Writings of Blessed Jacobus de Voragine (mirror)
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"SS. ADRIAN AND NATALIE
Adrian suffered death under Maximian, emperor.
For when the said Maximian was in the city of
Nicodemia, whereas he sacrificed to the idols, and by
his commandment they sought all christian men ;
some sought them for dread, and some for love, and
some for promise of silver, so that neighbour brought
his neighbour to martyrdom, and cousin his cousin.
Among whom three and thirty were taken of them
that they sought, and brought tofore the king. And
the king said to them : * Have ye not heard what
pain is ordained against the christian men?' And
they said to him : ' We have heard the command-
ment of thy folly.' Then the king was angry and
commanded that they should be beaten with raw
sinews and their mouths beaten with stones, and that
each of their tongues should be pierced with iron,
and that they should be bound and closed in prison.
And then Adrian, which was first in the office of
knighthood, said to them : * I conjure you by your
God that ye tell to me the reward that ye entend
to have for these torments.' And the holy man said
that never eye saw, nor ear heard, ne heart of man
might think, those things that our Lord maketh
ready for them that love him perfectly. And Adrian
leapt in the middle among them and said : 'Account
ye me with them here, for I am a christian man.' "
From "The golden legend : lives of the saints"