Bertulf

ON ST. BERTULF, ABBOT,

AT BOBBIO IN LIGURIA IN ITALY,

In the year 639 or 640.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

The Saint's lawful cult, his distinction from another of the same name, his Acts and their writer, and the year of his death.

Bertulf, abbot of Bobbio in Liguria in Italy (St.)

BY G. C.

Our Henschen, at the X day of March, on the occasion of St. Attala, whom our present St. Bertulf had as predecessor in the abbatial office, The Saint is recorded in the Supplements to Usuard, so described the situation of the monastery of Bobbio that we judge it superfluous to treat of it here again more laboriously. In this famous monastery two altars on either side contain the relics of the holy abbots Attala and Bertulf, as Mabillon in the Benedictine Annals, volume 1, page 308, testifies. Ughelli, in Italia Sacra, latest Venetian edition, volume 4, column 943 and following, reports a juridical instrument concerning the translation of SS. Columbanus, Attala, Bertulf, and other Saints of Bobbio, which was drawn up in the year 1482. But the annual memory of this latter holy Abbot occurs in the Supplements to Usuard, and by Greven the feast of Bertulf, abbot and confessor, is marked today. Molanus, however, announces the same Saint more distinctly in these words: At Bobbio, of St. Bertulf, abbot. Finally the Hérin codex of Usuard has expressly this concerning him: In the monastery of Bobbio, the deposition of St. Bertulf, abbot.

[2] He is marked also in our manuscript Florarium of the Saints, and in the Martyrology of the venerable Canisius. and in other Martyrologies is recorded; Add the monastic calendars of Wion, Menard, and Bucelinus. Nor was he neglected by Ferrarius, who adorns him with a notable eulogy; but from it it sufficiently appears that he did not have before his eyes the genuine Acts of this Saint, in which everything is removed which Ferrarius thought needed to be explained in a note: for in the Life written by Jonas there is no question of a fictitious bishopric of Cleron, which is also named in Baronius at the year of Christ 626, but of Tortona, as the ancient Acts of St. Bertulf, which we shall attach to this Preliminary Commentary, will evidently show.

[3] but in the Gallican Martyrology Further, from these things the ancient cult of St. Bertulf, abbot of Bobbio, seems to be abundantly proved, which Saussay also indicates in his Gallican Martyrology; but he wrongly confounds this Abbot's Acts with the deeds of another Saint of the same name, mixing many things ineptly, as you will readily understand from his announcement subjoined here, which he sets forth on the XIX day of August in these words: On the same day, in the monastery of Bobbio, of St. Bertulf the abbot, who as a boy from Germany, by divine impulse leaving his heathen parents and coming into Artois, received the grace of baptism at Renty, a village of the diocese of Thérouanne, and, distinguished with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, was enrolled in the clerical order, and being taken into the service of Wambert and his wife Homburga, and receiving the stewardship of the whole house, multiplied the wealth entrusted to him by his masters (though rather too lavish toward the poor) not only in heaven, but at home and abroad.

[4] he is ineptly confounded Hence he went with those same most pious lords to Rome to see and kiss the thresholds of the Apostles; and acquired with them so great goodwill, on account of his approved probity and singular piety, that thenceforth he was reckoned by them not a servant but a son: by whom being also made heir, after they had departed to the rewards above, he consecrated the estate of Renty to God for the use of the poor and of the many Brethren whom he summoned to the service of Christ; and so, after he had performed a service pleasing to the Lord, the faithful servant received the reward of merits laid up for him. He rests, after various tossings, at Blandinium among the people of Ghent, famous with a cult befitting his sanctity. Yet a part of his relics is at Arles, laid up in the greater basilica, to which, from his own little shrine razed to the ground, the little chest of his pledges was at last brought, for a safer place and a more distinguished cult.

[5] But all these things belong to the other St. Bertulf, with another Saint of the same name, formerly famous in Artois, whose body after various depositions was at last translated to Mount Blandinium among the people of Ghent, as our predecessors reported at length at the V day of February. Nay more, Saussay himself, on the V day of February in his Gallican Martyrology, announces this St. Bertulf, of Blandinium by the translation of his body, thus: At Ghent in the monastery of Blandinium, of St. Bertulf, abbot and confessor, who, having fully formed the congregation committed to him by the example of his life, by zeal for religion and by heavenly doctrine, gleaming with an incredible brightness of the rays of sanctity, flew away to the mountains above. I do not know what moved Saussay to apply the deeds of this Bertulf to our present one. It is scarcely worth while to observe that Trithemius, in his work On Illustrious Men, chapter 308, called the Belgian monastery of Lobbes instead of the Italian Bobbio: for perhaps this change of a single letter is to be imputed to the printer rather than to the writer himself.

