Heldemar of Tournai

ON BLESSED HELDEMAR, HERMIT, FOUNDER OF ARROUAISE IN BELGIUM.

Year of Christ 1097.

Heldemar, Hermit, at Arrouaise in Belgium (Blessed).

[1] The congregation of Regular Canons of Arrouaise has flourished in Belgium especially, renowned for holiness, for now nearly five hundred and fifty years. The origin, site, and name of Arrouaise. Three religious men — Heldemar and Cono, both Priests, and Roger, ^a layman — founded it around the year 1090, in ^a place called Arrouaise, from which it also received its name. Arrouaise is situated two miles from Bapaume, ^a town in Artois, and is commonly called Arouage or Arouaise. But, with the monastery having been frequently destroyed during the wars raging between the Belgians and the French, it has declined greatly from its former splendour.

[2] The institute of the Arrouaisians is commended by Jacques de Vitry, an ancient and authoritative writer, in his Western History, chapter 23, in these words: The same institute praised. "There are other Regular Canons who are called of Arrouaise, because the first Abbey of this institute, which is the head of all the others, is so named, situated in the diocese of Arras. These, retaining the foundation of the Rule of Blessed Augustine, in order to crucify their flesh more rigorously with its vices and lusts, its austerity, have banished meat from their refectory. Moreover, they do not use shirts, but rest at night in their dormitory in woollen tunics. They have also added certain other necessary and honourable regulations, building prudently upon the aforesaid foundation and taking precautions against imminent dangers. And since nothing preserves the virtue of religious life more, where there are many Congregations and Convents, monarchy, than having regard for ^a single Superior who governs and contains the various members under himself, as the highest and supreme head, they assemble once ^a year under the first and principal Abbot to celebrate ^a general council, so that all the Abbots of this order, unanimously and according to what they judge expedient for religion, may correct what needs correcting, cut away superfluities, institute and add whatever needs to be added, or change whatever needs to be changed according to the alteration of times or circumstances, and that old things may be set aside in the face of new developments, in such ^a way that the most ancient institutions of the elders — that is, the original statutes of the ancient Fathers — are firmly and invariably observed. The principal Abbot, diligently visiting his daughter houses — that is, the subordinate Abbeys — either in person or through suitable men, visitation, provides such great support to religious life, lest through negligence it decline or through dissolution the enervated state of religion collapse — as is clear from those convents and congregations which, depending on ^a single abbot only and attending to one sole superior, usually collapse when he collapses, since they have no other source of support." So he writes, and adds much more about why individual families of religious men can scarcely defend themselves easily unless they coalesce into an alliance and society, and as it were into one body, with others.

[3] Robert of Mont-Saint-Michel, the continuator of Sigebert and ^a contemporary of Jacques de Vitry, writes thus at the year 1114: The same order praised. "In the city of Beauvais, ^a Council is celebrated by Cono, Legate of the Apostolic See. This is Cono, one of those religious men who first led the eremitical life at the Truncus Berengarii and were the founders of the Arrouaisian order, which order flourishes and grows to this day."

[4] Furthermore, the fame of the Arrouaisians' virtue had spread so widely, even before the age of these writers, that St. Laurence, Archbishop of Dublin, persuaded the secular Canons of his Church to adopt this institute, and adopted it himself as far as he was able. So writes the anonymous author of his Life, which we shall give on November 14. "Therefore this holy and God-fearing man, ^a lover of integrity Introduced into the Church of Dublin by St. Laurence. and ^a zealot for religion, applied effort and industry so that the secular clerics who had been established as Canons in the Cathedral Church of Dublin, changed for the better in both the inner and the outer man, might be transformed into Regular Canons. And in order to confirm this by the authority of the Supreme Pontiff, he sent two of his Canons to Rome, for the use and custom of the Arrouaisian order, through whom the desire of the holy man was fulfilled; and he made regular singers stand around the altar to praise the holy name of the Lord, and gave beauty in celebrations and made sweet melodies in their chanting. That the Blessed Laurence might serve his Lord in security, therefore, he arranged chosen soldiers of spiritual combat, fortifying himself with their arms and standards, adopted by himself. and took up the habit of the aforesaid Regular Canons and the rule of life, and strove to observe it. For almost continually, whenever he was able, he ate with the same Canons in the refectory, observed silence at the proper places and hours, Their statutes and customs observed by him. entering the choir on almost every night with them for matins, he celebrated vigils and the praises of the Lord together with them. Knowing therefore what is written — that the watchfulness of integrity will waste the flesh — burning with devotion, he kept vigil in prayers Eccl. 31:1 and attenuated his flesh. For when the morning praises were finished and the rest went to take their rest, he himself remained in the church — if not always alone, yet as ^a solitary — and went, as was his custom, before the sign of the Lord's Passion, where, as in ^a mirror of life, he contemplated the brazen serpent raised upon the shaft of the Cross, and was healed of his languors by its sweet memory; and he sang psalms to the Lord with trembling, and now standing, now sitting, now also genuflecting, he resounded the entire psalter. It was affirmed indeed by the religious brethren, who more than the rest devoted themselves most frequently to prayer, that the holy man had ^a most sweet conversation with the aforesaid Cross, concerning which many wonderful things are recorded and which has been frequented with great veneration by pilgrims for many ages. When daylight came, he would go out into the cemetery, and walking there for ^a time, he would chant through the commendation of the faithful departed." St. Laurence lived in the twelfth century and was entered into the roll of Saints by Honorius III in the year 1225.

