Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/427



There was  a  heathen  emperor  named  Diocletian,

who was  chosen  to  be  emperor  over  all  the  earth,

though he  was  a  destroyer  of  men,  two  hundred

and eighty-six  years  after  Christ's  incarnation;

and he  reigned  twenty  years,  a  cruel  murderer,

so that  he  killed,  and  bade  kill,

all the  Christians  whom  he  could  find  out,

and burned  churches,  and  robbed  the  innocent;

and this  impious  persecution  spread  unceasingly

over all  the  earth  fully  ten  years,

until it  came  also  even  to  England,

and there  killed  many  who  believed  in  Christ.

One of  these  was  Alban,  the  noble  martyr,

who was  likewise  killed  in  that  persecution

for Christ's  faith,  even  as  we  shall  tell  [you]  here.

In those  days  came  the  murderous  persecution

to England  from  the  wicked  emperor,

and the  murderers  seized  the  Christians  everywhere

with exceeding  fury;  then  a  priest  escaped  from  them

who ran  secretly  to  Alban's  house,

and there  lay  hid  from  his  fierce  persecutors,

and Alban  received  liim,  though  he  was  not  baptized.

Then began  the  priest,  forasmuch  as  he  loved  God,

to sing  his  offices,  and  fast  strictly,

and day  and  night  to  praise  his  Lord,

and meanwhile  to  teach  the  true  faith

to the  honourable  Alban,  until  he  believed