310 THE KING'S MIRROR 



surely will be able to assist you somewhat in these your 

 troubles." * Justin came at the moment when the suit 

 was being brought up before Saint Lawrence; and after 

 the case had been stated, the saint asked why Stephen 

 had plundered him and deprived his church of land. 

 Stephen replied that he did not render that unjust de- 

 cision purposely, but really thought it was a just de- 

 cision. Then Saint Lawrence gripped Stephen in the 

 side and pinched him very hard. But Justin interceded 

 for him, begging the saint to show mercy in this cause, 

 both because of his intercession and because Stephen 

 did not know that he had given an unjust decision. 

 While Saint Lawrence was pinching his side, Stephen 

 had a feeling that even if he were to suffer torture for 

 a similar space of time in hell, he would find it no more 

 painful than the clutching of Saint Lawrence. But as 

 soon as Justin interceded for Stephen, the saint released 

 him and forgave the offence. f 



When the prosecutors heard that this indictment had 

 failed, they shouted even more loudly, saying that they 

 had still greater charges against Stephen. So they set 

 forth that a Roman whose name was Tarquin had come 

 to Athens, and since he was an alien and had no kindred 

 there, he thought that he might need help from Stephen 

 in his important affairs, seeing that Stephen was judge 

 and ruler over the whole city; and he gave Stephen a 

 fine horse on condition that he was to have justice and 

 equity. Then the Judge decreed that, if Stephen had 



* According to the legend the priest Justin assisted at the funeral of St. Law- 

 rence. Heilagra Manna Sbgur, I, 430. 



t A somewhat different version of this story is given in the Legenda Aurea of 

 Jacques de Voragine, who quotes the " Miracles of the Virgin Mary." 