[5] The same order celebrated by others. Many later authors treat of this same congregation: John Molanus in his Fasti of the Saints of Belgium, at May 4; Aubert Le Mire in his Origins of the Regular Canons, chapters 10 and 26, and in his Chronicle; Christianus Massaeus in book 16 of his Chronicles; William Gazet in the French, and our Heribert Rosweyde in the German version of the Ecclesiastical History of Belgium; Ferreolus Locrius in his Belgian Chronicle; Gabriel Pennottus in his History of the Regular Canons, book 2, chapters 38 and 62.

[6] The feast day of Heldemar the founder. The feast of Heldemar, who together with Cono (later ^a Cardinal) was the first to establish this congregation, is recorded on this day by Philip Ferrarius thus: "On this day, the memorial of Blessed Heldemar, founder of the monastery of Arrouaise." Gazet and Arnold Raissius in the Supplement to Molanus's Fasti also call him Blessed. He is also listed in the Fasti of the Saints of Rosweyde, who had transcribed his Life with his own hand from the records of the monastery of Arrouaise itself — or rather, as it appears, the preface of ^a book of charters concerning the properties and privileges formerly donated to that monastery. In the title of his Epitaph, too, he is called "Saint."

FOUNDATION OF THE MONASTERY OF ARROUAISE,

From ^a trustworthy manuscript codex.

Heldemar, Hermit, at Arrouaise in Belgium (Blessed).

By an anonymous author, from manuscripts.

PROLOGUE.

[1] Since the brief span of human days comes to an end quickly, and the life of man upon earth is, as it were, ^a warfare, in the field of this world the valiant and illustrious deeds of those fighting through the successions of time are utterly forgotten and, because of the brevity of time and its easy passage — than which nothing runs more swiftly — they slip away, unless inscribed in enduring letters they are transferred by someone's industry to the memory of posterity. For since, according to the poetic saying, "Time carries all things away," and since oblivion, pressing shamelessly upon passing things, swallows in the belly of its capaciousness whatever is done among men, writing alone — manfully opposing itself to oblivion and exerting against it whatever strength it has — perpetuates happy memory; and, holding fast so that nothing can slip away, it represents to succeeding generations whatever has passed, as though it were perpetually present. By the consideration of this reasoning, therefore, religious men devoted to God, who, abandoning the world and the things that are in the world for the name of Christ, [Authentic instruments of pious donations and privileges are to be collected into one body.] and holding all their possessions in common, follow the crucified Lord, bearing their cross after Christ, having all temporal things not out of desire but for the use of necessity, are accustomed to accept those things which may suffice for their own needs and those of their brethren. And so that they may not be disturbed from the citadel of contemplation and the best part of Mary even for ^a single moment, they strive to delegate the solicitude of Martha to certain of their number. Because they delight more fondly in the embraces of Rachel, they do not abhor in Leah the dimness of her eyes alone, but rather the fecundity of her womb. But because they hear Christ speaking again and again — "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, therefore the world hates you" John 15:19 — they suffer continual persecution from the children of the world, at least in temporal possessions, which they have from the world and which belong to the world. To restrain their attacks, they strive to preserve by the stipulation of written documents those things which they possess, and to transfer them to the memory of posterity lest they slip away with the passage of time. To wield also the spiritual sword against those who have attacked them concerning what they possess from the munificence of kings and princes or from the offerings of the faithful, they call upon the vicars of Christ, and for the confirmation of what has been bestowed upon them, they fortify themselves with written instruments of both minor and diocesan bishops, adorned with seal or signet. But because the privileges, both of those who confer and those who confirm, are as many as the alms given, it has seemed not unreasonable to certain Prelates of the Churches to collect all of them into one body, lest in the process of being carried about, unrolled, and read, the instruments or seals be damaged; and so that readers, when they see everything gathered into one place, may more easily recognize and more firmly retain which document pertains to which matter and how the confirmation corresponds to the grants.

