Here followeth of S. Calixtus, and first of his name.

Calixtus is said of caleo, cales, that is to say, eschauffe or make warm. For he was hot and burning, first in the love of God, and after, he was hot and burning in getting and purchasing souls, and thirdly, he was hot in destroying the false idols, and also in showing the pains for sin.

Of S. Calixtus.

Calixtus the pope was martyred the year of our Lord two hundred and twenty-two, under Alexander the emperor. And by the works of the said emperor the most apparent part of Rome was then burnt by vengeance of God, and the left arm of the idol Jupiter, which was of fine gold, was molten. And then all the priests of the idols went to the emperor Alexander, and required him that the gods that were angry might be appeased by sacrifices. And as they sacrificed on a Thursday by the morn, the air being all clear, four of the priests of the idols were smitten to death with one stroke of thunder. And the altar of Jupiter was burnt, so that all the people fled out of the walls of Rome. And when Palmatius, consul, knew that Calixtus with his clerks. hid him over the water of Tiber, he required that the christian men, by whom this evil was happed and come, should be put out for to purge and cleanse the city. And when he had received power for to do so, he hasted him incontinent with his knights for to accomplish it, and anon they were all made blind. And then Palmatius was afeard, and showed this unto Alexander. And then the emperor commanded that the Wednesday all the people should assemble and sacrifice to Mercury, that they might have answer upon these things. And as they sacrificed, a maid of the temple, which was named Juliana, was ravished of the devil, and began to cry: The god of Calixtus is very true and living, which is wroth and hath indignation of our ordures. And when Palmatius heard that, he went over Tiber unto the city of Ravenna unto S. Calixtus, and was baptized of him, he, his wife, and all his meiny. And when the emperor heard that, he did do call him, and delivered him to Simplician, senator, for to warn and treat him by fair words, because he was much profitable for the commune. And Palmatius persevered in fastings and in prayers. Then came to him a man which promised to him that if he healed his wife, which had the palsy, that he would believe in God anon. And when Palmatius had adored and prayed, the woman that was sick arose, and was all whole, and ran to Palmatius saying: Baptize me in the name of Jesu Christ, which hath taken me by the hand and lifted me up. Then came Calixtus and baptized her and her husband, and Simplician and many others. And when the emperor heard hereof, he sent to smite off the heads of all them that were baptized, and made Calixtus to live five days in the prison without meat and drink, and after, he saw that Calixtus was the more comforted and glad, and commanded that he should every day be beaten with staves. And after, he made a great stone to be bounden to his neck, and to be thrown down from an height out of a window into a pit. And Asterius, his priest, took up the body out of the pit, and after, buried the body in the cemetery of Calipodium.