Sapientia

Argument

The martyrdom of the holy virgins Faith, Hope, and Charity, who are put to the torture by the Emperor Hadrian and slain in the presence of their mother Sapientia, she encouraging them by her admonitions to bear their sufferings. After their death the holy mother recovers the bodies of her children, embalms them with spices, and buries them with honour about five miles outside the city of Rome.

Forty days later the spirit of Sapientia takes its flight to heaven while she is still praying by her children’s graves.

Characters

  • Antiochus

  • Hadrian

  • Sapientia

  • Faith

  • Hope

  • Charity

  • Matrons

Sapientia

Scene I

Antiochus My Lord Emperor, what desire has your servant but to see you powerful and prosperous? What ambition apart from the welfare and peace and greatness of the state you rule? So when I discover anything that threatens the commonwealth or your peace of mind I try to crush it before it has taken root.
Hadrian In this you show discretion, Antiochus. Our prosperity means your advantage. Witness the honours that we never tire of heaping on you.
Antiochus Your Grace’s welfare is so dear to me that I do not seek to disguise what is hostile to your interests, but immediately bring it to your notice and denounce it!
Hadrian Do you praise yourself for this? If you withheld such information you would be guilty of treason to our Imperial Majesty.
Antiochus I have never been disloyal.
Hadrian I do not question it. Come, if you have discovered some new danger, make it known to us.
Antiochus A certain alien woman has recently come to this city with her three children.
Hadrian Of what sex are the children?
Antiochus They are all girls.
Hadrian And you think that a handful of women threaten danger to the state?
Antiochus I do, and very grave danger.
Hadrian Of what kind?
Antiochus A disturbance of the peace.
Hadrian How?
Antiochus What disturbs the peace and harmony of states more than religious differences?
Hadrian I grant you that. The whole Roman Empire witnesses to the serious troubles they can cause. The body politic is infected by the corpses of slaughtered Christians.
Antiochus This woman of whom I speak is urging the people of this country to abandon the religion of their fathers and embrace the Christian faith.
Hadrian But have her words any effect?
Antiochus Indeed they have. Our wives hate and scorn us to such an extent that they will not deign to eat with us, still less share our beds.
Hadrian This is a real danger, I admit.
Antiochus You must protect yourself.
Hadrian That stands to reason. Let the woman be brought before me, and I will examine her and see what can be done.
Antiochus You wish me to summon her?
Hadrian I have said it.

Scene II

Antiochus Foreign woman, what is your name?
Sapientia Sapientia.
Antiochus The Emperor Hadrian orders you to present yourself at the palace.
Sapientia I am not afraid to go. I have a noble escort in my daughters. Nor do I tremble at the thought of meeting your scowling Emperor face to face.
Antiochus It is the way of you Christian rabble to defy authority.
Sapientia We acknowledge the authority of Him Who rules the world; we know that He will not let His subjects be vanquished.
Antiochus Not so much talk. To the palace.
Sapientia Go before us and show the way. We will follow you.