[2] Provoked therefore by these examples, I, the least of all ministers of the Church, an unworthy servant of the Brethren of Arrouaise, The author was ^a religious of Arrouaise. have striven to collect into one body all that was written among us pertaining to the possessions of this Church. And so that you may more easily find what you wish, I have thought it fitting to divide the body itself into individual chapters, and to affix the divisions with their numbers at the beginning of this work. It is my pleasure, however, in this brief preface to digress ^a little and to give an account of the time of the foundation and the merits of the founders of this Church, which I have learned from the report of our elders; and also to commend to the memory of future generations under which Bishops and Pastors or Patrons this house has flourished down to our own times.

CHAPTER I.

Site of the monastery of Arrouaise.

[3] Site of Arrouaise. This place, therefore, situated on the public road in the forest called Aridagamantia (which forest at that time extended continuously from the castle called Encra all the way to the river Sambre), had formerly been ^a den of thieves. Whence certain people commonly call it the Trunk of Berengar, after the prince of the robbers of that name, because they say that after his death his followers were accustomed to present before ^a trunk — which they had hollowed out — whoever they had captured; and from within it one of them, speaking as if he were the same Berengar, would impose upon the captives ^a ransom sum which no one was permitted to diminish or alter.

[4] But in the history of the passions of Luglius and Luglianus, men of Ireland — whose bodies are venerated in the church at the castle called Mons Desiderii — one reads plainly written that these same Saints, passing through these regions, Martyrdom of Saints Luglius and Luglianus. were crowned with martyrdom at the hands of the impious — namely, of the aforesaid Berengar and his brothers Bouo and Helcelinus and their accomplices. But since this crime is asserted to have been perpetrated in the district of Therouanne, it is clear as day that those same wicked men exercised and prolonged their malice not only in this place but also in the neighbouring places round about, and especially along the public roads far and wide, for as long as they were able.

CHAPTER II.

The foundation of the same by Heldemar and Cono.

[5] After many years of the passage of time, therefore, in this place still full of robbery and ambush, in the Bishopric of Cambrai and on the border of the counties of Flanders and Vermandois, around the year of the Lord's Incarnation 1090 — as near as we have been able to ascertain — three Hermits, gathered in the name of the Trinity (so that where sin abounded, A cell is built at Arrouaise. grace might also abound), established ^a cell for themselves to serve the Lord, and constructed an oratory in honour of the Holy Trinity and of St. Nicholas the Bishop — whose miracles were then being widely spread throughout the world on account of the recent translation of his relics — and enclosed and covered its roof and walls with tamarisks, leaves, and small branches.

[6] The homeland of Heldemar. The first of these was named Heldemar, of Tournai by birth; the second, Cono, German by nation; both outstanding in holiness, priests by office, canons by profession; together with Brother Roger, ^a layman, born in the nearby hamlet of Tranloy. Here they lay the foundations of canonical religious life, and, not fearing the ambushes of robbers (for "the righteous man is bold as ^a lion" Prov. 28:1), they rendered safe, by their faith and innocence and also by their bodily presence, all who passed through amid the dangers. Two of these — namely Heldemar and Cono — are said to have received the habit of canonical religion in England, his studies, to which they had been drawn by the pursuit of learning, and under King William of England and the most devout Queen Matilda, his priesthood, to have held the office of Chaplains to the same.

[7] But when they had despised the soft luxuries of kings, and, having bidden farewell to the English, wished to visit the shrines of the Saints out of devout grace, solitary life, finding the aforesaid layman here — who often dwelt alone in the wilderness — they attached themselves to him out of ^a desire for the agreeable solitude which they had long coveted. Of these, Heldemar — what manner and how great ^a man he was in age and merit, how he, poor in spirit and innocent in deed, despised all temporal things, poverty, and possessed little or nothing of earthly goods, nor wished to acquire anything here to be possessed; how also he shone forth with signs of miracles, miracles, as they say, both in life and after death; how he refused the Priorate of the Canons of the Church of Vermandois that was offered to him humility — because these things require their own treatise, I have preferred to pass over them in silence rather than, touching upon them summarily, to say ^a few things unworthy of so great ^a man, since I am called to other matters.

