ON ST. GUNIFORT, MARTYR,
AT PAVIA IN ITALY,
PERHAPS UNDER MAXIMIAN.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
The rash confusion of this Saint with St. Cucufas the martyr; his cult from the Martyrologies; his native land, brother, sisters, the time of his martyrdom, and his Acts.
Gunifort, martyr, at Pavia in Italy (S.)
BY G. C.
I do not know what came into Castellanus's mind when in his Universal Martyrology, upon today's announcement of St. Gunifort which is read in the Roman Martyrology, This Saint, whom Castellanus wrongly confuses with St. Cucufas, he briefly noted in the margin that this holy martyr is the same as St. Cucufas, whose Acts our Bosch diligently illustrated on the XXV day of July. Castellanus indicates the same opinion of his more fully in the notes which he published in the year 1705 on the first two months of the Martyrology, where on the XV day of February, or page 656, treating of St. Cucufas, on the following page he confidently asserts that this holy martyr is honored at Ticinum or Pavia on the XXII of August under the name of Gunifort, on account of his sacred relics carried to Pavia on that day, which gave occasion for his cult.
[2] But Castellanus in this matter disagrees with all the writers of Pavia and others, wrongly confuses, who under the name of St. Gunifort recognize an altogether different martyr. And if he wished any credit to be given to this new opinion of his, he ought to have shown by evident documents that the relics of St. Cucufas came to Pavia on the XXII day of August, and that St. Cucufas was then called St. Gunifort by the citizens of Pavia, through a vast discrepancy or change of name, which seems in no way credible. Hence our Bosch in the preliminary Commentary to the Acts of St. Cucufas, volume VI of July, page 159, rejected that improbable opinion of Castellanus, and there a little afterwards set forth from Mombritius the very Acts of St. Cucufas, wholly different from the Acts of St. Gunifort, which we shall reprint from the same Mombritius after this preliminary paragraph: for the native land, the arena of martyrdom, and the other circumstances of the deeds of St. Cucufas and of St. Gunifort differ entirely from one another, as will become manifest to one who is willing to compare the Acts of both martyrs. Wherefore we do not know on what foundation Castellanus, otherwise generally circumspect in hagiological matters, so positively put forth that rash conjecture of his.
[3] Peter Galesinius is the first among the Martyrologists in whom we have found the annual memory of St. Gunifort marked on this day, in these words: he is announced in the Martyrologies at Pavia and at Milan, At Pavia, of St. Gunifort the martyr, whose deeds bravely done against the heretics, and wondrously and divinely performed, are related. Probably the mention of heretics, which is made here and in the Acts to be published below, led some writers to defer the martyrdom of St. Gunifort down to the times of the Arians, as we shall afterwards say. But the Roman Martyrology, indicating no note of time, thus briefly announces the same Saint today: At Pavia, of St. Gunifort the martyr. Further, Peter Paul Bosca in his Milanese Martyrology assigns to the same martyr not Pavia or Ticinum but Milan for the arena of his contest, in this announcement: At Milan, of St. Guinifort the martyr, who, being there pierced with arrows and almost consumed with countless wounds, when he had fled to Pavia, in that city, adorned with the crown of martyrdom, passed to heaven.
[4] which paradox is explained. But there Bosca presently explains his paradox thus: Although according to the opinion of the Roman Martyrology the people of Pavia claim Guinifort for themselves, nevertheless we ascribe him to our city also; since Guinifort owes his laurel of martyrdom to Milan, his tomb to Pavia. On this matter the people of Pavia will not contend, as I think, nor will they claim for themselves the glory of the martyrdom inflicted: for James Gualla in book 6 of the Sanctuary of Pavia, chapter 9, and other writers of Pavia, freely confess that St. Gunifort was wounded with arrows at Milan, and thence departed to Pavia, where after three days he happily rendered his soul to his Creator. More to the glory of the Milanese and to our purpose belong the words which the praised Bosca subjoins in the same place in this manner: St. Guinifort (whom the common people wrongly call Bonifort) is almost unknown at Milan, as Guinibold was once unknown at Como; yet Guinifort has at Milan, outside the Ticinese gate, a sacred building dedicated to his name. John Baptist Carisius in the Sacred Diary of the Church of Milan, on the XXII day of August, mentions the same church of St. Gunifort, which is situated outside the Ticinese gate. These things, and the Acts themselves, seem to us sufficient to establish the immemorial cult of today's holy martyr.
