Squire, But Not Valerienne

And after this, on a time died the holy woman Susanna, and tofore her death she recommended to S. Marcial her daughter, that was called Valerienne, which had promised and avowed to our Lord chastity as long as she lived. After, when the holy maid knew that there should come to Limoges a lord named Steven, which was lord of all the province from the river of Rhone unto the sea, she was sore afraid lest he would do to her any grief or noyance against her vow, and gave away all her riches to poor folk for the love of God. When the said Steven was come to Limoges, he made to do come tofore him the holy maid, to the end to have his will of her; but when she was come and he saw that she would not consent to do his will, anon he made her head to be smitten off. Then the squire that beheaded her heard the angels sing, that bare the soul of the holy virgin into heaven, with much great joy and solemnity, and anon he returned unto his master and told him all that he had seen and heard, and sith fell down dead at his feet. Then the duke and all his company had much great dread, and the duke himself clad him next his flesh in a sharp hair and hard, for great repentance, and prayed S. Marcial that he would pray God that it might please him to raise his squire from death to life, and he would believe in the faith of Jesu Christ and be christened. Anon after that S. Marcial had prayed, our Lord raised the squire; then the duke and well fifteen thousand persons in his company were baptized.

So, Steven has holy Valerienne beheaded, and the squire who executed her informed Steven, then dropped dead — and Steven prayed to St Martial to raise the squire. Mmmmm hmmmm.

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