Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/267

 wishing to  drink  after  the  bishop's  blessing.

Martin then  drank,  and  gave  to  his  mass-priest

the half  part  of  the  liquor  which  was  in  the  goblet,

because he  knew  that  he  was  worthiest

to drink  after  him;    and  they  all  wondered  thereat,

and magnified  his  resolution  throughout  all  the  household.

Then he  told  the  emperor,  even  as  it  happened  to  him  afterwards,

that if  he  went  to  battle,  as  he  intended,

against Valentinian  whom  he  had  before  banished

from his  kingdom,  that  victory  would  come  to  him,

but after  a  little  space  he  would  fall  slain;

and it  befell  him  even  as  Martin  had  prophesied  to  him.

He went  after  that  to  fight  against  that  emperor,

and in  the  first  assault  he  put  Valentinian  to  flight;

but after  about  a  year  s  space  he  came  upon  Maximus

within a  city  called  Aquileia,

and there  slew  him,  and  afterward  succeeded  to  his  kingdom.

XXII. Once Martin  was  journeying  to  Valentinian  the  emperor,

wishing to  speak  with  him  for  some  needful  cause;

but his  proud  mind  and  his  wicked  consort,

who lived  heretically  in  the  Arian  heresy,

would not  permit  the  holy  bishop

to have  entrance  to  announce  his  errand;

but the  impious  man  bade  men  lock  him  out,

because he  knew  that  he  would  ask  that

which he  would  not  grant,   and  insulted  the  saint.

Then came  Martin  again  about  the  same  business

to the  haughty  emperor,  but  they  shut  him  out;

and he  thereupon  turned  to  his  accustomed  resource;

he  clothed   himself   with    haircloth,    and    strewed   himself  with ashes,

and continued  fasting  with  unceasing  prayers,

until a  shining  angel  came  to  him

on the  seventh  day,  and  bade  him  go  to  the  emperor;

and every  gate  should  be  open  before  him,

and the  haughty  emperor's  mind  should  be  softened.