[5] Our Saint, going out of Scotland his native land But as regards the native land of the holy martyr, most writers, from the Acts in Mombritius, assert that St. Gunifort was a Scot by nation. Hence in the Scottish Menologies he is announced in Dempster on this day, and in Camerarius on the XXIX or XXX of October. The Irish also inscribe him in their Kalendars, who contend that they in ancient times were called by the name of Scots. But I have no wish to discuss that odious and intricate dispute, since Bolland, the founder of our Work, always abstained from deciding it, who in the Preface to the first volume of February, chapter 3, gives the following advice upon this matter: Further, to the Irish (for on their occasion we have come to this) we religiously keep the faith which we gave in the Preface to January, chapter 2, §6: that we by no means adjudge away from them the possession of the name of the Scotti and of their country, which they strive keenly to defend against the present inhabitants of Scotland, and the possession of the Saints, most of whom were of old called Scotti; but neither do we pronounce for them rather than for the Scots: for those whom we find named Scoti or Scotti in ancient codices, we call Scots; those Irish, whom we find Irish. Nor do we dispute whether the Irish and the Scots, whose country (as we have said from Bede) is Ireland, were one nation. Let them indeed contend, as long as they will, over the conferring of that famous ornament, provided they remain bound to one another in the communion of orthodox faith and Christian charity.
[6] Moreover St. Gunifort, a Scot or an Irishman by native land, as you will, with two sisters and a brother, had a brother named Guinibold or Gunibold, and two sisters, whose names are not expressed. Although these four champions underwent martyrdom on different days and in different places, yet Dempster, on occasion of St. Gunifort on the XXII day of August, thus mentions the other three in his Scottish Menology: At Milan, of Gunifort the martyr, who, when he had lost two sisters slain in Germany by the sword of barbarians, and when his brother had fallen at Como, slain for Christ, himself being pierced with arrows by the pagans, went thence to Pavia, and in the poor cottage of an old woman rendered his blessed soul to heaven; and that hut was turned into a church, and he is honored as patron of the city, and his Acts are extant in the Sanctuary of Pavia. The most illustrious Brautius on the same day in his poetical Martyrology thus sings of these four martyrs together:
His brother having suffered, and his twin sisters, he burned For martyrdom, until, pierced and burned, he died.
[7] Nay more, Primo Luigi Tatti in his Martyrology of Como announces the brother of St. Gunifort on the same XXII day of August in these words: being crowned with the laurel of martyrdom, At Como, the passion of St. Guinibold the martyr, a Scot by origin, who, together with his brother Gunifort and his two sisters, being harassed for the Christian faith, was compelled to change his country in order to escape the vexations of his kinsmen. And first indeed he betook himself into Germany, where for religion's sake he endured most savage scourgings from the heathen, and mourned his sisters slain. Presently, coming down from the Alps with his own brother, he arrived at Como. At Como, when he charged the heathen with impiety and announced to them the faith of Christ the Lord, he is accused before the prefect of the city to be punished, and being ordered by him to be silent about the worship of the one God, because he despised his commands, he was seized with Gunifort and dragged through the city, and at last, being condemned by a capital sentence under the emperor Maximian, passed victorious to heaven. Although Tatti on the XXII day of August celebrated the memory of St. Guinibold in his Martyrology of Como, yet in his notes he freely confesses that this brother of St. Gunifort suffered on another day, which is unknown. But it matters little that the certain day of that martyrdom is unknown to us: for all things which would have to be said of the brother and sisters of St. Gunifort on those days, if they were known, will be related in the Acts to be reprinted below. But since Tatti in the eulogy of St. Guinibold just related places the contest of this athlete, and consequently of his brother, under the emperor Maximian, this chronology of the martyrdom must be examined, which other writers do not admit, as we shall now see.
