus cweðende, "Efne
ðu, earming, bræddest ænne dæl mines lichaman, wend nu þone oðerne, and
et." He cwæð ða eft, "Hælend Crist, ic ðancige ðe mid inweardre heortan,
þæt ic mót faran into ðinum rice." And mid þysum worde hé ageaf his gast,
and mid swylcum martyrdome þæt uplice rice geferde, on ðam he wunað mid
Gode á on ecnysse. Þa forlét se wælhreowa casere ðone halgan lichaman uppon
ðam isenan hyrdle, and tengde mid his heahgerefan to ðam botle Tyberianum.

Ypolitus ða bebyrigde ðone halgan lichaman mid micelre arwurðnysse on ðære
wudewan leger-stowe Quiriace, on ðysum dægðerlicum dæge. Witodlice æt ðære
byrgene wacode micel menigu cristenra manna mid swiðlicere heofunge. Se
halga sacerd Iustinus ða him eallum gemæssode and gehuslode. Æfter ðisum
gecyrde Ypolitus to his hame, and mid Godes sibbe his hywan gecyste, and hí
ealle gehuslode. Þa færlice, mid ðam ðe hé gesæt, comon ðæs caseres cempan,
and hine gelæhton, and to ðam cwellere gelæddon. Hine befrán ða Decius mid
smercigendum muðe, "Hwæt la, eart ðu to dry awend, forðan ðe ðu bebyrigdest
Laurentium?" {432} He andwyrde, "Þæt ic dyde na swa swa dry, ac swa swa
cristen." Decius ða yrsigende het mid stanum his muð cnucian, and hine
unscrydan, and cwæð, "La hú, nære ðu geornful biggenga ura goda? and nu ðu
eart swa stunt geworden þæt furðon ðe ne sceamað ðinre næcednysse."
Ypolitus andwyrde, "Ic wæs stunt, and ic eom nu wís and cristen. Þurh
nytenysse ic gelyfde on þæt gedwyld þe ðu gelyfst." Decius cwæð, "Geoffra
ðam godum ðylæs ðe ðu þurh tintrega forwurðe, swa swa Laurentius." He
andwyrde, "Eala gif ic moste ðam eadigan Laurentium geefenlæcan!" Decius
cwæð, "Astreccað hine swa nacodne, and mid stiðum saglum beatað." Þaða hé
langlice gebeaten wæs, þa ðancode he Gode. Decius cwæð, "Ypolitus gebysmrað
eowre stengas; swingað hine mid gepiledum swipum." Hi ða swa dydon, oðþæt
hí ateorodon. Ypolitus clypode mid hluddre stemne, "Ic eom cristen."
Eornostlice se reða casere, ðaða he ne mihte mid nanum pinungum hine
geweman fram Cristes geleafan, ða het he his heah-gerefan þæt hé mid
wælhreawum deaðe hine acwellan sceolde.

On ðam ylcan dæge asmeade Ualerianus his æhta, and gemette nygontyne wera
and wifa his híwisces, ðe wæron æt ðæs eadigan Laurenties handum gefullode.
To ðam cwæð Ualerianus, "Sceawiað eowre ylde, and beorgað eowrum feore,
ðylæs ðe ge samod losian mid eowrum hlaforde Ypolite." Hi ða anmodlice
andwyrdon, "We wilniað mid urum hlaforde clænlice sweltan, swiðor ðonne
unclænlice mid eow lybban." Þa wearð Ualerianus ðearle geháthyrt, and het
lædan Ypolitum of ðære ceastre mid his hiwum. Ða se eadiga Ypolitus gehyrte
his hired, and cwæð, "Mine gebroðra, ne beo ge dreorige ne afyrhte, forðan
ðe ic and ge habbað ænne Hlaford, God Ælmihtigne." Soðlice Ualerianus het
beheafdian on Ypolitus gesihðe ealle his hiwan, and hine sylfne het tigan
be ðam fotum to ungetemedra horsa swuran, and swa teon geond ðornas and
bremelas: and he ða mid þam tige his gast ageaf on ðam ðreotteoðan dæge
{434} þises monðes. On ðære ylcan nihte gegaderode se halga Iustinus heora
ealra lic, and bebyrigde.

Eornostlice æfter ðæra halgena ðrowunge, ferde Decius on gyldenum cræte and
Ualerianus samod to heora hæðenum gylde, þæt hí ða cristenan to heora
mánfullum offrungum geðreatodon. Ða wearð Decius færlice mid feondlicum
gaste awéd, and hrymde, "Eala ðu, Ypolite, hwider tihst ðu me gebundenne
mid scearpum racenteagum?" Ualerianus eac awéd hrymde, "Eala ðu,
Laurentius, unsoftlice tihst ðu me gebundenne mid byrnendum racenteagum."
And he ðærrihte swealt. Witodlice Decius egeslice awedde, and binnon ðrym
dagum mid deoflicre stemne singallice hrymde, "Ic halsige ðe, Laurentius,
ablín hwæthwega ðæra tintregena." Hwæt ða, la asprang micel heofung and
sarlic wóp on ðam hame, and ðæs caseres wíf hét út-alædan ealle ða
cristenan ðe on cwearterne wæron, and Decius on ðam ðriddan dæge mid
micclum tintregum gewát.

Soðlice seo cwén Triphonia gesohte ðæs halgan sacerdes fét Iustines mid
biterum tearum, and hire dohtor Cyrilla samod, biddende þæs halgan
fulluhtes. Iustinus ða mid micelre blisse hí underfeng, and him bebead
seofon dagena fæsten, and hí syððan mid þam halgum fulluht-bæðe fram eallum
heora mándædum aðwoh. Þaða þæs caseres ðegnas gehyrdon þæt seo cwén
Triphonia and Decius dohtor Cyrilla to Cristes geleafan, and to ðam
halwendum fulluhte gebogene wæron, hí ða mid heora wifum gesohton ðone
halgan sacerd, and bædon miltsunge and fulluhtes. Se eadiga Iustinus, ðisum
gewordenum, rædde wið þa cristenan hwæne hí to bisceope ceosan woldon on
Sixtes setle. Hi ða anmodlice sumne arwurðfulne wer gecuron, ðæs nama wæs
Dionisius, ðone gehadode se bisceop Maximus, of ðære byrig Ostiensis, to
ðam Romaniscum bisceop-setle, wið wurðmynte.

Uton nu biddan mid eadmodre stemne ðone halgan Godes cyðere Laurentium, þæs
freols-tíd geswutelað þes andwerda dæg ealre geleaffulre gelaðunge, þæt he
us ðingige wið ðone {436} Heofenlican Cyning, for ðæs naman he ðrowode mid
cenum mode menigfealde tintregu, mid ðam he orsorhlice on ecnysse wuldrað.
Amen.

{417} AUGUST X.

THE PASSION OF THE BLESSED MARTYR LAWRENCE.

In the time of Decius, the cruel emperor, the holy bishop Sixtus was
dwelling in Rome. Then he suddenly commanded his counts to bring the bishop
together with his priests before him. Sixtus then with fearless mind called
to his priests, "My brothers, be ye not afraid, come, and let none of you
dread short torments. The holy martyrs suffered many tortures, that they
might fearless come to the glory-crown of everlasting life." His two
deacons, Felicissimus and Agapetus, then answered, "Thou, our father,
whither shall we go without thee?" On that night the bishop with his two
deacons was quickly brought to the cruel persecutor. The emperor Decius
said to him, "Offer thy gift to the immortal gods, and be thou the chief of
the priests." The blessed Sixtus answered him, "I have ever offered and
will yet offer my gift to the Almighty God, and his Son, Jesus Christ, and
to the Holy Ghost, in pure and unpolluted sacrifice." Decius said, "Take
heed for thyself and thy priests, and offer; for if thou dost not, thou
shalt be an example to all others." But Sixtus answered, "A little before I
said to thee, that I always offer to Almighty God." Decius then said to his
soldiers, "Lead him to the temple of Mars, that he may offer to the god
Mars: if he will not offer, shut him in the prison Mamortinum." The
soldiers led him to the temple, and urged him to offer his gift to the dead
image. When he despised the emperor's command, and would not offer to the
idol, they brought him with his two deacons into the dark prison.

Then among them came his archdeacon LAWRENCE, and spake to the holy bishop
in these words, "Thou, my father, whither goest thou without thy child?
Thou holy priest, {419} whither hastenest thou without thy deacon? It was
not thy wont to offer to God without thy deacon. What has displeased thee,
my father, in me? Show thy power on thy child, and offer to God him whom
thou hast trained up, that thou the less sorrowfully attain to the noble
crown of glory." When the blessed Lawrence had, with these words and others
more, lamented that he might not suffer with his teacher, the bishop
answered, "My child, I forsake thee not, but thee befits a greater struggle
in thy conflict. We, as old men, shall undergo the short course of a
lighter conflict: but thou, a young man, wilt undergo a much more glorious
triumph from this cruel king. My child, cease thy weeping: after three days
thou wilt come to me triumphant to everlasting life. Take thou our church's
treasures, and distribute to christian men, as it may seem good unto thee."

The archdeacon Lawrence then, at the bishop's command, went and distributed
the church's treasures to priests, and poor strangers, and widows, to each
according to his need. He came to a widow, whose name was Quiriaca, who had
hidden in her dwelling priests and many lay christians. Then the blessed
Lawrence washed the feet of them all, and healed the widow of a wearisome
headache. A blind man also with weeping sought his feet, praying for his
cure. Lawrence then marked the sign of the rood on the blind man's eyes,
and he straightways saw brightly. The archdeacon heard yet of more
christian men elsewhere, and before his passion visited them with ghostly
peace and with foot-washing.

