As for _Fabianus_, he seems to have been well worthy of the Post to which he was raised; for the famous Bishop of _Carthage_, St. _Cyprian_, in Answer to the Letter, wherein the Clergy of _Rome_ gave him an Account of the glorious Death of their Bishop, calls him _an excellent Man_; and adds, that _the Glory of his Death had answered the Purity, Holiness, and Integrity of his Life_[339]. [Sidenote: _Some of his Regulations._] From the Pontifical of _Bucherius_ we learn, that he appointed Seven Deacons over the Fourteen Regions, or Wards, into which _Rome_ was then divided[340], to take care of the Poor, says _Baronius_[341]. We read in other more modern Pontificals, that he named Seven Subdeacons to overlook the Seven Notaries, who are supposed to have been first appointed by Pope _Clement_, and whose Province it was to commit to Writing the Actions and Speeches of the Martyrs. It is manifest from St. _Cyprian_[342], as Dr. _Pearson_ well observes, that in the Time of _Cornelius_, the Successor of _Fabianus_, the Church of _Rome_ had Seven Subdeacons, to whom St. _Cyprian_ recommended the strictest Exactness in marking the Day of each Martyr’s Death[343]. As for taking down their Speeches, which some seem to object to, the Art of writing in Short-hand was well known in those Times. _Eusebius_ tells us, that by _Tiro_, _Cicero_’s Freed-man, were first invented certain Marks, which stood not only for whole Words, but intire Sentences[344]. But this Invention is, by _Dio_, ascribed to _Mæcenas_, who ordered his Freed-man _Aquila_ to make them known to all who cared to learn them[345]. Of their wonderful Quickness in writing, with the Help of these Marks, _Martial_ takes notice, in one of his Distichs, saying, How fast soever the Tongue may run, the Hand runs faster[346]. [Sidenote: _Said to have converted the Emperor_ Philip.]