[6] But in this way Saussay's gross error cannot be excused, as is plain from a synopsis of the Life, which, that you may see it more easily at a single glance of the eyes, take the summary Acts of St. Bertulf of Bobbio from Mabillon, who in the Benedictine Annals at the year of Christ 628, chapter 7, thus abridged them: In this year which we have in hand, abbot Bertulf, whom we said succeeded Attala in the government of the monastery of Bobbio, being harassed by the bishop of Tortona, went to Rome, that he might obtain a privilege of liberty from Pope Honorius. The matter is narrated by the monk Jonas, companion of that journey, from whom we have received the course of his journey and of his life. Bertulf, a heathen indeed by birth, but noble by family, being a kinsman of Arnulf, bishop of Metz, when he beheld him, after courtly honors and the pomps of the world, panting also for the pursuits of religion and solitude in preference to the pontifical fillets, resolved by his example to forsake country and parents, and, leaving all things, naked to follow the naked Christ. And so, having stayed a while with Arnulf while he was still bishop, he then betook himself to Luxeuil, to the venerable abbot Eustasius, to be trained by him in monastic matters. But when Attala, abbot of Bobbio, had come thither from Italy — for what cause is uncertain — he accompanied him on his return to Bobbio, with Eustasius's consent, and persisted in living under his discipline and obedience.

[7] On his death the wishes of the men of Bobbio conspired upon Bertulf, which Mabillon in the Benedictine Annals and with unanimous and consonant voice all proclaimed Bertulf abbot. At the beginning of his rule Probus, bishop of Tortona — in others Procus and Proculus — in whose parish the monastery of Bobbio was reckoned, endeavored to subject abbot Bertulf with his whole congregation to himself; and having solicited the neighboring bishops, he tried even the king himself, Ariovald, though an Arian, to join him to his side. But he, being now fairer and milder toward the men of Bobbio, replied that it must be considered whether monasteries situated far from cities ought to be subject to bishops. This being understood, Bertulf sent messengers to the king himself to make trial; to whom he said: "It is not for me to determine the causes of priests, which must be examined by synodal judgment." But when the messengers asked whether he would support the bishop and his partisans, "By no means," he said, "shall I favor those who make trouble for the servants of God."*

[8] Then Bertulf, marvelling that the king had spoken so kindly of him, asked that he might be allowed to set out for Rome with public supply and provision; and having obtained this, he went to Pope Honorius, the monk Jonas accompanying and serving him, and informed him of his cause. Honorius, the cause being learned, from the contemporary writer of the Acts and the discipline of the men of Bobbio being understood and approved, praised them and granted that they should remain in their former liberty and persevere in keenly attacking the Arian perfidy; and he bestowed the right that the monastery of Bobbio should never be subject to episcopal power. There is extant a Pontifical diploma on this matter in volume four of Italia Sacra (namely of the old Roman edition, column [ ] and the following), given on the III Ides of January (one should read June) in the eighth year of Heraclius Augustus, in the first Indiction: which notes agree with the present year. Hence we understand that the men of Bobbio had by this time already departed from the Scottish rites, since Honorius, who questioned Bertulf carefully about their regular discipline and institutes, approved their norm and rites, and would not have approved them if they had then celebrated Easter otherwise than the Roman church.

[9] excerpted. On the return journey Bertulf, when, having traversed Tuscany, he reached the Apennine Alps, being struck with a most grievous fever, was almost reduced to extremity. But when, by the violence of the disease, he was compelled to halt and pass the night in a rough place under a tent, on the very vigil of the Passion of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul — from which day I have corrected the month of the granted privilege — amid the burning heats of the fever, in the dead of night, when all were sunk in deep sleep, Peter, the prince of the Apostles, seemed to stand by him, commanding him to rise at once and to go in health to his companions; and so, being whole, he continued the journey he had begun as far as Bobbio. These things are wholly foreign to the Acts of the other St. Bertulf, which our predecessors illustrated on the V day of February, as may be seen in our Work at that day. From all these things it evidently appears that the diligent but insufficiently cautious collector of the Gallican Martyrology, in the present

eulogy of St. Bertulf of Bobbio which he composed, nodded — which sometimes happens to him elsewhere.

