lord commandeth them to fulfil his will,' that they take
him and cast him into the furnace and burn him: and this night command
you this Fulgentius, that he go early in the morning to your workmen,
and that he ask them whether they have fulfilled your will which they
were commanded or not; and then shall they, according to your
commandment, cast him into the fire, and thus shall he die an evil
death."

"Surely," quoth the emperor, "thy counsel is good; therefore call to me
that varlet Fulgentius." And when the young man was come to the
emperor's presence, he said to him thus: "I charge thee upon pain of
death, that thou rise early in the morning, and go to the burners of
lime and brick, and that thou be with them early before the sun rise,
three miles from this house, and charge them in my behalf, that they
fulfil my commandment, or else they shall die a most shameful death."

Then spake this Fulgentius: "My lord, if God send me my life, I shall
fulfil your will, were it that I go to the world's end."

When Fulgentius had this charge, he could not sleep for thought, that he
must rise early to fulfil his lord's commandment. The emperor about
midnight sent a messenger on horseback unto his brickmakers, commanding,
that upon pain of death, that whosoever came to them first in the
morning, saying unto them (as is before rehearsed) they should take him
and bind him, and cast him into the fire, and burn him to the bare
bones.

The brickmakers answered and said, it should be done. Then the messenger
returns home again, and told the emperor that his commandment should be
diligently fulfilled.

Early in the morning following, Fulgentius arose and prepared him
towards his way, and as he went, he heard a bell ring to service,
wherefore he went to hear service, and after the end of service he fell
asleep, and there slept a long while so soundly, that the priest, nor
none other, might awake him.

The steward desiring inwardly to hear of his death, about two of the
clock he went to the workmen, and said unto them thus: "Sirs," quoth he,
"have ye done the emperor's commandment or not?"

The brickmakers answered him and said: "No, truly, we have not yet done
his commandment, but it shall be done," and with that they laid hands on
him. Then cried the steward, and said, "Good sirs, save my life, for the
emperor commanded that Fulgentius should be put to death." Then said
they, "The messenger told us not so, but he bade us, that w