Scene III

Antiochus That is the Emperor you see there, seated on his throne. Be careful what you say to him.
Sapientia The word of Christ forbids us to take thought as to what we ought to say. His wisdom is sufficient for us.
Hadrian Are you there, Antiochus?
Antiochus At your service, my lord.
Hadrian Are these the women whom you have arrested on account of their Christian opinions?
Antiochus Yes, lord.
Hadrian I am amazed at their beauty; I cannot help admiring their noble and dignified manner.
Antiochus Waste no time in admiring them, my lord. Make them worship the gods.
Hadrian It would be wiser to ask it as a favour to me at first. Then they may yield.
Antiochus That may be best. This frail sex is easily moved by flattery.
Hadrian Noble matron, if you desire to enjoy my friendship, I ask you in all gentleness to join me in an act of worship of the gods.
Sapientia We have no desire for your friendship. And we refuse to worship your gods.
Hadrian You will try in vain to rouse my anger. I feel no indignation against you. I appeal to you and your daughters as lovingly as if I were their own father.
Sapientia My children are not to be cozened by such diabolical flattery. They scorn it as I do.
Faith Yes, and laugh at it in our hearts.
Antiochus What are you muttering there?
Sapientia I was speaking to my daughters.
Hadrian I judge from appearances that you are of noble race, but I would know more⁠—to what country and family you belong, and your name.
Sapientia Although we take no pride in it, I come of noble stock.
Hadrian That is easy to believe.
Sapientia My parents were princes of Greece, and I am called Sapientia.
Hadrian The splendour of your ancestry is blazoned in your face, and the wisdom of your name sparkles on your lips.
Sapientia You need not waste your breath in flattering us. We are not to be conquered by fair speeches.
Hadrian Why have you left your own people and come to live here?
Sapientia For no other reason than that we wished to know the truth. I came to learn more of the faith which you persecute, and to consecrate my daughters to Christ.
Hadrian Tell me their names.
Sapientia The eldest is called Faith, the second Hope, the youngest Charity.
Hadrian And how old are they?
Sapientia What do you say, children? Shall I puzzle his dull brain with some problems in arithmetic?
Faith Do, mother. It will give us joy to hear you.
Sapientia As you wish to know the ages of my children, O Emperor, Charity has lived a diminished evenly even number of years; Hope a number also diminished, but evenly uneven; and Faith an augmented number, unevenly even.
Hadrian Your answer leaves me in ignorance.
Sapientia That is not surprising, since not one number, but many, come under this definition.
Hadrian Explain more clearly, otherwise how can I follow you?
Sapientia Charity has now completed two olympiads, Hope two lustres, and Faith three olympiads.
Hadrian I am curious to know why the number “8,” which is two olympiads, and the number “10,” which is two lustres, are called “diminished”; also why the number “12,” which is made up of three olympiads, is said to be “augmented.”
Sapientia Every number is said to be “diminished” the parts of which when added together give a sum which is less than the number of which they are parts. Such a number is 8. For the half of 8 is 4, the quarter of 8 is 2, and the eighth of 8 is 1; and these added together give 7. It is the same with 10. Its half is 5, its fifth part 2, its tenth part 1, and these added together give 8. On the other hand, a number is said to be “augmented” when its parts added together exceed it. Such, for instance, is 12. Its half is 6, its third 4, its fourth 3, its sixth 2, its twelfth 1, and the sum of these figures 16. And in accordance with the principle which decrees that between all excesses shall rule the exquisite proportion of the mean, that number is called “perfect” the sum of the parts of which is equal to its whole. Such a number is 6, whose parts⁠—a third, a half, and a sixth⁠—added together, come to 6. For the same reason 28, 496, and 8000 are called “perfect.”
Hadrian And what of the other numbers?
Sapientia They are all either augmented or diminished.
Hadrian And that “evenly even” number of which you spoke?
Sapientia That is one which can be divided into two equal parts, and these parts again into two equal parts, and so on in succession until we come to indivisible unity: 8 and 16 and all numbers obtained by doubling them are examples.
Hadrian Continue. We have not heard yet of the “evenly uneven” number.
Sapientia One which can be divided by two, but the parts of which after that are indivisible: 10 is such a number, and all others obtained by doubling odd numbers. They differ from the “evenly even” numbers because in them only the minor term can be divided, whereas in the “evenly even” the major term is also capable of division. In the first type, too, all the parts are evenly even in name and in quantity, whereas in the second type when the division is even the quotient is uneven, and vice versa.
Hadrian I am not familiar with these terms, and divisors and quotients alike mean nothing to me.10
Sapientia When numbers of any magnitude are set down in order, the first set down is called the “minor term” and the last the “major.” When, in making a division, we say by how many the number is to be divided, we give the “divisor,” but when we enumerate how many there are in each of the parts we set forth the “quotient.”
Hadrian And the “unevenly even” numbers?
Sapientia They, like the “evenly even,” can be halved, not only once, but sometimes twice, thrice, and even four times, but not down to indivisible unity.
Hadrian Little did I think that a simple question as to the age of these children could give rise to such an intricate and unprofitable dissertation.
Sapientia It would be unprofitable if it did not lead us to appreciate the wisdom of our Creator, and the wonderous knowledge of the Author of the world, Who in the beginning created the world out of nothing, and set everything in number, measure, and weight, and then, in time and the age of man, formulated a science which reveals fresh wonders the more we study it.
Hadrian I had my reasons for enduring your lecture with patience. I hope to persuade you to submit.
Sapientia To what?
Hadrian To worshipping the gods.
Sapientia That we can never do.
Hadrian Take warning. If you are obstinate, you will be put to the torture.
Sapientia It is in your power to kill the body, but you will not succeed in harming the soul.
Antiochus The day has passed, and the night is falling. This is no time to argue. Supper is ready.
Hadrian Let these women be taken to the prison near our palace, and give them three days to reflect.
Antiochus Soldiers, see that these women are well guarded and given no chance of escape.