[10] Mabillon published also a longer Life of him, The aforesaid Mabillon excerpted that summary of the Life, which will bring some light to the Acts to be published below, from the lucubration of the monk Jonas, which he published among the Acts of the Saints of the Benedictine Order, century 2, page 160, and to which he prefixed the following observations: We have attempted to restore the Life of St. Bertulf, third abbot of Bobbio, falsely ascribed to the venerable Bede and polished up by Surius. We found it, but mutilated, in a certain copy of our monastery of Compiègne, in which the lucubrations of Jonas, except the life of St. Eustasius the abbot, are so arranged that the Life of St. Columbanus makes one book, the Life of St. Attala the abbot another, and the narrative of the wonderful things done in the monastery of Faremoutiers a third, divided into eighteen chapters, of which the thirteenth comprises the Acts of St. Bertulf, abbot of Bobbio, such as are here subjoined; the other five (which indeed, being wanting in the torn manuscript codex, we have supplied from Surius) touch upon the notable deeds and excellent death of certain monks of Bobbio. Jonas the author was present as witness to almost all these things. To Jonas we have added Frodoard's poem on St. Bertulf, received from a manuscript codex of the Reverend Discalced Carmelite Fathers of Paris, as also some other matter about SS. Columbanus and Attala, which we have already presented above in their places.

[11] which, found by us in another manuscript codex, We have a similar lucubration of Jonas in an ancient codex of our Museum, which is marked ✠ Ms. 86, and which we received long ago from our college of Molsheim, an exchange having been made with other books, as Henschen noted at the beginning of that codex. In that codex of ours are read seven chapters about the notable deeds of certain monks of Bobbio, which were wanting in Mabillon's mutilated codex. But since St. Bertulf of Bobbio alone is to be illustrated by us today, we refer those monks to their proper places, of whom there has already been treatment in our Work, or will be in due time. I candidly confess that certain words in our aforementioned manuscript codex have been dislocated or corrupted by an unskilled copyist. Wherefore we shall correct those errors from Mabillon's edition, and shall warn the reader in the margin or in the Annotations, after our custom, if any discrepancy worthy of note shall occur. To this Life we shall subjoin Frodoard's Poem, which will receive light from the Acts set before it, and will be further illustrated by marginal notes.

[12] It is certainly strange that Jonas left so few of St. Bertulf's deeds to posterity, we here publish again, the year of his death being first indicated. as we shall note below, and made no mention of the time of his death. Yet among the chronologists there is almost agreement about the year of his death: for Charles Le Cointe in the Annals of the Franks at the year of Christ 640, number 24, laboriously proves that St. Bertulf departed to the Blessed in that very year 640. With Le Cointe agrees Mabillon, when in the Benedictine Annals at the same year of Christ 640, chapter 2, he writes these few words about the death of that holy Abbot: On the third day after Arnulf's death his kinsman Bertulf, abbot of Bobbio, likewise departed from among the living, after thirteen years of rule from the death of St. Attala his predecessor. I said that among the chronologists there is almost agreement about the year of his death, because Pagi, in his Critique of Baronius at the year 640, number 12, doubts whether his death is to be attached to this year or to the preceding, when he sets forth in the same place the following: Jonas, monk of Bobbio, disciple of St. Bertulf, third abbot of Bobbio, in the Life of this holy Abbot, which is extant in the second Benedictine Century, number 3, writes of him: "Who for thirteen years did not fail with all diligent zeal to teach the people and imbue them with saving admonitions." Wherefore, since in the year six hundred and twenty-seven he succeeded St. Attala in the government of the monastery of Bobbio, as I showed at that year, he passed to God in this year or the preceding. We, following that doubt of Pagi, have at the beginning of this Preliminary Commentary fixed St. Bertulf's death at the year 639 or 640, and now set forth his Life from the codex of ours which we promised.

THE LIFE

By Jonas, a monk of Bobbio, a contemporary witness and in many things an eyewitness.