When he returned thence, his teacher Sixtus with his two deacons was led
from the prison, before the emperor Decius. He was then exasperated against
the holy bishop, thus saying, "Verily we have regard for thy age: obey our
commands, and offer to the immortal gods." The holy bishop answered him,
"Thou wretch, have regard for thyself, and make atonement for the blood of
the saints which thou hast {421} shed." The bloodthirsty executioner with
wrathful mind said to his chief officer Valerianus, "If this audacious
bishop be not slain, awe for us will be no longer formidable." Valerianus
answered him, "Let his head be cut off. Order them again to the temple of
the god, and if they will not pray to him with bended knees, and offer
their gifts, let them suffer decapitation on the same place." The emperor's
soldiers led him to the temple with his two deacons: then the bishop looked
towards the temple, and thus said, "Thou dumb idol, through thee miserable
men lose everlasting life: may the Almighty Son of God overthrow thee!"
Then at that word a part of the temple burst asunder with a sudden fall.
Lawrence then cried to the bishop, "Thou holy father, forsake me not, for I
have distributed the church's treasures as thou commandedst." At this the
soldiers seized him, for they heard him speak of the church's treasures.
Sixtus then sank under the sword's edge, and his two deacons with him,
Felicissimus and Agapetus, before the temple, on the sixth day of this
month.

But Lawrence was afterwards brought to the emperor, and the fierce
executioner asked him, "Where are the church's treasures which were
committed to thee?" The blessed Lawrence answered him not a word. On the
same day the foe of God committed the holy deacon to his chief officer
Valerianus, with this command, "Exact the treasures with importunity, and
make him bow to the immortal gods." The officer then committed him to his
junior, whose name was Hippolytus, and he shut him in a prison with many
others. He found in the prison a heathen man, who was blind through great
weeping. He said to him, "Lucillus, if thou wilt believe in Jesus Christ,
he will enlighten thine eyes." He answered, "I have ever desired to be
baptized in the name of Christ." Lawrence said to him, "Believest thou with
all thy heart?" He answered with weeping, "I believe in Jesus {423} Christ,
and renounce the false idols." Hippolytus with patience listened to their
words. The blessed Lawrence then taught the blind man true belief in the
Holy Trinity, and baptized him. Lucillus, after the baptismal bath, cried
with clear voice, "Blessed be the Eternal God, Jesus Christ, who has
enlightened me through his deacon. I was blind with both eyes, now I
clearly enjoy the light." Then there came many other blind with weeping to
the blessed deacon, and he set his hand over their eyes, and they were
enlightened.

The town-reeve, Hippolytus, said to the deacon, "Show me the church's
treasures." Lawrence answered, "O thou Hippolytus, if thou wilt believe in
God the Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ, I will show thee the
treasures, and promise thee everlasting life." Hippolytus said, "If thou
wilt indeed fulfil those words, I will do as thou exhortest me." Lawrence
then hallowed a font, and baptized him. Verily Hippolytus, after the
baptismal bath, cried with a clear voice, "I saw the souls of innocent men
rejoicing in God." And he said with tears to the blessed deacon, "I beseech
thee, in the name of Jesus, that all my household might be baptized."
Lawrence granted him this with cheerful mind, and with glory baptized
nineteen men and women of his family.

After this the chief officer sent, and commanded Hippolytus to lead
Lawrence to the king's court. Hippolytus with humble speech made known that
command to the blessed Lawrence. He said, "Let us go, for glory is prepared
for me and for thee." They went quickly, and stood fearless before him.
Then said Valerianus to the holy martyr, "Cast away now thy obstinacy, and
give up the treasures." The martyr of God answered him, "On God's poor I
have spent them, and they are the everlasting treasures which will never be
diminished." The officer said, "Why playest thou with words? Offer thy gift
to our gods, and forsake the magic {425} in which thou trustest." Lawrence
said, "For what reason does the devil compel you to urge christian men to
his worship? If it be right that we should pray to devils rather than to
the Almighty God, judge which is worthy of that honour, he who is made, or
he who created all things." The emperor then answered, "What is he who is
made, or what is he who made?" God's martyr said, "The Almighty Father of
our Saviour is the Creator of all creatures, and thou sayest that I shall
pray to dumb stones, which are carved by the hands of men." The emperor was
then wroth, and commanded the deacon to be unclothed in his sight, and
cruelly scourged, and the emperor himself cried, "Insult not our gods." The
blessed Lawrence said in torments, "Verily I thank my God, who has
vouchsafed to number me with his holy; and thou, wretch, art afflicted in
thy foolishness." Decius said to the executioners, "Raise him up, and
manifest to his sight all the torture-tools." Then were quickly brought
forth iron plates, and iron claws, and an iron bed, and leaden whips, and
other leaded whips. Then said the emperor, "Offer thy gift to our gods, or
thou shalt be tortured with all these torture-tools." The blessed deacon
said, "Thou unblessed, these luxuries I have ever desired; they will be to
me a glory, and to thee a torment." The emperor said, "Declare to us all
the wicked thy like, that this city may be cleansed; and do thou thyself
offer to our gods, and trust thou in no wise to thy treasures." Then said
the holy martyr, "Verily I trust, and I am careless for my treasures."
Decius answered, "Thinkest thou then that thou wilt be redeemed by thy
treasures from these torments?" and then in angry mood commanded the
executioners to beat him with stout clubs. But Lawrence, during the
beating, cried, "Thou wretch, know at least that I triumph regarding
Christ's treasures, and I feel not thy torments." Decius said, "Lay the
{427} iron plates glowing hot to his side." The blessed martyr then was
praying to his Lord, and said, "Saviour Christ, God of God, have mercy on
thy servant, for, accused, I denied thee not; questioned, I acknowledged
thee." Then the emperor commanded him to be raised, and said, "I see that
thou, through thy magic, mockest these torments; nevertheless thou shalt
not mock me. I swear by all the gods and goddesses, that thou shalt offer,
or I will slay thee by divers tortures." Lawrence then boldly cried, "I, in
the name of my Lord, in no wise fear thy torments, which are transitory:
cease thou not from what thou hast begun."

Then was the emperor excited with violent fury, and commanded the holy
deacon to be scourged a long time with leaden whips. Lawrence then cried,
"Saviour Christ, thou who hast vouchsafed to be born a mortal man, and hast
redeemed us from the devil's thraldom, receive my spirit." At the same time
an answer came to him from heaven, thus saying, "Yet thou shalt have much
affliction in thy martyrdom." Decius then furious cried, "Roman men, heard
ye the comfort of the devils to this impious, who dreads not our irritated
gods, nor the devised torments? Stretch him, and, scourging with leaded
whips, afflict him." Lawrence then, stretched on the cross, with laughing
mouth thanked his Lord, "Lord God, Father of Jesus Christ, be thou blessed,
who hast given us thy mercy; manifest now thy favour, that these standing
about may know that thou comfortest thy servants." At that time one of the
soldiers, whose name was Romanus, believed, and said to the martyr of God,
"Lawrence, I see God's angel standing before thee with a hand-cloth, and
wiping thy sweating limbs. I now beseech thee, through God, that thou
forsake me not." Then was Decius filled with guile, and said to his chief
officer, "Methinks that we are overcome by magic." And he then ordered the
holy deacon to be loosened from the cross, and delivered to the town-reeve
Hippolytus, and knew not yet that he was a christian.

{429} Then meanwhile the believing soldier Romanus brought a jugful of
water, and with weeping sought the feet of the holy Lawrence, craving
baptism. Lawrence then quickly hallowed the water, and baptized the
believing servant. When Decius heard of it, he ordered him to be stript of
his garments and beaten with stout staves. Romanus then unasked cried in
the emperor's presence, "I am a christian." At the same time the fierce
executioner ordered him to fall under the sword's edge. Again, on the same
night, after the soldier's martyrdom, Decius went to the hot baths,
opposite the house of Sallust, and commanded the holy Lawrence to be
fetched to him. Then Hippolytus began sorely to lament, and said, "I will
go with thee, and with loud voice cry that I am a christian, and lie with
thee." Lawrence said, "Weep not, but rather be silent and rejoice, for I go
to God's glory. After a little time hence, when I call, hear my voice, and
come to me."

Decius then commanded all the torture-tools to be prepared, before his
doom-seat, and Lawrence was led to him. Decius said, "Cast away trust in
thy magic, and recount to us of thy family." The blessed Lawrence answered,
"According to human birth I am Spanish, a Roman foster-child, and a
christian from my cradle, trained up in all divine law." Decius answered,
"In sooth the law is divine, which has so emboldened thee that thou wilt
not worship our gods, nor dreadest any kind of torment." Lawrence said, "In
the name of Christ I fear not for thy torments." The cruel emperor then
said, "If thou offerest not to our gods, all this night shall be spent on
thee with divers tortures." Lawrence said, "My night has no darkness, but
shines with bright light." Then the cruel one commanded the mouth of the
saint to be struck with stones. But Lawrence was strengthened through the
grace of God, and said with laughing mouth, "Lord, be to thee praise, for
thou of all things art God." Decius said to the executioners, "Raise the
iron bed to the {431} fire, that the proud Lawrence may rest thereon." They
straightways bereft him of his garments, and stretched him on the hard bed,
and filled the bed underneath with burning coals, and from above pierced
him with iron forks.

Decius said to the martyr of God, "Offer now to our gods." Lawrence
answered, "I will offer myself to the Almighty God, in the odour of
pleasantness; for the afflicted spirit is an acceptable sacrifice to God."
But the executioners drew the burning coals constantly under the bed, and
from above pierced him with their forks. Then said Lawrence, "O ye
unblessed, understand ye not that your glowing embers cause no heat to my
body, but rather cooling?" He then again with the most beautiful
countenance said, "Saviour Christ, I thank thee that thou wilt strengthen
me." He then looked towards the emperor, thus saying, "Behold, thou,
wretch, hast roasted one part of my body, turn now the other, and eat." He
then said again, "Saviour Christ, I thank thee with inward heart, that I
may go into thy kingdom." And with these words he gave up his ghost, and
with such martyrdom went to the realm on high, in which he dwelleth with
God through all eternity. The cruel emperor then left the holy body on the
iron hurdle, and with his chief officer hastened to the house of Tiberius.