[8] not under the reign of Constantius or of Honorius, Ferrarius in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy on the XXII day of August, after abridging the Acts of St. Gunifort, has this annotation: The history of this martyr
seems quite defective, nor is it free from suspicion, since in it no mention is made of Pontiff, emperor, or king, nor of time; although it is probable that he was put to martyrdom under the emperor Constantius, at which time the Arians, whom he favored in a wonderful manner, greatly harassed the Catholics; which persecution also flourished under the Vandals and Goths. From this chronology of Ferrarius Dempster departs widely, when in the Ecclesiastical History of the Scottish Nation, book 7, number 575, he records today's holy martyr in these few words: St. Gunifort, born in a most noble station, was traveling in Italy while Theodosius was at Milan, and, being taken by the unbelievers and pierced with arrows, expired at Pavia, where his body, two churches having been built for him, is kept with great glory of miracles. I have not seen the Acts; but public report makes him a Scot. He is honored on the XXII day of August … He flourished in the year CDXVII, or thereabouts.
[9] as Luigi Tatti The above-praised Tatti in the Annals of Como, which he published in Italian in the year 1663, book 3, number 37 and following, attacks both those chronological arrangements at length, and defends his own opinion concerning the time of the martyrdom under the emperor Maximian with various arguments. But afterwards in the notes cited to the Martyrology of Como, which he published in the year 1675, he abridged this longer dissertation of his in Latin, and there on page 178 first undertakes to refute the chronological system of Ferrarius in this manner: A more arduous difficulty distresses us in establishing the time and the particular year in which Guinibold was slain, since different men think differently and so disagree among themselves that they cannot be brought to agreement. Some, among whom is Philip Ferrarius in On the Saints of Italy, are of this opinion, that they believe these brothers to have been slaughtered under the Arian emperor Constantius; yet they do not set forth a certain year.
[10] against Ferrarius Constantius held the reins of empire from the year of Christ CCCXXXVII until CCCLXI. We freely confess that he stirred up a persecution against the Catholics, being made a defender of the Arian heresy. Nevertheless we deny that the savagery of this emperor was aimed universally at the heads of Christians; he indeed persecuted some, but these because, as asserters of the Catholic faith, they abhorred communion with men of Arian perfidy. Insubria too felt some trouble in the years of the Lord CCCLV and CCCLIX, as may be seen in Baronius, volume three of the Ecclesiastical Annals. But one thing was the persecution of Constantius, another the persecution whose fury laid low Guinifort and Guinibold. Their preaching made war upon heathen superstition, not upon Arian doctrine; it overthrew the worship of idols, it did not defend the equality of the Son with the Father, as will be most plainly evident to anyone if he calls the Acts of our martyrs to judgment. Wherefore in no way can we agree that the martyrdom of Guinibold happened under Constantius.
[11] and Dempster rightly proves. Then he refutes the other chronology, that of Dempster, in these words: Others, among whom is Thomas Dempster in book seven of the Scottish History, wrongly persuade themselves that the slaying of Guinifort and Guinibold must be ascribed to the times of Honorius and Theodosius the Younger, which is diametrically opposed to the truth; for under these princes, patrons of the Catholic religion, neither heathen nor Arians were strong in Insubria, so as to rage so foully against the preachers of the Christian name at Como and Milan: for the Catholic faith, being propagated in all the cities of Insubria, lay open to no public persecution of unbelievers, and the unbelievers, restrained by repeated laws and decrees of the emperors, did not dare openly to persecute the Christians. It is indeed true that at Como under Honorius and Theodosius some heathen dwelt, and that these persisted even for some years while St. Abundius presided over that church, by whose prayers and miracles they were utterly destroyed both in the city and in the territory of Como. Yet at that time no attack of theirs, no persecution against the Christians raged such as that in which Guinibold lost his life for the faith of Christ: for although pagans mingled with the faithful inhabited this city, yet the city could not be called a city of pagans, who, as is clear from the Life of the Saints, ruled in it at their own pleasure when Guinibold, being struck with the sword, overcame them by dying.
