Erminold of Prüfening

ON ST. ERMINOLD, ABBOT AND MARTYR.

A.D. 1121.

Erminold, Abbot of Prüfening in Germany (S.)

[1] The name of the holy Abbot and Martyr Erminold is inscribed in the sacred calendars by Ferrarius in these words: "The 8th of the Ides of January. St. Erminold's name in the Martyrology. At Regensburg, of St. Ermenold, Abbot of Brüfening and Martyr." Benedict Dorganius in his Benedictine Martyrology: "Of St. Ermenold, Abbot and Martyr, ^a man of great virtues." But Hugo Menardus in his Martyrology under January 5: "In Germany, of St. Ermenold, Abbot and Martyr, of the Cluniac Order."

[2] Trithemius writes of him thus in his Hirsau Chronicle, recalling illustrious men who came from Hirsau: "Evernold, ^a monk of this monastery of Hirsau, was appointed Abbot of the monastery of Briuerunge — ^a man most holy in learning and conduct, who is said to have been famous for many miracles both in life and after death. His life and conduct together with his miracles are recorded more fully in two booklets kept in the aforesaid monastery." That life, written by an anonymous monk of Prüfening about the year 1290, was published by Henricus Canisius in Volume 2 of his Ancient Readings, and exists in the Supplement to Surius.

[3] Baronius mentions St. Erminold in Volume 12, year 1121, numbers 7 and 8. Raderus does so in Volume 1 of Holy Bavaria, where he gives ^a summary of the life.

LIFE.

Erminold, Abbot of Prüfening in Germany (S.) BHL Number: 2615

By an anonymous monk.

PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR.

[1] In these last days, in which It is useful to write the lives of the Saints. — alas! — according to the Psalmist's complaint, "the faithful have vanished and truths have diminished among the sons of men" Psalm 11:1, we are prompted both by the prompting of reason and allured by the usefulness and benefit itself to recall in writing and commit to the memory of posterity the holiness of our good predecessors. For the Holy of Holies, from whom all holiness, as from ^a primary fountain, flows forth in manifold streams upon the Saints, is known and praised in the limpid purity of those streams, and arouses ^a salutary thirst for Himself in those who, by reading, sense and taste beforehand the sweetness derived from Him in the wondrous delight of His own. In addition to this, we who seek the city that is to come, having no abiding one in this world, while in this life's and way's encampment, when we look upon the paths of those who, despising both the sinister hand of an opposing world and the right hand of ^a flattering one, walking the royal road, kept to it — we ourselves also, following the right footsteps of the righteous, are not led astray to the crooked crossroads of the very many who go astray, who ensnare those who follow them and plunge those ensnared into everlasting sorrows. Finally, by commemorating and writing down the good deeds of the Saints, we also achieve this: that we deserve to be aided by their help insofar as we rejoice in their virtues and glory. And while by the examples of the good we kindle and admonish others who read these things toward the pursuit of good, the intercession of those very ones whom we have prompted follows us, and from the Lord in whom we labor ^a sure reward is obtained.

[2] Considering these things, we direct the course of our pen to describing the magnificent deeds of the most blessed Erminold, first Abbot of the Church of Prüfening — who, like ^a distinguished and leading ram of our flock and ^a most faithful first shepherd, preceded us to the heavenly folds of the Supreme Shepherd. Nor do we undertake so arduous ^a task trusting in our own powers, which are nothing, but in Him without whom no good thing can be begun or completed. Moreover, the principal instigator and commander of this undertaking emboldens us and gives us the audacity to attempt it — namely, the venerable Father, Lord Ulrich, the sixteenth Abbot of the Church of Prüfening, This life was written at the command of Abbot Ulrich. who, rejoicing in the virtues of so great ^a predecessor and thereby not lacking in virtues himself, in the year of our Lord's Incarnation 1281, the first year of his rule, imposed this Atlantean burden on us as upon Pygmies, by one and the same command and order — setting the shield of his authority against the calumniating tongue which might charge us with presumption, and removing the obstacle of despair at our insufficiency, and conferring boldness for the task enjoined. But knowing what is written, "Does God need your lie, that you should speak deceit for Him?" Job 13:7, and wishing that we might suffice to express the truth, we shall endeavor to add or change nothing concerning the events, we shall invent nothing of our own, but shall follow what faithful antiquity has transmitted to us — either preserving the truth while attempting to make the style somewhat more polished, lest the usefulness of the subject, like the nobility and sweetness of Falernian wine, be despised on account of the rudeness of uncouth speech, as on account of the decay of the vessel. For often an elegant and well-turned goblet improves ^a good and drinkable potion, while an ugly dish diminishes the pleasantness even of nectar poured into it.

BOOK I.

CHAPTER I.

The birth of St. Erminold: his early religious training.

[3] Many saints in Germany. When, therefore, the sound of Apostolic preaching had gone forth into all the earth and their words to the ends of the world, and the seeds scattered like grain through the most wide and open fields of the world had brought forth abundant fruit, and from every nation under heaven the heavenly granaries were filled with the harvest of the faithful — the wastes of Germany also, turned to fruitfulness, brought forth many worthy sheaves of illustrious men for Christ the Farmer. Among these, Augusta indeed glows with Udalric; Constance flourishes with Conrad; Hirsau is adorned with another Udalric; Bamberg glories in Henry and Cunegund and in Otto; Altaich and Hildesheim are made illustrious by Godehard. Very many other places of Germany also exult with so many and so great Saints that — to say nothing of those whom the sloth of negligent men, or the carelessness of successors, or the passage of long time has withdrawn from human memory (yet whom the Book of Life indelibly contains, better and more happily always constituted in God's presence than in our brief and momentary memory) — if it were permitted, we would wish to mention all of them by name whose names and virtues the tenacity of living scripture still presents, as if by the showing of some index; by the sheer number of names, even the most capacious codices would certainly be stretched. We have said this so that we may recall with joy how our land, once barren through unbelief, bore very many who were truly and genuinely Samuels — who, though separated each in his own place, nevertheless in one Spirit, dividing to each as He wills, served the Lord alone in holiness and justice before Him, laudably, as once that Samuel did.

[4] Among them, St. Erminold. Among these, Almighty God "made him like them in the glory of the Saints" — the most blessed Erminold, first Abbot of Prüfening, of whom we are about to write: ^a mirror and model of his time, and ^a light and illustrious luminary for posterity. And so, you, Church of Prüfening, are by no means least among the chief monasteries of Germany; for from you there went forth — not by birth of the flesh, but by the passing of the spirit from this world to the Father — that venerable Leader who, drawn out of the Egypt of worldly life, by ^a life and virtue like Moses, having left Pharaoh (that is, the prince of this world), preceded you to the land of true promise, like another Joshua — first conquering in valiant combat Sihon, King of the Amorites, and Og, King of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan, by which the manifold ugliness of vices is understood. Let our pen now turn at last to his illustrious deeds, which the Holy Spirit may deign both to temper and to water — the Spirit who, as consecrator and possessor alike, established this venerable temple of His that we are about to describe.

[5] The blessed Erminold, then, was born of progenitors among the Swabian people who were sufficiently distinguished in the worldly manner. As ^a boy he becomes ^a monk. They, not ungrateful for God's grace in the divine gift of such ^a child, took care to devote their son to the divine service in the monastery of Hirsau — certainly not lacking the spirit of that Anna, so that, like another Samuel, he would grow accustomed from his youth even to old age to minister before the Lord in the same place. In this pursuit of piety, the Lord fulfilled their desire, nor were they cheated of their wish, while they rejoiced that what they had desired in every way was accomplished and granted them in their son. The boy was indeed talented and had received ^a good soul, and by the capacity of his intellect he grasped preeminent knowledge, and by the goodness of his soul, outstanding virtues — taught goodness, discipline, and knowledge by the Spirit, by whom he was indeed led into the wilderness of the cloistered life. There, although he was tempted by the devil, yet as ^a distinguished member clinging to Christ the head, and triumphing by the armor of the head, he went forth conquering that he might conquer, and as victor received the promised crown. The blessed one, therefore, taking the Rule of Blessed Benedict — himself blessed by the Lord — as the pathway of the kingdom, so directed the course of his life according to its provisions that he deserved to become Abbot from Monk, master from disciple.

[6] Indeed, he so impressed upon his own conduct the manner and pattern of life of Blessed Wilhelm, then Abbot of Hirsau, He imitates his master, Blessed Wilhelm. and so strove to follow the footsteps of his perfection, that already the son appeared like the father, and the master was seen in the disciple; and there could be no doubt that the spirit of Elijah had come to rest upon this Elisha. The same venerable Wilhelm, having been Prior at the church of the holy Martyr Emmeram in the city of Regensburg under Ramuold, then Abbot of that monastery, shining far and wide not by false report alone but by the true proclamation of his merits, was elected to the Church of Hirsau, in which the blessed Erminold, as has been said, so pursued the training of spiritual warfare under him that in no long interval of time he was made standard-bearer from athlete, captain from follower, and commander from soldier.

l. On him, July 2.

p. Swabia is ^a province of Germany, most famous in its own right, but now confined within narrower limits than of old.

q. On him we shall treat on July 5.

r. St. Emmeram is venerated on September 22.

s. An Imperial city at the confluence of the Regen and the Danube, also often called Reginoburgum, commonly called Regensburg.

t. We shall give the life of Blessed Ramuold on June 17.

CHAPTER II.

Made Abbot of Lorsch, he resigns that office within ^a year.

[7] He is made Abbot of Lorsch. At length, the voice of his sanctity was heard so resoundingly in Ramah all around that it would no longer allow the lamp to remain hidden under the bushel or vessel of subjection, but persuaded it to be placed upon the candlestick of governance. Whence it came about that, both by the common election of the brethren and by the consent and favor of Emperor Henry — the fifth of that name — he was called to the governance of the church of Lorsch, which is ^a royal abbey, and in those days abounded in temporal wealth and in many prerogatives of dignity.