Hippolytus then buried the holy body with great reverence in the
burial-place of the widow Quiriaca, on this present day. But at the grave
there watched a great many christian men with great lamentation. The holy
priest Justin celebrated mass to and houseled them all. After this
Hippolytus returned to his home, and with God's peace kissed his family,
and houseled them all. Then suddenly, while he was sitting, the emperor's
soldiers came, and seized him, and led him to the executioner. Decius then
asked him with smiling mouth, "What, art thou turned magician, since thou
hast buried {433} Lawrence?" He answered, "I did not that as a magician,
but as a christian." Decius then in wrath ordered his mouth to be stricken
with stones, and him to be stript, and said, "How, wast thou not a diligent
worshiper of our gods? and now thou art become so foolish that thou art not
ashamed of thy nakedness." Hippolytus answered, "I was foolish, and I am
now wise and a christian. Through ignorance I believed in the error in
which thou believest." Decius said, "Offer to the gods, lest, as Lawrence,
thou perish by torments." He answered, "O, if I might imitate the blessed
Lawrence!" Decius said, "Stretch him thus naked, and beat him with strong
clubs." When he had long been beaten he thanked God. Decius said,
"Hippolytus mocks your staves, scourge him with leaded whips." They then
did so, till they were worn out. Hippolytus cried with a loud voice, "I am
a christian." So the fierce emperor, when he could not, by any torments,
seduce him from belief in Christ, commanded his chief officer to slay him
by the most cruel death.

On the same day Valerianus took an account of his property, and found
nineteen men and women of his family, who had been baptized at the hands of
the blessed Lawrence. To them said Valerianus, "Consider your age, and have
regard for your life, lest ye perish together with your lord Hippolytus."
They unanimously answered, "We desire to die purely with our lord, rather
than to live impurely with you." Then was Valerianus greatly irritated, and
ordered Hippolytus to be led from the city with his household. The blessed
Hippolytus then cheered his household, and said, "My brothers, be ye not
sad nor afraid, for I and ye have one Lord, God Almighty." So Valerianus
ordered, in the sight of Hippolytus, all his domestics to be beheaded, and
himself he ordered to be tied by the feet to the necks of untamed horses,
and so to be drawn through thorns and brambles: and he with that binding
gave up his ghost on the thirteenth day of {435} this month. On the same
night the holy Justin gathered the bodies of them all and buried them.

But after the passion of those saints, Decius and Valerianus went together
in a golden chariot to their temple, that they might force the christians
to their wicked offerings. Then became Decius suddenly frantic with a
fiendlike spirit, and cried, "O thou, Hippolytus, whither drawest thou me
bound with sharp chains?" Valerianus also frantic cried, "O thou, Lawrence,
unsoftly thou drawest me bound with burning chains." And he forthwith died.
But Decius became horribly frantic, and for three days, with fiendlike
voice, constantly cried, "I beseech thee, Lawrence, cease somewhat of those
torments." Hereupon great lamentation and sore weeping arose in the
dwelling, and the emperor's wife ordered all the christians who were in
prison to be led out, and on the third day Decius in great torments
departed.

But the queen Tryphonia, together with her daughter Cyrilla, sought the
feet of the holy priest Justin with bitter tears, praying for holy baptism.
Justin then with great joy received them, and enjoined them a fast of seven
days, and afterwards, by the holy baptismal bath, washed them from all
their sins. When the emperor's thanes heard that the queen Tryphonia and
the daughter of Decius, Cyrilla, had turned to the faith of Christ and to
the salutary baptism, they with their wives sought the holy priest, and
prayed for mercy and baptism. The blessed Justin, these things being done,
took counsel with the christians, whom they would choose for bishop in the
chair of Sixtus. They then unanimously chose a venerable man whose name was
Dionysius, whom the bishop Maximus, of the city of Ostia, consecrated to
the Roman episcopal see with honour.

Let us now pray with humble voice the holy martyr of God, Lawrence, whose
festival this present day makes known to all the faithful church, that he
intercede for us with the {437} Heavenly King, for whose name he suffered
with bold mind many torments, with whom he free from care glorieth to
eternity. Amen.

XVIII. K[=L]. SEPT.

DE ASSUMPTIONE BEATÆ MARIÆ.

Hieronimus se halga sacerd awrát ænne pistol be forðsiðe þære eadigan
MARIAN, Godes cennestran, to sumum halgan mædene, hyre nama wæs Eustochium,
and to hyre meder Paulam, seo wæs gehalgod wydewe. To þysum twam wifmannum
awrát se ylca Hieronimus, menigfealde traht-bec, forðan ðe hi wæron haliges
lifes men, and swiðe gecneordlæcende on boclicum smeagungum. Þes Hieronimus
wæs halig sacerd, and getogen on Hebreiscum gereorde, and on Greciscum, and
on Ledenum fulfremedlice; and he awende ure bibliothecan of Hebreiscum
bocum to Leden spræce. He is se fyrmesta wealhstod betwux Hebreiscum, and
Grecum, and Ledenwarum. Twa and hund-seofontig boca þære ealdan ǽ and þære
niwan he awende on Leden to anre Bibliothecan, buton oðrum menigfealdum
traht-bocum ðe he mid gecneordum andgite deopðancollice asmeade. Ða æt
nextan he dihte þisne pistol to þære halgan wydewan Paulam, and to þam
Godes mædene Eustochium, hyre dehter, and to eallum þam mædenlicum werode,
þe him mid drohtnigende wæron, þus cweðende:

Witodlice ge neadiað me þæt ic eow recce hu seo eadige Maria, on ðisum
dægðerlicum dæge to heofonlicere wununge genumen wæs, þæt eower mædenlica
heap hæbbe þas lac Ledenre spræce, hu þes mæra freolsdæg geond æghwylces
geares ymbryne beo aspend mid heofonlicum lofe, and mid gastlicere blisse
gemærsode sy, þylæs þe eow on hand {438} becume seo lease gesetnys ðe þurh
gedwolmen wide tosawen is, and ge þonne þa gehiwedan leasunge for soðre
race underfon.

Soðlice fram anginne þæs halgan godspelles ge geleornodon hu se heah-engel
Gabriel þam eadigan mædene Marian þæs heofonlican Æðelinges acennednysse
gecydde, and þæs Hælendes wundra, and þære gesæligan Godes cennestran
þenunge, and hyre lifes dæda on þam feower godspellicum bocum geswutollice
oncneowon. Iohannes se Godspellere awrát on Cristes þrowunge, þæt he sylf
and Maria stodon mid dreorigum mode wið ðære halgan rode, þe se Hælend on
gefæstnod wæs. Ða cwæð he to his agenre meder, "Ðu fæmne, efne her is þin
sunu." Eft he cwæð to Iohanne, "Loca nu, her stent þin modor." Syððan, of
þam dæge, hæfde se Godspellere Iohannes gymene þære halgan Marian, and mid
carfulre þenunge, swa swa agenre meder, gehyrsumode.

Drihten, þurh his arfæstnysse, betæhte þæt eadige mæden his cennestran þam
clænan men Iohanne, seðe on clænum mægðhade symle wunode; and he forðy
synderlice þam Drihtne leof wæs, to ðan swiðe, þæt he him þone deorwurðan
maðm, ealles middangeardes cwéne, betæcan wolde; gewislice þæt hire
clænesta mægðhád þam clænan men geþeod wære mid gecwemre geferrædene on
wynsumre drohtnunge. On him bám wæs an miht ansundes mægðhades, ac oðer
intinga on Marian; on hire is wæstmbære mægðhád, swa swa on nanum oðrum.
Nis on nanum oðrum men mægðhád, gif þær bið wæstmbærnys; ne wæstmbærnys,
gif þær bið ansund mægðhád. Nu is forði gehalgod ægðer ge Marian mægðhád ge
hyre wæstmbærnys þurh þa godcundlican acennednysse; and heo ealle oðre
oferstihð on mægðhade and on wæstmbærnysse. Ðeah-hwæðere, þeah heo
synderlice Iohannes gymene betæht wære, hwæðere heo drohtnode gemænelice,
æfter Cristes upstige, mid þam apostolicum werode, infarende and utfarende
betwux him, and hi ealle mid micelre arwurðnysse and lufe hire þenodon, and
heo him {440} cuðlice ealle þing ymbe Cristes menniscnysse gewissode;
forðan þe heo fram frymðe gewislice þurh þone Halgan Gast hi ealle
geleornode, and mid agenre gesihðe geseah; þeah ðe þa apostoli þurh þone
ylcan Gast ealle þing undergeaton, and on ealre soðfæstnysse gelærede
wurdon. Se heah-engel Gabriel hi ungewemmede geheold, and heo wunode on
Iohannes and on ealra þæra apostola gymene, on þære heofonlican scole, embe
Godes ǽ smeagende, oðþæt God on þysum dæge hi genam to ðam heofonlican
þrymsetle, and hi ofer engla weredum geufrode.

Nis geræd on nanre bec nan swutelre gewissung be hire geendunge, buton þæt
heo nu to-dæg wuldorfullice of þam lichaman gewát. Hyre byrigen is swutol
eallum onlociendum oð þysne andweardan dæg, on middan þære dene Iosaphat.
Seo dene is betwux þære dune Sion and þam munte Oliueti, and seo byrigen is
æteowed open and emtig, and þær on-uppon on hire wurðmynte is aræred mære
cyrce mid wundorlicum stán-geweorce. Nis nanum deadlicum men cuð hú, oððe
on hwylcere tide hyre halga lichama þanon gebroden wære, oððe hwider he
ahafen sy, oððe hwæðer heo of deaðe arise: cwædon þeah gehwylce lareowas,
þæt hyre Sunu, seðe on þam þriddan dæge mihtilice of deaðe arás, þæt he eac
his moder lichaman of deaðe arærde, and mid undeadlicum wuldre on heofonan
rice gelogode. Eac swa gelice forwel menige lareowas on heora bocum setton,
be ðam ge-edcucedum mannum þe mid Criste of deaðe arison, þæt hi ecelice
arærede synd. Witodlice hi andetton þæt ða aræredan men næron soðfæste
gewitan Cristes æristes, buton hi wæron ecelice arærede. Ne wiðcweðe we be
þære eadigan Marian þa ecan æriste, þeah, for wærscipe gehealdenum
geleafan, us gedafenað þæt we hit wenon swiðor þonne we unrædlice hit
geseþan þæt ðe is uncuð buton ælcere fræcednysse.