[12] The opinions of others being refuted, Tatti at length in the same place on the following page again strives to establish the time of that martyrdom, but under some heathen emperor, which he had before placed under the reign of Maximian, by this reasoning: Since therefore neither opinion, whether that of Ferrarius or that of Dempster and his followers, accords with historical truth, we must with better reason assign the slaying of Guinibold and Guinifort to other times. That still pleases us which we wrote in book 3, number 37, of our Annals of Como, namely that Guinibold was crowned with martyrdom under Maximian about the year of the Lord CCCIII. This the Life of Guinifort plainly teaches, in which, although the names of the emperors persecuting the faithful are wrapped in silence, it very often and not obscurely shines forth that through the provinces of Scotland, of Germany, and of Italy the unbelievers were then especially raging against the Christians, when Guinibold met a glorious death in our city. For then truly (as this Life testifies) "daily those confessing that they bore the Christian name were slaughtered": for, to pass over the individual martyrs of the Insubrian cities, taken from the world and from this fleeting life in this cruelty of Maximian — at what time did Como reckon more champions of the Christian faith than when Maximian was exercising his tyranny? by whose savagery, that they might not perish for ever, there resolved to perish Carpophorus, Fidelis, Exanthus, Cassius, Secundus, Severinus, Licinius, Juliana, Matthew, Gusmaeus, and others almost innumerable, whose names are written in the Book of life, even though the insulting iniquity of past times has blotted out their struggles and their nobly done deeds.
[13] If therefore both at Como and at Milan the sword of Maximian was so wet with the continual blood of Christians at Milan he is grievously wounded for Christ, and dies at Pavia, that the persecutions of former tyrants might have seemed gladiators' games, when compared with the frequent savageries which he alone, an insatiable leech of Christian blood, displayed everywhere, in order to tear the name and love of Christ from the hearts of the inhabitants — who will more fittingly adapt the martyrdom of Guinibold and Guinifort to its own times than to those in which this execrable monster of savagery poured out his venom abundantly upon all the worshippers of Christ whom he found in our regions? In this persecution of Maximian therefore we have rightly placed the passion of Guinibold and of his brother, because the course of history speaks with us, and the truth is established on a firmer base. These arguments sufficiently prove that the martyrdom of St. Gunifort took place under heathen emperors; but they do not yet altogether prove that this martyr suffered under the determined reign of Maximian: for several preceding emperors also persecuted Christians everywhere, and afterwards heathen prefects of cities or provinces under certain succeeding emperors slew public worshippers of Christ with impunity. Since, however, that opinion of Tatti is probable and to be preferred to the two others, I have followed this chronology of Tatti, with the addition of the mark of doubt perhaps, and above in the margin have placed the slaying of St. Gunifort under Maximian.
[14] as the Acts relate, It only now remains that we give some brief preliminary notice concerning the Acts of these martyrs presently to be published, which a writer of unknown name and uncertain date wrote out. Boninus Mombritius first brought them to the light of day, concerning whom, as a collector of various Acts, the following is read in the Hierolexicon of both Macri under the word birrus, page 83: Mombritius, however, who had copied the Acts of the Saints from an ancient parchment manuscript Passional preserved in the Lateran archive, and had committed them to the press in the time of Sixtus IV, has thus concerning St. Cyprian. These things pertain to the date of Mombritius and to his collection. Moreover the biographer himself, whose name and date we do not know, appears little accurate, since he has expressed no notes of time, and in one place calls the pagans by the name of heretics, while meanwhile his whole narrative shows that those who put St. Gunifort and his brother to martyrdom were heathen, as we shall observe in the Annotations.
[15] concerning which we give some brief preliminary notice. Whence I wonder that Ferrarius was so easily led by that appellation of heretics that he therefore believed these martyrs to have been slain by the Arians: for Ferrarius himself in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy on the XXII day of April, after the Acts of St. Daniel, martyr of Lodi, has this annotation: What is here said of pagans is little probable; for there were not idolaters in Italy, and especially in these regions, under the emperor Charlemagne, unless by the name of pagans heretics be understood, as we have sometimes noticed in the histories of the Saints. But if the biographer of St. Daniel called heretics by the name of pagans, why on the contrary could not the unknown and perhaps unskilled author of these Acts designate pagans by the name of heretics, in which all the circumstances of the narrative evidently indicate the heathen superstition of the persecutors? This brief admonition being premised, we set forth the very history of our martyrs, and illustrate it with the customary observations.
ACTS
By an anonymous author of uncertain date.