[8] He governs excellently. Here, then, this faithful and prudent servant, set over the Lord's household, sought not so much to preside over his subjects as to benefit them, imposing nothing on those under him that he himself had not first borne by way of example. For he had borne the yoke from his youth, and he himself, by bearing the commands of his superiors, had learned to temper the commands to be imposed on his juniors — utterly free from the fault of the Pharisees and Scribes, who "bind heavy and unbearable burdens and lay them on men's shoulders," according to the Savior's judgment, "but they themselves do not move them with ^a finger" Matthew 23:4. Not so this man, not so; but after the manner of the Good Shepherd, made ^a pattern for the flock from the heart, he fed the lambs entrusted to him with the word, fed them with the example of the Saints, fed them with desire and temporal support. On account of which the flock given to him — his illustrious charge — was neither diminished in number but increased; nor did temporal provisions fail his subjects under his care, but grew. For while in the days of his governance both his subjects grew in number and merit, he was puffed up neither by the multitude of subjects, nor by the abundance of temporal goods, nor by the height of his dignity; but rather he rejoiced in the holiness and progress of his disciples than in the eminence of prelacy or mastery — which can be easily perceived from what follows.

[9] He resigns his office because of gifts his brother gave to the Emperor. For the man of God had ^a brother according to the flesh who, besides the title of noble blood, was more than sufficiently abundant in riches. On ^a certain day, when men of the Emperor had come to stand before him, among them was also the holy man's brother. The Emperor, smiling at him, perhaps in ^a joking mood, said: "For the sake of your affection, we have placed your brother over ^a royal abbey, making for him ^a great name, like the name of the great ones who are celebrated in the land, so that he might sit with the Princes and hold ^a throne of glory among them. In what way, then, will you respond to the munificence of Our Majesty?" And the brother said: "I acknowledge that all is true which Your Serenity proposes, and I judge it most worthy that I should not be found ungrateful to your goodness." He turned word into deed, and not long after honored the Emperor with quite suitable gifts — while the servant of the Lord Erminold was completely ignorant of both the Emperor's words and his brother's deeds. But as soon as the matter came to his knowledge, although he had neither been aware of nor consented to any of this, he resigned the abbey of Lorsch, immediately withdrawing himself from both pastoral care and from even the slightest taint of the sin of Simony. Note, therefore, how execrable this Saint would have deemed it to be stained by such ^a vice — such that he would even detest ^a Prelacy for whose acquisition nothing had ever been given or offered, but for which, after it was already obtained and after the fact, his brother had returned thanks to the Emperor through gifts.

[10] He returns to Hirsau with 40 disciples. Having left the governance of Lorsch, therefore, as if from ^a flood of good reputation and fame, he returned to the ark of his rest — that is, to the Church of Hirsau — and to his Noah, namely Blessed Wilhelm, like ^a dove sent forth, yet not without ^a branch adorned with green leaves. For his disciples followed him, no fewer than forty, whom he had gathered for God at Lorsch in the space of one year during which he presided there — so that the fruitfulness of the offspring might demonstrate what ^a fruitful branch he was in the true vine. For with his staff alone — that is, his pastoral care — he had crossed to the monastery of Lorsch, and now with bands of disciples he was returning to Hirsau. Their gathering, sprouting like ^a little branch from this holy root, flourished with the grace of his paternal virtue. These, then, unable to bear being separated from him, like little sheep (saying not in words but by deed: "You have the words of eternal life; to whom shall we go?" John 6:69), followed their shepherd all the way to Hirsau. Where he was received with honor like an angel of the Lord and most kindly treated, since the renown of his sanctity was well known there.

CHAPTER III.

The monastery of Prüfening is founded.

[11] He was divinely destined for others. Furthermore, for our sake and for our salvation — we who inhabit this present place — it was done by the Lord that by some occasion the fruitful olive and truly abundant vine should be uprooted there and transplanted to this vineyard of the Lord of Hosts, which the right hand of the Lord had then founded and completed through the holy Otto, Bishop of Bamberg — so that this new and recent plantation, transplanted from the Egypt of the world, might send down deeper roots under so industrious ^a vinedresser: while what St. Otto had planted, this one would water, and with the merits and intercession of both the Lord giving the increase from above. Let us not doubt, therefore, that God, providing something better for us than human ingenuity could prevail, arranged that the ark of Hirsau received this dove-like soul — so abhorrent of the foul contagion of Simoniacal corruption, as was said — from its first sending, so that by this occasion it might be sent ^a second time, whence it would not return again.

[12] The occasion of the founding of the monastery of Prüfening. For at that very time, the God-worthy Bishop Otto of Bamberg had founded the monastery of Prüfening, as we said, the possession and land of which he acquired for our ownership by legitimate purchase and fair exchanges, since it had previously belonged to another's right. However, this desire to found the monastery was not brought about by human will, but by an evidently divine revelation made to him — the manner and sequence of which we shall insert here, having seized an opportune occasion. For Emperor Henry the Fifth of that name had proclaimed ^a solemn Diet at Regensburg for all the Princes of the realm, and he sent out his written summons for them to come at the appointed time of the Diet. And so, when ^a very great multitude assembled and hastened from the cities to the Imperial Diet, the venerable Otto, Bishop of Bamberg, was also present, like another David, faithful in all things, going out and coming in and proceeding at the command of the said King. But at Regensburg, not having ^a place where he could comfortably rest his head, because by the Lord's arranging the city itself was filled with people like locusts and all the houses were occupied, the memorable Bishop, avoiding the turbulence of the tumultuous crowd, left the city and chose for himself and his people the level of the field, which the walls of this place now enclose.

[13] Here, therefore, between two walnut trees that then adorned the face of the field, the tent of the same holy Bishop was fixed. From these very trees, and long before what we must now relate occurred, the ringing and clanging of bells was often heard to sound, which those dwelling in the vicinity heard quite frequently, not without wonder. This, as the reality now shows, portended the future frequency of divine worship in that place. The sound of bells was heard there previously. In this place, when the day had departed and the setting sun had brought back the night, the man of God, reclining there, gave sleep to his eyes and slumber and rest to his eyelids, as the time required. And behold, He who in ancient times spoke in vision to His Saints — so that our young men also might see visions through Him and our old men dream dreams — revealed to His new Patriarch Jacob, the illustrious Otto (who rightly deserved to receive the name Israel), ^a dream entirely conformable to the image and likeness of the ancient dream of Jacob. The vision of St. Otto at this place. For he saw ^a ladder extended from his bed, touching the heavens at its top, on which Angels also alternated their ascents and descents in friendly turns. By which, of course, it was given to understand that there would not be lacking in this place very many who would descend to help their neighbor with pious compassion, like Martha, and ascend with Mary, contemplating the majesty of the Lord. The holy man, therefore, waking and prudently understanding what he had been worthy to see, omitted nothing in spiritually completing — in the foundation, consummation, and consecration of the monastery — what the former Jacob had done at the place of his vision, building here for very many ^a house of God in truth and ^a gate of heaven.

CHAPTER IV.

St. Erminold is placed over the monastery of Prüfening.

[14] An Abbot is sought for the new monastery. With the monastery thus founded and completed here according to God's will, as he had understood it, the holy man sought with an anxious spirit ^a suitable man who could give the household of Christ, to be gathered in the house which He had built for Himself, the measure of grain at the proper time — one who, so that the outcome might match the vision, could teach by word and example the mysteries of the fifteen steps of the ladder of religion by which those ascending here would learn to arrange their ascents in their hearts step by step in the valley of tears, in the place which the Founder himself established, until with the supreme Lawgiver giving His blessing, going from strength to strength, they might deserve to see the God of gods in Zion forever. When therefore ^a search was made among stewards to find one who was faithful, none was found like him of whom we now speak — namely, Blessed Erminold — whom the Lord had prepared as ^a lamp for His Christ, so that, burning and shining, he might kindle the raw and new inexperience of this monastery, and thereby still blind in understanding and sluggish in feeling and holiness of life, by the splendors of example, instruction, and teaching. Accordingly, Blessed Otto, learning of his fame, Erminold is requested. sent letters to him and his Abbot and obtained from both that he should take on the raw and uncultivated new land for cultivation and, as an already well-practiced farmer, should put his hand to the plow, visit the land of the Prüfening monastery with his paternal arrival, and enrich it with the irrigation of sacred instruction and the manifold fruit of his merits.

[15] Sent therefore from Hirsau as the first Abbot, at the nod of the Lord who dictated our honor, he was placed over our Church; and the Lord blessed us at his entry — in whose name indeed he came, blessed. Then, ascending to the summit of the governance he had received, he remembered that he had been set as ^a watchman over the house of Israel, so vigilantly watching over the souls entrusted to him as one about to render account for them to the Lord, and — according to the saying of Blessed Job — truly "a rooster having understanding" Job 38:36, about to rouse his subjects to good, He exercises this office most holily. he first roused himself with the wing of spiritual exercise, taking care not to be found reprobate or drowsy while he preached vigilance to others. Indeed, it was always most familiar to him to persist in vigils, to labor in prayers and fasts, to preach the word of the Lord, more frequently to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness with eager longing, to flee temporal glory, to seek the everlasting. Therefore the most trustworthy elders, who had known his life, attested most firmly that no grace of the sevenfold Spirit was lacking in him — which could easily be perceived by those who considered his conduct and his magnificent deeds. For how little he valued all the glory of the world, and how much the world was crucified to him and he to the world, if it were shown by no other evidence of his virtues, would become clear to the more careful observer from that alone which we have deemed it right to record in this place, for the purpose of declaring the constancy of his mind, which he maintained against both the blandishments and the terrors of the world.

CHAPTER V.

The Emperor, excommunicated by the Pope, is denied entry to the monastery by him, and is not offended.

