Eberhard

ON BLESSED EBERHARD,

PROVOST OF MARCHTAL,

OF THE PREMONSTRATENSIAN ORDER IN SWABIA.

IN THE YEAR 1179.

Preface

Eberhard, Provost of Marchtal, of the Premonstratensian Order, in Swabia (Bl.)

D. P.

Marchtal, or (as the ancient Teutonic tongue gave it, and a very old manuscript codex has it) Marchtel, situated on the southern bank of the Danube and a village of the same name, which for the distinction of another lower one they call Obermarchtal, above the jutting rock in Upper Swabia, between the Austrian cities of Riedlingen and Ehingen, Site of the monastery is known to have come over to the Premonstratensian Canons' Order in the year of the Lord 1171, and indeed for the following reasons: which, received both from our Annals and from the letters of foundation to be set forth below, and the chronicle for the sake of the first Provost of this our Church, Lord Eberhard, who by the name of sanctity and blessedness, up to the present century of the year 1600, was heard among us his posterity, we have thought it fit to gather, together with his life briefly, to give in public for the glory of God and the ornament of our Premonstratensian Order. So far the Most Reverend Lord Nicholas, Abbot most worthy, in the year 1668, in which these things were being prepared, from which what is here given has been excerpted by Reverend Father George Muglin, Rector of our Augustan College, was asked again to have transcribed what had previously shone forth for us in the Addenda to January 2, concerning Blessed Odino or Ottinus, who, as is the opinion of most, is the brother of this Eberhard; and since they had been sent by Reverend Father Daniel Feldner, Confessor of the Bishop of Constance, they were thought to have perished. He did abundantly what we were asking, for he sent not only the same things (as appeared when the earlier were afterwards found), but also augmented by some not useless memories, and illustrated by learned Annotations; whose outstanding favor we gladly acknowledge, and proclaim for the stimulation of others. Besides the appellation of Blessed, constant and perpetual, and the elevation and translation of the sacred body of which below, nothing is done at Marchtal of those things which are usually done to Saints or Blessed, let alone that he has a cult diffused through the whole Order. Yet his image, such as are wont to be of the Blessed, the Most Reverend Lord Abbot John Engler Title of Blessed with image had engraved in copper, and publicized dedicated to the Most Illustrious Prince John, Bishop of Constance: which, had it come into the hands of the Most Distinguished Lord Chrysostom van der Sterre, Abbot of Antwerp, who wrote the Natales Sanctorum of the most Bright Premonstratensian Order, together with the above-cited and below-proposed records, would doubtless have given him a place among the Blessed of his Order. We, although in this kind we are more abstinent, especially concerning the professors of certain Orders, which we know to have more liberally given to very many not only the appellation but also the cult of Saints and Blessed, so that unless there be some present and public veneration, we do not receive all those whom they in some way call Blessed, have nonetheless thought that something should be granted to the supreme and almost excessive modesty of the ancient Premonstratensians in this regard, lest from those few whom tradition received from our elders constantly proclaims Blessed, especially those whose bodies have been more religiously placed and elevated from the common earth more than the rest, we should withhold the title of Blessed, and defraud posterity of the records submitted concerning them.

ACTS

from the Marchtal Manuscripts.

Eberhard, Provost of Marchtal, of the Premonstratensian Order, in Swabia (Bl.)

FROM MANUSCRIPTS.

[1] The monastery of Marchtal, around the year of the Lord 1000, certain Dukes of Swabia, dwelling on the neighboring mountain of ^a Altemburg, founded or restored, Marchtal deserted by secular canons and handed over to seven secular canons living under a Provost. But when in the course of time the seven prebends, founded for as many canons, had come into the hands also of secular men, because the canons, preferring fatter cattle to lean ones, and themselves living more lavishly on the incomes of the cathedrals, were maintaining their kinsmen from the people of Marchtal, it came to pass that in the course of time the divine worship in that place plainly lay prostrate. This greatly grieved the most noble woman Elisabeth, daughter of Rudolph, most powerful Count of Bregenz. ^b Since she had married Hugh, most powerful Count Palatine of Tübingen, at the request of his wife Elisabeth to whom by inheritance Marchtal and with it some of the aforesaid prebends had come, she was striking her husband with assiduous prayers, that he would confer the place consecrated to divine worship, but which was now for a long time neglected, upon some religious men, who would there, assiduous in divine praises, gather what was scattered and preserve what was gathered. To this petition Hugh at last kindly assenting, and considering that the Premonstratensian Order had in a short time much advanced before God and men, offered the aforesaid church, with certain possessions, to the church of Rot, asking that they should propagate the Order there, even as this was demanded from him by the gratitude which he owed to God for the victory obtained against enemies; ^c as he professed in letters both private and public given to this effect.