We rædað gehwær on bocum, þæt forwel oft englas comon to godra manna
forðsiðe, and mid gastlicum lofsangum heora sawla to heofonum gelæddon.
And, þæt gyt swutollicor is, {442} men gehyrdon on þam forðsiðe wæpmanna
sang and wifmanna sang, mid micclum leohte and swetum breðe: on ðam is cuð
þæt þa halgan men þe to Godes rice þurh gode geearnunga becomon, þæt hi on
oðra manna forðsiðe heora sawla underfoð, and mid micelre blisse to reste
gelædað. Nu gif se Hælend swilcne wurðmynt on his halgena forðsiðe oft
geswutelode, and heora gastas mid heofonlicum lofsange to him gefeccan het,
hu miccle swiðor wenst þu þæt he nu to-dæg þæt heofonlice werod togeanes
his agenre meder sendan wolde, þæt hi mid ormætum leohte and
unasecgendlicum lofsangum hi to þam þrymsetle gelæddon þe hire gegearcod
wæs fram frymðe middangeardes.

Nis nan twynung þæt eall heofonlic þrym þa mid unasecgendlicere blisse hire
to-cymes fægnian wolde. Soðlice eac we gelyfað þæt Drihten sylf hire
togeanes come, and wynsumlice mid gefean to him on his þrymsetle hi
gesette: witodlice he wolde gefyllan þurh hine sylfne þæt he on his ǽ
bebead, þus cweðende, "Arwurða þinne fæder and þine moder." He is his agen
gewita þæt he his Fæder gearwurðode, swa swa he cwæð to þam Iudeiscum, "Ic
arwurðige minne Fæder, and ge unarwurðiað me." On his menniscnysse he
arwurðode his moder, þaða he wæs, swa swa þæt halige godspel segð, hire
underðeod on his geogoðhade. Micele swiðor is to gelyfenne þæt he his modor
mid unasecgendlicere arwurðnysse on his rice gewurðode, þaða he wolde æfter
ðære menniscnysse on þysum life hyre gehyrsumian.

Ðes symbel-dæg oferstihð unwiðmetenlice ealra oðra halgena mæsse-dagas swa
micclum swa þis halige mæden, Godes modor, is unwiðmetenlic eallum oðrum
mædenum. Ðes freolsdæg is us gearlic, ac he is heofonwarum singallic. Be
ðysre heofonlican cwéne upstige wundrode se Halga Gast on lofsangum, ðus
befrinende, "Hwæt is ðeos ðe her astihð swilce arisende dæg-rima, swa
wlitig swa móna, swa gecoren swa sunne, and swa egeslic swa fyrd-truma?" Se
Halga Gast wundrode, forðan ðe he dyde þæt eal heofonwaru {444} wundrode
ðysre fæmnan upfæreldes. Maria is wlitigre ðonne se móna, forðan ðe heo
scinð buton æteorunge hire beorhtnysse. Heo is gecoren swa swa sunne mid
leoman healicra mihta, forðan ðe Drihten, seðe is rihtwisnysse sunne, hí
geceas him to cennestran. Hire fær is wiðmeten fyrdlicum truman, forðan ðe
heo wæs mid halgum mægnum ymbtrymed, and mid engla þreatum.

Be ðissere heofonlican cwéne is gecweden gyt þurh ðone ylcan Godes Gast: he
cwæð, "Ic geseah ða wlitegan swilce culfran astigende ofer streamlicum
riðum, and unasecgendlic bræð stemde of hire gyrlum; and, swa swa on
lengctenlicere tide, rosena blostman and lilian hi ymtrymedon." Ðæra rosena
blostman getacniað mid heora readnysse martyrdom, and ða lilian mid heora
hwitnysse getacniað ða scinendan clænnysse ansundes mægðhádes. Ealle ða
gecorenan ðe Gode geþugon ðurh martyrdom oððe þurh clænnysse, ealle hi
gesiðodon mid þære eadigan cwéne; forðan ðe heo sylf is ægðer ge martyr ge
mæden. Heo is swa wlitig swa culfre, forðan ðe heo lufode ða bilewitnysse,
þe se Halga Gast getacnode, ðaða he wæs gesewen on culfran gelicnysse ofer
Criste on his fulluhte. Oðre martyras on heora lichaman þrowodon martyrdom
for Cristes geleafan, ac seo eadige Maria næs na lichamlice gemartyrod, ac
hire sawul wæs swiðe geangsumod mid micelre þrowunge, þaða heo stod dreorig
foran ongean Cristes rode, and hire leofe cild geseah mid isenum næglum on
heardum treowe gefæstnod. Nu is heo mare þonne martyr, forðan ðe heo
ðrowode þone martyrdom on hire sawle ðe oðre martyras ðrowodon on heora
lichaman. Heo lufode Crist ofer ealle oðre men, and forðy wæs eac hire
sarnys be him toforan oðra manna, and heo dyde his deað hire agenne deað,
forðan ðe his ðrowung swa swa swurd ðurhferde hire sawle.

Nis heo nanes haliges mægnes bedæled, ne nanes wlites, ne nanre
beorhtnysse; and forðy heo wæs ymbtrymed mid rosan and lilian, þæt hyre
mihta wæron mid mihtum {446} underwriðode, and hire fægernys mid clænnysse
wlite wære geyht. Godes gecorenan scinað on heofonlicum wuldre ælc be his
geðingcðum; nu is geleaflic þæt seo eadige] cwén mid swa micclum wuldre and
beorhtnysse oðre oferstige, swa micclum swa hire geðincðu oðra halgena
unwiðmetenlice sind.

Drihten cwæð ær his upstige, þæt on his Fæder huse sindon fela wununga:
soðlice we gelyfað þæt he nu to-dæg þa wynsumestan wununge his leofan meder
forgeafe. Godes gecorenra wuldor is gemetegod be heora geearnungum, and nis
hwæðere nán ceorung ne ánda on heora ænigum, ac hí ealle wuniað on soðre
lufe and healicere sibbe, and ælc blissað on oðres geðincðum swa swa on his
agenum.

Ic bidde eow, blissiað on ðyssere freols-tide: witodlice nu to-dæg þæt
wuldorfulle mæden heofonas astah, þæt heo unasecgendlice mid Criste ahafen
on ecnysse rixige. Seo heofenlice cwén wearð to-dæg generod fram ðyssere
mánfullan worulde. Eft ic cweðe, fægniað forðan ðe heo becom orsorhlice to
ðam heofonlicum botle. Blissige eal middangeard, forðan ðe nu to-dæg us
eallum is ðurh hire geearnunga hǽl geyht. Þurh ure ealdan modor Euan us
wearð heofonan rices geat belocen, and eft ðurh Marian hit is us geopenod,
þurh þæt heo sylf nu to-dæg wuldorfullice inn-ferde.

God ðurh his witegan us bebead þæt we sceolon hine herian and mǽrsian on
his halgum, on ðam he is wundorlic: micele swiðor gedafenað þæt we hine on
ðisre mæran freols-tide his eadigan meder mid lofsangum and wurðfullum
herungum wurðian sceolon; forðan ðe untwylice eal hire wurðmynt is Godes
herung. Uton nu forði mid ealre estfulnysse ures modes ðas mæran
freols-tide wurðian, forðan ðe þæt siðfæt ure hǽle is on lofsangum ures
Drihtnes. Þa ðe on mæigðháde wuniað blission hí, forðan ðe hí geearnodon
þæt beon þæt hí heriað: habbon hí hóge þæt hí syn swilce þæt hí wurðfullice
herigan magon. Þa ðe on clænan wudewanháde sind, herion hí and arwurðion,
forðan ðe swutol is þæt hí ne magon beon clæne buton ðurh Cristes gife,
seoðe wæs {448} fulfremedlice on Marian ðe hí herigað. Herigan eac and
wurðian ða ðe on sinscipe wuniað, forðan ðe ðanon flewð eallum mildheortnys
and gifu þæt hí herigan magon. Gif hwa synful sy, he andette, and nalǽs
herige, ðeah ðe ne beo wlitig lóf on ðæs synfullan muðe; hwæðere ne geswice
hé ðære herunge, forðan ðe ðanon him is beháten forgyfenys.

Þes pistol is swiðe menigfeald ús to gereccenne, and eow swiðe deop to
gehyrenne. Nu ne onhagað ús na swiðor be ðam to sprecenne, ac we wyllað
sume oðre trimminge be ðære mæran Godes meder gereccan, to eowre
gebetrunge. Soðlice Maria is se mæsta frofer and fultum cristenra manna,
þæt is forwel oft geswutelod, swa swa we on bocum rædað.

Sum man wæs mid drycræfte bepæht, swa þæt hé Criste wiðsóc, and wrát his
hand-gewrit þam awyrgedan deofle, and him mannrædene befæste. His nama wæs
Theophilus. He ða eft syððan hine beðohte, and ða hellican pinunge on his
mode weolc; and ferde ða to sumere cyrcan þe wæs to lofe ðære eadigan
Marian gehalgod, and ðær-binnan swa lange mid wope and fæstenum hire
fultumes and ðingunge bæd, oðþæt heo sylf mid micclum wuldre him to com,
and cwæð, þæt heo him geðingod hæfde wið þone Heofenlican Deman, hire
agenne Sunu.

We wyllað eac eow gereccan be geendunge ðæs arleasan Godes wiðersacan
Iulianes.

