Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/515

 fear, having  with  him  however  some  scanty  food,  and  came  to  his companions and  told  them  everything;  how  fearfully  the  emperor had commanded  concerning  them,  that  they  should  be  sought  for everywhere ;   and  they,   the   Saints,  when  they  had  heard   that, all feared   and   cried  to   God,  and  with  very  great   lamentation commended to  Him  all  their  lives. Nevertheless, Malchus  their serving man  was  ever  among  them,  and  the  scanty  food  which he had   brought    thither  he  served  to  them  carefully,  that  they might a   little  refresh  themselves,   and  that   they  might  be  the more heartened  against  the  accursed  strong  one  and  the  old  adversary. When they  all  came  together  and  sat  in  the  midst  of the  cave,  that   they  might  eat  in  common,  then  their  eyes  were filled with  tears  and  all  their  hearts  sadly  grieved;  meanwhile  it became  evening,  and  the  sun  sank  to  rest  while  they  were  weeping and  talking  anxiously;  then,  among  them,  one  by  one  they napped, and  so  long  reclined  that  they  were  all  asleep  together ; all their  eyes  were  made  heavy  by  the  manifold  bitter  tears  which they had  let  fall  there,  and  in  that  great  sorrow  they  lay  and  slept. But God  the  Almighty  Creator,  who  is  the  Ruler  of  all  creatures, who to  His  chosen  is  as  mild  as  is  a   mother  to  her  own  child, Himself ordained  for  the   Seven   Saints,   that  they  should  sleep thus,  for  the  great  wonders  which  afterward  He   willed  to  do; these Saints,  whom  He  was  minded  further  to  reveal  to  all  the world. He Himself  thus  ordained  these  things,  and  by  His  mighty disposing ordered  it,  that  none  of  them  should  feel  how  they  fell asleep, and  none  of  them  knew  where  their  souls  rested. It was all unknown  to  them,  but  it  was  fully  known  to  God. They all lay sleeping  upon  the  earth,  and  thus  in  the  confession  of  God's name  they  fell  into  that  quietness;  and  the  money  that  they  had there in  their  scrips  lay  also  with  the   Saints   upon  the  earth. When the  sun  began  in  the  morning  to  show  to  all  men  her  bright beam,  then  the   emperor  bade    search    diligently   wherever  they could hear  of  the  Saints. Then every  man,  according  to  the  command, went  everywhere ;  they  searched  in  the  country,  they  asked