Scene IV

Sapientia Oh, my dearest ones! My beloved children! Do not let this narrow prison sadden you. Do not be frightened by the threat of sufferings to come.
Faith Our weak bodies may dread the torture, but our souls look forward with joy to the reward.
Sapientia You are only children, but your understanding is ripe and strong. It will triumph over your tender years.
Hope You must help us with your prayers. Then we shall conquer.
Sapientia This I pray without ceasing, this I implore⁠—that you may stand firm in the faith which I instilled into you while you were infants at my breast.
Charity Can we forget what we learned there? Never.
Sapientia I gave you milk. I nourished and cherished you, that I might wed you to a heavenly bridegroom, not to an earthly one. I trusted that for your dear sakes I might be deemed worthy of being received into the family of the Eternal King.
Faith For His love we are all ready to die.
Sapientia Oh, children, your words are sweeter to me than nectar!
Hope When we come before the tribunal you will see what courage our love will give us.
Sapientia Your mother will be crowned by your virginity and glorified by your martyrdom.
Charity Let us go hand in hand to the tyrant and make him feel ashamed.
Sapientia We must wait till the hour comes when we are summoned.
Faith We chafe at the delay, but we must be patient.

Scene V

Hadrian Antiochus, bring the Greek prisoners before us.
Antiochus Step forward, Sapientia. The Emperor has asked for you and your daughters.
Sapientia Walk with me bravely, children, and persevere with one mind in the faith. Think only of the happiness before you⁠—of the martyr’s palm.
Hope We are ready. And He is with us for Whose love we are to be led to death.
Hadrian The three days’ respite which of our clemency we granted you is over. If you have profited by it, obey our commands.
Sapientia We have profited by it. It has strengthened our determination not to yield.
Antiochus It is beneath your dignity to bandy words with this obstinate woman. Have you not had enough of her insolence and presumption?
Hadrian Am I to send her away unpunished?
Antiochus By no means.
Hadrian What then?
Antiochus Address yourself to the little girls. If they defy you, do not spare them because of their tender years, but have them put to death. That will teach their obstinate mother a lesson.
Hadrian I will do as you advise.
Antiochus This way you will succeed.
Hadrian Faith, there is the venerated statue of the great Diana. Carry a libation to the holy goddess, and you will win her favour.
Faith What a foolish man the Emperor must be to give such an order!
Hadrian What are you muttering there? Behave yourself and do not laugh.
Faith How can I help laughing? Such a lack of wisdom is ludicrous.
Hadrian Whose lack of wisdom?
Faith Why, yours!
Antiochus You dare to speak to the Emperor so!
Faith I speak the truth.
Antiochus This is not to be endured!
Faith What is it but folly to tell us to insult the Creator of the world and worship a bit of metal!
Antiochus This girl is crazy⁠—a raving lunatic! She calls the ruler of the world a fool!
Faith I have said it, and I am ready to repeat it. I shall not take back my words as long as I live.
Antiochus That will not be long. You deserve to die at once for such impudence.
Faith I wish for nothing better than death in Christ.
Hadrian Enough of this! Let ten centurions take turns in flaying her with scourges.
Antiochus She deserves it.
Hadrian Most valiant centurions, approach, and wipe out the insult which has been offered us.
Antiochus That is the way.
Hadrian Ask her now, Antiochus, if she will yield.
Antiochus Faith, will you now withdraw your insults to the Imperial Majesty, and promise not to repeat them?
Faith Why now?
Antiochus The scourging should have brought you to your senses.
Faith These whips cannot silence me, as they do not hurt at all.
Antiochus Cursed obstinacy! Was there ever such insolence?
Hadrian Although her body weakens under the chastisement, her spirit is still swollen with pride.
Faith Hadrian, you are wrong. It is not I who am weakening, but your executioners. They sweat and faint with fatigue.
Hadrian Antiochus, tell them to cut the nipples off her breasts. The shame will cow her.
Antiochus I care not about the means, so long as she is forced to yield.
