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rods; and if necessary to gird upon their sides the naked sword;
so that it was no longer thought to be Britain; but a Roman island;
and all their money; whether of copper; gold; or silver; was
stamped with Caesar's image。

8。 Meanwhile these islands; stiff with cold and frost; and in a
distant region of the world; remote from the visible sun; received
the beams of light; that is; the holy precepts of Christ; the true
Sun; showing to the whole world his splendour; not only from the
temporal firmament; but from the height of heaven; which surpasses
every thing temporal; at the latter part; as we know; of the reign
of Tiberius Caesar; by whom his religion was propagated without
impediment; and death threatened to those who interfered with its
professors。

9。 These rays of light were received with lukewarm minds by the
inhabitants; but they nevertheless took root among some of them
in a greater or less degree; until the nine years' persecution
of the tyrant Diocletian; when the churches throughout the whole
world were overthrown; all the copies of the Holy Scriptures
which could be found burned in the streets; and the chosen pastors
of God's flock butchered; together with their innocent sheep;
in order that not a vestige; if possible; might remain in some
provinces of Christ's religion。  What disgraceful flights then
took place…what slaughter and death inflicted by way of punishment
in divers shapes;what dreadful apostacies from religion; and
on the contrary; what glorious crowns of martyrdom then were won;
what raving fury was displayed by the persecutors; and patience
on the part of the suffering saints; ecclesiastical history informs
us; for the whole church were crowding in a body; to leave behind
them the dark things of this world; and to make the best of their
way to the happy mansions of heaven; as if to their proper home。

10。 God; therefore; who wishes all men to be saved; and who calls
sinners no less than those who think themselves righteous; magnified
his mercy towards us; and; as we know; during the above…named
persecution; that Britain might not totally be enveloped in the
dark shades of night; he; of his own free gift; kindled up among
us bright luminaries of holy martyrs; whose places of burial and
of martyrdom; had they not for our manifold crimes been interfered
with and destroyed by the barbarians; would have still kindled
in the minds of the beholders no small fire of divine charity。
Such were St。 Alban of Verulam; Aaron and Julius; citizens of
Carlisle; * and the rest; of both sexes; who in different places
stood their ground in the Christian contest。

* Or Caerleon。

11。 The first of these martyrs; St。 Alban; for charity's sake
saved another confessor who was pursued by his persecutors; and
was on the point of being seized; by hiding him in his house; and
then by changing clothes with him; imitating in this example of
Christ; who laid down his life for his sheep; and exposing himself
in the other's clothes to be pursued in his stead。  So pleasing
to God was this conduct; that between his confession and martyrdom;
he was honoured with the performance of wonderful miracles in
presence of the impious blasphemers who were carrying the Roman
standards; and like the Israelites of old; who trod dry…foot an
unfrequented path whilst the ark of the covenant stood some time
on the sands in the midst of Jordan; so also the martyr; with a
thousand others; opened a path across the noble river Thames;
whose waters stood abrupt like precipices on either side; and
seeing this; the first of his executors was stricken with awe;
and from a wolf became a lamb; so that he thirsted for martyrdom;
and boldly underwent that for which he thirsted。  The other holy
martyrs were tormented with divers sufferings; and their limbs
were racked in such unheard of ways; that they; without delay;
erected the trophies of their glorious martyrdom even in the gates
of the city of Jerusalem。  For those who survived; hid themselves
in woods and deserts; and secret caves; waiting until God; who
is the righteous judge of all; should reward their persecutors
with judgment; and themselves with protection of their lives。

12。 In less than ten years; therefore; of the above…named persecution;
and when these bloody decrees began to fail in consequence of the
death of their authors; all Christ's young disciples; after so
long and wintry a night; begin to behold the genial light of heaven。
They rebuild the churches; which had been levelled to the ground;
they found; erect; and finish churches to the holy martyrs; and
everywhere show their ensigns as token of their victory; festivals
are celebrated and sacraments received with clean hearts and lips;
and all the church's sons rejoice as it were in the fostering
bosom of a mother。  For this holy union remained between Christ
their head and the members of his church; until the Arian treason;
fatal as a serpent; and vomiting its poison from beyond the sea;
caused deadly dissension between brothers inhabiting the same house;
and thus; as if a road were made across the sea; like wild beasts
of all descriptions; and darting the poison of every heresy from
their jaws; they inflicted dreadful wounds upon their country;
which is ever desirous to hear something new; and remains constant
long to nothing。

13。 At length also; new races of tyrants sprang up; in terrific
numbers; and the island; still bearing its Roman name; but casting
off her institutes and laws; sent forth among the Gauls that bitter
scion of her own planting Maximus; with a great number of followers;
and the ensigns of royalty; which he bore without decency and
without lawful right; but in a tyrannical manner; and amid the
disturbances of the seditious soldiery。  He; by cunning arts rather
than by valour; attaching to his rule; by perjury and falsehood;
all the neighbouring towns and provinces; against the Roman state;
extended one of his wings to Spain; the other to Italy; fixed
the seat of his unholy government at Treves; and so furiously
pushed his rebellion against his lawful emperors that he drove
one of them out of Rome; and caused the other to terminate his
most holy life。  Trusting to these successful attempts; he not
long after lost his accursed head before the walls of Aquileia;
whereas he had before cut off the crowned heads of almost all
the world。

14。 After this; Britain is left deprived of all her soldiery
and armed bands; of her cruel governors; and of the flower of
her youth; who went with Maximus; but never again returned; and
utterly ignorant as she was of the art of war; groaned in amazement
for many years under the cruelty of two foreign nationsthe
Scots from the north…west; and the Picts from the north。

15。 The Britons; impatient at the assaults of the Scots and Picts;
their hostilities and dreadful oppressions; send ambassadors to
Rome with letters; entreating in piteous terms the assistance of
an armed band to protect them; and offering loyal and ready
submission to the authority of Rome; if they only would expel their
foes。  A legion is immediately sent; forgetting their past rebellion;
and provided sufficiently with arms。  When they had crossed over
the sea and landed; they came at once to close conflict with their
cruel enemies; and slew great numbers of them。  All of them were
driven beyond the borders; and the humiliated natives rescued
from the bloody slavery which awaited them。  By the advice of their
protectors; they now built a wall across the island from one sea
to the other; which being manned with a proper force; might be a
terror to the foes whom it was intended to repel; and a protection
to their friends whom it covered。  But this wall; being made of
turf instead of stone; was of no use to that foolish people; who
had no head to guide them。

16。 The Roman legion had no sooner returned home in joy and
triumph; than their former foes; like hungry and ravening wolves;
rushing with greedy jaws upon the fold which is left without a
shepherd; and wafted both by the strength of oarsmen and the
blowing wind; break through the boundaries; and spread slaughter
on every side; and like mowers cut

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