ned with thee in the full
estate of matrimony, yet, sith this is contrary to thy mind, I will
never constrain thee again, but will do everything that liketh thee.
For the rest, do not thou utterly abhor me; but hearken to me for the
nonce, and thou shalt deliver me from superstitious error, and thou
shalt do whatever seemeth thee good hereafter all the days of thy life."

Thus spake she; for indeed she had, for her adviser, one to whom she
lent a privy ear, and the pirate was well versed in Scripture, being
verily the creator and teacher of iniquity. Thus then she spake with
fawning words entangling him, right and left, around with her toils and
meshes, and she began to shake the citadel of his soul, and to slacken
his tension of purpose, and to soften the temper of his mind. Then the
sower of these evil tares, and enemy of the righteous, when he saw the
young man's heart wavering, was full of joy, and straightway called to
the evil spirits that were with him, crying, "Look you how yond damsel
hasteth to bring to pass all that we were unable to accomplish!
Hither! fall we now furiously upon him: for we shall find none other
season so favourable to perform the will of him that sent us." Thus
spake this crafty spirit to his hounds: and straightway they lept on
that soldier of Christ, disquieting all the powers of his soul,
inspiring him with vehement love for the damsel, and kindling within
him the fiercest fire of lust.

When Ioasaph saw that he was greatly inflamed, and was being led
captive into sin, and perceived that his thoughts about the salvation
of the damsel and her conversion to God had been set like bait on hook
to hide the deed which she purposed, and were troubling him with the
suggestion of the enemy, that, for the salvation of a soul, it was not
sin for once to lie with a woman, then in the agony of his soul he drew
a deep and lamentable groan, and nerved himself to pray, and, with
streams of tears running down his cheeks, he cried aloud to him that is
able to save them that trust in him, saying, "On thee, O Lord, have I
set my trust: let me not be confounded for ever; neither let mine
enemies triumph over me, that hold by thy right hand. But stand thou
by me at this hour, and according to thy will make straight my path,
that thy glorious and dreadful name may be glorified in me thy servant,
because thou art blessed for ever. Amen."

Now when he had prayed in tears for many hours, and often bent the