Account of the martyrdom of St Laurence

And that night was Laurence led to Decius, and when Hippolitus, who was there, saw that, he began to weep, and would have said that he was christened. And Laurence said to him: Hide Jesu Christ within thee, and when I cry, hear and come thither. And then all manner of torments that could be devised or thought were brought before Decius. And then said Decius to Laurence: Or thou shalt make sacrifice to the gods, or this night shall all these torments be dispensed on thee. And then Laurence said to him: My night hath no darkness, but all things shine in my sight. And then said Decius: Bring hither a bed of iron, that Laurence contumax may lie thereon. And the ministers despoiled him, and laid him stretched out upon a gridiron of iron, and laid burning coals under, and held him with forks of iron. Then said Laurence to Valerianus: Learn, thou cursed wretch, that thy coals give to me cool refreshment, but to thee they make ready eternal torment, and our Lord knoweth that I, being accused, have not forsaken him, and when I was intyerrogated I confessed Christ, and I being roasted give thanks unto God. And after this he said with a glad cheer unto Decius, Thou cursed wretch, thou hast roasted that one side, turn the other, and eat. And then he, rendering thanks to our Lord, said: I thank thee, Lord Jesu Christ, for I have deserved to enter into thy gates. And so gave up his spirit. And then Decius, being all confused, walked into the palace of Tiberius with Valerianus, and left the body lying upon the fire, which Hippolitus in the morning took away, with Justin the priest, and buried it with precious ointments in the field Veranus. And the Christian men that buried him, fasted three days and three nights, and hallowed the vigils, weeping there and wailing.

Source: Jacques de Voragine, The Golden Legend.