Of the Saints Simplicien, Faustin, and Beatrice.

Simplicien and Faustin, brethren, when they would not by no constraint do sacrifice to the idols, and refused it utterly, they suffered many torments at Rome under Diocletian, and at last sentence was given against them, and they were beheaded and their bodies cast into Tiber, the river. And Beatrice, their sister, took up the bodies of them and buried them honourably. Lucretius, which was provost of Rome, went on a time playing about the heritage of Beatrice, and saw her, and made her to be taken, and commanded her that she should make sacrifice to his gods, and she refused it. And Lucretius made his servants to strangle her in a night and let her lie. And Lucia, the virgin, took away the body and buried it with her brethren, and after that Lucretius entered into their heritage. And thus as he assailed the martyrs, and did do make a great feast to his friends, and as he sat at dinner, a young child that lay wound in small clouts in his mother's lap, which yet sucked, sprang out of the lap of his mother that held him, and all men seeing, escried and said: O thou Lucretius, hear and understand, thou hast slain and assailed the martyrs of God, and therefore thou art given into the possession of the fiend. And then anon Lucretius trembled and feared, and was forthwith ravished of the devil, and was so tormented by three hours of the devil that he died at that same dinner. And when they that were there saw that, they were converted to the faith, and recounted to all men how the passion of S Beatrice was avenged at the same dinner. And they suffered death about the year of our Lord two hundred and eighty-seven.