Christians with the
utmost rigour, and by this means to cow them into submission.[3]

These strong measures apparently produced some effect, for no other
executions are recorded for a period of nine months; when Fandila, a
priest of Tabanos,[4] and chosen by the monks of St Salvator's monastery
to be one of their spiritual overseers, came forward and reviled the
Prophet: whereupon he was imprisoned and subsequently beheaded (June 13,
853). His fate awakened the dormant fanaticism of Anastasius,[5] a
priest of St Acislus' church; of Felix, a Gaetulian monk of Alcala de
Henares; and of Digna, a virgin of St Elizabeth's nunnery at Tabanos
(the latter being strengthened in her resolve by a celestial vision),
who, pursuing the usual plan, are beheaded the following day; their
example being followed by Benildis, a matron (June 15).[6]

[1] Eulog., "Mem. Sanct," ii. c. xii. "Non iam solummodo de
mortibus resistentium sibi excogitare coepenint, verum etiam
totam extirpare ecclesiam ruminarunt. Quoniam nimio terrore tot
hominim recurrentium ad martyrium concussa gentilitas regni sui
arbitrabatur imminere excidium, cum tali etiam praecinctos
virtute parvulos videret." A similar project is attributed
(mistakenly, without doubt) to Abdurrahman.

[2] _Ibid._, iii. c. vii. sec. 4. "Iusserat enim omnes
Christianos generali sententia perdere, feminasque publico
distractu disperdere." Cp. also Alvar, Life of Eul., iv. 12.
"Rex Mahomad incredibili rabie et effrenata sententia
Christicolum genus del ere funditus cogitabat."

[3] _Ibid._ "Multi insaniam modificare nitentes per trucem
voluntatis iniquae officium diversis et exquisitis occasionibus
gregem Christi impetere tentaverunt."

[4] _Ibid._ iii. c. vii. secs. 1, 2. Fleury, v. 520, says he
was a monk of Guadix.

[5] _Ibid._, ch. viii. secs. 1, 2.

[6] Eulog., "Mem. Sanct.," iii. ch. ix.

The cloisters of Tabanos had furnished so many fanatics that the
Government now suppressed the place, removing the nuns and shutting them
up to prevent others giving themselves up.[1] One of these however,
Columba,[2] sister of Elizabeth and of the abbot Martin, contrived to
escape. This Columba had persisted in remaining a virgin, in spite of
her mother's efforts to make her marry, which only ceased when the
mother died. She now gave herself up and was beheaded (September 17).

Just one month later Pomposa,[3] from