It is sinful to do them any injury, for we
see now that their faith is good and holy.
" To this the kadi objected,
saying that he was not holy, notwithstanding he remained unhurt amid the
fire; but that his tunic, being fabricated from the wool of the land of
Habraa, had protected him: That he ought therefore to be thrown naked into
the fire, and they should then see whether or not he would be consumed.
After this, the wicked Saracens, by direction of the kadi, made a fire
twice as large as the former; and, having stripped James quite naked, they
washed his body, and anointed him abundantly with oil, besides pouring a
great quantity of oil upon the faggots which composed the fire; and when
the fire was fully kindled, they threw friar James into the midst. Friars
Thomas and Demetrius, retiring from among the people, remained on their
knees praying to GOD, with many tears. Friar James, however, came a second
time unhurt from the fire, and the people again cried out that it was
sinful to injure these holy men. Upon this the Melich, or governor of the
city, called friar James to his presence, and causing him to put on his
garments, said to the friars, "We see, brothers, that by the Grace of God
ye have suffered no harm from us: wherefore we are convinced that ye are
holy men, and that your faith is good and true; we advise you to take
yourselves away out of this land as quickly as possible, as the kadi will
do his utmost to destroy you, because you have confounded his arguments".
At this time, likewise, the people were full of astonishment and
admiration of what they had seen, and were so filled with wonder at the
miracle, that they knew not what to believe, or how to conduct themselves.
The melich ordered the three friars to be carried across a small arm of
the sea, into a village at a moderate distance from the city, where he
ordered them to be lodged in the house of an idolater.
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