From an ancient codex of our Museum, which is marked ✠ Ms. 86, and which we have collated with Mabillon's edition.

Bertulf, abbot of Bobbio in Liguria in Italy (St.)

BHL Number: 1311

BY JONAS THE MONK.

The author's prologue. How illustrious are the memorials of the Just, the order of the learned through the vicissitudes of the times has striven to declare to posterity. What therefore is known to have been wrought in our own times we ought by no means to pass over in silence, sluggish in the sleep of negligence; so that, as the examples of those who went before generate in us more abundant zeal for religion, so afterwards they may bring forth for posterity increases of our own times: and while we spread abroad things for others to imitate, we set before ourselves things often to be remembered. For what manner of man, and how great a man, the venerable Bertulf, prelate of the monastery of Bobbio, of whom we made mention above, was, must not be omitted by us to be handed down to memory: but first must be recorded what his manner of life in the world was.

[2] Bertulf, kinsman of St. Arnulf, seeks Luxeuil. For he was noble by family, though a heathen, a kinsman of blessed Arnulf, bishop of the city of Metz ^a. And when he saw the aforesaid bishop Arnulf, after courtly honors, fillets, and the pomps of the world, panting for the pursuits of Religion, he too strove, trampling earthly things, to desire heavenly ones. He set behind him father and native soil and the pomps of the city, according to the word of the Gospel: after the loss of his goods, taking up the cross naked and denying himself, he followed Christ. Being joined to the aforesaid bishop Arnulf, he stayed with him a while ^b. Then he went to the venerable man Eustasius ^c at Luxeuil ^d, where, long subject to the holy rule, he remained pleasing to all in religion.

[3] Setting out for Bobbio with Attala Thereafter, blessed Attala ^e arriving from the parts of Ausonia ^f, with the goodwill and in the bond of peace of the venerable man Eustasius \*, he was joined to his company: for they had one heart and one soul, nor did any discord remain if they mutually and in turn exchanged those subject to them. He went therefore in the footsteps of the venerable Attala, and being received within the borders of Ausonia, he remained in the monastery of Bobbio under the obedience of blessed Attala. And when the Author of all things had raised the oft-named father Attala to the heavenly kingdoms after the toils of this world, the whole assembly of monks with united voice and mind raised Bertulf to the paternal honor ^g. Who for thirteen years did not fail with all diligence and zeal to teach the people and imbue them with wholesome admonitions. But what he did in these times must be handed down to memory.

[4] When now he was governing the people with excellent manners, goodness and discipline, and with knowledge as his guide, is harassed in vain by the bishop of Tortona the ancient serpent began to shake his quiet mind with the blow of adversity. He stirred up a certain man named Procus ^h, bishop of the city of Tortona ⁱ, who strove with all his might to make the aforesaid abbot subject to himself together with the establishment ^k of the monastery; setting himself first to try the courtiers and neighboring bishops with gifts. And when he rejoiced that they were joined to him, he went to persuade the king through them. For at that same time Ariovald the Lombard was reigning. But when they received from the king no other answer than that they should determine after the ecclesiastical manner \* whether monasteries far from cities ought so to be subject to episcopal lordship, he joins to his purpose all whom he could.

[5] about immunity. And while these things were being done, one of the courtiers privately made known to the aforesaid Bertulf what mischief they were contriving in the matter. He sent messengers to the king to make trial, to whom Ariovald said: "It is not mine to decide the causes of Priests, which a synodal examination ought to bring to clearness." They inquire whether he is a supporter of their design. He says that he by no means favors those who wish to stir up troubles against the servant of God. And when they saw that a man, though a barbarian and a believer of the Arian sect, spoke thus, they ask to be supported with public provision, that they may be able to come to Rome to the Apostolic See.

[6] The favor being granted, the aforesaid abbot, He goes to Pope Honorius, Jonas accompanying him in whose service I was, went all the way to Rome, to Pope Honorius ^l. And when he had laid open to him the cause of the matter, he purposely asks what is the custom of their regular discipline. And when he had set forth all things with eager spirit in the Prelate's ears, the series of their rule, the observance of religion, and the tokens of humility pleased blessed Honorius. He therefore kept him a while, and, striving with daily discourse to strengthen Bertulf, that he should not abandon the labor of the journey he had begun, and should not refuse to smite the perfidy of the Arian plague with the Gospel sword. For the venerable prelate Honorius was shrewd in mind, vigorous in counsel, renowned in learning, abounding in sweetness and humility. He rejoiced to have found from among the nations a companion to whom he might utter sweet discourse; nor was he at all pleased that he should soon be parted from his company.

