Part 37

Thadha h['e] dhanon gewende, dha waes his l['a]reow Sixtus mid his twam diaconum of dham cwearterne gelaedd, aetforan dham casere Decium. He weardh tha geh['a]thyrt ongean dhone halgan biscop, dhus cwedhende, "Witodlice we beorgadh dhinre ylde: gehyrsuma urum bebodum, and geoffra dham undeadhlicum godum." Se eadiga biscop him andwyrde, "Dhu earming, beorh dhe sylfum, and wyrc daedbote for dhaera halgena blode {420} dhe dhu agute." Se waelhreowa cwellere mid gebolgenum mode cwaedh to his heah-gerefan, Ualeriane, "Gif dhes bealdwyrda biscop acweald ne bidh, sidhdhan ne bidh ure ege ondraedendlic." Ualerianus him andwyrde, "Beo he heafde becorfen. Hat h['i] eft to dhaes godes temple Martis gel['ae]dan, and gif h['i] nelladh to him gebigedum cneowum gebiddan, and heora l['a]c offrian, underf['o]n h['i] beheafdunge on dhaere ylcan stowe." Thaes caseres cempan hine laeddon to dham deofolgylde mid his twam diaconum: dha beseah se biscop widh dhaes temples, and dhus cwaedh, "Thu dumba deofolgyld, thurh dhe forleosadh earme menn thaet ece lif: towurpe dhe se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu." Tha mid tham worde tobaerst sum dael dhaes temples mid faerlicum hryre. Laurentius dha clypode to dham biscope, "Thu halga faeder, ne forl['ae]t dhu me, fordhan dhe ic aspende dhaere cyrcan madhmas swa swa dhu me bebude." Hwaet dha cempan dha hine gelaehton, fordhan dhe h['i] gehyrdon hine be dham cyrclicum madmum sprecan. Sixtus dha sodhlice underhn['a]h swurdes ecge, and his twegen diaconas samod, Felicissimus and Agapitus, aetforan dham temple, on dham sixtan daege thyses mondhes.

Laurentius witodlice weardh sidhdhan gebroht to dham casere, and se redha cwellere hine dha befr['a]n, "Hwaer sind dhaere cyrcan madmas dhe dhe betaehte waeron?" Se eadiga Laurentius mid nanum worde him ne geandwyrde. On dham ylcan daege betaehte se Godes feond dhone halgan diacon his heah-gerefan Ualeriane, mid dhysum bebode, "Ofgang dha madmas mid geornfulnysse, and hine gebig to dham undeadlicum godum." Se gerefa dha hine betaehte his gingran, dhaes nama waes Ypolitus, and he hine beclysde on cwearterne mid manegum odhrum. Tha gemette h['e] on dham cwearterne aenne haedhenne man, se waes dhurh micelne w['o]p ablend. Dha cwaedh he him to, "Lucille, gif dhu gelyfst on Haelend Crist, he onliht dhine eagan." He andwyrde, "Aefre ic gewilnode thaet ic on Cristes naman gefullod waere." Laurentius him to cwaedh, "Gelyfst dhu mid ealre heortan?" He andwyrde mid wope, "Ic {422} gelyfe on Haelend Crist, and dham leasum deofolgyldum widhsace." Ypolitus mid gedhylde heora wordum heorcnode. Se gesaeliga Laurentius taehte dha dham blindan sodhne geleafan dhaere Halgan Thrynnysse, and hine gefullode. Lucillus aefter dham fulluht-baedhe mid beorhtre stemne clypode, "Sy gebletsod se Eca God, Haelend Crist, dhe me dhurh his diacon onlihte. Ic waes blind b['a]m eagum, nu ic beorhtlice leohtes bruce." Witodlice dha fela odhre blinde mid wope comon to dham eadigan diacone, and h['e] asette his handa ofer heora eagan, and h['i] wurdon onlihte.

