Count Sebastian

Referam autem factum quod ipso gestum est tempore. Fuit comes quidam Sebastianus, famosi illius gener comitis Bonifacii, acer consilio, et strennus in bello; cuius Geisericus, sicut consilia necessaria habebat, ita et praesentiam formidabat, cupiens autem illum exstinguere, occasionem mortis de religione quaesivit. Cogitavit rex ut praesentibus episcopis atque domesticis suis, Sebastianum taliter conveniret. Sebastiane, inquit, scio quia fideliter nobis adhaerere iurasti, cuius veritatem sacramenti labores tui vigilantiaque demonstrant. Sed ut nobis connex semper iugisque maneat amicitia tua, hoc placuit praesentibus sacerdotibus nostris, ut euius efficiaris cultor religionis quam et nos et noster populus veneramur. Cui Sebastianus, rem inveniens miram multisque necessariam pro tempore acute, respondit: Quaseo, domine rex, ut nunc unus panis mundissimus ac similagineus afferatur. Qui cum ignorasset Geisericus Sebastiani victoriam, illico iussit afferri, Apprehendens itaque Sebastianus mundissimum panem, ita effatus est: Hic panis ut ad tantum decorem splendoris veniret, quo mensae regiae necessarius haberetur, discussa spuria furfuris, ex massa similaginis conspersus, per aquam transivit et ignem: idcirco et aspectu clarus, et esu sauvis habetur. Ita et ego mola catholicae matris commolitus, et cribro examinationis ut simila munda purgatus, rigatus sum aqua baptismtis, et igne sancti Spiritus coctus, Et ut hic panis de furno, ita et ego per officia sacramentorum divinorum, artifice Deo, de fonte mundus ascendi. Sed fiat, si velis, quod ipse, propono. Iste panis confrigatur in frustra, madidetur aqua, et iterum conspergatur, mittaturque in furnum, si melior exierit, faciam quod hortaris. Quam propositionem Geisericus cum omnibus qui aderant cum audisset, ita ligatus est, ut se solvere omnino non posset; quem alio generis argumento postea virum occidit.  Victor Vitensis, Historia Persecutionis Africae Provinciae

I shall tell here of a deed that occurred at the same time. There was a certain Count Sebastian, son in law of the famous Count Bonifacius, sharp in counsel and mighty in war, of whom King Geiseric had need of advice, and yet his presence troubled him, and he came to desire to destroy him, and he sought an excuse for his death in religion. The King amid his Arian clergy and domestics contrived to have Sebastian come into his presence. He said to him, ' Sebastian, I know that you have sworn to adhere faithfully to us and your labours and vigilance demonstrate the truth of your oath, but that your friendship may persist firmly forever, it pleases our gathered clergy that you adopt the religion which we and our people practice.' To this Sebastian, devising something wonderful and quite necessary to many in difficult times, replied, 'Lord King, I would have brought bread most pure and made of the finest flour.' Geisreic, ignorant of Sebastian's coming victory, ordered it brought. Sebastian took the bread and said, 'This bread, to come to such splendor that it would become fit for the royal table, had worthless bran shaken from the mass of flour and passed through water and fire; thus it became fair to see and sweet to taste. Likewise I in the mill of the Catholic Mother was ground and by the sieve of examination I was similarly cleansed to purity, moistened by the water of baptism and baked by the fire of the Holy Spirit. And just as this bread came from the oven, I, through the office of the Divine Sacraments, which have God as author, rose pure from the font. Let it be, if you wish, as I propose: let this bread be broken apart, softened with water, again moistened, and put in an oven; if it comes out better I shall do as you suggest.' Hearing this, Geiseric and those with him were like those fettered, utterly unable to free themselves. But later on, on some other grounds, he had the man killed. Victor Vitensis, History of the Persecution of the African Province