as, I say, that
one of the company of Christ's Twelve Apostles, most holy Thomas, was
sent out to the land of the Indians, preaching the Gospel of Salvation.
"The Lord working with him and confirming the word with signs
following," the darkness of superstition was banished; and men were
delivered from idolatrous sacrifices and abominations, and added to the
true Faith, and being thus transformed by the hands of the Apostle,
were made members of Christ's household by Baptism, and, waxing ever
with fresh increase, made advancement in the blameless Faith and built
churches in all their lands.

Now when monasteries began to be formed in Egypt, and numbers of monks
banded themselves together, and when the fame of their virtues and
Angelic conversation "was gone out into all the ends of the world" and
came to the Indians, it stirred them up also to the like zeal, insomuch
that many of them forsook everything and withdrew to the deserts; and,
though but men in mortal bodies, adopted the spiritual life of Angels.
While matters were thus prospering and many were soaring upward to
heaven on wings of gold, as the saying is, there arose in that country
a king named Abenner, mighty in riches and power, and in victory over
his enemies, brave in warfare, vain of his splendid stature and
comeliness of face, and boastful of all worldly honours, that pass so
soon away. But his soul was utterly crushed by poverty, and choked
with many vices, for he was of the Greek way, and sore distraught by
the superstitious error of his idol-worship. But, although he lived in
luxury, and in the enjoyment of the sweet and pleasant things of life,
and was never baulked of any of his wishes and desires, yet one thing
there was that marred his happiness, and pierced his soul with care,
the curse of childlessness. For being without issue, he took ceaseless
thought how he might be rid of this hobble, and be called the father of
children, a name greatly coveted by most people. Such was the king,
and such his mind.

Meanwhile the glorious band of Christians and the companies of monks,
paying no regard to the king's majesty, and in no wise terrified by his
threats, advanced in the grace of Christ, and grew in number beyond
measure, making short account of the king's words, but cleaving closely
to everything that led to the service of God. For this reason many,
who had adopted the monastic rule, abhorred alike all the sweets of
this world, and were enamou