[16] At one time, Emperor Henry, having fallen under the sentence of Papal excommunication Emperor Henry V visits his monastery. on account of his offenses, and yet having honor and the usual reverence paid to him by religious and even great Prelates of the Church out of regard for his Imperial dignity — for the honor and love of our aforesaid founder, whom he greatly cherished, together with that same founder came to visit his new Church with ^a great and manifold entourage of nobles and magnates, in the royal manner. And indeed Blessed Erminold, the Father of the monastery, was expected — both on account of the splendor of Imperial majesty and on account of the reverence of the accompanying and inviting founder — to go out with the ringing of bells, ^a singing procession of the Brothers, and ^a manifold display of relics and banners, far beyond the monastery precincts, to receive the Emperor. But the servant of God showed himself unlike those who seek such favor. For his thoughts were not their thoughts, nor were his ways their ways — those who "sew cushions under every elbow" Ezekiel 13:18 and "daub the wall with flattery," and therefore "are clothed in soft garments in the houses of kings." But this one, not like ^a reed shaken by any wind of either fear or favor, but like an immovable pillar, was neither driven by fear nor bent by any favor to applaud him with either ^a solemn meeting or the blandishment of ^a greeting — him whom he knew to be then deprived of ecclesiastical communion by Apostolic sentence.

[17] St. Erminold excludes him (because he was excommunicated). Therefore, when he learned of the Emperor's coming through advance messengers, he ordered all the doors of the monastery to be barred, so that neither the Emperor nor his companions would have any way of entering; firmly prohibiting and strictly forbidding anyone to go out to offer any greeting or reverential reception. But when the Emperor arrived, he himself went out before the cloister enclosure to meet him, so that he might not seem to be doing this out of arrogance or contempt without greeting him. "Gladly," he said, "would I render you the royal honor of greeting and the fitting reverence of reception, Emperor, if I did not know you to be deprived of communion by the authority of the Apostolic See." But the Emperor, thinking he said this not from zeal for justice but from hatred or rancor of heart, as one offended because his brother had once received gifts on his account — for which he had resigned the abbey of Lorsch — said: "Most imprudently and rashly have you deprived yourself of so great an honor." To which suspicion the servant of God responded with the dove-like simplicity that was his: "God Almighty, who searches hearts and minds, knows that I am neither mindful of nor an avenger of this injury, if such it can be called; but that I have done and said these things for the sake of defending justice and in observance of the Papal mandate." But the venerable Bishop Otto, interposing himself between the two, said: "We ought not and are not bound to shun anyone concerning whose excommunication we have no certain knowledge." Against this, the man of God, strengthened by the spirit of fortitude with which he was filled, deferring neither to the favor of the founder nor to Imperial majesty while freely attesting the truth, said: "I cannot be ignorant of ^a sentence which I remember was promulgated by my own mouth."

"Such things he stood declaring, and remained unmoved,"

not departing from his resolve of justice. What, I ask, does this Saint seem to have done less in this act than those who, in ^a similar case, answered the Chief Priests that "We must obey God rather than men" Acts 5:24? What less than the Apostle Paul, who glories that in ^a nearly identical case he "resisted Cephas to his face" Galatians 2:11? What, finally, less than the preeminent Ambrose, who similarly denied the illustrious Emperor Theodosius entry to the church, until he would receive and complete penance for his committed crimes? Indeed, if we go back to more ancient times, can we not compare him to Samuel, to Nathan, to Elisha, and to very many Prophets who, openly reproaching the Kings of their time for their sins, either provoked them to salutary penance or terribly threatened them with divine vengeance? Surely the Emperor also, considering that this blessed man had done these things in the spirit and power of Elijah, reverently departed with his retinue, The Emperor departs. not avenging the injury to his scorned majesty — as some of his followers wished — but thenceforward ever more venerating the sanctity of the man of God, more than if the saint had fawned upon him with the tail of canine flattery like the rest — which can easily be perceived from what follows.

[18] The Emperor restrains his men from harming the monks. For not long after, the same Prince, passing by the monastery with ^a military multitude, found that the Brothers had by chance entered the garden — as was their custom for manual labor — which was then surrounded by ^a simple hedge. The soldiers, therefore, who went before and followed the Emperor, when they saw the Brothers in the garden, thinking the Prince was mindful of their affront and wishing to please him, said: "Behold, the cowled ones, who rashly despised our lord and did not deign to show him Imperial reverence, and who moreover presumed to shut him out of their gates with contempt! Let them therefore pay the penalties for their reproach and insolence that they deserve. Let them pay for their outrageous daring. Let them not get away with having scorned the Imperial diadem." And the soldiers indeed said these things, and their voices grew stronger, and out of hatred for the Shepherd they sharpened their wolfish teeth against his lambs. And they were on the very point of making an assault on the Lord's little flock; but it turned out otherwise than they supposed. For an edict went out from the Emperor — unexpected — that no one should presume to molest those Brothers at all, or to disturb them by word or deed. "He did not allow anyone to harm them," and the Emperor rebuked the soldiers on behalf of those against whom he was believed about to rouse his army. Here, with the Holy Spirit indicating and demonstrating, the merit of Blessed Erminold defended his children even in his absence — since, though absent in body, he was nevertheless present in spirit. Did not the Lord, therefore, magnify him in the fear of his enemies, and by his words pacify monsters — he whose very merits in his absence the Prince himself, understanding them, forgetting his own disrespect, extolled before the soldiers? "Do not touch these Brothers," he said, "and do not in any way act against them with malice; for I know of what dignity their Abbot is before God, I know of what holiness. Although he did not defer to me out of zeal for justice, I am greatly confident that I shall be aided by his holy prayers." The prudent Emperor had prudently perceived that the Imperial honor had been denied him by the holy man not out of any swelling of pride, but rather he marveled at his humility of obedience, by which he preferred to be found subject to the Apostolic command rather than to court Imperial favor by flattery.

CHAPTER VI.

Erminold's kindness toward enemies.

[19] The monks of St. Emmeram are hostile to the Prüfening monks. It is therefore clear that he did not exclude the Roman Prince from the monastery precincts out of the arrogance of pride, but out of zeal for justice. Now we have deemed it fitting to add with what humility and goodwill he not only received but even invited persons far inferior to himself, even those who were hostile to him and his people — so that it may be observed that the highest head of the world, who came even for the honor of visiting the monastery, was not despised by him as one haughty or contumacious, since he humbly and suppliantly invited to the comfort of refreshment monks despised by the world who, moreover, were accustomed to harass him and his people. This will be seen in what follows. For the Brothers of St. Emmeram troubled us for some time at the beginning with frequent hostilities and plots, placing whatever obstacles they could in the way of our progress. And as their hatred against us grew from day to day, it reached the point that through their workers, by digging ^a ditch before the gates of the cloister, they attempted to make our exits more restricted.

[20] St. Erminold receives them humanely. And while, with no one opposing them in such matters, they diligently pressed on with this work, the venerable Erminold went out to see their labors, with the mealtime already approaching, peacefully and kindly greeting them. And seeing them weary and exhausted, pitying both the interior labor of their minds and the external sweat of their bodies, he most insistently invited them to come in and eat, and having brought them in, he refreshed them cheerfully and kindly, showing them such great hospitality that they were nourished more by the warmth of his charity than by the food that was served. Whence it happened that, dismissed, they spoke among themselves, They are reconciled. both detesting the envy and rancor of the Brothers who had sent them, and admiring the kindness and gentleness of the man of God and his community. What, I ask, you who are about to read these things — what do you think of this man, whose son he is? Is he not the son of Him whose Only-Begotten appeared in the substance of our mortality and instructed the brothers whom He deigned to adopt through grace, pouring into them the Spirit of adoption in which they would cry, "Abba, Father," saying: "Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you" Matthew 5:44-45? And what would follow from this, He added: "So that you may be sons of your heavenly Father, who makes His sun rise on the good and the evil, and sends rain on the just and the unjust." Nor was this work of charity ineffectual or barren, but in those very ones to whom it was shown, like ^a seed falling on good ground, it bore salutary fruit. For having taken counsel, they put back the earth they had dug out, and departed, inflicting no further harm upon us. Thus, therefore, according to Paul's teaching, the man of God, willing to be overcome by evil, overcame evil with good, feeding and giving drink to his enemy, and thereby heaping coals of charity upon his head Romans 12:20. Certainly we see here ^a man of God not unlike Elisha, who, when the Syrians came to capture him and he had led them into Samaria, kindly rescued them from being killed, and moreover, having refreshed them with food and drink, sent them back to their master 4 Kings 6. The same outcome followed in both cases. For those did not again enter the land of Israel, and these ceased to trouble us henceforth — except that fear and astonishment restrained the Syrians, while the kindness of charity conquered these.

CHAPTER VII.

Generosity to the poor. Miracles.

[21] We have said with what constancy and virtue he spurned the worldly dignities offered to him, and with what patience he bore or overcame with gentleness the injuries inflicted upon him. It remains for us to show with what generosity he shared with needy neighbors the gifts God had bestowed on him, and how in these matters he always maintained confidence in the Lord against the fear of running short. He most generously assists the poor. Indeed, among his other virtues in which the man of God excelled, he had chosen the attentive care and provision and reception of pilgrims and the poor as ^a special bride, so to speak, of his spirit. For which reason he was accustomed to take singular delight in the embrace of that exercise — so much so that the needy and poor, by long practice, presumed to approach him in their necessities with all confidence, as if to some debtor, and to ask for what they needed from him with trust, as from some steward of their own. For he knew 1 Corinthians 9:19 that, following the Apostle's example, although he was free from all, he had made himself servant of all the needy.