Sum halig biscop wæs Basilius geháten, se leornode on anre scole, and se
ylca Iulianus samod. Þa gelamp hit swa þæt Basilius wearð to biscope
gecoren to anre byrig ðe is geháten Cappadocia, and Iulianus to casere,
þeah ðe he æror to preoste bescoren wære. Iulianus ða ongann to lufigenne
hæðengyld, and his cristendome wiðsóc, and mid eallum mode hæðenscipe
beeode, and his leode to ðan ylcan genydde. Þa æt suman cyrre tengde hé to
fyrde ongean Perscisne leodscipe, and gemette ðone biscop, and cwæð him to,
"Eala, ðu Basili, nu ic hæbbe ðe oferðogen on uðwitegunge." Se biscop him
andwyrde, "God forgeafe þæt ðu uðwitegunge {450} beeodest:" and hé mid þam
worde him bead swylce lác swa he sylf breac, þæt wæron ðry berene hlafas,
for bletsunge. Þa het se wiðersaca onfon ðæra hlafa, and agifan ðam biscope
togeanes gærs, and cwæð, "He bead ús nytena fódan, underfo hé gærs to
leanes." Basilius underfeng þæt gærs, ðus cweðende, "Eala ðu casere,
soðlice we budon ðe ðæs ðe we sylfe brucað, and ðu us sealdest to edleane
ungesceadwisra nytena andlyfene, na us to fódan, ac to hospe." Se Godes
wiðersaca hine ða gehathyrte, and cwæð, "Þonne ic fram fyrde gecyrre ic
towurpe ðas burh, and hi gesmeðige, and to yrðlande awende, swa þæt heo bið
cornbære swiðor þonne mannbære. Nis me uncuð þin dyrstignys, and ðissere
burhware, ðe ðurh ðine tihtinge ða anlicnysse, ðe ic arærde and me to
gebæd, tobræcon and towurpon." And hé mid ðisum wordum ferde to Persciscum
earde.

Hwæt ða Basilius cydde his ceastergewarum ðæs reðan caseres ðeowrace, and
him selost rædbora wearð, þus cweðende, "Mine gebroðra, bringað eowre
sceattas, and uton cunnian, gif we magon, ðone reðan wiðersacan on his
geancyrre gegladian." Hi ða mid glædum mode him to brohton goldes, and
seolfres, and deorwurðra gimma ungerime hypan. Se bisceop ða underfeng ða
madmas, and bebead his preostum and eallum ðam folce, þæt hí heora lác
geoffrodon binnon ðam temple ðe wæs to wurðmynte ðære eadigan Marian
gehalgod, and het hí ðær-binnon andbidigan mid ðreora daga fæstene, þæt se
Ælmihtiga Wealdend, þurh his moder ðingrædene towurpe þæs unrihtwisan
caseres andgit. Þa on ðære ðriddan nihte ðæs fæstenes geseah se bisceop
micel heofenlic werod on ælce healfe ðæs temples, and on middan ðam werode
sæt seo heofenlice cwén Maria, and cwæð to hire ætstandendum, "Gelángiað me
ðone martyr Mercurium, þæt he gewende wið ðæs arleasan wiðersacan Iulianes,
and hine acwelle, seðe mid toðundenum mode God minne Sunu forsihð." Se
halga cyðere Mercurius gewǽpnod hrædlice {452} cóm, and be hyre hæse ferde.
Þa eode se bisceop into ðære oðre cyrcan, þær se martyr inne læig, and
befrán ðone cyrcweard hwær ðæs halgan wæpnu wæron? He swór þæt hé on
æfnunge æt his heafde witodlice hí gesawe. And he ðærrihte wende to S[=ca]
Marian temple, and ðam folce gecydde his gesihðe, and ðæs wælhreowan
forwyrd. Þa eode hé eft ongean to ðæs halgan martyres byrgenne, and funde
his spere standan mid blode begleddod.

Þa æfter ðrim dagum com án ðæs caseres ðegna, Libanius hatte, and gesohte
ðæs bisceopes fét, fulluhtes biddende, and cydde him and ealre ðære
buruhware þæs arleasan Iulianes deað: cwæð þæt seo fyrd wícode wið ða ea
Eufraten, and seofon weard-setl wacodon ofer ðone casere. Þa com ðær
stæppende sum uncuð cempa, and hine hetelice ðurhðyde, and ðærrihte of hyra
gesihðum fordwán; and Iulianus ða mid anðræcum hreame forswealt. Swa wearð
seo burhwaru ahred þurh S[=ca] Marian wið ðone Godes wiðersacan. Þa bead se
bisceop ðam ceastergewarum hyra sceattas, ac hi cwædon þæt hi uðon ðæra
laca þam undeadlican Cyninge, ðe hi swa mihtelice generede, micele bet
ðonne ðam deadlican cwellere. Se bisceop ðeah nydde þæt folc þæt hi ðone
ðriddan dæl þæs feos underfengon, and he mid þam twam dælum þæt mynster
gegódode.

Gif hwá smeage hu ðis gewurde, þonne secge we, þæt ðes martyr his líf
adreah on læwedum hade; ða wearð he ðurh hæðenra manna ehtnysse for Cristes
geleafan gemartyrod; and cristene men syððan his halgan lichaman binnon ðam
temple wurðfullice gelógedon, and his wæpna samod. Eft, ðaða seo halige
cwén hine asende, swa swa we nú hwene ǽr sædon, þa ferde his gast
swyftlice, and mid lichamlicum wæpne ðone Godes feond ofstáng, his
weard-setlum onlocigendum.

Mine gebroðra ða leofostan, uton clypigan mid singalum benum to ðære halgan
Godes meder, þæt heo ús on urum {454} nydþearfnyssum to hire Bearne
geðingige. Hit is swiðe geleaflic þæt he hyre miceles ðinges tiðian wylle,
seðe hine sylfne gemedemode þæt he ðurh hí, for middangeardes alysednysse,
to menniscum men acenned wurde, seðe æfre is God butan anginne, and nu
ðurhwunað, on anum hade, soð man and soð God, á on ecnysse. Swa swa gehwilc
man wunað on sawle and on lichaman án mann, swa is Crist, God and mann, án
Hælend, seðe leofað and rixað mid Fæder and Halgum Gaste on ealra worulda
woruld. Amen.

AUGUST XV.

ON THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED MARY.

Jerome the holy priest wrote an epistle on the decease of the blessed MARY,
the mother of God, to a holy maiden, whose name was Eustochium, and to her
mother Paula, who was a hallowed widow. To these two women the same Jerome
wrote several treatises; for they were persons of holy life, and very
diligent in book-studies. This Jerome was a holy priest, and instructed in
the Hebrew tongue, and in Greek and Latin perfectly; and he turned our
library of Hebrew books into the Latin speech. He is the first interpreter
betwixt the Hebrews, and Greeks, and Latins. Seventy-two books of the old
and of the new law he turned into Latin, to one 'Bibliotheca,' besides many
other treatises which he profoundly devised with diligent understanding.
Then at last he composed this epistle to the holy widow Paula, and to the
maiden of God, Eustochium, her daughter, and to all the maidenly company
who were living with them, thus saying:

Verily ye compel me to relate to you how the blessed Mary, on this present
day was taken to the heavenly dwelling, that your maidenly society may have
this gift in the Latin speech, how this great festival, in the course of
every year, is passed with heavenly praise, and celebrated with ghostly
bliss, lest the false account should come to your {439} hand which has been
widely disseminated by heretics, and ye then receive the feigned leasing
for a true narrative.

Verily from the beginning of the holy gospel ye have learned how the
archangel Gabriel declared to the blessed Mary the birth of the Heavenly
Prince, and the miracles of Jesus, and the ministry of the blessed mother
of God and the deeds of her life ye have manifestly known from the four
evangelical books. John the Evangelist wrote that, at Christ's passion, he
himself and Mary stood with sorrowing mind opposite the holy rood, on which
Jesus was fastened. Then said he to his own mother, "Thou woman, behold,
here is thy son." Again he said to John, "Look now, here standeth thy
mother." Afterwards, from that day, the Evangelist John had charge of the
holy Mary, and with careful ministry obeyed her as his mother.

The Lord, through his piety, committed the blessed maiden his mother to the
chaste man John, who had ever lived in pure virginity; and on that account
he was especially dear to the Lord, so much so that he would commit to him
that precious treasure, the queen of the whole world: no doubt, that her
most pure virginity might be associated with that chaste man with grateful
fellowship in pleasant converse. In them both was one virtue of unbroken
chastity, but a second attribute in Mary; in her is fruitful virginity, so
as in no other. In no other person is there virginity, if there be
fruitfulness; nor fruitfulness, if there be perfect virginity. Therefore
now are hallowed both the virginity of Mary and her fruitfulness through
the divine birth; and she excels all others in virginity and in
fruitfulness. Nevertheless, though she was especially committed to the care
of John, yet she lived in common, after Christ's ascension, with the
apostolic company, going in and going out among them, and they all with
great piety and love ministered to her, and she fully {441} informed them
of all things touching Christ's humanity; for she had from the beginning
accurately learned them through the Holy Ghost, and seen them with her own
sight; though the apostles understood all things through the same Ghost,
and were instructed in all truth. The archangel Gabriel held her
uncorrupted, and she continued in the care of John and of all the apostles,
in the heavenly company, meditating on God's law, until God, on this day,
took her to the heavenly throne, and exalted her above the hosts of angels.

There is not read in any book any more manifest information of her end, but
that she on this day gloriously departed from the body. Her sepulchre is
visible to all beholders to this present day, in the midst of the valley of
Jehosaphat. The valley is between Mount Sion and the mount of Olives, and
the sepulchre appears open and empty, and thereupon is raised, in her
honour, a large church, with wondrous stone-work. To no mortal man is it
known how, or at what time her holy body was brought from thence, or
whither it be borne, or whether she arose from death: though some doctors
say, that her Son, who on the third day mightily from death arose, that he
also raised his mother's body from death, and placed it with immortal glory
in the kingdom of heaven. In like manner very many doctors have set in
their books concerning the requickened men who arose from death with
Christ, that they are raised for ever. They profess verily that those
raised men would not have been true witnesses of Christ's resurrection,
unless they had been raised for ever. Nor do we deny the eternal
resurrection of the blessed Mary, though for caution, preserving our
belief, it befits us that we rather hope it, than rashly assert what is
unknown without any danger.

