Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/289

 that I  may  not  sin  against  Thee,  if  I  belie  myself.'

She said  then  to  the  youth,  '  Oh  thou  wickedest  of  men!

"Why wouldest  thou  thus  falsely  accuse  us  two  guiltless  ones?

I desire  even  to  die,  not  guilty,  nevertheless,

and I  will  bear  forth  with  me  my  integrity,

because in  nowise  he  dieth  who  is  slain  unto  life  [eternal].'

Then wondered  the  judge  at  the  woman's  constancy,

that she  would  not  confess,  in  such   severe  tortures,

that which  the  youth  had  soon  said  from  cowardice,

and condemned  them  both  to  be  put  to  death.

Then ran  the  people  quickly  to  the  spectacle

and forthwith  the  executioner  struck  the  youth

who had  belied  himself,  so  that  he  lay  headless

with one  stroke,  and  he  afterward  turned

to the  constant  woman,  desiring  to  slay  her.

She bent  down  for  the  stroke,  and  he  then  struck  at  her

with all  his  might,  but  the  sword  could  not

cut anything  but  the  skin,  though  he  struck  fiercely.

He grew  then  ashamed,  and  struck  again  strongly;

then the   sword  stood  still,  and  did  not  touch  the  neck;

but the  executioner's  gold  suddenly  fell  from  him,

while he  was  shaking  his  hands  so  violently.

The woman  said  to  him,  '  Youth,  take  thy  gold,

lest that  be  lost  to  thee  for  which  thou  hast  so  long  laboured.'

So unconcerned  was  the  woman  under  the  cruel  executioner,

that she  could  notice  the  money  of  him  who  would  deprive  her of  life  (or,  who  would  behead  her).

Then the  executioner  struck  at  her  yet  again  with  the  sword,

but the  Holy  Trinity  held  back  the  sword,