[22] God, therefore, resolving to test His servant — or rather to make manifest to all the virtue of his innate compassion — called ^a famine upon the land and broke every staff of bread in all Bavaria, so that very many poor people perished from want of food. In time of famine he gives away all his stores: People therefore flocked to Erminold as usual; the cellars were opened, the storerooms were thrown open, everything was distributed to the poor. For the holy Father did not cease giving until there was nothing left to give. With all the workshops now exhausted, he himself who had "considered the poor and needy" began to be in want. He himself is in want. For the attendants came and said that all the granaries of the monastery were emptied, and that grain for even ^a single meal for the Brothers no longer remained. What then shall the man of God do in his anxiety? Shall he have recourse to the granaries? But they were empty. Shall he buy in the market? But the hands of the poor had carried the purchase price to heavenly treasures. He therefore turned to God and, as if in agony, prayed more earnestly to Him who gives abundantly to all. And the prayer of this true worshiper, worshiping the Father in spirit and truth, was of this kind: "Lord by nature, but Father by grace, save me from this hour. But for this purpose I have come to this hour of such great necessity, that the eyes of all my Brothers may hope in you and that you may give them their food in due time — their provisions have been spent for your sake. Do you therefore repay what you owe; for you owe it to those who give, you who said, 'Give and it shall be given to you.'" Such was his prayer to the Lord. He prays to St. George: Furthermore, his prayer to Blessed George, the Patron of the Church, was similar to this: "Most blessed Martyr, behold, instructed by salutary precepts and formed by divine teaching and command, I have dispersed, I have given to the poor all that I had. Those who serve God and you in this place have nothing to eat, and if I dismiss them hungry and they are not satisfied, they will murmur against me. I am compelled to sell chalices, vestments, books, and other ornaments for food. Do you therefore come to our aid, do you help us, for to you I have revealed my cause and my need." The Lord heard the cries of His servant He is unexpectedly aided. through the intercession of Blessed George, whom he had chosen as his mediator, and did not delay to console him. For the very next day ^a certain nobleman and wealthy man, whose heart the Lord had touched, arrived and, honoring the Lord from his substance, abundantly supplied the Brothers' want — so that by the merits of ^a new Elisha, the former famine in Prüfening was driven away, as from the gate of Samaria.

[23] We have deemed it right to demonstrate ^a still more excellent way of showing his holiness, perhaps incredible to some, but established by the frequent testimony of ^a most trustworthy elder who deserved to be ^a witness, ^a confidant, and ^a fellow participant in so great ^a miracle. He enters the church through closed doors. On ^a certain day, when the holy Father stood before the doors of the church, and the doors were shut, with the custodian of the monastery standing with him, the servant of God wished to enter the church on account of some urgent need. And while the custodian, hurrying around, hastened to open the church for the Abbot, he found him (marvelous to tell!) — whom he had left outside — praying intently before the altar of the Holy Cross inside, in the very place where his venerable tomb now stands, even though the doors of the church had not been opened. And while the custodian stood astonished at the extraordinary novelty of the miracle and wondered within himself at the occurrence of so great an event, the man of God, rising after completing his prayer, commanded the custodian under the threat of ^a strict adjuration not to reveal to anyone what he had seen before his own departure from this life. What then shall we say to these things? Only that we should not cease to praise, bless, and proclaim this faithful servant in the Lord and the Lord in His chosen servant — He who showed in His servant, before he was even loosed from his bodily bonds, what He had shown of Himself to His disciples after His own resurrection. Let those reading this likewise observe in what soil of firm humility this man had built the house of his mind — he who avoided every breath of human favor and wind of popular esteem with such great caution and care.

CHAPTER VIII.

Certain men conspire to kill him.

[24] Behold, we have now, with the sluggish steps of our pen, crept along after the industrious and swift footsteps of our forerunner, who "rejoiced like ^a giant to run his course" of heavenly commands, however much delighted by the fragrance of his ointments and eagerly desiring to run joyfully after him. But behold, just when we follow our Elijah closely with Elisha, we reach ^a sorrowful goal; already Baal-Perazim — which means "the Division of Men" — terrifies us from close at hand, dividing between the Brothers and the Abbot, between shepherd and lambs, between disciple and master. It remains for us to recount his passing from this world to the Father and its most sorrowful occasions — sorrowful, I say, not to him but to us; not to him, who always desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ, but to us, for whom he would have usefully remained in the flesh. For this reason health flees from here, the hand trembles and is terrified, the pen itself is struck and grows fearful. But whether we wish it or not, we must go on: bound and constrained by the necessity of telling, we are led where we would not. Let us therefore reluctantly pursue what remains. Since, then, all who wish to live piously in Christ suffer persecution according to the Apostle 2 Timothy 3:12, this holy Father, because he could not be turned from the way of justice, could not consequently fail to incur the hatreds of his servants. For the bat cannot but dread the day; nor can the mole flee the light; the owl cannot look upon the brightness of the Sun. Certain men resolve to kill him because he watches over domestic discipline. At length, when this holy Father, constrained by the care of the governance entrusted to him, stood diligently upon his watch and earnestly endeavored to observe the vigils of this night over his flock, so that he would leave absolutely nothing uncorrected that might be done contrary to the institutions of monastic religion — although, as ^a spiritual father, he corrected offenders truly in ^a spirit of gentleness — nevertheless the sons of Belial, who with Satan are never absent from among the sons of God, seeing themselves restrained from their pleasures and not being permitted what they wished to be permitted, began to persecute with cruel hatreds the one who loved them. And daily their madness grew to such an extent that they plotted against the life of the just man, and resolving to shed innocent blood, they condemned it to be spilled. And now, with their malice increasing, armed with sharpened knives, they mutually fixed ^a day, and having found an opportune place, they lay in ambush with demons in the dark, to kill the innocent man in the spot they had agreed upon, because he was accustomed to pass that way.

[25] He scorns death. But someone who knew of these things forewarned the servant of God not to go there, revealing the ambush of death prepared for him. But the just man remained without terror, confident as ^a lion, and like ^a horse of the Lord's glory — which, as the Lord attests, exults boldly — he went forth to meet the armed men, prepared to go with the Lord, indeed for the Lord, both to prison and to death Proverbs 21:31. To the one who told him this, he replied: "Far be it from me to impede by cowardice the crown that is prepared. Rather I shall go to receive the palm of triumph which the Lord offers." What else, I ask, was it for this servant to say than what the Lord Himself had already said to Peter: "The cup which the Father has given me, shall I not drink it?" John 18:11 To say this was to say with the Psalmist: "I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord" Psalm 115:13 — giving thanks, of course, to the One who offers the cup. But since it is of little avail to have spoken unless action follows, what he said he also did, proceeding to the place where he was to meet death, if it should please the Lord — after the example of the One who, about to suffer, went forth to meet the crowd seeking Him.

[26] The would-be assassins are divinely struck with terror. But just as those who wished to seize the Lord fell backward to the ground in terror when He came to meet them, until He allowed Himself to be taken, so too upon those who wished to kill the Lord's servant, when they saw the constancy of the man of God, there fell upon them dread and fear by the greatness of the Lord's arm, then protecting His champion. On that occasion, therefore, no one laid ^a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come — the hour which He whose providence does not err in its disposition was still extending, for the consolation and salvation of his good subjects and for the more abundant merits of His servant, until the time He willed.

CHAPTER IX.

He is wounded: he predicts the hour of his death: he dies piously.

[27] And so, since the just man held to his way, as Job says, and did not abandon his righteousness which he had begun to hold — for indeed the path of his life, according to the Sage's saying, They conspire again. "like ^a shining light was growing toward the perfect day" Proverbs 4:18 — the sight of such great light offended the sons of darkness, and he was grievous to them even to look upon, who had loved darkness more than light Job 27:6. Therefore, when the time was at hand in which the Lord had decreed to dismiss His servant now in peace, after the burden of the day and the heat, to be rewarded with the eternal wage's denarius, the pestilent sons — utterly unworthy of so great ^a Father — were conspiring like degenerate lambs, wolf-like, for the destruction of their Shepherd.

[28] And so one of them — an unhappy ringleader named Aaron, but Absalom by omen, ^a persecutor of his father — since he was not ^a Pontiff like Aaron but rather the executioner of that year, driven by diabolical impulse, more carefully watched the place where the man of God had to come, and He is lethally struck with ^a wooden beam. brandishing ^a wooden beam with both hands, rushing with all his strength, he struck it against the head of the one approaching, striking the sacred head with such force that the servant of the Lord was immediately knocked to the ground. By that instrument and manner of death by which the Lord's brother was slain, he too is slain — so that he might not be reckoned ^a stranger to or excluded from that one's glory, whose companion he is in suffering. Although, like that one, he did not die immediately, so that he might more gloriously offer to the Lord the sacrifice of his death on this particular day — the day on which the Magi offered their three mystical gifts to Him. Indeed, if you consider it, you will understand that our Erminold offered the same gifts: if by gold, which among metals is most obedient to the hammer, you remember that obedience is signified; in myrrh, which preserves the flesh from corruption and worms, chastity; and in frankincense, which is burned and consumed so that it may give forth fragrance, the ardor of charity — seeking not his own things but the common good.

[29] And so, that he might be preserved for the Lord to offer himself on that day, having received the blow of the beam, he began to waste away and suddenly lost his bodily strength. Already before the feast of the Epiphany he took to his bed, and on the very vigil of that most sacred feast, with his limbs failing, he lay for some time saying nothing. He sees the names of his brothers in the Book of Life. And after ^a little while, coming to himself, raising his eyes to the disciples standing around, he looked upon them with ^a cheerful gaze, and with even more cheerful speech gladdened all who were present. For when asked, he testified that he had been caught up to the heavenly throne of God, and that he had there received good words and consoling promises. "I was glad," he said, "in the things that were said to me" — namely, that divine worship would never be lacking in this place. He added that the Book of Life had been shown to him, containing the names of our brothers — dead, present, and future — inscribed in golden letters. "And this," he said, "shall be ^a sign for you, so that you may know for certain that what I say is true: He predicts the hour of his death. tomorrow, during the solemn High Mass, when the choir sings 'Gloria in excelsis Deo,' I shall depart from this world." It was, as we said, the vigil of the Epiphany. "Take care, therefore," he said, "that when you hear the signal of my passing, no error or negligence on this account should occur in the divine office; but with ^a few going out, let the sacred solemnities of the Mass be carried out with all devotion by the rest in the usual manner."

