and where good fortune and fair inheritance befell 

 him. Thus qualified in birth and means, and being 

 of a vigorous frame and of an age fitting him for 

 warfare, he joined the army and was forthwith made 

 a Colonel, in which position he gave such frequent 

 proofs of his valor and withal behaved himself so 

 nobly that the Emperor Diocletian, not knowing he 

 was a Christian, promoted him to a seat in his 

 Council. In due course his mother died, and he, 

 following the bent of his inclinations, and with the 

 increase of his income thereby occasioned, gave his 

 services exclusively to his Sovereign, having then 

 reached the twentieth year of his age. At this time 

 it would appear that trouble had arisen in the gov- 

 ernment of the Roman Empire, and Britain, then 

 one of its dependencies, having revolted, steps were 

 taken to subdue it, which having been accomplished 

 the Empe'^or's troops thus released were then used 

 in the fierce and savage persecution of the Chris- 

 tians, no part of the Empire in which this sect were 

 found escaping the general slaughter. 



The persecution then resolved on and already 

 begun at the seat of government quickly ex- 

 tended to the other provinces of the Empire, and 

 Diocletian himself in person, having urged in the 

 Senate the prompt execution of his cruel behests, 

 young George could contain himself no longer, and 

 having been an eye witness to the murderous and 

 diabolical barbarities practised upon these unoffend- 