Se t['u]n-gerefa Ypolitus cwaedh dha to dham diacone, "Geswutela me dhaere cyrcan madmas." Laurentius cwaedh, "Eala dhu Ypolite, gif dhu gelyfst on God Faeder, and on his Sunu Haelend Crist, ic dhe geswutelige dha madmas, and thaet ece l['i]f behate." Ypolitus cwaedh, "Gif dhu dhas word mid weorcum gefylst, dhonne do ic swa dhu me tihst." Laurentius dha halgode fant, and hine gefullode. Sodhlice Ypolitus aefter dham fulluht-baedhe waes clypigende mid beorhtre stemne, "Ic geseah unscaedhdhigra manna sawla on Gode blissigan." And he mid tearum to dham eadigan diacone cwaedh, "Ic halsige dhe on dhaes Haelendes naman, thaet eal min h['i]wraeden gefullod wurdhe." Witodlice Laurentius mid blidhum mode him dhaes getidhode, and nigontyne wera and wifa his h['i]wisces mid wuldre gefullode.

Aefter dhisum sende se heah-gerefa, and bebead Ypolite thaet he Laurentium to dhaes cynges cafer-tune gelaedde. Ypolitus thaet bebod mid eadmodre spraece cydde dham eadigan Laurentie. He cwaedh, "Uton faran, fordhan dhe me and dhe is wuldor gegearcod." Hi dha hraedlice comon, and unforhte him aetforan stodon. Tha cwaedh Ualerianus to dham halgan cydhere, "Awurp nu dhine anwilnysse, and agif dha madmas." Se Godes cydhere him andwyrde, "On Godes dhearfum ic h['i] aspende, and h['i] sind dha ecan madmas, dhe naefre ne beodh gewanode." Se gerefa cwaedh, "Hwaet fagettest dhu mid wordum? Geoffra dhine l['a]c urum gudum, and forl['ae]t dhone {424} drycraeft dhe dhu on getruwast." Laurentius cwaedh, "For hwilcum dhingum neadadh se deofol eow thaet ge cristene men to his biggengum dhreatniadh? Gif hit riht sy thaet we to deoflum us gebiddon swidhor thonne to dham Aelmihtigan Gode, deme ge hw['a] thaes wurdhmyntes wurdhe sy, se dhe geworht is, odhdhe se dhe ealle dhing gesceop." Se casere dha andwyrde, "Hwaet is se dhe geworht is, odhdhe hwaet is se dhe geworhte?" Godes cydhere cwaedh, "Se Aelmihtiga Faeder ures Haelendes is Scyppend ealra gesceafta, and dhu cwyst thaet ic me gebiddan sceole to dumbum stanum, dha dhe sind agrafene dhurh manna handa." Hwaet se casere dha hine gebealh, and het on his gesihdhe dhone diacon unscrydan, and waelhreowlice swingan, and se casere sylf clypode, "Ne hyrw dhu ure godas." Se eadiga Laurentius on dham tintregum cwaedh, "Witodlice ic dhancige minum Gode, the me gemedemode to his halgum; and dhu, earming, eart geancsumod on dhinre gewitleaste." Decius cwaedh to dham cwellerum, "Araeradh hine upp, and aeteowiadh his gesihdhum eal thaet wita-t['o]l." Tha wurdon hraedlice fordhaborene isene clutas, and isene clawa, and isen bedd, and leadene swipa and odhre gepilede swipa. Tha cwaedh se casere, "Geoffra dhine l['a]c urum godum, odhdhe thu bist mid eallum dhisum pinung-t['o]lum getintregod." Se eadiga diacon cwaedh, "Thu ungesaeliga, thas estmettas ic symle gewilnode: h['i] beodh me to wuldre, and dhe to wite." Se casere cwaedh, "Geswutela us ealle dha m['a]nfullan dhine gelican, thaet dheos burh beo geclaensod; and dhu sylf geoffra urum godum, and ne truwa dhu nateshwon on dhinum gold-hordum." Tha cwaedh se halga martyr, "Sodhlice ic truwige, and ic eom orsorh be minum hordum." Decius andwyrde, "Wenst dhu la thaet thu beo alysed mid dhinum hordum fram dhisum tintregum?" and het dha mid gramlicum mode thaet tha cwelleras mid stearcum saglum hine beoton. Witodlice Laurentius on dham gebeate clypode, "Thu earming, undergyt huru nu thaet ic s['i]grige be Cristes madmum, and ic dhine tintregu naht ne gefrede." Decius cwaedh, "Lecgadh dha isenan clutas hate glowende to {426} his sidan." Se eadiga martyr dha waes biddende his Drihten, and cwaedh, "Haelend Crist, God of Gode, gemiltsa thinum dheowan, fordhan dhe ic gewreged dhe ne widhsoc, befrinen ic dhe geandette." Tha het se casere hine araeran, and cwaedh, "Ic geseo thaet dhu, dhurh dhinne drycraeft, dhas tintregan gebysmerast; dheah-hwaedhere ne scealt dhu me gebysmrian. Ic swerige dhurh ealle godas and gydena, thaet thu scealt geoffrian, odhdhe ic dhe mid mislicum pinungum acwelle." Laurentius dha bealdlice clypode, "Ic on mines Drihtnes naman nateshwon ne forhtige for dhinum tintregum, dhe sind hwilwendlice: ne ablin dhu thaet dhu begunnen haefst."