[7] But since the violent heat forbade a long space of rest \, he granted the desired boon, from whom he obtains privileges of immunity. and bestowed the privileges ^m of the Apostolic See, so that none of the Bishops should attempt by any right to lord it over the aforesaid monastery. Having therefore obtained the desired boon \, we strove to return to our own country.

[8] And when, the space of the journey being accomplished and the fields of Tuscany left behind \*, we reached the Apennine lands, and had come near the fortress whose name is Bismantum ⁿ, so great a force of fevers oppressed Bertulf that it was believed he would be altogether overtaken by death. Sick, he attends to sacred matters. For he had set out sick from the city. Sorrow had oppressed us all, both at so long a journey and at the suffering of our sick Father: and having no hope at all of his recovery, we pitched a tent and encamped in a rough place, hemmed in on every side by sorrow, and not at all confident of our Father's recovery. For it was the vigil of the passion of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul. And when now black night was falling on, he called me amid the fires of the fever, and his mind, given over to cares, roused me for the nightly vigil. And when I said that all things had now been laid down, he said: "Do you keep watch before my bed all the night through, until the twilight of day breaks forth." And when I had kept watch until the dead of night came on, so great a drowsiness oppressed me that I could not lift up my head: and all who were keeping watch about the tent, the baggage, or the horses, were weighed down by a like drowsiness.

[9] And when therefore silence had covered all things, He is healed by Bl. Peter. blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, came and stood over the bed of our sick Father; "Rise," he said, "and go in health to your companions." And when he asked who he was, he said: "Peter. My solemnities are celebrated today in splendor throughout the whole world." And when he had said this, he departed. He, struck with fear, with anxious and trembling heart is at pains to inquire of me what the cause of the matter was. For he thought that I had both heard the voice and seen the appearance. And when I said that I had seen or heard nothing: "Do you not perceive," he said, "the golden light whither the Apostle Peter goes?" And when I said that I did not see it at all, he began to keep silence. And when I had learned what the cause of the matter was, I scarcely at last deserved to obtain by entreaties

that he should lay open to me the truth of the matter: which he would have kept altogether silent, had he not thought that I had both heard and seen.

[10] When on a certain occasion, the office of psalmody being completed, He frees two possessed persons. he was going out of the church of Bl. Peter with the brethren at the second hour of the day, he met on the way a man named Turinus ^o, full of the raging of a demon. Looking upon whom, he gazed toward heaven and asked the Creator to be present in favor of his voice, and, taking counsel by his prayers, to heal the man wounded by the plague of the demon. Then he commanded that the raging force of the demon should go out of the man, and should by no means presume to stain the image of God. Marvellously, tearing him, the wicked plague fled from the man, and health forthwith followed; and going out from the church safe together with the brethren, and remaining whole, he rendered thanks to the Creator, who, thus swiftly favoring his Servant and hearkening to his prayers, came to the aid of his torment. Then, an interval of time having passed, another, a little child oppressed by the savage plague of a demon, by name Dominicus, son of a certain man named Urbanus, hastened to him to be healed. Whom, rebuking the demon at length, he cured, and made the savage plague go out of the man. Then another miracle followed.

[11] He cleanses a leper. A certain leper, covered with a violent leprosy, having no confidence of receiving health from physicians, came to the venerable man Bertulf, and asked that by his prayers he might deserve the help of mercy. And when the man, full of confidence, had looked upon him, he sighed that the man lay under a most grievous punishment, and commands him to stay with him until he should be restored to health. He gave his effort; and his mind, conscious of virtues, penetrating the heavens, roused the Creator of all things to his prayers; and, a two days' fast being accomplished, he poured oil over the limbs full of ulcers: and soon the limbs began to recover health after the putrefaction of the flesh, and to return again to their former comeliness; and so the sick man was made whole, so that not even a trace of the leprosy appeared on his body. And thus the Creator of all things comes to the aid of his servants with his favor, so that, being more abundantly strengthened with the vigor of virtues, they may, trampling on transitory things, ever strive to fulfil the heavenly proclamations [p].

