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CHAP. VII. The Passion of St. Alban and his companions, who at that
time shed their blood for our Lord.
At that time suffered St. Alban, of whom the priest Fortunatus, in the Praise of
Virgins, where he makes mention of the blessed martyrs that came to the Lord
from all parts of the world, says:
And fruitful Britain noble Alban rears.
This Alban, being- yet a pagan, at the time when at the bidding- of unbelieving
rulers all manner of cruelty was practised against the Christians, gave
entertainment in his house to a certain clerk, flying from his persecutors. This
man he observed to be engaged in continual prayer and watching day and night;
when on a sudden the Divine grace shining on him, he began to imitate the
example of faith and piety which was set before him, and being gradually
instructed by his wholesome admonitions, he cast off the darkness of idolatry,
and became a Christian in all sincerity of heart. The aforesaid clerk having
been some days entertained by him, it came to the ears of the impious prince,
that a confessor of Christ, to whom a martyr’s place had not yet been assigned,
was concealed at Alban’s house. Whereupon he sent some soldiers to make a strict
search after him. When they came to the martyr’s hut, St. Alban presently came
forth to the soldiers, instead of his guest and master, in the habit or long
coat which he wore, and was bound and led before the judge.
It happened that the judge, at the time when Alban was carried before him, was
standing at the altar, and offering sacrifice to devils. When he saw Alban,
being much enraged that he should thus, of his own accord, dare to put himself
into the hands of the soldiers, and incur such danger on behalf of the guest
whom he had harboured, he commanded him to be dragged to the images of the
devils, before which he stood, saying, “Because you have chosen to conceal a
rebellious and sacrilegious man, rather than to deliver him up to the soldiers,
that his contempt of the gods might meet with the penalty due to such blasphemy,
you shall undergo all the punishment that was due to him, if you seek to abandon
the worship of our religion.” But St. Alban, who had voluntarily declared
himself a Christian to the persecutors of the faith, was not at all daunted by
the prince’s threats, but putting on the armour of spiritual warfare, publicly
declared that he would not obey his command. Then said the judge, “Of what
family or race are you?” - “What does it concern you,” answered Alban, “of what
stock I am? If you desire to hear the truth of my religion, be it known to you,
that I am now a Christian, and free to fulfil Christian duties.” - “I ask your
name,” said the judge; “tell me it immediately.” “I am called Alban by my
parents,” replied he; “and I worship ever and adore the true and living God, Who
created all things.” Then the judge, filled with anger, said, “If you would
enjoy the happiness of eternal life, do not delay to offer sacrifice to the
great gods.” Alban rejoined, “These sacrifices, which by you are offered to
devils, neither can avail the worshippers, nor fulfil the desires and petitions
of the suppliants. Rather, whosoever shall offer sacrifice to these images,
shall receive the everlasting pains of hell for his reward.” The judge, hearing
these words, and being much incensed, ordered this holy confessor of God to be
scourged by the executioners, believing that he might by stripes shake that
constancy of heart, on which he could not prevail by words. He, being most
cruelly tortured, bore the same patiently, or rather joyfully, for our Lord’s
sake. When the judge perceived that he was not to be overcome by tortures, or
withdrawn from the exercise of the Christian religion, he ordered him to be put
to death.
Being led to execution, he came to a river, which, with a most rapid course, ran
between the wall of the town and the arena where he was to be executed. He there
saw a great multitude of persons of both sexes, and of divers ages and
conditions, who were doubtless assembled by Divine inspiration, to attend the
blessed confessor and martyr, and had so filled the bridge over the river, that
he could scarce pass over that evening. In truth, almost all had gone out, so
that the judge remained in the city without attendance. St. Alban, therefore,
urged by an ardent and devout wish to attain the sooner to martyrdom, drew near
to the stream, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, whereupon the channel was
immediately dried up, and he perceived that the water had given place and made
way for him to pass. Among the rest, the executioner, who should have put him to
death, observed this, and moved doubtless by Divine inspiration hastened to meet
him at the appointed place of execution, and casting away the sword which he had
carried ready drawn, fell at his feet, praying earnestly that he might rather be
accounted worthy to suffer with the martyr, whom he was ordered to execute, or,
if possible, instead of him. Whilst he was thus changed from a persecutor into a
companion in the faith and truth, and the other executioners rightly hesitated
to take up the sword which was lying on the ground, the holy confessor,
accompanied by the multitude, ascended a hill, about half a mile from the arena,
beautiful, as was fitting, and of most pleasing appearance, adorned, or rather
clothed, everywhere with flowers of many colours, nowhere steep or precipitous
or of sheer descent, but with a long, smooth natural slope, like a plain, on its
sides, a place altogether worthy from of old, by reason of its native beauty, to
be consecrated by the blood of a blessed martyr. On the top of this hill, St.
Alban prayed that God would give him water, and immediately a living spring,
confined in its channel, sprang up at his feet, so that all men acknowledged
that even the stream had yielded its service to the martyr. For it was
impossible that the martyr, who had left no water remaining in the river, should
desire it on the top of the hill, unless he thought it fitting. The river then
having done service and fulfilled the pious duty, returned to its natural
course, leaving a testimony of its obedience. Here, therefore, the head of the
undaunted martyr was struck off, and here he received the crown of life, which
God has promised to them that love him. But he who laid impious hands on the
holy man’s neck was not permitted to rejoice over his dead body; for his eyes
dropped upon the ground at the same moment as the blessed martyr’s head fell. At
the same time was also beheaded the soldier, who before, through the Divine
admonition, refused to strike the holy confessor. Of whom it is apparent, that
though he was not purified by the waters of baptism, yet he was cleansed by the
washing of his own blood, and rendered worthy to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Then the judge, astonished at the unwonted sight of so many heavenly miracles,
ordered the persecution to cease immediately, and began to honour the death of
the saints, by which he once thought that they might have been turned from their
zeal for the Christian faith. The blessed Alban suffered death on the
twenty-second day of June, near the city of Verulam, which is now by the English
nation called Verlamacaestir, or Vaeclingacaestir, where afterwards, when
peaceable Christian times were restored, a church of wonderful workmanship, and
altogether worthy to commemorate his martyrdom, was erected. In which place the
cure of sick persons and the frequent working of wonders cease not to this day.
At that time suffered Aaron and Julius, citizens of the City of Legions, and
many more of both sexes in divers places ; who, after that they had endured
sundry torments, and their limbs had been mangled after an unheard-of manner,
when their warfare was accomplished, yielded their souls up to the joys of the
heavenly city.
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