Tha weardh se casere mid swydhlicere h['a]theortnysse geyrsod, and het dhone halgan diacon mid leadenum swipum langlice swingan. Laurentius dha clypode, "Haelend Crist, thu dhe gemedemodest thaet dhu to menniscum menn geboren waere, and us fram deofles dheowte alysdest, onfoh minne g['a]st." On dhaere ylcan tide him com andswaru of heofonum, thus cwedhende, "Gyt dhu scealt fela gewinn habban on dhinum martyrdome." Decius dha geh['a]thyrt clypode, "Romanisce weras, gehyrde ge dhaera deofla frofor on dhisum eawbraecum, dhe ure godas geyrsode ne ondraet, ne dha asmeadan tintregan? Astreccadh hine, and mid gepiledum swipum swingende geangsumiadh." Laurentius dha astreht on dhaere hengene, mid hlihendum mudhe dhancode his Drihtne, "Drihten God, Faeder Haelendes Cristes, sy dhu gebletsod, the us forgeafe dhine mildheortnysse; cydh nu dhine arfaestnysse, thaet dhas ymbstandendan oncnawon thaet dhu gefrefrast dhine dheowan." On dhaere tide gelyfde ['a]n dhaera cempena, dhaes nama waes Romanus, and cwaedh to dham Godes cydhere, "Laurentie, ic geseo Godes engel standende aetforan dhe mid hand-cladhe, and wipadh dhine swatigan limu. Nu halsige ic dhe, thurh God, thaet thu me ne forlaete." Tha weardh Decius mid facne afylled, and cwaedh to his heah-gerefan, "Me dhincdh thaet we sind dhurh drycraeft oferswidhde." And he het dha alysan dhone diacon of dhaere hengene, and betaecan dham t['u]n-gerefan Ypolite, and nyste dha-g['y]t thaet h['e] cristen waes.

{428} Tha betwux dham brohte se gelyfeda cempa Romanus ceacfulne waeteres, and mid wope dhaes halgan Laurenties f['e]t gesohte, fulluhtes biddende. Laurentius dha hraedlice thaet waeter gehalgode, and dhone geleaffullan dhegen gefullode. Thadha Decius thaet geaxode, dha het he hine w['ae]dum bereafian, and mid stearcum stengum beatan. Romanus dha ungeaxod clypode on dhaes caseres andwerdnysse, "Ic eom cristen." On dhaere ylcan tide het se redha cwellere hine underhn['i]gan swurdes ecge. Eft on dhaere ylcan nihte, aefter dhaes cempan martyrdome, ferde Decius to dham hatum badhum widh thaet botl Salustii, and het dhone halgan Laurentium him to gefeccan. Tha ongann Ypolitus sarlice heofian, and cwaedh, "Ic wylle mid dhe sidhian, and mid hluddre stemne hryman, thaet ic cristen eom, and mid the licgan." Laurentius cwaedh, "Ne wep dhu, ac swidhor suwa and blissa, fordhan dhe ic fare to Godes wuldre. Eft aefter lytlum fyrste, dhonne ic dhe clypige, gehyr mine stemne, and cum to me."