Faith You have wounded my pure breast, but you have not hurt me. And look! Instead of blood a stream of milk gushes from my wounds.
Hadrian Put her on a gridiron, and let fire be placed beneath so that she may be roasted to death.
Antiochus She deserves a terrible death for her boldness in defying you.
Faith All you do to cause me suffering is a source of bliss to me. I am as happy on this gridiron as if it were a little boat at sea!
Hadrian Bring a brazier full of pitch and wax, and place it on the fire. Then fling this rebellious girl into the boiling liquid.
Faith I will leap into it joyfully of my own accord.
Hadrian So be it.
Faith I laugh at your threats. Look! Am I hurt? I am swimming merrily in the boiling pitch. Its fierce heat seems as cool to me as the morning dew.
Hadrian Antiochus, what can we do with her?
Antiochus She must not escape.
Hadrian She shall be beheaded.
Antiochus That seems the only way of conquering her.
Faith Now let my soul rejoice and exult in the Lord.
Sapientia O Christ, invincible Conqueror of Satan, give my child, Faith, endurance to the end!
Faith Holy and dear mother, say a last farewell to your daughter. Kiss your firstborn, but do not mourn for me, for my hands are outstretched to the reward of eternity.
Sapientia Oh, my daughter, my darling dear, I am not dismayed⁠—I am not distressed! I bid you farewell rejoicing. I kiss your mouth and eyes, weeping for joy. My only prayer is that beneath the executioner’s sword you may keep the mystery of your name inviolate.
Faith Oh, my sisters, born of the same womb, give me the kiss of peace, and prepare yourselves for the struggle!
Hope Help us with your prayers. Pray with all your might that we may be found worthy to follow in your footsteps.
Faith Listen to the words of our holy mother. She has always taught us to despise the things of earth that we may gain those which are eternal.
Charity We shall obey her in everything. We want to be worthy of eternal joy.
Faith Come, executioner, do your duty, and put an end to my life.
Sapientia I embrace the severed head of my dead child, and as I cover it with kisses I praise Thee, O Christ, Who hast given the victory to a little maid.
Hadrian Hope, listen to me. Believe me, I advise you with fatherly affection.
Hope What advice do you give me?
Hadrian I beg you not to imitate your misguided sister. I would not have you undergo the same torture.
Hope Would that I were worthy to imitate her sufferings, and so win a reward like hers!
Hadrian Do not harden your young heart, but give way and burn incense before great Diana. Then I will adopt you as my own child, and love you most tenderly.
Hope I should not care to have you for a father, and I want no favours from you. You deceive yourself with vain hopes if you suppose that I shall submit.
Hadrian Be more careful in your speech or you will make me angry.
Hope Be angry. What is it to me?
Antiochus I am amazed, Augustus, that you should tolerate for a moment such insolence from a pert little child! I boil with indignation that she should be allowed such licence.
Hadrian I wished to be merciful to her youth, but I can no longer be indulgent. She shall be punished as she deserves.
Antiochus I wish that were possible.
Hadrian Come, lictors, and scourge this little rebel to death with your heaviest rods.
Antiochus She deserves to feel the full weight of your anger, as she has mocked your gracious clemency.
Hope Here is the only clemency for which I long⁠—here the only mercy I crave.
Antiochus Sapientia, what are you murmuring there, standing with uplifted eyes by the body of your dead child?
Sapientia I am imploring Almighty God to give Hope the same firm courage that He gave Faith.
Hope Oh, mother, mother! How wonderful are your prayers! Even as you prayed the uplifted hands of the panting executioners became powerless. I have not felt a twinge of pain.
Hadrian So you do not mind scourging! We will try some sharper torture.
Hope The most savage and deadly you can invent! The more cruelty you show the greater will be your humiliation.
Hadrian Let her be suspended in the air, and lacerated with nails until her bowels gush forth, and the skin is stripped from her bones. Break her to pieces limb by limb.
Antiochus That order is worthy of an emperor. The punishment fits the crime.
Hope Oh, Antiochus, you are as crafty as a fox, but you flatter with the cunning of a chameleon.
