Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/183

 until he  heard  that  the  venerable  apostles

Peter and  Paul  were  in  prison

in the  city  of  the  Romans,  under  the  cruel  Nero.

Then desired  Dionysius,  if  so  it  might  be,

to suffer  martyrdom  with  the  apostles,

and thereupon  returned  home  with  wondrous  haste,

forthwith committed  his  episcopal  see  to  another  bishop,

and journeyed  from  the  Grecian  land  with  companions  to  Rome

by a  long  way,  ever  preaching  the  faith.

Then it  so  befell,  by  reason  of  his  long  journey,

that the  holy  apostles,  even  as  the  Saviour  willed,

were martyred  by  the  wicked  Nero

before Dionysius  could  come  to  Rome.

Then he  came  at  last  after  the  Emperor  Nero

had ended  his  life  by  a  miserable  death;

and Clement  was  then  Pope  in  Peter's  chair.

He received  the  noble  bishop  with  honour,

and treated  him  lovingly  for  his  holy  service.

Then the  bishop  dwelt  within  the  city  of  Rome

with Pope  Clement  familiarly  some  time,

until Clement  said  to  him,  even  as  Christ  commanded  him,

'Seest thou,  my  dear  brother,  how  many  lands  remain

yet in  heathenism;    and  our  Saviour's  harvest

is manifold  among  mankind,  and  few  are  the  workmen  thereto;

and thou  art  learned  in  the  faith  through  God,

and greatly  resplendent  in  holy  virtues?

Go now  in  God's  name  to  the  Franks'  kingdom

like Christ's  champion  with  bold  faith,

and be  it  given  thee  to  bind  and  to  loose,

even as  I  received  from  my  predecessor,

the holy  Peter,  even  as  the  Saviour  committed  to  him.

I ordain  that  thou  receive  the  whole  Frankish  kingdom

to thy  preaching,  and  may  Christ  Himself  be  with  thee,