From the edition of Boninus Mombritius, toward the end of volume one, folio CCCXXXVIII and following.
Gunifort, martyr, at Pavia in Italy (S.)
BHL Number: 8950
From Mombritius
PROLOGUE.
The biographer, after a brief prologue, When we see human praises and the honors of mortals either engraved in bronze or commended to the memory of posterity in letters shining with gold, I wonder why we do not blush to cover the victories of Christ's soldiers with silence: for infinite goods arise from thence when their honorable life is unfolded to men. For they are a mirror among the people, a measure and a pattern of living worthily of God; and many after their example are made humbler in prosperity and braver in adversity. Further, it is the praise of God when these things are read; the memory of the Saints is exalted, edification is imparted to minds, honor is shown to the martyrs.
CHAPTER I.
The Saint's departure from Scotland into foreign regions with his brother and two sisters, who underwent martyrdom for Christ in Germany.
relates how St. Gunifort I shall begin therefore to write the Life of the most blessed martyr Guinifort to the praise and glory of the most unconquered Emperor, our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the whole heavenly court: and although we shall by no means have been able to attain to all that concerns him, yet we shall set forth a few things out of thousands. For this martyr Guinifort with his brother Guinibold, of rather tall stature, were Scots a by race, of a most noble lineage: where, when there arose a grievous persecution of unbelieving heretics b, which terrified no small people there who cherished the Christian faith, these most glorious brothers by race, [and] no less by faith c, with their two sisters, suffered innumerable torments for the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, not only from persecuting enemies but even from parents and kinsfolk; as was foretold by the master of truth: And you shall be delivered up to the Gentiles by parents and kinsmen and friends, and they shall put some of you to death; and you shall be hated by all men for my name's sake. And that the words of truth may be fulfilled, the faithful of holy Church are despised and everywhere on earth are harassed and held in contempt, because it is necessary that those who are good should be tested.
[3] And this ought to seem strange to no one, if they well attend to the words of the psalmist, which say: The Lord will not leave the rod of sinners upon
the lot of the just, etc. And there follows a consolation, saying: with his brother and two sisters He will not suffer his own to be tempted above that which they are able. Blessed be God in all things and through all ages, who does not suffer a nation to be without a share of his faith, according to what is read: There is none who can hide himself from his heat: and when this most glorious martyr Guinifort, of whom we now make mention, whose feast we celebrate today d, had, with his brother Guinibold and his two sisters, determined for God's sake to renounce their parents and their country and to bear the naked cross of Christ, calling to mind, like good disciples, the word of the Gospel: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. But their parents seemed without ceasing to be calling them back from the Catholic faith by many delights and soft words, and were persuading them with cymbals and harps and organs, in order to please them, making their maidservants dance before them: whereupon the most glorious martyrs, mindful of the divine law, said: "We have resolved to serve God and to despise all the prosperity of the world for love of him, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ, according to that word of the Gospel: He who shall not leave father and mother, fields and vineyards and all that he possesses, is not worthy of me.*"
[4] he forsook his country, And so their parents began to cry out with a loud voice and to entreat their friends, saying: "Lament with us, for we see our sons willing of their own accord to perish." To this holy Guinifort answered: "We do not perish, if we can enter into the congregation of the just." But when they saw that they could not be bent by delights and prayers, they set themselves to afflict them with injuries and many afflictions, that they might despise the faith of Christ and offer sacrifices to the idols e. Then they came and thus addressed them: "Whence have you a breast so hard and so iron that you allow our grey hairs to be cast away, and take pains to snatch from a mother now decrepit her new-born children?" Then the renowned martyrs, when they saw that they and their sisters, the brides of Christ, were wearied by the weight of the contest they had begun, said to them: "O most sweet sisters, O brides of the supreme King, persevere with us in the fight, and do not fail in tribulations, for the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, which shall be revealed in us." But the persecution against them increased more day by day; and when they had long endured torments in the kingdom of Scotland for the name of Christ, fearing lest the affection of their parents, as commonly happens, should hinder their good and holy purpose, they departed from Scotland like four candlesticks lighting all their country with holy works, attending to that command of the Lord: If they persecute you in one city, flee into another. For they could have resisted their persecutors longer, as nobles and powerful in arms, and being, as we have said, not only most illustrious in family but also adorned with means; yet they chose to keep what is said: Not defending yourselves, dearly beloved; but give place to wrath.
