Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/383

 those which  thou  callest  gods,  being  firmly  fixed  in  lead,

and so  thou  may  est  certainly  ascertain  by  feeling  (them),

if thou  canst  not  see  that  they  are  stones.

They would  quickly  become  lime  if  one  put  them  on  a  burning  pile;

now can  they  not  profit  themselves,  nor,  verily,  men;

and they  would  become  lime  if  one  laid  them  on  fire.'

Then the  wicked  judge  became  fiendishly  angry,

and bade  men  take  her  straightway,  and  seethe  her  in  water

in her  own  house  for  the  Saviour's  name.

So the  heathen  did  as  Almachius  commanded  them;

and she  lay  in  the  bath  over  a  burning  fire

the whole  day  and  night  with  uninjured  body

as if  in  cold  water,  and  she  did  not  even  sweat.

Then they  told  Almachius  how  the  maiden  continued

in the  hot  bath  with  sound  body,

and even  without  sweat. Then sent  he  an  executioner  to  her,

and commanded  him  to  behead  her  in  the  hot  water.

So the  executioner  struck  her  with  his  sword

once and  again  and  a  third  time,  but  her  neck  was  not  pierced;

and anon  he  left  her  lying  half  alive,

because the  senate  had  decreed  that  no  executioner  should

strike four  times,   when    he    slew    a    criminal.

Then she  lived  three  days  and  instructed  the  faithful,

and committed  her  handmaidens  to  the  illustrious  pope,

and her  house  was  consecrated  as  a  holy  church,

where, by  the  help  of  God,  miracles  were  often  wrought.

And Urban  the  pope  buried  her  honourably

to the  glory  of  the  Almighty  who  reigneth  in  eternity. Amen.