[30] He dies. So that therefore his testimonies might be made credible, and we might know that his testimony was true, it happened just as he said. For on the holy day of the Epiphany, at the hour he had stated, that blessed soul left its bodily and earthly house, about to receive one not made with hands in heaven, entering into the powers of the Lord under the hymn of the Angels — so that there among the Angels it might forever sing and hymn the same "Gloria in excelsis." He passed away in the year of the Lord 1121, the seventh after he had been called from Hirsau in the month of August and elected to the Church of Prüfening, and the fourth after he had been solemnly ordained as Abbot by the venerable Bishop Udalric, at the request of the Reverend Hartwig, Bishop of Regensburg. For who, I ask, does not see that his passing was translated to that very day on which the Lord accepted the sacrifices of the Magi, and in the intervening years willed the heavens to be opened above Himself being baptized, and at Cana turned water into wine at the wedding? So that it might be clearly shown that on the same day our Erminold entered the heavenly house with burnt offerings, and the heavens which had stood open for the King should also stand open for the soldier on the same day, and the waters of present afflictions should be turned for him into the wine of eternal joy among the heavenly banqueters? Who, moreover, does not believe that he entered the rose gardens of the Martyrs adorned in purple? — since the cause of his death was his righteousness, on account of which he suffered the persecution of his killer; and in death he maintained patience, threatening and cursing nothing harsh against his executioner; and finally, since there was such holiness of conscience in him that, knowing and prophesying his own death, he took greater care to arrange the divine office than his own funeral rites.

[31] The author invokes him. Therefore, Father Abbot Erminold, be mindful of your congregation, which you possessed from the beginning of its foundation, and in which you completed the happy course of your present race, seizing the prize of eternal glory. Therefore we humbly beseech you: do not abandon your flock, good Shepherd, but among your blessed fellow citizens protect with continual care your sheep, which as the first shepherd you received from the Lord to feed — to whom is honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

CHAPTER X.

His heavenly glory is revealed.

[32] We append two miracles, however, which occurred after his death: one which happened to one of our own, the other to ^a brother of another monastery — so that this Father may have testimony of holiness not only from his own but also from those who are outside. Someone sees him in glory. And we have deemed it right to begin with the account of our own. There was among us ^a certain monk, advanced in age but of wondrous holiness and simplicity of life. When, about to be called by the Lord, he lay in bed approaching his end, he asked his assigned attendant whether anyone was present. It was ^a Saturday, at the hour when the Brothers are customarily summoned to the mandatum by the striking of the board. Hearing that no one was present, he said: "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and our blessed Father — the venerable Erminold — standing in the greatest glory before God. And so that there may be no doubt that this is true, as ^a testimony of the truth, I shall now breathe forth my spirit." Having said this, death intervening and confirming his words, he immediately proved the truth of what he had said.

[33] Another likewise. Let another witness also come forward, one who came from distant parts to bear testimony — that he might testify to the light of the merits of the venerable Erminold. A certain brother from among our number, sent during the grape harvest to Austria, entered as ^a guest the monastery called Göttweig, with another guest from the monastery called Garsten happening to enter at the same time. At the hour of mealtime, when they came to the table, guest was joined with guest to eat together. And when the meal was over and they were conversing and asking each other about various matters, as is customary, the brother from Garsten inquired more carefully of our brother whether we had ever had an Abbot whose name was Erminold; and hearing that we had, and moreover that he had been our first Abbot, the other began thus: "Although," he said, "I previously had no knowledge whatsoever of either his life or his name, I have recently learned in truth that he is of no small or mediocre, but of the very greatest merit before God. For I was troubled by ^a wondrous flow of blood and recently suffered from ^a very severe illness and weakness, to the point that I even despaired of life. And while I sought the help of very many Saints for the danger's escape, sleep overcame me from my great debility. And behold, I seemed to see myself snatched before the tribunal of Christ, and to be struck with ^a quite severe punishment for my faults and negligences. And while I saw many souls being either condemned or saved by the Judge according to the diversity and requirement of their merits, one brother of the Order of St. Benedict was brought before Him, as it seemed, A monk is defended by him at the judgment. and the sentence of damnation was about to be pronounced upon him. But it was reconsidered and mercifully remitted through the intervention of some great Saint whom I indeed saw but did not recognize, who among other arguments pleaded thus on behalf of the one about to be condemned: 'Although, Lord,' he said, 'this Brother has led his life quite negligently, yet let your mercy not leave unrewarded the fact that he never abandoned the place of his profession nor finally transgressed the vow of his obedience.' While the Saint confidently continued his plea, the Judge decreed the soul of the accused to be absolved, appeased by the merits of the one who prayed for it. And when I wished to know who he was, behold, one of those standing by the Judge immediately told me that he was the venerable Erminold, Abbot of Prüfening. When these things were over, I awoke, and reflecting within myself on what I had seen, I immediately began to invoke especially his assistance, omitting all others, He restores someone to health. since I had experienced his undoubted holiness. And when I resolved to do this through the office of the Mass but my weakness of voice was an obstacle, I immediately felt such strength granted to me that, vested in the sacred garments, I completed the Mass which is customarily said for one Confessor from beginning to end. After which I was fully restored to my former health." When the brother returning from Austria had repeatedly reported these things to us, the brother from Garsten to whom the event itself had happened arrived, and having most devoutly visited the tomb of the man of God, personally confirmed the account of our brother. And he himself, having afterward become Abbot of Garsten, was accustomed to relate this event quite frequently to visitors.

BOOK II.

Miracles after death.

CHAPTER I.

St. Erminold becomes famous for miracles after death.

[1] Preface of Book II. In these two accounts, in which revelations and visions of the Lord shown to devout men not long after the happy passing of the holy Father are contained, and which by ^a certain right of proximity belonged with what preceded — knowing that it is now time for us to end our discourse, closing this booklet, we release the exhausted oxen from the yoke. But one thing is necessary, as we see. For just as the division of this booklet is bipartite — the first part containing the pilgrimage of our Hebrew among the Egyptians and Babylonians of this world, and the second completed with the Exodus of Israel from the Egypt of this present age and the entrance into the land of true promise — we must consequently come to the aid of and address those whose opinion, or rather doubt and distrust, we must counter: those for whom the brightness of ^a praiseworthy life and the preciousness in the Lord's sight of the death of His Saints is not sufficient, but who, unless like Thomas they touch or handle miracles, and unless they see signs and wonders, do not believe and Judaize like the royal official. So that therefore such people, having so great ^a cloud of witnesses placed before them, may be invited — or rather compelled — to believe at least through his works, let us pass to the miracles and signs with which the Lord glorified His Saint even after he departed this life and glorifies him to this day, beginning the second book from the end of the first, treating of his miracles in book two, having treated of his life and passing in the first. "In the beginning was the Word." Therefore, when it now pleased the Lord that our sorrow should be turned into joy — so that knowing him to live in heaven we might rejoice, whom we had mourned as dead to the world — Jesus again manifested that He had made him ^a companion of the Angels, whom we grieved had been taken from human fellowship. And He manifested it thus.

[2] A certain respectable matron named Christina, with her mother Bertha — ^a woman very devoted to God — A sweet fragrance from the tomb of St. Erminold. came from the city of Regensburg to Prüfening to visit her brother. And when at the day's decline they were preparing to return home by carriage, the mother, as if bidding farewell to the Saints, began to pray more attentively before the doors of the monastery — since it was closed — and was suddenly suffused with ^a fragrance of wondrous sweetness. While she silently marveled at this, she asked that the church be opened, and she obtained it, and entered, and perceived that fragrance breathing from the holy man's tomb. Not ungrateful for this divine grace, she gave thanks and made ^a vow to the God of Jacob: that she would visit the tomb of His servant Erminold — about whose merits she had deserved to be made more certain — barefoot throughout the entire cycle of the year. The beginning of pilgrimages to it. Which she also fulfilled, never omitting this even on account of deep mud, the moisture of rains, or the rigors of snow. And she was ^a widow, and ^a great crowd of the city accompanied her; by her example — since she was among the more respectable citizens — people began to frequent the memory of the man of God and to experience his help effectually in whatever needs. This was the beginning of the signs that Jesus performed before the faithful disciples of His servant, and He manifested His glory and the dignity which he had already received in heaven — he who had not sought the glory of earthly dignity. And fittingly enough, his glorification had to begin with ^a sweet fragrance — he who offered himself to God as ^a sweet-smelling sacrifice, so that fittingly, with the alabaster jar of his most holy body broken, the ointment of his merits and sweet fame might be poured out, from whose fragrance the house of the Church would be more abundantly filled.

[3] He helps sick children. This, moreover, among the very many signs, the Lord granted to His Saint as ^a kind of special privilege: that sick children, weighed at his tomb as is customary, either immediately recover through his merits or are promptly released by the shortcut of death from the prolongation of their illness.

[4] When the Lord Conrad, Archbishop of Mainz, of pious memory, learned of this by the report of fame, He grants what Bishop Conrad requests. while he was suffering from ^a prolonged illness which he had contracted from the unaccustomed climate in the Holy Land, and the experience of physicians was of no use to him, weighing himself with ^a mark of silver at the tomb of the man of God, with ^a loud cry and tears, he was heard according to the form of his petition. For he had asked that he be released from the prolongation of his illness, either by ^a quick recovery or at least by the benefit of death. And before he reached his own See, death intervening, he obtained what he had asked through the merits of Blessed Erminold.

