and the stone wall fell upon the foolish counsellor,
so that he was all crushed to pieces, and another man with him ;
very rightly so, because they had been advisers
of the wicked judge to his evil deeds.
Likewise the city stood all shaking
by reason of the earthquake, and all the citizens ran
together to the wicked judge, asking with clamour
why he had so cruelly tortured the virgin of God '?
Then fled Quintianus affrighted because of the tumult,
and also the earthquake exceedingly terrified him;
nevertheless he bade men bring her into the prison.
Lo then! Agatha cried inwardly
with outstretched hands to the Saviour thus:
'Thou my Lord, who hast created me in human form,
and ever from childhood hast shielded me until now;
Thou who hast turned away earthly love from me,
Thou who didst cause me to overcome the murderer's torments,
sharp iron, and fire, and the slitting claws,
who gavest me patience in the torments;
I pray Thee, Lord, that Thou wilt now take
my spirit unto Thee, for it is now time
that I should leave this world, and should so come
to Thy sweet mercy, my dear Lord.'
After this prayer within the dungeon
she gave up her spirit, and departed to God.
Then came the citizens, and buried her body
with great honour in an entirely new coffin.
Then came there an angel of God, walking like a man,
close at whose feet followed many shining youths,
and set a marble stone at the maiden's head
within the coffin, inscribed with these words,
Mentem sanctam spontaneam, honorem deo, et patrie liherationem.
That is in English, ' A mind spontaneously holy, an honour to
the benevolent God, and deliverance to her country.'
