punishments wherewith the wicked are threatened, as we desire to be, and to reign with Christ, let us do those things which will lead us to Him and to His heavenly kingdom.'" Thus far, the martyrs wrote in prison what happened to them; the rest was written by those persons who were present, according to the recommendation of Flavian, one of the martyrs. After suffering extreme hunger and thirst, with other hardships, during an imprisonment of many months, the confessors were brought before the president, and made a glorious confession. The edict of Valerian condemned only bishops, priests, and deacons to death. The false friends of Flavian maintained before the judge that he was not a deacon, and, consequently, was not comprehended in the emperor's decree; whereupon, though he protested that he was one, he was not then condemned; but the rest were sentenced to death. They walked cheerfully to the place of execution, and each of them gave exhortations to the people. Lucius, who was naturally mild and modest, was a little dejected on account of a sickness he had contracted in prison; he, therefore, went before the rest, accompanied by only a few persons, lest he should be oppressed by the crowd, and so not have the honour of spilling his blood. Some cried out to him, "Remember us." "Do you also," said he, "remember me." Julian and Victoricus exhorted the brethren to peace, and recommended to their care the whole body of the clergy, especially those who had undergone the hardships of imprisonment. Montanus, who was endued with great strength, both of body and mind, cried out, "He that sacrificeth to any God but the true one shall be utterly destroyed." This he often repeated. He also checked the pride and wicked obstinacy of the heretics, telling them that they might discern the true Church by the multitude of its martyrs. Like a true disciple of S. Cyprian, and a zealous lover of discipline, he exhorted those that had fallen not to be over hasty, but fully to accomplish their penance. He exhorted the virgins to preserve their purity, and to honour the bishops, and all the bishops to abide in concord. When the executioner was ready to give the stroke, he prayed aloud to God that Flavian, who had been reprieved at the people's request, might follow them on the third day. And, to express his assurance that his prayer was heard, he rent in pieces the handkerchief with which his eyes were to be covered, and ordered one-half of it to be reserved for Flavian, and desired that a place might be kept for him where he was to be buried, that they might not be separated even in the grave. Flavian, seeing his crown delayed, made it the object of his ardent desires and prayers. And as his mother kept close by his side, with the constancy of the mother of the holy Maccabees, and with longing desire to see him glorify God by death, he said to her, "Thou knowest, mother, how much I have longed to enjoy the happiness of dying by martyrdom." In one of the two