Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/509

 lowers  in   his  household. Then, as   often   as   they  saw  the  evil emperor and  all  his  citizens  come  together  desiring  to  offer  sacrifice  to  the  devil,  the  Seven  Saints  went  apart  where  they  could, and then  prostrated  themselves  on  the  earth,  and  prayed  to  God that He  would  help   them   as  He   would. Then  it   befell   them that some  spying  men  went  amidst  them  and  carefully  observed these seven,  whenever  every  man  was  sought  for  that  he  might sacrifice to  the  idol;  and  so  they  found  these  Seven  Saints,  holy youths, all  together  in  a  chamber  praying  to  God,  and  with  prostrated bodies  sorrowfully  complaining  to  Him  of  their  needs;  and they, those  enemies  of  God,  without  dread  immediately  went  unto the king,  and  spake  thus  to  him;   "Lord  of  the  nations,  our  most beloved,  may  it  be  that  thou  mayest  live  long  in  mirth  and  in  the glory  of  thy  kingdom!     Thou,  oh  dear  king!  dost  command  thy  peoples,  far  and  wide,  that  every  man    shall  be   admonished  to offer  to  the  great  God;  and  here,  nigh  at  hand,  are  those  who should  be  thy  favorites;  they  flee  away  from  thyself,  and  despise  thy hest,  and  they  all  daily  offer  sacrifice  after  the  custom  of  Christian men.      The  chief  of  them  is  Maximianus,  and  his  six  companions, who  are  accounted  the  chiefest  in  this  city." When the  emperor heard this,  then  he  became  greatly  disturbed  in  mind,  and  bade that they  should  be  brought  straightway  to  him;  and  immediately they came  with  eyes  streaming  because  of  the  great  anguish;  all their heads  were  sprinkled  with  dust,  yet  all  their  affection  was firm in  their  trust  of  the  eternal  Lord. Then he,  the  emperor, asked, and  thus  cried;  "  Why  are  ye  separated  from  the  society  of  your  companions,  that  ye  would  not  keep  my  command,  that  ye  have not  brought  offerings  to  the  great  gods?     But  now  I  pray  you, and  command  each  of  you,  that  ye  zealously  begin  it,  and  very quickly  fulfil  it,  and  do  it  without  evasion  as  I  have  commanded you,  and  as  all  men  do  widely  throughout  every  nation."

Then one  of  the  youths,  the  holy  Maximianus,  answered  him alone for  them  all,  and  said  to  the  emperor  with  intrepid  voice; "We worship  One  Eternal  Lord,  whose  might  filleth  the  heavens