"One Lord, one faith, one God with never more,

One Christian Church, One Father of all to adore,

Above all, over all, and everywhere"-

These words in very gold were written there. -

When this was read, then said the ancient man:

"Do you believe or not? Say 'Yea' or 'Nay."'

"I do believe this," said Valerian,

"For truer thing than this, I dare well say,

Under the heavens none can think, nor may."

Then vanished the old man, he knew not where,

And Pope Urban baptized him even there. -

Valerian, going home, Cecilia found

In chamber, wherein did an angel stand;

This angel had two coronals, woven round

Of roses and of lilies, in his hand;

And to Cecilia, as I understand,

He gave the one, and gave the other straight

Unto this said Valerian, her mate. -

"With body clean and with unsullied thought

Keep well these crowns for ever," then said he;

"To you from Paradise have I them brought,

Nor ever shall they fade or withered be,

Nor lose their perfume sweet, so you trust me;

And never man shall see them with his eye,

Save he be chaste and hate depravity. -

"And you, Valerian, since you so soon

Consented to accept the Faith also,

Say what you will and you shall have your boon."

"I have a brother," said Valerian, "Oh,

And in the wide world I love no man so.

I pray you that my brother may have grace

To know the truth, as I do in this place." -

The angel answered: "God likes your request,

And both of you, with palm of martyrdom,

Shall come at last unto His blessed rest."

Whereon his brother Tibertius was come.

And when he smelled the sweet perfume that from

The roses and the lilies filled the air,

In heart he wondered much how came it there, -

And said: "I wonder much, this time of year,

Whence comes the sweetness that arises so,

Of rose and lily, to my senses here?

For though I held them in my two hands- no

The savour could in me no deeper go.

The gentle scent that in my heart I find

Has changed me to a man of other kind." -

Valerian replied: "Two crowns have we,

Snow white and rose red, and they're bright and fair,

The which your two eyes have no power to see;

And as you smell them, brother, through my prayer,

So shall you see them also, brother dear,

If you but will, without delay forsooth,

Rightly believe and know the very truth." -

Tibertius answered: "Say you this to me

In truth? Or do I dream I hear all this?"

"In dreams," replied Valerian, then, "have we

Lived to this time, O brother mine, ywis.

In truth now for the first time our life is."

"How know you?" asked Tibertius: "In what wise?"

Valerian said: "You will I now apprise. -

"God's angel unto me the truth has taught,

Which you shall see, if only you'll put by

All idols and be clean, else you'll learn naught."

(And of these crowns miraculous, say I,

Saint Ambrose of the two does testify

In his Preface; this noble doctor dear

Commends the story, making it all clear: -

The palm of martyrdom, thus to receive,

This Saint Cecilia, filled with God's gift,

The world and even her chamber did she leave;

Witness Tibertius' and Valerian's shrift,

To whom the good God sent by angel swift

Two crowns of flowers fair and sweet smelling,

And bade the angel take them as fitting. -

The maiden brought these men to bliss above;

The world has learned what it is worth, 'tis plain,

Devotion to fair chastity to love.)

Then did Cecilia show him and explain

That every idol is a thing all vain;

For they are dumb, and they are deaf also,

And charged him that his idols he forgo. -

"Whoso believes not this, a beast he is,"

Said then Tibertius, "if I shall not lie."

And then she kissed his breast, when she heard this,

And was full glad that truth he could espy.

"This day I take you for my own ally,"

So said this blessed, lovely maiden dear;

And after that said on as you shall hear: -

"Lo, even as the love of Christ," said she,

"Made me your brother's wife, just in that wise

I take you now my close ally to be,

Since you'll forgo your idols and despise.

Go with your brother, let them you baptize

And make you clean; so that you may behold

The angel's face whereof your brother told." -

Tibertius answered, saying: "Brother dear,

First tell me where to go and to what man."

"To whom?" said he, "Come forth, and with good cheer,

For I will lead you unto Pope Urban."

"To Urban? Brother mine, Valerian,

Tibertius said, "and thither will you lead?

I think this were a wondrous thing indeed. -

"Surely you mean not Urban!" he cried out,

"Who's been so often ordered to be dead,

And lives in corners, dodging ever about,