ANNOTATIONS.

p. It is certainly strange that Jonas suppressed in silence the rest of St. Bertulf's deeds, and those not a few: for that what he has hitherto described as done on the Roman journey befell at the beginning of the holy Abbot's prelacy is gathered from the aforementioned privilege of Pope Honorius. Yet Jonas was writing this after the death of St. Bertulf himself, since he assigns him thirteen years of rule above at number 3, and inscribes these lucubrations to Bobolenus, St. Bertulf's successor, in the prologue prefixed to the Life of St. Columbanus, as Mabillon noted at the end of the Acts.

\ elsewhere the man Eustasius*

\ elsewhere by right*

\ elsewhere of seeking*

\ rather the boon having been obtained*

\ for the fields of Tuscany being left behind*

A POEM ON THE DEEDS OF ST. BERTULF, ABBOT OF BOBBIO,

By Frodoard, Canon of Rheims, who flourished in the tenth century.

From Mabillon's edition, Benedictine century 2, page 166 and following.

Bertulf, abbot of Bobbio in Liguria in Italy (St.)

BHL Number: 1313

Him \* there follows, burning with the love of Religion, Bertulf, whom a Frankish stock brought forth, high in blood, Cleaving in lineage to the renowned bishop Arnulf; Whom, seeing him with heavenly mind despise the lofty summits, He follows, and scorning the steep heights of the world, He seizes the high trophies of the Cross; And seeking Eustasius, who by rule kept Columbanus's camp at Luxeuil, he is raised by kindly admonitions, And pleasing to all he lives, apt and strong in virtue. But when Attala seeks Gaul \* and the company of Luxeuil, With the friendly favor of the piety of both Fathers \*, Giving himself to him also he obtains the Italian contests, And remains faithful. But after the Father \* departs to the stars, By the common zeal \* of the Brethren he is chosen master, And cherishes and rules those taken under his divine guidance. The serpent, brewing black poisons, drives to wicked deeds The hearts of neighbors, urging that this man \* be made subject To the neighboring Bishop, nor does he cease to seek \* his own sown fields. Hence he goes to the nobles, hence to the king, nor does he abandon his wishes, Nor start back from what he has begun. By which compelling force the blessed Father goes to entreat the Pope of Romulus's line. Being questioned, he recites his rule, unfolds its precepts. Bishop Honorius rejoices in the fitting admonitions, And embracing the man, cherishes, venerates, and honors him, And grants him rights, and fortifies his laws and governance, And unwillingly lets him return. He was wearing away The Tuscan fields with drooping step: languor had pressed the Father, Anguish the disciples clinging to him, having no hope of his returning. Night brings the watches of strength unharmed … The sick Father orders the observance of Apostolic right, And arranges that the solemnities be kept with the accustomed rite, Appointing them to keep vigil for himself and for his companions. Night subdues their cares, deep sleep overwhelms them all, Lethean forgetfulness lays low even the watchmen. Left \* by his followers, he is lifted up with Christ for guardian, And the Abbot is comforted while he is visited by Peter \* the Prince. He is bidden to rise, and commanded to return in health, And he hears \* that Peter himself has sought him as patron. Astonished, he asks the roused attendant to tell what he had seen: The other, denying that he was lit with the light sought for, Asks that this be revealed, and wrings it out with panting prayers, And notes what he has found, and comes as witness to the deeds \*. The Father himself goes strong, and makes others go strong; He drives out demonic plagues, cleanses minds by prayer. Victorinus, who experienced this, being set in the kindly one's way, Without delay is cured, and, made whole, is eager to give thanks. So a boy oppressed and devoured by a savage robber Returns at the Abbot's nod, rescued from the black jaws. The wasting of leprosy too he drives out by heaven's honor, And him whom the physicians despaired of he makes whole With sacred ointment after pious vows, after he keeps fasts. And thus he cleanses the skin of its stain, the flesh of its corruption, So that comeliness \* leaves behind no traces of the disease.

\* Attala

\* Gaul

\* Eustasius and Attala

\* Attala

\* desire

\* Bertulf

\* granted

\* left by his disciples

\* by Peter

\* he hears

\ Perhaps one should read ad acta* to the deeds

\* namely health