[5] A certain man, poor in means and poorer still by the loss of his sight, but rich in the treasures of devotion and faith, entered Prüfening to seek the benefits of the man of God. He restores sight to ^a blind man. Directed by many people who had come from ^a nearby village and stood before the church doors, and shown the Saint's tomb inside the church, he was placed — led by ^a boy's hand — around the altar, as he had requested. After the guide had gone out, groping his way with his staff, he devoutly approached the tomb and, prostrating himself on the ground, asked without hesitating in faith that he might be worthy to receive his sight. And immediately, feeling himself heard, with sight restored, he went out and told his guide that he could see, and told all who stood around — who had seen him enter blind and had shown him the tomb when he asked. He therefore had all of them as witnesses and heralds of his healing. And when the voice of those congratulating the newly sighted man was heard from afar — for they were speaking to one another about all these things that had happened — he praised God and the merits of His servant.

CHAPTER II.

A certain blasphemer is punished.

[6] A certain brother from among those we call lay brothers (Barbati), coming upon the scene stirred by ^a malicious spirit, A blasphemer strikes the tomb of St. Erminold. and not bearing the glory of God, began to assail with abusive reproaches the man who was praising the benefits of God and His servant, calling him ^a deceiver and liar who was using this kind of artifice to obtain more generous alms. The other, refuting this with ^a free voice, departed. But that lay brother, steeped in evil days, raging with reckless audacity, made ^a scourge of rods and with three blows struck the tomb of the holy Father insolently, saying with ^a sacrilegious mouth: "Rest, Erminold, and stop disturbing us." He had scarcely finished these words when behold, the Lord — the God of vengeance — punished the blasphemer with ^a fitting retribution. For his face began to burn with incredible heat, as if scalded with boiling water. Hastily leaving the church, he hurried to his cell, hoping to find some relief by lying down in bed. He was the master of the shepherds. One of his servants followed close behind him — who indeed had heard his blasphemies but was unaware of the divine punishment — and mildly rebuked him with gentle words for what he had said. But the other, like ^a deaf adder, made no reply at all, He is divinely punished. until they came to the fountain nearby where the monastery's horses were usually watered. From this, water was drawn for him by the servant, and he poured it on his burning face in hope of refreshment, but the liquid forgot its natural power and, performing the office of the opposite element, burned the sufferer more fiercely. And so he took to his bed, and while being scourged he acted like Pharaoh, although admonished by many to repent. According to his hardness and impenitent heart, he treasured up for himself further vengeance. For day by day his heart against the Lord's Confessor persisted in its hardness. And because he continued to sin against Him, and provoked the Most High to anger, God laid upon him still more horrible plagues. For he was struck with ^a terrible leprosy and was removed from among men.

And when it was still urged upon him that he should repent, he turned his heart to words of malice — to make excuses for his sins. For he replied that he had not sinned so greatly as to deserve such evils. Persevering therefore in such blasphemy, since the transgressor scorned to return to his senses, it happened one day that when ^a table had been set before him by an attendant, with bread and drink upon it, the attendant went to fetch the food to be served. On his return, he found the man, whom he had left wretchedly alive in obstinacy, even more wretchedly dead in his sin. He dies impenitent. For he had fallen face-first into ^a pan full of coals, which had been placed before him for warming, and had expired, half-burned. In this it is clearly seen that he who had been to the faithful blind man ^a fragrance of life unto life, became to this blasphemer ^a fragrance of death unto death — appointed for the rising and the fall of many, since he dealt diverse wages of merits to each: illuminating the one through faithful devotion, striking the other for his offense. And just as the tomb of the man of God was struck three times with rods by the insolent man, so was the enemy struck with ^a threefold plague: the burning of his face, then the contagion of leprosy, and finally the most wretched death of sinners. But having described the rigor of justice, let us return to the consolations of mercy.

CHAPTER III.

The sick are healed. Miracles are interrupted.

[8] A flow from the ears healed. A boy named Radold, in the monastery, bled so much from his ears every night that in the morning his pillow appeared to be soaked with the blood of some animal. When he was weighed ^a third time at the tomb of the man of God, he was immediately restored to full health.

[9] Meanwhile, the multitude of those who believed in the Lord grew daily, seeking the patronage of His servant. A crippled woman healed. Among them, ^a certain woman named Ieruta weighed herself at the Saint's tomb with ^a coin, but when she should have put it in the offering box, she secretly kept the penny and intended to present it at the altar. But deceit was immediately followed by punishment: for her hand became so contracted that she could neither extend it nor shake out the coin. Therefore, chastened by the scourge and returning to her senses, she went back to the box to deposit the penny. And immediately mercy and truth met together: for the truth opened the hand that deceit had closed. So, having placed the coin where it should go, the rejoicing woman offered another at the altar.

[10] And so, while the throng of those venerating the servant of God grew daily, ^a certain monk named Wolfram, Miracles cease for ^a time. assigned to the custody of the tomb, proposed to build over it ^a small latticed enclosure, through ^a certain carpenter named Berchtold, who had committed ^a homicide and had not yet merited reconciliation with the Church. The servant of God, disdaining the sacrilegious entrance into his church of this man and the works of bloodstained hands, for several years ceased to grant his customary benefits to those who sought them. When the Brothers had more carefully considered this, they prudently removed the enclosure. But the cessation did not end immediately, so that the displeasure of God and His servant might be appeased.

[11] They resume. Since, however, He does not forget to have mercy — whose nature it is always to have mercy and to spare when asked — after some time had elapsed, in the year 1224 of the Lord's Incarnation, Phinehas stood up and made atonement — Blessed Erminold, that is — to turn away the wrath of Him whom the work of the homicide had offended. A certain man named Waltmann, ^a citizen of Regensburg, familiarly asked ^a certain Rupert, who was in charge of the Brothers' clothing, who was close to him, whose tomb it was that was visible in the middle of the church. And hearing that it was the first Abbot's of this place, and that he had been ^a man of most holy life, and that he had been famous for miracles both while in the flesh and after death, and had ceased from them for ^a time for ^a cause unknown to him, the said Waltmann said to that Rupert: "Know that the Lord will shortly again declare his merits. This was foreshown in ^a vision. For I saw in ^a vision that I, with many others, had entered this church to pray, and behold, from the head of the tomb, ^a tree, as it seemed, of gold was growing up, of such great size that the breadth of its branches filled the entire church and extended beyond the door as well." By which, of course, it was portended that what the Lord had once said to His Only-Begotten Christ — who suffered in the flesh — this He would likewise say to His servant, even if the words themselves did not descend upon him from the magnificent glory, yet by the effect itself: "I have glorified, and I will glorify again." "I have glorified" — namely, while he lived in the flesh by an outstanding life, in his glorious passing from the world, in his miracles and signs after death; "and I will glorify again" — at the last trumpet, among all the elect, and meanwhile by the signs that follow, which had ceased for ^a time on account of the negligence and fault of certain persons. And the outcome of events soon confirmed this.

CHAPTER IV.

Various illnesses are cured by his help.

[12] Indeed, ^a few days later, on ^a Saturday evening, when after the evening office ^a Procession was being conducted before the altar of the Holy Cross as usual, someone was present among the many carrying ^a blind boy in his arms. When the door was shut on him as he went out, ^a certain monk named Theoderic, meeting him and seeing the boy was blind, advised him to return and to seek the Saint's assistance. And so, with the people who had already gone out returning with the boy, all most earnestly beseeched God and His servant for the child's illumination. A blind boy receives sight. And immediately God, the hearer of all, clothed the blind eyes with clear light, glorifying His Confessor. The boy's bearer, asked to remain with us for ^a while as testimony of so great ^a miracle, refused, protesting that he and the boy were without father and mother, from Gallic Belgium, from the territory of Trier, and that he had carried the boy around out of fraternal compassion to various Saints in hope of healing, whose help he had now found to be reserved for the glory of Blessed Erminold. "Therefore," he said, "I will not be silent for anyone's sake, and I will not rest for anyone, until, having returned to my native land, I proclaim the praises of this Saint far and wide."

[13] A paralytic woman is cured. Likewise, ^a certain young woman of the city of Regensburg, joined in marriage by her parents, was so dissolved by paralysis after ^a short time that she entirely lost the use of speech, was deprived of one eye, had her teeth so compressed together that at mealtime they could scarcely be separated with ^a knife for food; and being crippled in both hands and feet, she presented ^a pitiable spectacle of herself. Weighed in the usual manner next to the tomb of the man of God by her family, she was immediately so completely healed that she who had been accustomed to being carried by others now walked on sound feet to the altar, and with hands previously crippled offered ^a gift, and with ^a mouth previously mute requested ^a priest to celebrate Mass, and with her eye restored, returned home most joyfully with her friends.

[14] A crippled girl is restored. But while she also visited the Saint's tomb more frequently afterward to give thanks to the Lord, ^a certain girl was brought in whose hand was completely crippled. When the aforementioned woman placed that hand on the tomb of the Confessor, with Brothers standing by and praying for the girl, she cried out "Oh!" — and with full health restored, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, extending the previously crippled hand, she snatched an egg that happened to be lying on the tomb, in ^a childish way, eliciting delight, exultation, and laughter from everyone.

[15] A man with ^a disfigured face is healed. Another boy, with foul flesh growing on his lower eyelid, bore ^a disfigured face. When physicians and surgeons said the flesh should be cut away, his friends, fearing ^a greater danger, by ^a healthier plan promised to bring the boy to God and His servant. And when they rose in the morning to begin their journey, mercy had already anticipated the faithful: they found the flesh completely removed, with only ^a bloodstain remaining as ^a sign of what had been done. Not ungrateful for the Lord's benefit, devoutly fulfilling their vow, they brought the boy to the Saint's tomb, narrating the praises and mighty works of the Lord to all the brothers.

[16] Vomiting is stopped. A certain boy, exhausted by continual vomiting, could retain no food at all. When he was weighed at the Saint's tomb by his family, he obtained full health without delay.

[17] Abdominal swelling subsides. A certain woman was so inflated with ^a horrible swelling of the belly that she was believed by others and by herself to be pregnant, suffering frequent pains like those of women with child. But when the usual time for pregnancy had passed and she found she was not with child, she presented herself with offerings and praises of God at the tomb of the holy man of God.

