vol. 1, p. 40

("the blood of Christians is indeed seed" {Tertullian in Apol.}), the faithful increased enormously, in fact "grains which fell singly gave forth many fold" - {Leo Serm. 1. on Ss Peter and Paul}. Thus you went off into such an expanse and grew into such piety as could hardly be believed [? such as may hardly keep up with faith of the truth] . Where among people could you find such splendid ornaments of religion? Where such frequent altars? Such splendid temples? Such a multitude of holy men? Truly your city rose to such sanctity, holy riches, splendour of divine worship, and multitude of churches, that the whole state seemed to be one temple, and to have erected its summit already in heaven. To add to this, how many Guardians surround you? What patrons appointed from heaven? How many came in addition to the great Januarius your Pioneer, either native born or sent from elsewhere? Summoned from Greece, called up from from the furthest shores of India, brought in from the utmost ends of Lusitania, gathered from diverse parts of Italy, as it were [resident?] guards, assiduously to protect and defend this city, dear to the divinity. And James sent from Picenum, below the first ones in time but not in dignity; whose eternal dues to you have been repaid by your perpetual veneration. No-one's altar do you tend more frequently, no-one's help more humbly implore, no-one's memory celebrate with more noble pomp. Shortly after he departed from you into heaven, there was from among you one to relate his heroic deeds in a heroic poem and sing out his triumph to the [conquered] world and part of heaven. Luck, being envious of so much glorification of a man deservedly repeated in song, departed; but could not dispel it, God being unwilling to deprive of human praises one whom he had embellished with divine honours. In the end, the task came through into my hands, and I judged that it should be sent to you, as it began with you, has been brought to light by you and, after the shadows of oblivion, rises again more brightly by your splendour. In its very infancy a very learned author considered its stench such, that they judged that it should be dedicated to the highest Bishop of all, Innocent the Eighth; I am sufficiently advanced in age as to think it should be resolved by you, and because it has been passed on to one man, albeit the highest, it should be remitted by all ranks to the noblest authority. It is a light duty, if judged by the size of the little chore; not a light one if account is taken of the author, the arguments, the doctrine and the time. The author is