As soon as the Gentleman, that made the past Discourse, had ended it, the just Idea it form’d in the minds of the hearers, and especially of the two Ladies, of the singular Piety and heroick Courage of Didymus, made such an impression on the grateful & compassionate Theodora, as exceedingly heightned her resolution to rescue him, if it were possible, and hast’ned her to begin immediately to attempt it. In order to which, having observ’d that the hearers listen’d so attentively to what the Relator said, that they then minded nothing else, she took that nick of time to withdraw herself silently, into another room; and by a pair of back stairs, convey’d herself out of the house: Whence by indirect wayes, (for fear of being overtaken in the shortest,) she went with as much hast and gladness, to an almost certain death, as others are wont to shun and escape it with; leaving Irene and her other friends, no less amaz’d than troubl’d, when sometime afterward, they perceiv’d her missing, and found all the diligence they employ’d to retrieve her, fruitless. For, Theodora, fearing she could not long escape the diligence of her Pursuers, unless she hasten’d to a place, where she justly thought they would not follow her; delay’d not to go directly towards the Company, that she was told attended the President, in the affairs that were transacting in his Court. Among these Attendants, she had not staid long, before she descry’d her brave Lover, under a strict and rude Guard; but with a look so manly, and so serene, as shew’d, that he deserv’d another usage; and was not in the least daunted nor discompos’d by that he met with. This moving Sight, so affected the generous & compassionate Theodora, that tho’ in so publick place and manner, she could with less reluctancy dye for Didymus, than she could plead for him; yet her gratitude surmounting her bashfulness, after some conflict within herself, she made towards the Tribunal; to which she found a more easie passage than she expected. For, the advantagiousness of her shape and stature, and gracefulness of her motions, easily produc’d for her, such Sentiments, in the admiring by-standers, as made them with great respect, give her way, & let her, without disturbance, pass on to the Bar. She had but a very little while staid there, before the President was mov’d, by the concourse of those whom Curiosity and Wonder invited to gaze on the fair stranger, to cast his eyes on Her; and notwithstanding the unlikelihood, that she should appear there, without having been Forcibly brought thither; as soon as, out of respect to his Dignity, she had lifted up her Veil, he discern’d that it was she, by a sort of Beauty so peculiar, as was not easily either to be met with in others, or to be forgotten by any that had ever seen it.
But, though the Judge were thus surpriz’d at her presence, yet he little less admir’d her Courage, than her Beauty, when, with a Face, wherein the Blushes of her Cheeks, and the Assuredness of her Looks, equally discover’d her Modesty and her Fearlesness, she told him: I know, Sir, that ‘tis a very unusual thing, for a Person of my Sex and Religion, to come to this Place unsent for. But I hope you will be pleas’d to consider, that, as the Action is extraordinary, the Occasion of it is so too. For both Justice, the Virtue that you sit here to distribute; and Gratititude, founded upon the highest Obligations, engage me to appear before you, on the behalf of that brave Prisoner, (at which words she pointed at Didymus,) and present you the Object, on which you may inflict with Legal Justice, what you cannot make him suffer, without being tax’d of Cruelty. For supposing a Debt to be due to the Law, yet it would be more Severe than Just, to prosecute the Security, now the Principal offers to pay the Debt. He may well be look’d upon as my Hostage, whom I now come to redeem: And ‘tis not, Sir, your interest, to decline the Exchange, since by it you will preserve a Person, whose Courage, ingag’d by his Gratitude, may do signal Service in the Roman Army. And since my Escape was all his Crime, I beseech you, let my surrender of my self, obtain his absolution.
Here Theodora paus’d a while, partly to recover from the Disorder, so unusual and difficult an Effort of her Modesty had put her into; and partly, to observe the Judges Countenance, upon his hearing what she had said, and to take measures thence in what she was further to speak. The President in the mean time continued silent, whether the longer to hear the musick of her Voice, or because so many Charms, as Nature had crouded in her Face, and so much sadness, as her concern for her Lover had display’d in her Looks, had somewhat mollify’d him, as they might have done a Tiger. Whereupon the fair Suppliant, hoping that his not interrupting her, proceeded from some relenting Thoughts, resumes her Discourse, in these terms. But if, Sir, to procure the dismission of this Gentleman, your Justice had need to be seconded by your Clemency, perhaps you never had, nor never will have, an Object whose merit may so well warrant the fullest Exercise of it. For his Life, ever since he bore Arms, has been imploy’d in the Service of his Princes, and fearlessly hazarded for their Greatness. And the Action for which he is now in trouble, is so Heroick, and so disinteressed an one of Courage and Compassion, that in it he could scarce have any other motive, than the Greatness of his Generosity, nor other End, than the Exercise of it. Nor need you fear, that your Clemency on this occasion should introduce a bad Example; for this of Didymus is never like to be imitated, nor can be so, but by Persons too virtuous to be Delinquents. And if such Actions be Criminal, at least ‘tis unlikely they will grow common Crimes. And here Theodora, perceiving that the impatient Didymus (now come again to himself, after the astonishing surprize this Adventure gave him) was upon the point to interrupt her, she thus prevents him. And you, brave Didymus, forbear to oppose the accomplishment of my just Desires. The course that I now take, is the only that I could take, to evidence my Gratitude, and to let you see, that you have not exercis’d the noblest Acts of Generosity and Friendship, towards a Person insensible of the Dictates of those Vertues. I could not (continues she) but be glad to be rescu’d from the Ignominy of a Rape, but I did not intend to be robb’d of the Glory of Suffering for Christ; which is also the only means left me to evince, that I Declin’d Dishonor, and not Death, and never meant so much to disoblige the World, as for the sake of an insignificant Maid, to deprive it of one of the most generous of Men. You have left yourself but one way to encrease your past favours, which is, to allow me the only real Expression I can make of my sense of them, & that in such a way, as can, at most, but make some little Diminution of them, without pretending to make a Retribution for them. If therefore (concludes she) you will compleat the Obligation you have laid on me, by preserving to me the Coronet of Virginity, you must not oppose my obtaining the Crown of Martyrdom.