The afflicted Virgin, to whom these moving things were said, finding that she should but lose her diswasions on Didymus, thought fit to address herself once more, to the President; and with humble Gestures, accompany’d with Looks, and with a Voice, that would have soften’d any that were not invincibly Obdurate, she told him; Though Sir, the Arguments us’d by this Gentleman, had far better prov’d than they have, that, of us two, he is the fittest person to be condemn’d; yet I hope, where you Preside with so much Authority, he will not fare the worse for being generous; and that what he has done, will be more prevalent with you, than what he has said. Ever since he was capable of bearing Arms, he employ’d them in the service of the Emperors; and in their Camps chearfully follow’d the Roman Eagles, where-ever they durst fly: And after his having this day hazarded himself so generously, out of compassion to a distress’d Virgin; what examples of gallantry may not be expected from such a Courage, engag’d by his Gratitude, when he shall act for the acquest of Glory, and the Service of his Country? If a guilty intention be necessary to make an action so, his will not be found to be Criminal; since he did not intend the violation of any Law, but to second, what we are told to be, the design of all just Laws; which is, to protect the Innocent, and encourage Vertue. But if by a rigid interpretation of the Law, he may be brought within the reach of it; I hope his Misdemeanor will not appear so great, but that your Clemency may allow him all that I beg for him, which is, that he may be permitted to repair a mistake in the exercise of his vertue, by the continuation of those Services in the Roman Army, which will be far more useful to the publick than his death, in his present circumstances, can be. To this Theodora would perhaps have added, (though she could scarce have done it, without some reluctancy from her modesty) The things, Sir, that he has been pleas’d to act and hazard for me, may persuade you, that if, contrary to my prayers and hopes, you should design severity towards him, you may more sensibly punish him, by my death, than by more immediate inflictions on himself. And ‘tis like she would have enforc’d her arguments and intreaties, for a Person for whom she was so much and so justly concern’d, when the President· vex’d to find that both of them so little valu’d Life, whose deprivation was the most formidable thing he could threaten them with, prevented her, by saying, with a stern countenance, No, I will hear no more, having heard but too much already: It does not become a Roman Magistrate, to suffer any longer with patience; that Prisoners and Criminals should daringly disobey the Laws, slight all their threats, and glory in their violation. What each of you has said to prove himself guilty, affords abundant reason to condemn you both. Wherefore, since you cannot agree among your selves, I will be your Umpire, and give both of you what each desires and merits. You, Obstinate Maid, sayes he, turning to Theodora, shall dye for having broken Prison. You Disobedient Soldier, sayes he to Didymus, shall dye for having perswaded and further’d her Escape. But to specifie your chiefest Crime, than which there needs no other, nor can be a greater, you both shall dye because you are Christians, and consequently Enemies to the Roman Emperors, and the Gods that made them so.
This fatal Doom being pronounc’d, the Judge order’d the condemn’d Prisoners to be taken aside, and strongly guarded, till all things were in readiness for their Execution: Which preparatives he gave order to hasten. Yet finding by the discontented looks, and confus’d murmurs, of the bystanders, that the Charms and Innocence of Theodora, and the Youth, Courage and Friendship, of both the no less generous than unfortunate Prisoners, made his Sentence o be far less lik’d, than were the persons & behavior of those it had pass’d upon; declar’d, that whilst he was dispatching other publick business, he permitted any that should have Charity enough to make a hopeless Attempt, to endeavour to convert those obstinate miscreants: Adding withal an intimation, that even they might speed in their suit, if they would seasonably, with incense in their hands, flee to the Altars of the Gods, and humbly implore of Them, Pardon and Safety.
This respite, as it expos’d the generous Couple to have their constancy assaulted by Infidels, ambitious of making such illustrious Persons Proselytes, so it gave them the welcom opportunity, of interchanging some discourse with one another.
These Conferences were begun by Didymus; who seeing himself upon the point of final Separation from his admirable Mistress, could not forbear feeling in himself such disorders, as on all other sad occasions, his great Courage had kept him from resenting. And this unusual commotion of mind, was uneasie enough to oblige him to say, to the fair Person that occasion’d it; Though, Madam, the military course of life I have with some forwardness pursu’d, has accustom’d me to meet Death in variety of formidable Shapes and Dresses, without being discompos’d by it; yet when I see the world going to be rob’d of its noblest Ornament, and my self to be depriv’d of the person I most love and admire in it; and when I see this matchless Person ready to he ravish’d from us, both in the flow’r of her age, and by the infamous hand of an Executioner; I think it were rather stupidness not to be afflicted, than any weakness to be deeply so.