[2] Hugh, Count of Tübingen "To the Brethren in Christ most beloved to him, Ottenus the Provost and the Convent of the Monastery of Rot, Hugh Count Palatine of Tübingen, greeting and to

aspire to his good pleasures. Since we, by the help of divine grace, have brought back the most longed-for victory over our enemies, who had hemmed us and our land in with a military siege, and by our letters have made known to you the will of our desire, that for the praise and honor of the name of him who granted us to triumph over our enemies, from the bosom of your monastery, men certainly famous in religion and followers of virtue, we wished, with God granting, to build and found a monastery in the Premonstratensian Order; and we have found you ready and prepared for the accomplishment of this work, yet on this condition, that to the convent placed in the place of Marchtal, which came to us by right and title of ownership from our parents, he transfers it to the Premonstratensian Order in which the monastery was collapsed and empty, and in which we intend to found and build a monastery anew, we should confer competent rents and liberties necessary to the place and the Order, and that for the greater glory and advancement of the monastery itself, we should renounce every right of ours by whatever name called. We, considering that your desire would be consonant with reason, and that Brother Eberhard the Provost, whom you set over our new plantation as Pastor, with the addition to him of a company of Religious Clerics taken up from your congregation, with the sweet fame of a good life and excellent discretion, represents himself to earthly men as it were an angel: To the honor of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, Patron of the aforesaid monastery of Marchtal, we designate and have designated the Church at Bilningen with every right as a special dowry of the monastery, likewise the Parish Church in the very village of Marchtal, with the Church in Wachingen and Ambra, with every right which belonged to us, and seemed to belong, with most free right with the universal dowry of the same churches; also the fishery in the river Danube flowing past the monastery itself from Nuinburch to Hohenwarth, and other things which the privilege of foundation specifically contains, for the daily uses and expenses of those serving God in the aforesaid monastery, we have given and give: renouncing, for ourselves and for all our heirs, every right and exaction, every demand and exception, every advocacy and service of temporal convenience, which in the aforesaid monastery and in all the aforesaid things belongs to us, belonged, and seemed to belong; protesting that we, purely, simply, and precisely, for the honor of God and reverence of St. Peter, have resigned all these things, and have liberally renounced every right of ours, reserving to ourselves only the name of Founder. Moreover, if any of our ministerials, or plebeian men, to the oft-named monastery of Marchtal shall wish freely, or with the price received, to confer and donate anything, in remission of their sins or for a better exchange, let him know that the fullness of our permission and authority has been conferred on him by these presents. Given and done at Lustenau in the year of the Lord 1171, on the 7th day before the Ides of July, in the 14th Indiction. And that these things may remain more firm, we have caused the present little charter thereupon to be written, and fortified with the strength of our seal.

[3] "In the name of the holy and Individual Trinity. We wish it known to all, and he lavishly endows it with attributed estates both present and future, how I, Hugh, Count Palatine of Tübingen, with my beloved wife Elisabeth and our sons, for the remedy of our souls, of our successors, and of our parents, give in perpetual ownership to God and to his holy Mother Mary, and chiefly to St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and to the other Saints whose Relics are contained there, and to the Fathers there serving the Lord under the rule of Blessed Augustine in the Premonstratensian Order, the Church in Marchtal with all things pertaining to it, namely, hides, tithes, courtyards, buildings, slaves of both sexes, lands cultivated and uncultivated, meadows, pastures, forests, waters, watercourses, mills, roads and pathless places, outlets and incomes, things sought and to be acquired; and also four churches—one in the very village of Marchtal, the parish one; the second in the village of Bilringen with all things pertaining to it; the third in the village of Wachingen with all things duly pertaining to it; the fourth also in the village of Ambra with its tithes, and the other things belonging to it—also a prebend obtained for 50 marks. The estate also in Schalstetten, and the little village in Bettenkofenck, we confirm and give by these presents; adding that all the things written and named above we liberally bestow on the aforesaid monastery, reserving to ourselves and our heirs no lordship or right or name of advocacy in any way; but whatever lordship or right in these aforementioned things belongs to us or seemed to belong, we purely for God resign, and by the present instrument we profess to have renounced in every way. These things were done at Tübingen in the year of the Incarnation of the Lord 1171, in the 14th ^d Indiction, with Alexander III, the Pope, happily governing the Roman Church, with the most glorious Emperor Frederick reigning, with Otto the Bishop ruling the See of Constance, with those present fortified eternally by our seal."

[4] The first prelate, Lord Eberhard, was therefore established there, Under Provost Eberhard who is known to have sprung from the noble lineage of Wolfegg. Leaving behind many riches in the world (for he had been a powerful and wealthy Archdeacon), he had already for many years been joined to the men of Rot, both in habit and in most holy conduct: who, following the examples of the pious father Ottenus, in all things led a laudable life, shining with obedience, charity, humility, and the other virtues; whence, conquered by the prayers of many, and especially the obedience due to Ottenus of good memory, since he could not only preside but also profit, he first, as has been said, undertook to rule the Church of Marchtal, together with twelve persons, Clerics and Lay Converses. Entering it, he freely possessed the promised possessions; he presided over and profited our church well, whence he amply merited the Founder's favor, so that he gave other letters to him and his convent ^e.

