Page:Goldenlegendlive00jaco.djvu/91

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The Seven Sleepers
77

knew them. And they said that he feigned, for to escape from them in some manner. And then said the judge: 'How may we believe thee that this money is come to thee of thy friends, when it appeareth in the scripture that it is more than three hundred and seventy-two years sith it was made and forged, and is of the first days of Decius the emperor, and it resembleth nothing to our money; and how may it come from thy lineage so long since, and thou art young, and wouldst deceive the wise and ancient men of this city of Ephesus? And therefore I command that thou be demened after the law till thou hast confessed where thou hast found this money.' Then Malchus kneeled down tofore them and said: 'For God's sake, lords, say ye to me that I shall demand you, and I shall tell to you all that I have in my heart. Decius the emperor that was in this city, where is he? 'And the bishop said to him: 'There is no such at this day in the world that is named Decius; he was emperor many years since.' And Malchus said: 'Sire, hereof I am greatly abashed and no man believeth me; for I wot well that we fled for fear of Decius the emperor, and I saw him, that yesterday he entered into this city, if this be the city of Ephesus.' Then the bishop thought in himself, and said to the judge that,' this is a vision that our Lord will have showed by this young man.' Then said the young man: ' Follow ye me, and I shall show to you my fellows which be in the mount of Celion, and believe ye them. This know I well, that we fled from the face of the Emperor Decius.' And then they went with him, and a great multitude