[18] A certain Agnes, ^a nun in the monastery of St. Paul, was tormented by an incredible affliction of coughing; Cough twice expelled. upon invoking the servant of God, she felt herself immediately freed. When at another time she was struck by ^a similar illness, by ^a repeated prayer to the servant of God she was promptly cured ^a second time through the same.

CHAPTER V.

Other various cures.

[19] Headache healed. A certain young man, called Ulrich von Ceuern, afflicted with ^a very severe headache, devoutly weighing himself at the Saint's tomb, was restored to health without delay.

[20] A paralytic woman healed. A certain poor woman, severely dissolved by paralysis for eighteen weeks, was unable to move from her bed or rise for any bodily need. She, having conceived confidence from the virtues of the holy man, at ^a certain dawn dressed herself, declaring she was going to Prüfening. When the women living with her thought she was raving from her illness, she earnestly requested to be led to the door and obtained it. Between the hands of those holding her, she most earnestly besought the Saint that if her vow and devotion pleased him, he would obtain for her from the Lord the strength to walk. Without delay, she so outpaced with such swiftness those who had been her guides that the first seemed last and the last first on the journey, and the others could scarcely keep up with her.

[21] Another paralytic. Another woman, called Alheidis, from ^a village near the monastery, was so struck with paralysis that with her mouth hideously twisted to one side and one eye blinded, she bore ^a horrifying face. On the vigil of the Epiphany, when the next day the anniversary of the Saint is observed, she came to his tomb and most earnestly implored his assistance. And so, returning in the morning and repeating the same prayer, immediately with her mouth restored to its former position and her eye restored, she likewise obtained full health.

[22] A madman healed. A certain Hartwig von Chepen, seized with frenzy from the extreme fervor of his illness, tearing himself from the hands of those holding him and running through the forest, was carried about in the manner of the insane. Brought by his friends to the tomb of the servant of God, through the intercession of St. Erminold he was shortly and fully restored to health.

[23] Another sick man. Another, Leutwin by name, from the same village, was immediately healed of ^a very severe illness at the same tomb through the Saint's merits.

[24] A crippled woman. A certain poor woman, unable to walk, moved herself from place to place with hand-stools. Coming to the tomb of the holy man, she invoked his help, and immediately her ankles and feet were made firm, so that she was content to walk with the support of ^a cane.

[25] Another sick man. The Brothers' cook, named Henry, called Wirth, after acute fevers was suffering greatly from pain in his legs and eyes. On Christmas Day at earliest dawn, praying most devoutly at the holy man's tomb, he immediately received health through the Saint, and received the Lord's mercy in the midst of His temple where the Lord's servant rests.

[26] Another. A certain Perchtold, ^a citizen of Regensburg, returning from the Holy Land, began to be tormented by ^a very serious illness. Coming to the parts of Germany and hearing of the virtues of Blessed Erminold through various persons, he more earnestly invoked him for the recovery of health, asking as ^a sign of his being heard that he be cured before he entered his own house. What he faithfully asked, he effectually obtained, receiving — indeed, anticipating — full health, and returned home as he had asked.

[27] Cancer expelled. The same Perchtold's daughter had ^a daughter named Agnes, whose private parts were seized by the horrible disease called cancer. The anxious mother therefore brought her daughter to the tomb of the man of God, and invoking his assistance for her daughter's health, promised to offer him ^a tribute of five pennies each year. After which, the daughter being fully healed, the mother's devotion quickly congratulated itself on being heard.

[28] A dangerous urinary disorder. Another daughter of the same Perchtold had ^a small son suffering gravely from difficulty in urinating. While some physicians judged it to be strangury and others ^a bladder stone, and testified that he would need to be cut open, his friends, placing their hope in God and seeking the patronage of Blessed Erminold, were not cheated of their desire. For the boy, brought to the holy man's tomb, was immediately and completely healed.

[29] Eye pain. Likewise, another citizen of Regensburg named Opert had ^a daughter, the wife of Rapoto, who was nearly blinded by eye pain. Brought to the tomb of the man of God, when she promised ^a tribute of ten pennies annually to him, she immediately received an unhoped-for clarity of her eyes.

[30] The same in another. A certain Henry of that same city, who was called Vicedominus, suffering from ^a similar pain, guided by ^a friend also named Henry to the tomb of the holy Father, was heard with ^a similar effect of healing through ^a similar feeling of devotion.

[31] The son of the same Henry had ^a son who walked with difficulty on his twisted feet, Twisted feet healed. and he too was healed through the merits of Erminold.

[32] At another time, the same Henry began to be so weakened by ^a flow of blood A flow of blood. that he felt no improvement from any medication. Turning therefore ^a second time to the well-known assistance of the holy Father, he again deserved to be healed, through the same Lord of ours — at whose faithful servant's touch he was healed, just as the woman with the issue of blood once deserved to receive health by touching His hem. Here Jesus manifested Himself for the third time to the same Henry, in the glory of His Confessor.

CHAPTER VI.

A demoniac is cured, and other sick persons.

[32] A woman is seized by ^a demon through her husband's curse. In the castle of Nabburg, ^a certain woman named Leucardis, married to ^a young man, was one day playing with glass rings in the manner of girls. Her husband, offended that she was attending to vanities and neglecting necessities, incautiously cursed her by wishing the invasion of an evil spirit upon her — cursing his wife in ^a most unconjugal manner. And immediately, whether to punish her vanity or his excessive harshness, the devil seized the woman and tormented her most cruelly, and proclaimed blasphemous and obscene words through her, reproaching those who approached with their sins and offenses. And when priests recited the exorcism over her, the demon said: "I care nothing for your words, nor do I attend to your babblings. I am reserved to be expelled by Erminold; he has received the power of casting me out." And all who were present marveled and themselves understood none of this, since the fame of the man of God had not yet reached those parts. And there was much murmuring about him among the people — who was this Erminold the demon spoke of? — and they said to one another: "What is this that the demon tells us? We do not know what it is talking about." But when they thought they were being deluded, ^a certain Rupert came from Regensburg who said he understood what the devil was saying. And beginning, he interpreted to those present the words the enemy had spoken, making known the life, holiness, and many miracles of Blessed Erminold. "He is the one," said the demon, "he is the one of whom I speak." A cart was therefore prepared, and the woman was placed upon it and brought by her friends to Prüfening. She is freed through the help of St. Erminold. When they arrived at the church doors, she began to hold on with hands and feet, but by the force and no small labor of those escorting her, she was placed upon the tomb of the man of God. While the brothers recited the exorcisms and poured out prayers for the tormented woman, she could scarcely be kept from escaping. When suddenly, with God honoring His servant, the woman groaned deeply, crying out "Ach, ach!" and immediately fell quiet as if dissolved into sleep. And when she was removed from the tomb and laid on the ground on ^a mattress, and asked whether she felt better, she answered that she was very well and that she was freed, but that she had no strength at all. So her friends, keeping vigil with her the whole night at the Saint's tomb, set out in the morning on the road home. She is seized again for ingratitude. And as they traveled, they heard the demon's voice say: "Although I dare not approach you, I will not withdraw far from you." The woman, however, was brought home healthy. But not much time passed before the friends of the freed woman, not giving thanks to God, forgot His benefits and the wondrous things He had shown them in her. And so they deserved to learn immediately how great ^a sin ingratitude is before the Lord. For when they should have magnified and extolled with worthy praises among their own people the benefits of God and His servant, they rather strove to conceal and cover them up. When suddenly, in her father's presence, the demon, returning to its house whence it had gone out and making the last state of this person worse than the first, began to cry out horribly through her mouth: "What you strive to conceal, I will make known to all." Having said this, it began to torment her more cruelly than before. So her friends, confounded by the well-deserved punishment and, as usual, receiving understanding from their affliction, returned to their senses, repenting of their ingratitude. She is freed. And so, taking refuge again in the help of their benefactor, they most humbly begged that he would have mercy on himself and on the sufferer, graciously overlooking their negligence. Keeping vigil again at the tomb of the man of God, with the Lord declaring the merits of His servant, in the morning they received her sound and well. And so, praising the Lord as was fitting, they returned joyfully home with her, now sound and happy.

[33] A woman with one eye recovers full sight. A certain woman, completely deprived of one eye for eight years, came with full faith to the tomb of the Confessor. While she prayed with her whole mind's devotion, before all who had gathered for the feast of the Annunciation, she joyfully received the light — for the revelation of the remarkable merits and for declaring the glory of Christ's servant — having no small crowd as witness to her illumination and as praisers of God and His servant.

[34] A boy with twisted feet receives the ability to walk. On Good Friday, ^a certain woman from Regensburg brought ^a boy of about seven years to the memorial of the holy man, who had twisted — indeed completely inverted — feet and was unable to walk. When the mother persisted in prayers throughout the whole day until the dinner hour, the boy was fully restored to health, and in memory of the miracle performed, he often afterward received bread and food from the hands of the brothers while they dined and brought it home to his mother.

[35] Another. Another woman likewise brought ^a girl of about five years with similarly inverted feet who had never been able to walk at all to the Saint's tomb on the vigil of Pentecost. And behold, while the bells were being rung for Vespers, with ^a great crowd present, when her feet and soles had been straightened, she received the ability to walk, and at first walked slowly back and forth near the tomb, but then, progressing more and more daily, she was completely cured.

[36] An epileptic is healed. A certain Herold, ^a citizen of Regensburg, had ^a daughter who was so afflicted by the disease of epilepsy that she was thrown to the ground two or three times daily. When her parents wished to weigh her at the tomb of the holy man for thirty continuous days and had fulfilled their vow, the daughter was restored to full health — with God's mercy meeting the truth of those who vowed and paid. And responding to the Saint's benefit, they offered the cured girl at the tomb of the man of God each year with one candle.

[37] A disabled woman has the use of her limbs restored. A certain woman called Alhaidis, from Tutenwach, deprived of the functions of all her limbs, devoted herself to the man of God at ^a tribute of one penny per year. Without delay, she who had lacked the use of all her limbs rejoiced to find herself restored to the use of all her limbs.

