in a royal car, and they did not know Martin.
Martin rode quickly towards them poorly clad
in black clothes; then the mules which drew the chariot
drew aside quickly, being frightened at his approach,
and entangled the traces, so that they could not pull.
Then the soldiers were madly incensed
and seized Martin, and scourged him a long while
with whips and with staves; and he was alway silent
as if he felt their blows nowhit,
and at this they were the madder against him,
and more furiously beat the holy man.
Then came his companions and found him lying
with bleeding limbs and beaten body,
and quickly raised him up upon his ass,
and hastened to get away from the place.
Then the soldiers desired to go forward with the chariot,
but all the mules became alike immoveable,
fastened to the earth as if they were brazen.
Then they beat all the mules alike
with whips and rods, but they ever stood
in the same place as if they had been images.
Then at length the soldiers understood by means of the beasts
that they had been set fast by divine might,
and began to enquire of other wayfarers
who the man might be whom they had so savagely beaten.
Then it was told them that it was Martin,
and they forthwith all ran after him,
bestrewed with dust and drearily weeping
that they had so shamefully maltreated the holy man,
and lay at his feet prostrate with fear,
beseeching his clemency that they might proceed,
and saying that they themselves rather deserved
to stand stiffened in the likeness of stones,
or that the earth should swallow them all.