[5] and his sisters being slain for Christ in Germany, Wearied nevertheless by many journeys, and having suffered labors, they came at length, under God's guidance, to the most wicked Germans f; among whom no small fury was stirred against the saints of God: for they afflicted the saints with iron rods and with various other punishments. And indeed the most blessed martyrs Guinifort and Guinibold, and their renowned sisters — women in body, not in mind, fair of face, but far fairer in heart — strove unconquered against the fierce savagery of the Germans, saying: "Fleeing the scourges, we have found scorpions; fleeing threats, we have found stripes. Alas, alas! the nation of our own region rises up against those who profess the faith itself and the Christian religion; but the German people rages against us in thirsting for their blood. Cruel is Scotland; but crueler is Germany. That mother drove us into exile for Christ, whom we worship; this stepmother seeks by the same means to kill us." Saying such things, they were beaten with many scourges. Amid these greater torments in the regions of the Germans their sisters suffered martyrdom for the faith of Jesus Christ, by which they came to the embraces of Christ, to whom they had bound themselves with the ring of faith.
[6] Thus also the martyrs, bereft of their sweet sisters, and desiring the more to live for God, he, envying their happiness, said with rising tears: "Why have you, O sisters, gone before us men, who ought to be the stronger, into the holocaust of God? We speak not in disdain of your prosperity, but in grieving over our own misery. O blessed sisters, with how great felicity were you found upon this earth. For you have come to die for him who deigned to shed his blood for you. For you can say: You have died for us. Let Scotland therefore rejoice together, because she bore them; let her grieve, because she has lost them. Let Germany grieve, because she slew them; let her rejoice, because she has their glorious bodies. Scotland was a mother; Germany a stepmother. The stepmother possesses, the mother is deprived. As, most sweet sisters, we were brothers by birth, so we ought to have been also by death. Perhaps Jesus Christ, for whom we have contended, has reserved us for greater contests to be endured. For the Germans spare us, because they believe that we can be recalled (which God forbid) to their error. Yet they labor in vain: for we are willing to bear for the Christian faith torments however great, even to the loss of our heads. Therefore, most cruel nation, do not spare us: for we shall not change our purpose: for it is better to die bodily than to be burned with eternal fires. Since you desire, most wicked nation, to harm us, do not spare us: for by sparing you do us more harm than if you should more quickly kill us."
[7] The persecutors, hearing such things, marveled at their great constancy; there, together with his brother, and when they perceived so great a will in them to die, they said: "Truly these men despise and spit upon threats and torments. And the more ardently they desire death, the more let them be spared." Meanwhile they caused them to be brought before them, to whom they said: "Guinifort and Guinibold, do you still persevere in your accustomed error?" And they, answering nothing, as though indignant, kept silence. They had long desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ. But those, questioning them further, said: "You must answer, most foolish men, if you still desire to persevere." Then the most blessed martyrs said to them: "O perverse nation, why do you give over your souls to the devil for nothing, calling error the Christian faith, which rewards those who cherish it with eternal life? Look to it, lest you perish with Satan. You inflict threats and torments, which with God's help we count as nothing. Also that punishment seems almost greater which is not ended by time than that which passes in a moment. We are not ignorant that you can kill the body; but the soul you cannot at all harm. Wherefore do quickly what you wish to do, for we are Christians and, though unworthily, cherish the faith of Christ."
[8] Hearing this the Germans began the more to question them about their faith, and what God they worshipped. he fearlessly taught the faith to those heathen, And they: "Jesus Christ, Son of God and of man, the beginning of our redemption, through whom and in whom were made all things which are contained in heaven, earth, and sea, and through whom were unbarred the gates of paradise, which remained closed to the human race because of the sin of the first parent. This Jesus, whom we worship, and relying on whose comfort we do not dread your torments, has by his blood opened these gates to his faithful. And they who shall enter through him shall be saved, as he himself testifies in the Gospel, saying: I am the door. If any man enter through me, he shall be saved, and shall find pasture. And elsewhere: He who follows me walks not in darkness, but shall have the light of life, says the Lord. Him therefore we worship, because he himself bore our infirmities and carried our sins: to him we desire to offer the sacrifice of praise: for he broke the chains by which we were dragged to hell. Therefore we desire to sacrifice our very selves to him, that we may be able to say with the psalmist: You have broken my bonds; to you we will sacrifice a victim of praise."