"In the thousandth year of the Lord, plus ten times nine, A new rule at the Trunk of Berengar began to hold."

CHAPTER III.

The division of the Bishopric of Arras from that of Cambrai.

[8] At that same time the Church was labouring under ^a grievous schism, since the Supreme Pontiff Urban preserved the decrees of his predecessor Gregory VII — who had excommunicated all laymen who invested ecclesiastical persons through the ring and the staff — and ordered them to be firmly observed throughout the whole of Latin Christendom. And because when the head ails, the other members usually ail as well, the Church of Cambrai itself, upon the death of its Bishop Gerard, was gravely disturbed, even to the point of slaughter and homicide, by two men — namely Walcher and Manasses — who were contending for the bishopric. Seizing this opportunity, the Clergy of Arras, with the support of Guido, Archbishop of Limoges, and Philip, King of the Franks, Division of the Bishopric of Arras from that of Cambrai. approached the Supreme Pontiff Urban, and through his hand, with Cambrai remaining silent, they had ^a certain Lambert of Guines ordained as their Bishop in the year of the Lord 1093, and with their Church freed from the dominion of Cambrai, together with the privileges of their own liberty, they thenceforth began to enjoy their own Bishop. Whence, when the parishes of both bishoprics were divided on either side, it happened that Rochenias, the mother church of this place, remained within the boundaries of the Arras diocese.

CHAPTER IV.

The death of St. Heldemar.

[9] Heldemar is wounded. During the episcopate of Lambert at Arras, therefore, Heldemar of holy memory was mortally wounded by ^a certain man who was ^a cleric in name only, and who had pretended that he would serve God together with them — after the same man had first killed the innocent layman Roger. He forgives his murderer. Yet Heldemar fully pardoned the murderer and prayed to the Lord for him; indeed, he desired to offer him ^a kiss, were he present. Never afterwards fully healed, within ^a year, as one who had completed his service, on the Ides of January he put off his mortality and was transferred to better things. He dies.

EPITAPH OF ST. HELDEMAR, FOUNDER

of the Monastery of Arrouaise.

[10] He whom this stone covers was the glory of our world, A Martha in labour to his flock, ^a Mary in mind to himself. Vigorous in mind, mighty in deed, resplendent in signs, Despising the lowest things, seeking only the highest. Heldemar, founding these places, He shines forth with miracles. with salutary Rain bedews them — places that had been barren. Here, pierced in the temples by the iron of an impure thief, As ^a martyr he attains the rewards of martyrdom. On the Ides of January, God gives him life without end, Rest without labour, day without night.

Holy Heldemar, Priest and Hermit, Pray for us.

CHAPTER V.

Cono enlarges Arrouaise with buildings and estates.

[11] His successor and heir in merit and place was Cono, also called Hugo, Cono succeeds him. German by nation. In ^a short time he gathered companions, few in number but distinguished in religion. And since he was pre-eminent among all in integrity and religion, he thereby gained for himself the affection of the illustrious and the upright. Whence also by the aforesaid Lambert, Bishop of Arras, the entire parish of Rochini was granted to him to possess in perpetuity, together with the privilege of liberty, in the year of the Lord's Incarnation 1097. Various gifts are made to him. Many estates adjacent to this place were also conferred by the Castellan and the free men of Peronne. The place called Margellas, together with its adjacent waters and pastures, was conferred by Odo of Ham; and permission to build an oratory there was granted, at his request, by Balderic, Bishop of Noyon.

[12] When the wooden oratory was therefore demolished, through the industry of the venerable Cono, He builds ^a new church. one of stone was constructed and dedicated by Godfrey, Bishop of Amiens, and John, Bishop of Therouanne, in the year of the Lord 1106, on the ninth day before the Kalends of October, with the permission and at the request of Lambert, Bishop of Arras. When the monks of Saint-Quentin-en-Mont were pressing him severely concerning their cemetery and wished to drive him utterly from the allodial lands which at that time were common and undivided between the two parties, he, then relying on the counsel and assistance of upright men who happened to be present, He recovers the freedom of his cemetery from Pope Paschal. appealed to the Apostolic See against them; and, entrusting the care of his poor house to his associate Richer, Prior of Lisques — summoned for this reason from his monastery — he petitioned Pope Paschal, who had succeeded Urban, concerning the emancipation of his cemetery. Having found him at Troyes, he obtained and confirmed what he sought.