Antiochus Be quiet, you wretch! I thank the gods you will soon not have a mouth to prattle with.
Hope It will not be as you hope. Both you and your master will be put to confusion.
Hadrian What is this strange sweetness in the air? If I am not mistaken a marvellous perfume fills the room.
Hope O Emperor, the torn shreds of my flesh are giving forth a heavenly fragrance to make you admit that you have no power to hurt me by torture!
Hadrian Antiochus, advise me.
Antiochus We must think of some other punishment.
Hadrian Put in the brazier a vessel full of oil and wax and pitch. Bind her and throw her in.
Antiochus Yes, she will not find it so easy to escape from Vulcan.
Hope Christ has before now made fire grow mild and change its nature.
Hadrian Antiochus, what is that sound? I seem to hear a noise like that of rushing waters.
Antiochus My lord! My lord!
Hadrian What has happened?
Antiochus The boiling fire has burst the cauldron! It has overflowed and consumed every man near it. Only the vile witch who caused the disaster has escaped unhurt.
Hadrian It seems we are worsted.
Antiochus Yes, we can do nothing.
Hadrian She must be beheaded like the other.
Antiochus By the sword only can she be destroyed.
Hope Charity, my dear, my only sister, have no fear of the tyrant’s threats, and do not wince at the thought of suffering. Be strong in faith, and strive to follow the example of your sisters who are going before you to the palace of heaven.
Charity I am weary of this earth. I do not want to be separated from you even for a short time.
Hope Have courage! Stretch out your hands to the palm. We shall be separated only for a moment. Soon, very soon, we shall be together in heaven.
Charity Soon! Soon!
Hope Be joyful, noble mother! Do not grieve for me. You should laugh, not weep, to see me die for Christ.
Sapientia Indeed I do rejoice, but my joy will be full only when your little sister has followed you, slain in the same way⁠—and when my turn comes, mine last of all.
Hope The blessed Trinity will give you back your three children.
Sapientia Courage, my child! The executioner comes towards us with drawn sword.
Hope Welcome, sword! Do Thou, O Christ, receive my soul driven from its bodily mansion for the confession of Thy Name.
Sapientia Oh, Charity, lovely offspring of my womb, the one hope of my bosom, do not disappoint your mother who expects you to win this last fight! Despise safety now, and you will attain the same glory which shines on your sisters, and, like them, wear the crown of unspotted virginity.
Charity Support me with your holy prayers, mother. Pray that I may be worthy to share their joy.
Sapientia Stand fast in the faith to the end, and your reward will be an everlasting holiday.
Hadrian Now, little Charity. Your sisters’ insolence has exhausted my patience and exasperated me. I want no more long speeches. I shall not waste much time on you. Obey my commands, and you shall enjoy all the good things this life has to offer. Disobey, and evil will fall on you.
Charity I long for the good things. I will not have the evil.
Hadrian That pleases me, and you shall profit by it. I will be indulgent and set you an easy task.
Charity What is it?
Hadrian You shall say “Great is Diana.” That is all. I will not compel you to sacrifice.
Charity I will not say it.
Hadrian Why?
Charity Because I will not tell a lie. My sisters and I were born of the same parents, instructed in the same mysteries, and confirmed in the same faith. We have the same wish, the same understanding, the same resolution. Therefore, I am never likely to differ from them in anything.
Antiochus Oh, what an insult⁠—to be defied by a mere doll!
Charity Although I am small, my reason is big enough to put you to shame.
Hadrian Take her away, Antiochus, and have her stretched on the rack and whipped.
Antiochus I fear that stripes will be of no use.
Hadrian Then order a furnace to be heated for three days and three nights, and let her be cast into the flames.
Charity A mighty man! He cannot conquer a child of eight without calling in fire to help him!
Hadrian Go, Antiochus, and see that my orders are carried out.
Charity He may pretend to obey to satisfy your cruelty, but he will not be able to hurt me. Stripes will not wound my body, and the flames will not singe my hair or my garments.
Hadrian We shall see.
Charity Yes, we shall see.

