Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/363

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XXXIV.

NOVEMBER 22. PASSIO OF SAINT CECILIA,
VIRGIN.

Once, in old days, there was a noble maiden

called Caecilia, a Christian from childhood,

when the cruel persecution existed in the Roman Empire,

in the days of the emperors who cared not for Christ.

This holy woman had in her breast

so great love of the eternal life

that she, day and night, meditated concerning the Lord's gospel

and concerning God's lore, with true faith,

and busied herself in continual prayers.

She was nevertheless wedded, as her friends willed it,

to a noble youth, who was not yet a Christian,

called Valerian, who is now a holy saint.

So then Caecilia clothed herself

with hair-cloth on her body and frequently fasted,

praying with weeping that she might be shielded

from any stain or the company of man.

She cried to the saints and to the high angels,

praying their assistance with the Heavenly God,

that she might serve Christ in chastity.

It befell nevertheless that the honourable youth ao

provided the marriage-gift and fetched the maiden

with worldly dignity even as became their rank.

Then betwixt the songs and the continual rejoicings

sang Caecilia even thus to God,

Fiat cor meum et corpus meum immaculatum ut non confundar.

' Let my heart and my body be through God unstained

that I be not confounded.' And sang ever so.

They were then brought into bed together,

and Caecilia straitway, that prudent maiden,