We read here and there in books, that very often angels came at the
departure of good men, and with ghostly hymns led their souls to heaven.
And, what is yet more certain, {443} men, at their departure, have heard
the song of men and women, with a great light and sweet odour: by which is
known that those holy men who through good deserts come to God's kingdom,
that they, at the departure of other men, receive their souls, and with
great joy lead them to rest. Now if Jesus has often showed such honour at
the death of his saints, and has commanded their souls to be conducted to
him with heavenly hymn, how much rather thinkest thou he would now to-day
send the heavenly host to meet his own mother, that they with light
immense, and unutterable hymns might lead her to the throne which was
prepared for her from the beginning of the world.

There is no doubt that all the heavenly host then with unspeakable bliss
would rejoice in her advent. Verily we also believe that the Lord himself
came to meet her, and benignly with delight placed her by him on his
throne: for he would fulfil in himself what he had in his law enjoined,
thus saying, "Honour thy father and thy mother." He is his own witness that
he honoured his Father, as he said to the Jews, "I honour my Father, and ye
dishonour me." In his human state he honoured his mother, when he was, as
the holy gospel says, subjected to her in his youth. Much more is it to be
believed that he honoured his mother with unspeakable veneration in his
kingdom, when he would, according to human nature, obey her in this life.

This festival excels incomparably all other saints' mass-days, as much as
this holy maiden, the mother of God, is incomparable with all other
maidens. This feast-day to us is yearly, but to heaven's inmates it is
perpetual. At the ascension of this heavenly queen the Holy Ghost in hymns
uttered his wonder, thus inquiring, "What is this that here ascends like
the rising dew of morn, as beauteous as the moon, as choice as the sun, and
as terrible as a martial band?" The Holy Ghost wondered, for he caused all
{445} heaven's inmates to wonder at the ascension of this woman. Mary is
more beauteous than the moon, for she shines without decrease of her
brightness. She is choice as the sun with beams of holy virtues, for the
Lord, who is the sun of righteousness, chose her for his mother. Her course
is compared to a martial band, for she was surrounded with heavenly powers
and with companies of angels.

Of this heavenly queen it is yet said by the same Spirit of God, "I saw the
beauteous one as a dove mounting above the streaming rills, and an
ineffable fragrance exhaled from her garments; and, so as in the
spring-tide, blossoms of roses and lilies encircled her." The blossoms of
roses betoken by their redness martyrdom, and the lilies by their whiteness
betoken the shining purity of inviolate maidenhood. All the chosen who have
thriven to God through martyrdom or through chastity, they all journeyed
with the blessed queen; for she is herself both martyr and maiden. She is
as beauteous as a dove, for she loved meekness, which the Holy Ghost
betokened, when he appeared in likeness of a dove over Christ at his
baptism. Other martyrs suffered martyrdom in their bodies for Christ's
faith, but the blessed Mary was not bodily martyred, but her soul was
sorely afflicted with great suffering, when she stood sad before Christ's
rood, and saw her dear child fastened with iron nails on the hard tree.
Therefore is she more than a martyr, for she suffered that martyrdom in her
soul which other martyrs suffered in their bodies. She loved Christ above
all other men, and, therefore, was her pain also for him greater than other
men's, and she made his death as her own death, for his suffering pierced
her soul as a sword.

She is void of no holy virtue, nor any beauty, nor any brightness; and
therefore was she encircled with roses and lilies, that her virtues might
be supported by virtues, and her {447} fairness increased by the beauty of
chastity. God's chosen shine in heavenly glory, each according to his
merits; it is therefore credible that the blessed] queen with so much glory
and brightness excels others, as much as her merits are incomparable with
those of the other saints.

The Lord said before his ascension, that in his Father's house are many
dwellings: therefore we believe that he now to-day gave to his mother the
most pleasant dwelling. The glory of God's chosen is measured by their
deserts, and yet there is no murmuring nor envy in any of them, but they
all dwell in true love and profound peace, and each rejoices in another's
honours as in his own.

I pray you, rejoice in this festival: verily now to-day that glorious
maiden ascended to heaven, that she, ineffably exalted with Christ, may for
ever reign. The heavenly queen was to-day snatched from this wicked world.
Again I say, rejoice that she, void of sorrow, is gone to the heavenly
mansion. Let all earth be glad, for now to-day, through her deserts,
happiness is increased to us all. Through our old mother Eve the gate of
heaven's kingdom was closed against us, and again, through Mary it is
opened to us, by which she herself has this day gloriously entered.

God has commanded us through his prophets, that we should praise and
magnify him in his saints, in whom he is wonderful: much more fitting is it
that we, on this great festival of his blessed mother, should worship him
with hymns and honourable praises; for undoubtedly all honour to her is
praise of God. Let us now, therefore, with all the devotion of our mind
honour this great festival, for the way of our salvation is in hymns to our
Lord. Let those who continue in maidenhood rejoice, for they have attained
to be that which they praise: let them have care that they be such that
they may praise worthily. Let those who are in pure widowhood praise and
honour her, for it is manifest that they cannot be pure but through grace
of Christ, which was {449} perfect in Mary whom they praise. Let those also
who are in wedlock praise and honour her, for thence flow mercy and grace
to all that they may praise her. If any one be sinful, let him confess, and
not the less praise, though praise be not beautiful in the mouth of the
sinful; yet let him not cease from praise, for thence is promised to him
forgiveness.

This epistle is very complex for us to expound, and very deep for you to
hear. It does not now seem good to us to speak more concerning it, but we
will relate for your bettering some other edifying matter of the great
mother of God. Verily Mary is the greatest comfort and support of christian
men, which is very often manifested, as we read in books.

Some man was so deluded by magic that he denied Christ, and wrote his
chirograph to the accursed devil, and entered into a compact with him. His
name was Theophilus. He afterwards bethought himself, and revolved in his
mind the torment of hell; and went then to a church that was hallowed to
the praise of the blessed Mary, and therein so long with weeping and fasts
prayed for her aid and intercession, till she herself with great glory came
to him, and said, that she had interceded for him with the Heavenly Judge,
her own Son.

We will also relate to you concerning the end of the impious adversary of
God, Julian.

There was a certain bishop named Basilius, who had learned in a school
together with this same Julian. It so happened that Basilius was chosen to
be bishop of a place called Cappadocia, and Julian to be emperor, though he
earlier had been shorn for a priest. Julian then began to love idolatry,
and renounced his christianity, and with all his mind cultivated
heathenism, and compelled his people to the same. Then at a certain time he
went on an expedition against the Persian nation, and met the bishop, and
said to him, "O thou Basilius, I have now excelled thee in philosophy." The
bishop answered, "God has granted to you to cultivate philosophy:" {451}
and with that word he offered him such a gift as he himself partook of,
that was three barley loaves, for a blessing. Then the apostate commanded
the loaves to be received, and grass to be given to the bishop in return,
and said, "He has offered us the food of beasts, let him receive grass in
reward." Basilius received the grass, thus saying, "O thou emperor, verily
we have offered to thee what we ourselves partake of, and thou hast given
us in reward the sustenance of irrational beasts, not as food for us but as
insult." The adversary of God then became angry, and said, "When I return
from the expedition I will overthrow this city, and level it, and turn it
to arable land, so that it shall be cornbearing rather than manbearing. Thy
audacity and that of these citizens is not unknown to me, who at thy
instigation brake and cast down the image which I had raised and prayed
to." And with these words he went to the Persian territory.

Hereupon Basilius made known to his fellow-citizens the cruel emperor's
threat, and was a most excellent counsellor to them, thus saying, "My
brothers, bring your treasures, and let us endeavour, if we can, to gladden
the cruel apostate on his return." They then with glad mind brought to him
of gold, and silver, and precious gems an immense heap. Thereupon the
bishop received the treasures, and commanded his priests and all the people
to offer their gifts within the temple that was hallowed to the honour of
the blessed Mary, and bade them therein abide, with a fast of three days,
that the Almighty Ruler, through his mother's intercession, might turn to
naught the resolve of the unrighteous emperor. Then on the third night of
the fast the bishop saw a great heavenly host on each side of the temple,
and in the midst of the host sat the heavenly queen Mary, and said to her
attendants, "Bring to me the martyr Mercurius, that he may go against the
impious apostate Julian, and slay him, who with inflated mind despises God
my Son." The holy martyr Mercurius {453} came armed speedily, and went by
her command. The bishop then went into the other church, in which the
martyr lay, and asked the churchward, where the weapons of the saint were?
He swore that he certainly saw them at his head in the evening. And he
straightways returned to St. Mary's temple, and made known to the people
what he had seen, and the destruction of the tyrant. He then went again to
the holy martyr's sepulchre, and found his spear standing stained with
blood.

Then after three days came one of the emperor's officers called Libanius,
and sought the bishop's feet, praying for baptism, and informed him and all
the citizens of the death of the impious Julian: he said that the army was
encamped on the river Euphrates, and seven watches watched over the
emperor. Then came there walking an unknown warrior, and violently pierced
him through, and straightways vanished from their sight; and Julian then
with a horrible cry expired. So were the citizens saved through St. Mary
from the adversary of God. Then the bishop offered their treasures to the
citizens, but they said, that they would give those gifts to the Immortal
King, who had so powerfully saved them, much rather than to the mortal
murderer. The bishop, nevertheless, compelled the people to receive a third
part of the money, and with the two parts endowed the monastery.

If any one ask how this happened, we say, that this martyr had spent his
life in a lay condition, when, through the persecution of heathen men, for
belief in Christ, he was martyred; and christian men afterwards honourably
deposited his holy body within the temple, together with his weapons.
Afterwards, when the holy queen sent him, as we have said a little before,
his spirit swiftly went, and with a bodily weapon stabbed the foe of God,
while his guards were looking on.