Scene VI

Hadrian What is wrong, Antiochus? Why have you returned, and with such a dejected air?
Antiochus When you know the reason, you will be dejected too.
Hadrian Come, what is it?
Antiochus That little vixen whom you handed over to me to be tortured was first scourged in my presence, and I swear that not so much as the surface of her delicate skin was grazed. Then I had her cast into the fiery furnace which glowed scarlet with the tremendous heat.
Hadrian Enough! Come to the point.
Antiochus The flames belched forth, and five thousand men were burned to death.
Hadrian And what happened to her?
Antiochus You mean to Charity?
Hadrian Who else?
Antiochus She ran to and fro, playing in the fierce whirlwind of smoke and flame, and sang praises to her God. Those who watched closely said that three men dressed in white walked by her side.
Hadrian I blush to see her again, as I have not been able to harm her.
Antiochus She must perish by the sword like the others.
Hadrian Let us use it then, and without delay.

Scene VII

Antiochus Uncover that obstinate little neck, Charity, and prepare for the sword of the executioner.
Charity This time I do not wish to resist. I am glad to obey.
Sapientia Now, little one, now we must give thanks; now we must exult in Christ. Now I am free from anxiety, for I am certain of your triumph.
Charity Kiss me, mother, and commend my soul to Christ.
Sapientia May He Who quickened you in my womb receive the spirit He breathed into you!
Charity Glory be to Thee, O Christ, Who hast called me to Thyself, and honoured me with the martyr’s crown!
Sapientia Farewell, beloved child, farewell; and when you are united to Christ in heaven give a thought to the mother who gave you life even when the years had exhausted her strength.

Scene VIII

Sapientia Noble matrons, gather round me, and help me bury the bodies of my children.
Matrons We will strew herbs and spices on their little bodies, and solemnize their funeral rites with ceremony.
Sapientia Great is the generosity and wonderful the kindness you show to me and my dead.
Matrons We would do anything to relieve your pain.
Sapientia I know it.
Matrons What place have you chosen for their burial?
Sapientia It is three miles outside the city. I hope that is not too far for you?
Matrons By no means. We will follow their bodies to the place you have chosen.

Scene IX

Sapientia This is the place.
Matrons It is well chosen. The very spot to keep the relics of these blessed martyrs!
Sapientia O Earth, I commit my precious little flowers to thy keeping! O Earth, cherish them in thy spacious bosom until they spring forth again at the resurrection more glorious and fair! O Christ, fill their souls with light, and give rest and peace to their bones!
Matrons Amen.
Sapientia I thank you all from my heart for the comfort you have brought me since my loss.
Matrons Would you like us to remain here with you?
Sapientia I thank you, no.
Matrons Why not?
Sapientia Because your health will suffer if you fatigue yourselves further on my account. Have you not done enough in watching with me three days. Depart in peace. Return home happy.
Matrons Will you not come with us?
Sapientia I cannot.
Matrons What, then, is your plan?
Sapientia I shall stay here in the hope that my petition will be granted, and that what I most desire will come to pass.
Matrons What is that petition? What do you desire?
Sapientia This only⁠—that when my prayer is ended I may die in Christ.
Matrons Will you not let us stay to the end, then, and give you burial?
Sapientia As you please. O Adonai Emmanuel, begotten by the Divine Creator of all things before time began, and born in time of a Virgin Mother⁠—O Thou Who in Thy dual nature remainest most wonderfully one Christ, the unity of person not being divided by the diversity of natures, nor yet the diversity of natures confounded in the unity of person⁠—to Thee let the serene angelic choir, singing in sweet harmony with the spheres, raise an exultant song! Let all created things praise Thee, because Thou Who alone with the Holy Ghost art form without matter, by the will of the Father and the cooperation of the Spirit didst deign to become man, passible like men, yet impassible like God. O Thou Who didst not shrink from tasting death and destroyed it by Thy Resurrection that none who believe in Thee should perish, but know eternal life, on Thee I call! I do not forget that Thou, perfect God yet true man, didst promise that those who for Thy sake renounced their earthly possessions would be rewarded a hundredfold and receive the gift of eternal life. Inspired by that promise, Thou seest that I have done what I could; of my own free will, and for Thy sake, I have sacrificed the children I bore. Oh, in Thy goodness do not delay the fulfillment of Thy promise, but free me swiftly from the bonds of this flesh that I may see my children and rejoice with them. Grant me the joy of hearing them sing the new song as they follow Thee, O Lamb of the Virgin! Let me be gladdened by their glory, and although I may not like them chant the mystical song of virginity, let me praise Thee, Who art not Thyself the Father, yet art of the same substance as the Father, with Whom and with the Holy Ghost, one Lord of the whole world, one King of all things upon the earth and in the heights above and the deeps below, Thou dost reign and rule forever and ever!
Matrons O Lord, receive her soul! Amen.