[9] and sought the laurel of martyrdom in vain. The German fury marvels at hearing this, and, not desisting from its savagery, strives to compel them to sacrifice to the demons, saying: "Either you must sacrifice to our gods g, or die by various torments." To whom they said: "To die we have long desired, God being witness; to sacrifice to dumb and deaf idols we altogether refuse: undaunted, we despise your threats and torments, and grieve more for the damnation of your souls than for our own death, which ought properly to be called eternal life. But why do you wait to lead us like peaceful victims to the sacrifice? Do you think that on account of your threats, which are as drops of rain, we will forsake the true God, creator of heaven and earth? Your depraved thoughts are without effect. For we marvel that, being thus seduced by the devil, you are obstinate in wickedness." Hearing these things, they knew them to be good men, and therefore were unwilling to kill them. Whence Christ's martyrs, greatly disturbed, said: "We are servants of Christ, who was born of a Virgin, and for him we desire to undergo death." Then they address one another with these words: "We are more unhappy than women: for our sisters have merited to receive the crown of martyrdom promised them by God."
ANNOTATIONS.
perhaps reduxerunt*
CHAPTER II.
The Saint's further journey with his brother into Italy, where the latter is slain by the heathen at Como; but the former, mortally wounded at Milan, dies piously a little afterwards at Pavia of his wounds.
Wherefore, having set out for Italy, But while they said these things among themselves, they entered upon
the counsel of crossing over into Italy, where at that time the persecution of the Christians was greatest. And with a prosperous journey they came into Italy, to the city of Como a, where daily those who confessed that they bore the Christian name were slaughtered: and when Guinifort and Guinibold heard this, they were filled with the greatest gladness, desiring to undergo martyrdom. And coming to the place where the Christians were being beheaded, they said to the lictors: "Why, most wicked men, do you so cruelly slay the saints of God? We too are Christians." And the men of Como b, hearing this, were astounded, saying: "These also have been seduced by the Christian error." Wherefore, coming to the Magistrate of the city, they told him: "There came to us today two men, where we were beheading men for the name of Christianity, cruelly rebuking us that we raged so bitterly against the servants of God; and calling themselves of their own accord Christians. Whence we were struck with vehement astonishment, since before, wherever there were Christians, we found that they carefully hid themselves c."
[11] But the governor, when he had heard these things, groaned with heavy grief, saying: they preach Christ publicly at Como, "Go, and bring them to me, all delay being set aside." And they, going out from his presence, found them in the open square openly preaching the death of the Savior, and with them an innumerable people who gladly heard their good words. And they said to them: "Christians, the prince of the city calls you. Come to him." To whom they said: "The prince of the city on high is Jesus Christ, the mediator of God and men, and her bridegroom, as it is read: I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned, etc. He is our prince; but yours, who calls us, is a minister of antichrist, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the spirit of his mouth, together with his impious master. Why do you try us, since we have nothing in common with him? And what have the ministers of Christ to do with the devil? Go, report that meanwhile we in no way dread his threats." And they came to the prince, reporting thus: "Our prince, light of our country, hear what the Christians say, to whom a little while ago you sent that they should come to you. For they preach the name of their faith publicly in the square, saying in the presence of the people that they fear neither you nor your threats. Order them therefore to be seized, before all your people be seduced by them; for already nearly all follow them."
[12] where St. Guinibold is beheaded; Then the prince of the men of Como rose up indignant, and, an assembly of soldiers being called, they took counsel how they might cruelly destroy those martyrs of God. And coming to them with many armed men, he attacked them with these words: "Whence are you, or why do you seduce my people?" And they said: "We are Scots by race, but Christians by profession. We do not seduce your people, but invite the sons of God to the eternal country of blessedness." Then the prince said: "Whom do you call sons of God?" And they said: "Those whom he himself redeemed with his blood." At this the savage tyrant raged, and ordered them to be led through the whole city and beheaded. Yet, recollecting himself a little afterwards, he thought that by the fear of the death of one the other might be led to his error. He therefore ordered that one of them should not be beheaded. And coming to their victory they rejoiced, as though invited to a banquet. But when it was doubtful which of them would more gladly deliver his head to the punishment, Guinibold was slain. By night his body was buried, secretly however, by faithful Christians in the city of Como, where it rests until this present day.