My dearest brothers, let us call with constant prayers to the holy mother
of God, that she may intercede for us in {455} our necessities with her
Son. It is very credible that he will grant much to her, who vouchsafed
through her to be born a human being for the redemption of the world, who
is ever God without beginning, and now exists, in one person, true man and
true God, ever to eternity. So as every man exists in soul and body one
man, so is Christ, God and man, one Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with
the Father and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen.

VIII. [=KL]. SEPT.

PASSIO S[=CI] BARTHOLOMEI APOSTOLI.

Wyrd-writeras secgað þæt ðry leodscipas sind gehátene India. Seo forme
India lið to ðæra Silhearwena rice, seo oðer lið to Medas, seo ðridde to
ðam micclum garsecge; þeos ðridde India hæfð on anre sidan þeostru, and on
oðere ðone grimlican garsecg. To ðyssere becóm Godes apostol BARTHOLOMEUS,
and eode into ðam temple to ðam deofolgylde Astaroð, and swa swa ælðeodig
ðær wunade. On ðam deofolgylde wunade swilc deofol ðe to mannum þurh ða
anlicnysse spræc, and gehælde untruman, blinde and healte, þa ðe he sylf ǽr
awyrde. He derode manna gesihðum, and heora lichaman mid mislicum
untrumnyssum awyrde, and andwyrde him ðurh ða anlicnysse, þæt hi him heora
lác offrian sceoldon, and he hi gehælde; ac he him ne heolp mid nanre hæle,
ac ðaða hi to him bugon, ða geswac he ðære lichamlican gedreccednysse,
forðan ðe he ahte ða heora sawla. Þa wendon dysige men þæt he hí gehælde,
ðaða he ðære dreccednysse geswac.

Þa mid þam ðe se apostol into ðam temple eode, ða adumbode se deofol
Astaroð, and ne mihte nanum ðæra ðe hé {456} awyrde gehelpan, for ðæs
halgan Godes ðegnes neawiste. Þa lagon ðær binnan ðam temple fela adligra
manna, and dæghwomlice þam deofolgylde offrodon; ac þaða hí gesawon þæt he
heora helpan ne mihte, ne nanum andwyrdan, þa ferdon hí to gehendre byrig,
þær ðær oðer deofol wæs gewurðod, þæs nama wæs Berið, and him offrodon, and
befrunon, hwi heora god him andwyrdan ne mihte? Se deofol ða Berið
andwyrde, and cwæð, "Eower god is swa fæste mid isenum racenteagum gewriðen
þæt he ne gedyrstlæcð þæt he furðon orðige oððe sprece syððan se Godes
apostol Bartholomeus binnan þæt tempel becom." Hí axodon, "Hwæt is se
Bartholomeus?" Se deofol andwyrde, "He is freond þæs Ælmihtigan Godes, and
ði he com to ðyssere scire þæt he aidlige ealle ða hæðengyld þe ðas
Indiscan wurðiað." Hí cwædon, "Sege us his nebwlite, þæt we hine oncnawan
magon." Berið him andwyrde, "He is blæcfexede and cyrps, hwit on lichaman,
and he hæfð steape eagan, and medemlice nosu, and side beardas, hwon
hárwencge, medemne wæstm, and is ymbscryd mid hwitum oferslype, and binnan
six and twentig geara fæce: næs his reaf hórig ne tosigen, ne his scos
forwerode. Hund siðon he bigð his cneowa on dæge, and hund siðon on nihte,
biddende his Drihten. His stemn is swylce ormæte byme, and him farað mid
Godes englas, ðe ne geðafiað þæt him hunger derige, oððe ænig ateorung.
Æfre he bið anes modes, and glæd þurhwunað. Ealle ðing he foresceawað and
wát, and ealra ðeoda gereord he cann. Nu iu he wát hwæt ic sprece be him,
forðan ðe Godes englas him ðeowiað, and ealle ðing cyðað. Þonne ge hine
secað, gif he sylf wyle, ge hine gemetað; gif he nele, soðlice ne finde ge
hine. Ic bidde eow þæt ge hine geornlice biddon þæt he hider ne gewende,
þelæs ðe Godes englas ðe him mid synd me gebeodon þæt hi minum geferan
Astaroð gebudon." And se deofol mid þisum wordum suwode.

Hi gecyrdon ongean, and sceawodon ælces ælðeodiges mannes andwlitan and
gyrlan, and hi nateshwon, binnan {458} twegra daga fæce, hine ne gemetton.
Þa betwux ðisum hrymde sum wód mann ðurh deofles gast, and cwæð, "Eala ðu
Godes apostol, Bartholomee, ðine gebedu geancsumiað me, and ontendað." Se
apostol ða cwæð, "Adumba, ðu unclæna deofol, and gewit of ðam menn." And
ðærrihte wearð se mann geclænsod fram ðam fulan gaste, and gewittiglice
spræc, seðe for manegum gearum awedde.

Þa geaxode se cyning Polimius be ðam witseocum menn, hu se apostol hine
fram ðære wódnysse ahredde, and het hine to him gelangian, and cwæð, "Min
dohtor is hreowlice awed: nu bidde ic ðe þæt þu hí on gewitte gebringe, swa
swa ðu dydest Seustium, seðe for manegum gearum mid egeslicere wódnysse
gedreht wæs." Þaða se apostol þæt mæden geseah mid heardum racenteagum
gebunden, forðan ðe heo bát and totær ælcne ðe heo geræcan mihte, and hire
nan man genealæcan ne dorste, ða het se apostol hí unbindan. Þa ðenas him
andwyrdon, "Hwa dearr hi hreppan?" Bartholomeus andwyrde, "Ic hæbbe
gebunden ðone feond þe hi drehte, and ge gýt hi ondrædað. Gað to and
unbindað hi, and gereordigað, and on ærne merigen lǽdað hí to me." Hi ða
dydon be ðæs apostoles hæse, and se awyrigeda gast ne mihte na leng hi
dreccan.

Þa ðæs on merigen se cyning Polimius gesymde gold, and seolfor, and
deorwurðe gymmas, and pællene gyrlan uppan olfendas, and sohte ðone
apostol, ac he hine nateshwon ne gemette. Eft ðæs on merigen com se apostol
into ðæs cyninges bure, beclysedre dura, and hine befrán, "Hwi sohtest ðu
me mid golde, and mid seolfre, and mid deorwurðum gymmum and gyrlum? Þas
lác behofiað þa ðe eorðlice welan secað; ic soðlice nanes eorðlices
gestreones, ne flæsclices lustes ne gewilnige; ac ic wille þæt þu wite þæt
ðæs Ælmihtigan Godes Sunu gemedemode hine sylfne þæt hé ðurh mædenlicne
innoð acenned wearð, seðe geworhte heofonas and eorðan and ealle gesceafta;
and he hæfde anginn on ðære menniscnysse, seðe næfre ne ongann on {460}
godcundnysse, ac he sylf is anginn, and eallum gesceaftum, ægðer ge
gesewenlicum ge ungesewenlicum, anginn forgeaf. Þæt mæden ðe hine gebær
forhogode ælces weres gemanan, and ðam Ælmihtigan Gode hire mægðhad behet.
Hire com to Godes heah-engel Gabriel, and hire cydde þæs heofonlican
Æðelinges to-cyme on hire innoð, and heo his wordum gelyfde, and swa mid
þam cilde wearð."

Se apostol ða þam cyninge bodade ealne cristendom, and middangeardes
alysednysse ðurh ðæs Hælendes to-cyme, and hu he ðone hellican deofol
gewylde, and him mancynnes benæmde, and cwæð, "Drihten Crist, seðe ðurh his
unscyldigan deað þone deofol oferswiðde, sende us geond ealle ðeoda, þæt we
todræfdon deofles ðenas, ða ðe on anlicnyssum wuniað, and þæt we ða hæðenan
ðe hi wurðiað of heora anwealde ætbrudon. Ac we ne underfoð gold ne
seolfor, ac forseoð, swa swa Crist forseah; forðan ðe we gewilniað þæt we
rice beon on his rice, on ðam næfð adl, ne untrumnyss, ne unrotnyss, ne
deað, nænne stede, ac þær is ece gesælð and eadignys, gefea butan ende mid
ecum welum. Forði ic ferde to eowerum temple, and se deofol ðe eow ðurh ða
anlicnysse geandwyrde, ðurh Godes englas ðe me sende, is gehæft. And gif ðu
to fulluhte gebihst, ic do þæt þu ðone deofol gesihst, and gehyrst mid
hwilcum cræfte he is geðuht þæt he untrumnysse gehæle. Se awyrigeda deofol,
siððan he ðone frumsceapenan mann beswác, syððan he hæfde anweald on
ungelyfedum mannum, on sumum maran, on sumum læssan: on ðam maran ðe swiðor
syngað, on ðam læssan ðe hwonlicor syngað. Nu deð se deofol mid his
lotwrencum þæt ða earman men geuntrumiað, and tiht hí þæt hí sceolon
gelyfan on deofolgyld: þonne geswicð he ðære gedreccednysse, and hæfð heora
sawla on his anwealde; þonne hí cweðað to ðære deofollican anlicnysse, Þu
eart min god. Ac ðes deofol, ðe binnan eowrum temple wæs, is gebunden, and
ne mæg nateshwón andwyrdan ðam þe him to gebiddað. Gif ðu wylt afandian þæt
ic soð secge, ic hate hine faran into ðære {462} anlicnysse, and ic do þæt
he andet þis ylce, þæt he is gewriðen, and nane andsware syllan ne mæg."