Decius dha het gearcian eal thaet pinung-t['o]l aetforan his d['o]msetle, and Laurentius him weardh to gelaed. Decius cwaedh, "Awurp dhone truwan dhines drycraeftes, and gerece ['u]s dhine maegdhe." Se eadiga Laurentius andwyrde, "Aefter menniscum gebyrde ic eom Hispanienscis, Romanisc fostor-cild, and cristen fram cild-cradole, getogen on ealre godcundre ['ae]." Decius andwyrde, "Sodhlice is seo ['ae] godcundlic dhe dhe swa gebylde thaet dhu nelt ure godas wurdhian, ne dhu nanes cynnes tintregan the ne ondraetst." Laurentius cwaedh, "On Cristes naman ne forhtige ic for dhinum tintregum." Se waelhreowa casere dha cwaedh, "Gif dhu ne offrast urum godum, eall dheos niht sceal beon aspend on dhe mid mislicum pinungum." Laurentius cwaedh, "Naefdh min niht nane forsworcennysse, ac heo mid beorhtum leohte scindh." Tha het se waelhreowa mid stanum dhaes halgan mudh cnucian. Hwaet dha Laurentius weardh gestrangod dhurh Godes gife, and mid hlihendum mudhe cwaedh, "Sy dhe l['o]f, Drihten, fordhan dhe dhu eart ealra dhinga God." Decius cwaedh to dham cwellerum, {430} "Ahebbadh thaet isene bed to dham fyre, thaet se modiga Laurentius hine dhaeron gereste." H['i] dhaerrihte hine waedon bereafodon, and on dham heardan bedde astrehton, and mid byrnendum gledum thaet bed undercrammodon, and hine ufan mid isenum geaflum dhydon.

Decius cwaedh dha to tham Godes cydhere, "Geoffra nu urum godum." Laurentius andwyrde, "Ic offrige me sylfne dham Aelmihtigan Gode on braedhe wynsumnysse; fordhan the se gedrefeda gast is Gode andfenge onsaegednys." Sodhlice dha cwelleras tugon dha gleda singallice under thaet bedd, and widh-ufan mid heora forcum hine dhydon. Dha cwaedh Laurentius, "Eala ge ungesaeligan, ne undergyte ge thaet eowre gleda nane h['ae]tan minum lichaman ne gedodh, ac swidhor c['e]linge?" He dha eft mid tham wlitegostan nebbe cwaedh, "Haelend Crist, ic dhancige dhe thaet dhu me gestrangian wylt." He dha beseah widh thaes caseres, thus cwedhende, "Efne dhu, earming, braeddest aenne dael mines lichaman, wend nu thone odherne, and et." He cwaedh dha eft, "Haelend Crist, ic dhancige dhe mid inweardre heortan, thaet ic m['o]t faran into dhinum rice." And mid thysum worde h['e] ageaf his gast, and mid swylcum martyrdome thaet uplice rice geferde, on dham he wunadh mid Gode ['a] on ecnysse. Tha forl['e]t se waelhreowa casere dhone halgan lichaman uppon dham isenan hyrdle, and tengde mid his heahgerefan to dham botle Tyberianum.

Ypolitus dha bebyrigde dhone halgan lichaman mid micelre arwurdhnysse on dhaere wudewan leger-stowe Quiriace, on dhysum daegdherlicum daege. Witodlice aet dhaere byrgene wacode micel menigu cristenra manna mid swidhlicere heofunge. Se halga sacerd Iustinus dha him eallum gemaessode and gehuslode. Aefter dhisum gecyrde Ypolitus to his hame, and mid Godes sibbe his hywan gecyste, and h['i] ealle gehuslode. Tha faerlice, mid dham dhe h['e] gesaet, comon dhaes caseres cempan, and hine gelaehton, and to dham cwellere gelaeddon. Hine befr['a]n dha Decius mid smercigendum mudhe, "Hwaet la, eart dhu to dry awend, fordhan dhe dhu bebyrigdest Laurentium?" {432} He andwyrde, "Thaet ic dyde na swa swa dry, ac swa swa cristen." Decius dha yrsigende het mid stanum his mudh cnucian, and hine unscrydan, and cwaedh, "La h['u], naere dhu geornful biggenga ura goda? and nu dhu eart swa stunt geworden thaet furdhon dhe ne sceamadh dhinre naecednysse." Ypolitus andwyrde, "Ic waes stunt, and ic eom nu w['i]s and cristen. Thurh nytenysse ic gelyfde on thaet gedwyld the dhu gelyfst." Decius cwaedh, "Geoffra dham godum dhylaes dhe dhu thurh tintrega forwurdhe, swa swa Laurentius." He andwyrde, "Eala gif ic moste dham eadigan Laurentium geefenlaecan!" Decius cwaedh, "Astreccadh hine swa nacodne, and mid stidhum saglum beatadh." Thadha h['e] langlice gebeaten waes, tha dhancode he Gode. Decius cwaedh, "Ypolitus gebysmradh eowre stengas; swingadh hine mid gepiledum swipum." Hi dha swa dydon, odhthaet h['i] ateorodon. Ypolitus clypode mid hluddre stemne, "Ic eom cristen." Eornostlice se redha casere, dhadha he ne mihte mid nanum pinungum hine geweman fram Cristes geleafan, dha het he his heah-gerefan thaet h['e] mid waelhreawum deadhe hine acwellan sceolde.

