Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/166

 13 ALBAN. " all things." The magiftrare replied, " If you would err- " joy the happinefs of eternal life, delay not to facrifice to the " great gods." Alban anfwered, " The facrifices you offer " are made to devils; neither can they help the needy, nor <e grant the petitions of their votaries." His behaviour fo en- raged the governor, that he ordered him immediately to be beheaded. In his way to execution, he was flopped by a river, over which was a bridge fo thronged with fpedlators, that it was impofiible to crofs it ; when the faint, as we are told, lift- ing up his eyes to heaven, the ftream was miraculoufly divided, and afforded a p.-ifTage for h'unfelf and a thoufand more perfons. Bede does not indeed give us the name of this river; but not- withftanding this omin*ion, the miracle we fuppofe will not be the lefs believed. This wonderful event converted the execution^ r upon the fpot, who threw away his drawn fword, nnd, faljing at St Alban's feet, defired he might have the ho- nour to die with him : and thus, the execution being delayed till another peribn could be got to perform the office, St. Alban walked up to a neighbouring hill, where he prayed for water to quench his thirft, and a fountain of water fprang up under his feet: here he was beheaded, on the 23d of June. The executioner is laid to have been a fignal example of di- vine vengeance ; for as foon as he gave the fatal ftroke, his eyes dropt out of his head. Milton, in his hiftoryof Eng- land, fpeaks of St. Alban, u the ftory of whofe martyrdom, 41 (he fays,) foiled and worfe martyred with the fabling zeal " of fome idle fancies, more fond of miracles than apprehen- " five of the truth, dcferves no longer digreffion." Between fpur and five hundred years after St. Alban's death, Offa, king of the Mercians, built a very large and ftately monaftery to his memory ; and the town of St. Alban's in Hertfordfliire takes its name from our protomartyr. ALBANI (FRANCIS), a celebrated painter, born in Bo- logna, March 17, 1578. His father was a filk merchant, and intended to bring up his fon to that bufinefs ; but Albani having a ftrong inclination to painting, when his father died, devoted himfelf entirely to that art, though then but twelve Frefnoy'i years of age. He firft ftudied under Denys Culvert ; Guido Paiutin Rheni being at the fame time under this mafter, with whom enj.)ifced' by Albani contracted a very great friendfhip. Calvert drew but >vH en, one profile for Albani, and afterwards left him entirely to the care or Guido ; under whom he made great improvement, his fellow difciple inftrucling him with the utmoft humanity and good humour. He followed Gaido to the fchool of the Ca- raches,