Þa andwyrde se cyning, "Nu to-merigen hæfð þis folc gemynt þæt hí heora lác
him offrion, ðonne cume ic ðærto, þæt ic geseo ðas wunderlican dæda."
Witodlice on ðam oðrum dæge com se cyning mid þære burhware to ðam temple,
and ða hrymde se deofol mid egeslicere stemne ðurh ða anlicnysse, and cwæð,
"Geswicað, earme, geswicað eowra offrunga, ðelæs ðe ge wyrsan pinunge
ðrowion ðonne ic. Ic eom gebunden mid fyrenum racenteagum fram Cristes
englum, ðone ðe ða Iudeiscan on róde ahéngon: wendon þæt se deað hine
gehæftan mihte; he soðlice ðone deað oferswyðde, and urne ealdor mid
fyrenum bendum gewrað, and on ðam ðriddan dæge sigefæst arás, and sealde
his rode-tácen his apostolum, and tosende hí geond ealle ðeoda. An ðæra is
her, ðe me gebundenne hylt. Ic bidde eow þæt ge me to him geðingion, þæt ic
mote faran to sumere oðre scire."

Þa cwæð se apostol Bartholomeus, "Þu unclæna deofol, andette hwá awyrde ðas
untruman menn." Se unclæna gast andwyrde, "Ure ealdor, swa gebunden swa he
is, sent us to mancynne, þæt we hí mid mislicum untrumnyssum awyrdon; ærest
heora lichaman, forðan ðe we nabbað nænne anweald on heora sawlum, buton hi
heora lác us geoffrion. Ac ðonne hí for heora lichaman hælðe us offriað,
þonne geswice we ðæs lichaman gedreccednysse, forðan ðe we habbað syððan
heora sawla on urum gewealde. Þonne bið geðuht swilce we hi gehælon, ðonne
we geswicað þæra awyrdnyssa. And menn us wurðiað for godas, þonne we
soðlice deoflu sind, þæs ealdres gingran ðe Crist þæs mædenes Sunu gewrað.
Fram ðam dæge þe his apostol Bartholomeus hider com, ic eom mid byrnendum
racenteagum ðearle fornumen, and forði ic sprece ðe he me het; elles ic ne
dorste on his andwerdnysse sprecan, ne furðon ure ealdor."

Þa cwæð se apostol, "Hwi nelt ðu gehælan ðas untruman, swa swa ðin gewuna
wæs?" Se sceocca andwyrde, "Þonne {464} we manna lichaman derigað, buton we
ðære sawle derian magon, ða lichaman þurhwuniað on heora awyrdnysse."
Bartholomeus cwæð, "And hú becume ge to ðære sawle awyrdnysse?" Se deofol
andwyrde, "Þonne hí gelyfað þæt we godas sind, and us offriað, þonne forlǽt
se Ælmihtiga God hí, and we ðonne forlǽtað ðone lichaman ungebrocodne, and
cepað ðære sawle þe ús to gebeah, and heo ðonne on ure anwealde bið."

Þa cwæð se apostol to eallum ðam folce, "Efne nu ge habbað gehyred hwilc
ðes god is ðe ge wendon þæt eow gehælde; ac gehyrað nu ðone soðan God,
eowerne Scyppend, þe on heofonum eardað; and ne gelyfe ge heonon-forð on
idele anlicnyssa: and gif ge willað þæt ic eow to Gode geðingige, and þæt
ðas untruman hælðe underfon, towurpað þonne ðas anlicnysse, and tobrecað.
Gif ge ðis doð, þonne halgige ic ðis tempel on Cristes naman, and eow ðær
on-innan mid his fulluhte fram eallum synnum aðwea." Þa het se cyning ða
anlicnysse towurpan. Hwæt þæt folc ða caflice mid rapum hi bewurpon, and
mid stengum awegdon; ac hi ne mihton for ðam deofle þa anlicnysse styrian.

Þa het se apostol tolysan ða rapas, and cwæð to ðam awyrgedan gaste ðe hire
on sticode, "Gyf ðu wylle þæt ic ðe on niwelnysse ne asende, gewit of
ðyssere anlicnysse, and tobrec hí, and far to westene, þær nan fugel ne
flyhð, ne yrðling ne erað, ne mannes stemn ne swegð." He ðærrihte út-gewát,
and sticmælum tobræc ða anlicnysse, and ealle ða græftas binnon ðam temple
tobrytte. Þæt folc ða mid anre stemne clypode, "An Ælmihtig God is, ðone ðe
Bartholomeus bodað." Se apostol ða astrehte his handa wið heofonas weard,
þus biddende, "Þu Ælmihtiga God, on ðam ðe Abraham gelyfde, and Isaac, and
Iacob; þu ðe asendest ðinne ancennedan Sunu, þæt he us alysde mid his
deorwurðan blode fram deofles ðeowdome, and hæfð us geworht ðe to bearnum;
þu eart unacenned Fæder, he is Sunu of ðe æfre acenned, and se Halga Gast
is æfre forðstæppende of ðe and of ðinum {466} Bearne, se forgeaf us on his
naman ðas mihte, þæt we untrume gehælon, and blinde onlihton, hreoflige
geclænsian deoflu aflian, deade aræran, and cwæð to ús, Soð ic eow secge,
Swa hwæt swa ge biddað on minum naman æt minum Fæder, hit bið eow getiðod.
Nu bidde ic on his naman þæt þeos untrume menigu sy gehæled, þæt hi ealle
oncnawon þæt ðu eart ana God on heofonan, and on eorðan, and on sǽ, þu ðe
hælðe ge-edstaðelast ðurh ðone ylcan urne Drihten, seðe mid ðe and mid þam
Halgan Gaste leofað and rixað on ealra worulda woruld." Mid þam ðe hí
andwyrdon, "Amen," þa wearð eall seo untrume menigu gehæled: and ðær com ða
fleogende Godes engel scinende swa swa sunne, and fleah geond ða feower
hwemmas þæs temples, and agrof mid his fingre rode-tacn on ðam fyðerscytum
stánum, and cwæð, "Se God ðe me sende cwæð, Þæt swa swa ðas untruman synd
gehælede fram eallum coðum, swa he geclænsode þis templ fram þæs deofles
fulnyssum, ðone ðe se apostol het to westene gewitan. And God bebead me þæt
ic ðone deofol eowrum gesihðum ær æteowige. Ne beo ge afyrhte þurh his
gesihðe, ac mearciað rode-tacen on eowrum foreheafdum, and ælc yfel gewit
fram eow."

And se engel ða æteowde þam folce ðone awyrigedan gast on ðyssere
gelicnysse. He wearð ða æteowod swylce ormæte Silhearwa, mid scearpum
nebbe, mid sidum bearde. His loccas hangodon to ðam anccleowum, his eagan
wæron fyrene spearcan sprengende; him stód swæflen líg of ðam muðe, he wæs
egeslice gefiðerhamod, and his handa to his bæce gebundene. Þa cwæð se
Godes engel to ðam atelican deofle, "Forðan ðe ðu wære gehyrsum ðæs
apostoles hæsum, and tobræce þas deofellican anlicnysse, nu æfter his
behate ic ðe unbinde, þæt þu fare to westene, þær ðær nanes mannes
drohtnung nis; and ðu þær wunige oð þone micclan dom." And se engel hine ða
unband, and he mid hreowlicere wánunge aweg-gewát, and nawar siððan ne
æteowde. Se engel ða, him eallum onlocigendum, fleah to heofonum.

{468} Hwæt ða se cyning Polimius, mid his wife and his twam sunum, and mid
ealre his leode, gelyfde on ðone soðan God, and wearð gefullod, and awearp
his cynehelm samod mid his purpuran gyrlum, and nolde ðone Godes apostol
forlætan, Æfter ðisum gesamnodon gehwylce ðwyrlice wiðercoran, and wrehton
ðone cyning to his breðer Astrigem, se wæs cyning on oðrum leodscipe, and
cwædon, "Þin broðer is geworden anes dryes folgere, se geagnað him ure
tempel, and ure godas tobrycð." Þa wearð se cyning Astriges gehathyrt, and
sende ðusend gewæpnodra cempena, þæt hi ðone apostol gebundenne to him
bringan sceoldon. Þaða se apostol him to gelæd wæs, ða cwæð se cyning, "Hwí
amyrdest ðu minne broðor mid þinum drycræfte?" Bartholomeus andwyrde, "Ne
amyrde ic hine, ac ic hine awende fram hæðenum gylde to ðam soðan Gode." Se
cyning him to cwæð, "Hwí towurpe ðu ure godas?" He andwyrde, "Ic sealde ða
mihte ðam deoflum, þæt hí tocwysdon ða idelan anlicnysse þe hí on wunodon,
þæt þæt mennisce folc fram heora gedwyldum gecyrde, and on ðone ecan God
gelyfde." Þa cwæð se cyning, "Swa swa ðu dydest minne broðor his god
forlætan, and on ðinne god gelyfan, swa do ic eac ðe forlætan ðinne god,
and on minne gelyfan." Þa andwyrde se apostol, "Ic æteowode þone god ðe ðin
broðor wurðode him gebundenne, and ic het þæt he sylf his anlicnysse
tobræce. Gif ðu miht ðis dón minum Gode, þonne gebigst ðu me to ðines godes
biggengum: gif ðu ðonne þis minum Gode dón ne miht, ic tobryte ealle ðine
godas, and ðu ðonne gelyf on ðone soðan God þe ic bodige."

Mid þam ðe hí ðis spræcon, þa cydde sum man þam cyninge þæt his mæsta god
Baldað feolle, and sticmælum toburste. Se cyning ða totær his purpuran
reaf, and het mid stiðum saglum ðone apostol beatan, and siððan beheafdian.
And he ða on ðisum dæge swa gemartyrod to ðam ecan life gewát. Witodlice
æfter ðisum com se broðor mid his folce, and ðone halgan lichaman mid
wulderfullum lofsangum {470} aweg ferodon, and getimbrodon mynster
wundorlicere micelnysse, and on ðam his halgan reliquias arwurðlice
gelogedon. Eornostlice on ðam þrittigoðan dæge, se cyning Astriges, ðe ðone
apostol ofslean het, wearð mid feondlicum gaste gegripen, and egeslice