[13] but St. Gunifort, going on to Milan, Guinifort, departing alone, came to Milan, where without ceasing he preached the name of Christ the Lord, and took away the errors of many. For he believed that, by reason of his own sins, God was prolonging his hope and his life, since he had crowned his sisters and his brother. Wherefore, chafing, he spoke thus within himself: "God, creator of all things, since you have long since given the eternal crown to my sisters and my brother, why do you not receive me, your wretched and sinful servant?" While he was praying thus, the fury of the Milanese rose against him, saying: "Guinifort, sacrifice d." To whom he answered: "I desire to sacrifice myself to the living God as an odor of sweetness." "Whom do you call," said the persecutor, "the living God?" And he: "Jesus Christ, the living God and man, who made me and redeemed me with his blood."
[14] there he is wounded with many arrows, Then the tyrant and most savage persecutor, angry and filled with the greatest fury, commanded him to be led outside the city and beheaded. But before they came to the place to which the blessed man was being led, the most savage tyrant ordered his officers to strike him without ceasing with stones and arrows until they came to the aforesaid place; and moreover to scourge him with iron rods. Then the most impious officers, scarcely thinking to see the hour in which they might kill the most holy man, hurried him headlong outside the city of Milan; and the most cruel executioners, desiring to shed the blood of the innocent and to tear his glorious limbs, struck his most holy body with arrows and stones, and on this side and that filled the most holy martyr with arrows, so that he seemed like a hedgehog.
[15] and being thus wounded and left for dead, But the renowned martyr Guinifort, thus afflicted with innumerable punishments of martyrdom and beset with many injuries, could by no means be torn away from the love of Christ. But when the most impious officers, before they had struck the glorious martyr Guinifort and had brought him to the place where he was to be beheaded, he, overcome by exceeding affliction, fell as if dead to the earth, and, on bended knee, praised the Lord, saying: "Lord, king of eternal glory, kindly Father, receive my body and my soul, which I offer to you on the altar of sacrifice." But the most cruel officers, thinking him now dead, departed, leaving him lying* upon the ground.
[16] But after a little time, God willing, that most glorious body, so afflicted, so wounded, out of pious love of him came to Pavia, the most noble city of Italy; in which, all stricken and with arrows still fixed in his body which he had not been able to draw out, he was received with great reverence and charity by a certain most Christian woman devoted to God, who dwelt beside the church of St. Romanus. And when the most glorious martyr had stayed in her house three days, the man most beloved of God, Guinifort, being stripped of the burden of the flesh, passed to the courts of paradise, where he possesses the palm of martyrdom, having merited to be adorned with the crown of glory.
[17] Further, since the sanctity of this glorious martyr Guinifort was unknown to men, and after his death he shines with various miracles. Almighty God was unwilling that it should any longer lie hidden from men of how great merit and holiness the venerable martyr was: for after blessed Guinifort had rendered his soul to Christ, behold, about his body the angels of God stood with great brightness, illuminating the whole house in which he was, and filling it with a most fragrant odor. At which things both great and small with clear voice and the utmost joy magnified God, saying: "Blessed be God, who is always glorious in his Saints." And so, to the great glory of Almighty God and with the mighty joy of the faithful, on the eleventh of the Kalends of September he was buried in the church of St. Mary beside the church of the greater St. Romanus, where the glorious God wrought many miracles in his Saint through his merits. Many blind men indeed, coming to his sepulchre, merited to receive the light they desired. Innumerable sick men also and lepers were there healed by the prayers of the most blessed martyr Guinifort. Truly Pavia, most faithful of cities, ought not undeservedly to rejoice, which merited to possess the most sacred body of the renowned martyr Guinifort.
ANNOTATIONS.
perhaps jacente*