[5] In the year of the Lord 1179, ^f seized by a most grave infirmity, with all integrity of sense, full of the Holy Spirit, on the 15th day before the Kalends of May, he rested in the Lord; for, as St. Augustine says, Whose body in the year 1179 he could not die badly who had so well lived: and he was buried in the porch in a certain sarcophagus, according to the opportunity of the time and place. For the rest, six years having passed, when Ulric, successor of Bl. Eberhard of good memory, also died on the 4th day before the Kalends of March, and wished to be enclosed in the same sarcophagus with his predecessor by the Brethren, when the sarcophagus was opened, the body of Bl. Eberhard of good memory was found filled with a sweet odor; moreover his right hand, with which the true priest of Christ was wont to consecrate the Body of the Lord and to bless the people subject to him, with the three first fingers raised up, and the others drawn back into the palm, appeared; as though to the sons standing by, astonished also at this miracle, Body incorrupt he might soothe with paternal blessing the grief for the lost father. Further, the body of this holy Father (whom the founder Hugh did not hesitate to call a heavenly Angel, and bade his most saddened sons to be most secure over the death of their sweetest father, and to resume due consolation, and to trust in the rewarder of all goods, certain that for the religious life which he had led in this world, Translated to the oratory of St. John in 1204 being beloved by God and men, he would receive an unfading crown), was translated from the porch to the Oratory of St. John the Baptist, in the year of the Lord 1204, on the Ides of April, in the presence of the Admirable and Reverend Lords, the most distinguished Prelates: Herman, Abbot of Zwiefalten; the Provosts of Rot, Reichenau, Roggenburg; and of the brothers Clerics with their Dean, and many others both of the Clergy and Laity.

ANNOTATIONS.

Notes

a. To this day are still seen the remains and ruins of a certain castle formerly called, and still now called, Altenburg, which set upon a mountain a stone's throw above a deep valley, toward the west is distant from the walls of the monastery; and our Annals testify that it belonged to the aforementioned Dukes of Swabia.

b. From elsewhere we have that the same was born of a sister of Duke Welf, and was a first cousin of Frederick Barbarossa, and that she also proceeded from the stock of Henry, Duke of Bavaria, and other princes.

c. For a war had broken out between Hugh and the aforementioned Welf, though joined by so near blood, savage and cruel, over the dowry of the said Elisabeth, and it was waged at Tübingen.

d. He who transcribed these letters in our Annals and Privileges, by omitting one digit or word, had set the 4th Indiction instead of the 14th, which we thought fit to correct.

e. Those letters still exist inserted in the aforementioned Privileges and our Annals, copies of which we did not care to write out, lest the bundle to be sent into a distant land should grow too large.

f. Our Chronicler seems here to have lapsed into error, who after having written that the church of Marchtal was founded in the year of the Lord 1171, and that this Eberhard presided eight years, nonetheless extends his death to the year 1183, on which reckoning it would be necessary that he had held the rule altogether 12 years. But he is shown not to have attended diligently to the computation of time, or to have been led astray from elsewhere: first, by letters which the oft-named founder Hugh is read to have given to Lord Ulric II, [Time of death of Bl. Eberhard] Prelate of our Church, the immediate successor of Bl. Eberhard of good memory, in 1179 in our privileges. Then by the manuscripts of Lord John Haber-kalt our Abbot, a most diligent compiler of our Antiquities, who began to hold the rule of our church in the year 1515 on July 22.

g. Concerning this translation it is read elsewhere thus: "Manegold, the fourth Provost of this our church, deceased in the Lord, when he was being buried clothed in sacred vestments in the oratory of Blessed John the Baptist, also the three other first predecessor Prelates, translated from the porch aforesaid, were placed with him in one and the same tomb there." So there. Further, just as we read many things in our annals concerning the aforecited Oratory of St. John, so now where it was we cannot discover by sufficiently evident traces, [Most recent finding of the body in 1660] on account of the manifold change of buildings and times, damaging to the monastery of Marchtal; we believe however that it stood at the exit of the present refectory, the seniors of our Convent relating this, who say they once heard it from their predecessors: among whom especially Reverend Lord Conrad Kneer, 13th Abbot of this church, who, more than seventy years old, died in the year of the Lord 1660, and confessed that he had heard often that in the aforementioned place this chapel once was. For when under the aforesaid most Reverend Abbot, for a certain vault or stairway to be raised, the foundation was being dug there, the digger suddenly came upon a small bone of wonderful odor, which, taken up, he offered to the other Fathers of our Convent, and to a lay Brother Franciscan Reformed named Zacheus; who both perceived the same sweet odor, and are still living to testify that they perceived it. Therefore they went more deeply into the bowels of the earth, and four bodies were found, lying in one place, which we have suspected to be of the first four Provosts, because of the place in which they were found; wherefore, gathered into one little box, they were honorably deposited. Our Church of Marchtal, therefore, from the year of its foundation until the year 1440, was governed by thirty-five Provosts, of whom the thirty-sixth [Provosts changed into Abbots in the year 1440] Henry by name, made first Abbot, elevated it with the dignity of a fuller title, and with well-performed affairs: so that up to this year fourteen Abbots are numbered to have presided, and the present one is altogether the fifteenth. To these words, in which they were sent to us, it suffices to have added this.