both wives and possessions, and lived in chastity,
for His fair promises, and for the kingdom of heaven.
Again, after His resurrection and ascension into Heaven,
when the faith was increasing, and men laid aside devil-worship,
then were the holy martyrs so greatly inspired
that they chose rather to die than to deny God,
and laid down their lives rather than their faith,
and were slain for the true faith,
many thousand martyrs by various tortures,
and they have the eternal mirth in return for their martyrdom.
The wicked devil, who is ever (employed) about evil,
stirred up persecution by impious murderers,
and desired by slaughter to overcome the Christians,
and put down God's faith, if so he might,
but the more men slew, the more believed,
through the mighty wonders which the martyrs wrought.
Afterward, when God gave peace to His church,
then desired the devil to mar the true faith by heresy,
and sowed heresy in presumptuous men.
One of those was Arius, who began that evil,
but his bowels gushed out at the draught.
Many there were beside who diversely erred,
until the holy Fathers quenched their evil,
and formulated the true faith by God's help,
even as the Saviour taught it to His holy apostles.
Then were there holy bishops, frugal in their manners,
and wise mass-priests who lived in chastity,
and many monks of excellent conduct,
and pure maidens who served Christ
in spiritual service, for their Lord's love;
