Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/340

224 city of Sebaste to Paneas, a city of Judea. And there came to him a certain very wealthy woman, Veronica by name, who dwelt in the same city of Paneas, who wished, as having been healed by Jesus, to erect a monument to him, and not daring to do this without royal order, she offered a petition to the said king Herod, asking to erect a monument to the Saviour Christ in the same city, — which petition runs thus:

To the august Herod, tetrarch and legislator both of Jews and Greeks, king of the region of Trachonitis, humble petitions from Veronica, an honourable woman of the city of Paneas.

Justice and kindness, and all other virtues surround thy divine brow. Wherefore, I also, knowing this, come with good hope to obtain altogether my requests. But what is the aim of the present preface, the following account will inform thee.

Having from my childhood been afflicted with an issue of blood, I went to the physicians and expended my living and wealth, and found no cure; but hearing of the cures of the wonderful Christ, who raises the dead, restores sight to the blind, casts out demons from mortals, and heals with a word all who pine away in sickness, therefore I too ran to him as to a God. Observing the multitude which surrounded him, and fearing to tell him my incurable