[38] A man long ill from wounds is healed. Two retainers were dining together, and having seized booty, when they came to divide the spoils, they began to quarrel with one another — one complaining that he had received sixty pennies less, and the other, because of the power of his lord, despising his companion's words and moreover heaping insults and threats upon him. The injured man, not forgetting the affront received, thereafter sought an opportunity to ambush him, when fortune brought him face to face with the one who had wronged him. One day, the injured and the injurer met, and the injured man attacked his unwary assailant with an unexpected sword thrust, wounding him most grievously and prostrating him to the ground. And while he lay there, he added more wounds upon the pain of his injuries, and having inflicted the blows, departed, leaving him half-dead. Carried therefore to his lodging with ^a mangled body, he lay in bed for two years, completely unable to rise from it. His wife wept daily and mourned, because she had no means to hire ^a physician. While he wasted away thus and she grieved, one night ^a certain venerable matron appeared to the weeping wife — not in ^a dream, as usually happens, but in ^a most clear vision — and said: "Why are you consumed with grief to no purpose? Send your husband to Blessed Erminold, and he will send him back unharmed." But she replied: "How shall I send him, since he cannot move himself from his bed?" The one who had appeared answered: "Let him only vow to go, and his strength will increase." Having said this, she vanished. The wife told her husband what she had seen. He made the vow, and in the morning, taking up ^a walking stick, he set out on his journey, and although with difficulty, he reached the tomb of the Saint. Weighing himself there, he returned home and — as we believe — eventually obtained full health.

CHAPTER VII.

Other benefits granted to mortals.

[39] A man's eye is restored. A certain goldsmith named Gottfried, ^a Swabian by birth, ^a man of wondrous simplicity and the most skilled in every branch of that art among all those in Regensburg, suffered ^a very severe eye disease, to the point that one eye was blinded and moreover turned into bloody, black flesh. Not having the means to hire physicians, and having tried very many remedies of old women and female healers with no success, he heard that ^a most skilled woman in such matters was to be found at Würzburg. When he had resolved to go to her but lacked the travel expenses, his friends advised him to set aside everything and seek the assistance of Blessed Erminold. Agreeing with them, he fashioned ^a silver eye and weighed himself with it at the Saint's tomb. Wondrous thing! Within the space of one night, he received his eye — sound, clear, and more keen than he remembered having before his illness.

[40] Walking is restored to another. A certain Henry, ^a citizen of Regensburg, came one day to Prüfening to pray to God and His Saint. Hearing among many others from the priest who celebrated that the servant of God was being commended, he testified that he had ^a daughter who for eight years had never touched the ground with her feet in order to walk; and that when he had brought her and weighed her three times at the tomb of the man of God, she had obtained full health and now walks firmly on her feet to this day.

[41] A fraudulent woman is corrected. A certain matron from Regensburg, since she could not come in person, sent ^a coin to be offered and candles to be lit at the tomb of the man of God, through ^a woman dwelling with her in her house. This woman, coming with other women, lit the candles and offered the coin at the tomb, but secretly pulling it back, she was thinking of fraudulently putting it in her own purse and keeping it. But in ^a wondrous way, the two fingers with which she had pulled it away and held it were immediately pressed so tightly together that she could neither separate them from each other nor shake out the coin. She therefore departed sadly and mournfully with her companions. When she came to the field, they inquired of her the reason for her tears. She confessed her fault, showed forth her thieving hand with the fingers still tenaciously stuck together, holding what they had secretly stolen. And when the women tried to pull the coin away but could not, using ^a wiser plan, they returned with the guilty woman and placed her hand with the stolen coin upon the tomb, humbly invoking God and His most merciful Confessor for the thief's absolution. And immediately the fingers, which had stuck together to steal and take away, were loosened and released to make restitution. She is restored. So, with the penny deposited in the box, the women, praising God and His servant with joy, returned to their homes. And fear came upon all, and they glorified God — all who heard of this miracle.

[42] Another recovers her hearing. Another woman named Leukardis had incurred such deafness that she was greatly harmed by the frequent ringing in her ears. Visiting the tomb of the man of God ^a third time, she obtained full health.

[43] Another is relieved of eye pain. Another woman suffered such great pain in her eyes that for ^a long time, with them closed, she was believed to be blind. When she came devoutly to the aid of the man of God, immediately at the very entrance of the church, her eyes, long closed, were opened. But so great ^a flood of tears followed their opening that the woman's clothes were soaked down to her breast, as if drenched by ^a river. She approached the tomb, giving thanks to God and His magnificent Confessor. Returning home from there, she rejoiced shortly after in full health.

[44] Other miracles have been lost. Jesus indeed performed many other signs as well, honoring His servant, which are not written in this book — either because the humility of certain simple Brothers voluntarily suppressed them, or because the carelessness of others negligently consigned them to oblivion. But these things which we have heard with our ears, our Fathers have declared to us, and the most trustworthy elders; we have touched on them briefly with our pen. The future things, the knowledge of which God has reserved to Himself, we commit to the diligence of posterity for appending. For we have such confidence in the Lord that, unless the vessels of devotion and faith fail those who seek the assistance of His beloved servant, the oil of His Elisha will not fail — by the grant of Him who is blessed forever and ever. Amen.

RECAPITULATION.

[45] Since the pious devotion of the faithful is moved more amply and more perfectly by what is known than by what is unknown, The origin of the monastery of Prüfening. so that all who are about to enter this church may not be ignorant of the origin and progress of this monastery of Prüfening up to the present time, we have deemed it fitting to provide this small page, like ^a mirror, for all visitors. It should be known, therefore, that in the year after the birth of the glorious Virgin, 1109, the most blessed Father, St. Otto, Bishop of Bamberg, clearly forewarned by ^a divine revelation — as is more fully contained in his Acts — founded this place in honor of God and of St. George, the most victorious Martyr. And when it had been laudably completed through his zeal and industry in buildings, dwellings, workshops, and cloister, and liberally and abundantly furnished with estates, forests, and other possessions which the necessities of monastic life require, he gathered and established Brothers there to serve God perpetually under the Rule of Blessed Benedict.

[46] Abbot Erminold, formerly of Lorsch. Having therefore assembled ^a community, he appointed Blessed Erminold — whose tomb is visible in the middle of the church — as the first Abbot of this Church by the Lord's disposition, summoned by letters both numerous and suppliant from the monastery of Hirsau, in which under the governance of Blessed Wilhelm he had borne the yoke of monastic life from his youth. Whence, already long since, on account of the supreme perfection of his praiseworthy life, the renown of whose fame had spread far and wide, he had been elected Abbot of the Church of Lorsch and solemnly invested with the regalia by Emperor Henry V. Over which Church, when he had presided with most holy governance for little more than ^a year, and in that short span of time had gathered no fewer than forty sons for God in holy religion, and there — on account of ^a light scruple of conscience — fearing sin where there was absolutely no sin, he resigned the dignity of that abbey, and with the brothers he had collected for God he migrated back to the monastery of Hirsau, where he was joyfully received with his companions and maintained, and remained there for some time. At length, in the year of the Lord 1114, by our venerable founder, he was appointed first Abbot to govern this place, as has been said, and at the request and with the consent of the venerable Lord Hartwig, then Bishop of Regensburg, he was solemnly consecrated as Abbot by Bishop Udalric of Passau, of holy memory.

[47] He is killed. And when, in the care of the governance he had accepted, after the manner of ^a good Shepherd, he drew his subjects back from evil by word and example alike, urged them toward good, and neglected nothing to be done but rather watched over the divine works unceasingly — the devil, seeing and envying his own losses and God's daily increasing gains through the same man, animated and armed certain followers of his malice for the holy Father's destruction. And so, lest the venerable Confessor of Christ — who by his governance had deserved to have the Patriarchs as colleagues, the Apostles in teaching and signs, the virgins in chastity — should also lack the palm of the Martyrs, after many injuries, insults, and threats, he was struck with ^a wooden beam through an ambush by the agency of the devil; and surviving for some time, he finally passed to the King and kingdom of the Angels with ^a glorious end on the holy day of the Epiphany, under the Hymn of the Angels — just as he himself had predicted on the vigil of that feast, by the prophetic spirit with which he was filled. He thereby assured us, by the very sign he had given of his prophecy, that the divine service should never cease in this place — which from then until the present time, as is evident, remains in its state and vigor through the merits and intercession of the same Father, as we believe.

[48] He is made illustrious by miracles. With his spirit therefore migrating to heaven, the body of the holy Father, devoutly hidden in the tomb which is seen at present, soon began by the power of Christ to shine with innumerable miracles: sight restored to the blind, ability to walk to very many who were crippled and lame, health to those swelling and bloated, to epileptics, paralytics, demoniacs, the possessed, the deaf, and those suffering from hemorrhage; but the blasphemous were punished — with consuming fire, leprosy, and death, which they deserved — and those who approached or did anything around his tomb fraudulently were corrected, as is more fully set forth in the book of his miracles.

[49] Moreover, among the miracles and signs which we have mentioned, this should not be considered the least: that although for some time the memory of the holy Father had been neglected and interrupted among men, it is now at last being so frequently renewed by the continual visitation of those who come, that the word written about the just man by the Sage — "His memory shall not depart, and his name shall be sought from generation to generation" Ecclesiasticus 39:13 — has been fulfilled in him by the very fact and the evidence. For which reason we indeed hope that Almighty God, disposing to be glorified in His servant and to glorify the same in Himself, will mercifully hear — either according to their prayer or for their benefit — all who shall have asked for the Lord's benefits through him, piously, faithfully, and attentively. We have touched on these things in haste and in summary, so that all who come to seek the patronage of God and His servant, having gained some knowledge of his merits, may thereby conceive ^a more ample confidence in their being heard before God, who is blessed forever and ever. Amen.