Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/443

 but I  rather  fear  that  thou  wilt  desist

from thy  fierceness,  and  so  pity  me.'

Datianus then  bade  him  to  be  taken  from  the  rack,

and afterward  to  exalt  him  soon,  on  the  hard  gallows;

and then  they  scourged  him,  and  beat  him  with  rods;

and with  torches  singed  all  his  bare  body,

his limbs  being  stretched  out,  but  nevertheless  his  faith  to

in confession  of  his  Lord  continued  ever.

They laid  on  his  breast  [lit. breasts] broad  iron  clouts

very (hotly)  glowing,  so  that  it  sang  again,

and they  augmented  the  sharp  torments  with  (new)  tortures,

and afflicted  with  (new)  wounds  his  former  wounds,

and wounded  him  (even)  into  his  inward  parts,

so that  in  his  body  no  part  remained

that was  not  wounded  by  the  tormenting.

Then his  blood  flowed  over  all  the  body,

and his  inward  parts  also  opened  again,

and his  joints  slipped  asunder  in  the  cruel  torments.

But he  bore  all  this  with  blithe  countenance,

and with  strong  spirit,  in  his  confession  of  God,

calling to  the  Saviour  on  whom  he  believed.

'Alas! ' said  Datianus,   '  we  are  overcome

But seek  now,  I  bid  you,  a  dark  prison

wherein no  light  may  come,  and  in  the  great  darkness

strew all  over  (it)  tiles  broken-in-pieces,

edged sharply,  and  thereon  stretch

this rebel,  that  he  may  turn  him

from torment  to  torment,  and  have   (one)  always  ready.

Lock him  then  fast,  that  he  may  lie  there  alone,

deprived of  light,  on  the  loathsome  bed.

Tell me  as  soon  as  ye  perceive  it,

that he  is  not  alive.'     And  the  tormentors  did  so.

They brought  the  holy  man  into  the  dark  prison,

and surrounded  him  afterwards,  watching.