On dham ylcan daege asmeade Ualerianus his aehta, and gemette nygontyne wera and wifa his h['i]wisces, dhe waeron aet dhaes eadigan Laurenties handum gefullode. To dham cwaedh Ualerianus, "Sceawiadh eowre ylde, and beorgadh eowrum feore, dhylaes dhe ge samod losian mid eowrum hlaforde Ypolite." Hi dha anmodlice andwyrdon, "We wilniadh mid urum hlaforde claenlice sweltan, swidhor dhonne unclaenlice mid eow lybban." Tha weardh Ualerianus dhearle geh['a]thyrt, and het laedan Ypolitum of dhaere ceastre mid his hiwum. Dha se eadiga Ypolitus gehyrte his hired, and cwaedh, "Mine gebrodhra, ne beo ge dreorige ne afyrhte, fordhan dhe ic and ge habbadh aenne Hlaford, God Aelmihtigne." Sodhlice Ualerianus het beheafdian on Ypolitus gesihdhe ealle his hiwan, and hine sylfne het tigan be dham fotum to ungetemedra horsa swuran, and swa teon geond dhornas and bremelas: and he dha mid tham tige his gast ageaf on dham dhreotteodhan daege {434} thises mondhes. On dhaere ylcan nihte gegaderode se halga Iustinus heora ealra lic, and bebyrigde.

Eornostlice aefter dhaera halgena dhrowunge, ferde Decius on gyldenum craete and Ualerianus samod to heora haedhenum gylde, thaet h['i] dha cristenan to heora m['a]nfullum offrungum gedhreatodon. Dha weardh Decius faerlice mid feondlicum gaste aw['e]d, and hrymde, "Eala dhu, Ypolite, hwider tihst dhu me gebundenne mid scearpum racenteagum?" Ualerianus eac aw['e]d hrymde, "Eala dhu, Laurentius, unsoftlice tihst dhu me gebundenne mid byrnendum racenteagum." And he dhaerrihte swealt. Witodlice Decius egeslice awedde, and binnon dhrym dagum mid deoflicre stemne singallice hrymde, "Ic halsige dhe, Laurentius, abl['i]n hwaethwega dhaera tintregena." Hwaet dha, la asprang micel heofung and sarlic w['o]p on dham hame, and dhaes caseres w['i]f h['e]t ['u]t-alaedan ealle dha cristenan dhe on cwearterne waeron, and Decius on dham dhriddan daege mid micclum tintregum gew['a]t.

Sodhlice seo cw['e]n Triphonia gesohte dhaes halgan sacerdes f['e]t Iustines mid biterum tearum, and hire dohtor Cyrilla samod, biddende thaes halgan fulluhtes. Iustinus dha mid micelre blisse h['i] underfeng, and him bebead seofon dagena faesten, and h['i] sydhdhan mid tham halgum fulluht-baedhe fram eallum heora m['a]ndaedum adhwoh. Thadha thaes caseres dhegnas gehyrdon thaet seo cw['e]n Triphonia and Decius dohtor Cyrilla to Cristes geleafan, and to dham halwendum fulluhte gebogene waeron, h['i] dha mid heora wifum gesohton dhone halgan sacerd, and baedon miltsunge and fulluhtes. Se eadiga Iustinus, dhisum gewordenum, raedde widh tha cristenan hwaene h['i] to bisceope ceosan woldon on Sixtes setle. Hi dha anmodlice sumne arwurdhfulne wer gecuron, dhaes nama waes Dionisius, dhone gehadode se bisceop Maximus, of dhaere byrig Ostiensis, to dham Romaniscum bisceop-setle, widh wurdhmynte.

Uton nu biddan mid eadmodre stemne dhone halgan Godes cydhere Laurentium, thaes freols-t['i]d geswuteladh thes andwerda daeg ealre geleaffulre geladhunge, thaet he us dhingige widh dhone {436} Heofenlican Cyning, for dhaes naman he dhrowode mid cenum mode menigfealde tintregu, mid dham he orsorhlice on ecnysse wuldradh. 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.