[13] Returning with the Apostolic privilege and having obtained the freedom of his cemetery from the monks by mandate of the Supreme Pontiff, after ^a brief time had elapsed and all things here had been set in order, he hastened back to Rome to the Supreme Pontiff, who had commanded him to return. The Supreme Pontiff, retaining him with himself, He is made ^a Cardinal. having found him sufficiently approved both by the merit of his life and by his learning, on the counsel of the Brethren ordained him Cardinal Bishop in the city of Praeneste (distant thirty-three miles from the city of Rome). After this he was also chosen above the other Cardinals He is sent as Legate to Gaul. to become the Legate of the Apostolic See throughout the provinces of Gaul.

CHAPTER VI.

He sends relics of St. Savinus to Arrouaise and builds an oratory over the sepulchre of St. Heldemar.

[14] He sends relics to Arrouaise. He took care to send to us, from the concession of the aforesaid Pope, in the year of the Lord 1112, the still incorrupt fleshly hand of St. Savinus the Martyr and Bishop, and relics of many saints. He builds an oratory over the sepulchre of Blessed Heldemar. And coming to us as Legate, he caused an oratory to be built over the sepulchre of his Master, Heldemar, and he himself consecrated it in honour of St. Mary Magdalene, with priestly and Levitical vestments offered there.

CHAPTER VII.

Cono celebrates ^a Council at Beauvais.

[15] He celebrates the Council of Beauvais. Returning from there, having convoked the Metropolitans of Reims, Sens, and Bourges, together with their Suffragan Bishops, he celebrated ^a General Council in the city of Beauvais in the year 1116.

CHAPTER VIII.

The death of Cono.

[16] He is sent to Syria. At last, when the legation was completed — in which he had served in Jerusalem and throughout all Syria under the Supreme Pontiffs Callistus and Honorius He dies. (in whose time he had been active) — having returned to his own see, he honoured the city of Praeneste, the seat of his bishopric, with the clay of his body, his spirit having been called forth to God, on the fifth day before the Ides of August, in the year of the Lord 1117.

CHAPTER IX.

Relics brought by Cono to Arrouaise.

[17] On the Nones of May, in the year from the birth of Christ 1112, there were brought from the city of Rome to the church of the Holy Trinity and St. Nicholas at Arrouaise relics of the blessed Martyrs Sebastian, Various relics at Arrouaise. Hippolytus and his companions, the Four Crowned Martyrs, Felicissimus, Agapitus, Cecilia the Virgin, and Julitta. Likewise, of the Sepulchre of the Lord and of the Manger of the Lord — by the hand of the Lord Pope Paschal II and of the Lord Cono, Cardinal Bishop of the city of Praeneste, who was Legate in Gaul and afterwards in all Syria, after he had governed the monastery of Arrouaise.

CHAPTER X.

Other relics at Arrouaise.

[18] Of the holy Cross. Of the holy sponge. Of the stone of the place of Calvary. Of St. Augustine the Bishop. Of St. Monica. Of St. Vedast. Of St. John the Baptist. Of St. John the Evangelist. Of St. Andrew the Apostle. Of St. James the Less. Of St. Christopher. Of St. Ignatius. Of St. Laurence. Of St. Anthony. Of St. Gingulphus. Of St. Callistus. Of St. Victor the Martyr. Of St. Agatha. Of St. Margaret. Of St. Castula. Of St. Cordula. And of many others whose names are unknown.

CHAPTER XI.

Names of the monasteries which were formerly subject to the monastery of Arrouaise.

[19] The Abbot of Arrouaise, head of his Order and Father General of his entire Order, has twenty-eight special churches, namely: The Church of Hinniacum. Blessed Mary of Boulogne. St. Crispinus in Cavea of Soissons. St. Ulmarus in Boulogne. Of Schizonio. Of Beaulieu. St. John of Chocques. Of Zinnebeca. Of Eeckhout in Bruges. Of Warneton. Of Castriciis. Of Castellion. Of Dodouilla. St. John in Valenciennes. Of Wroclaw in Poland. Of Bethlehem in Germany. Of Falempino. Blessed Mary of Atreo. St. Patrick in Ireland. Of Sweetdale. Of Formezella. St. Mary of the Wood. Of the Fountain of St. Eligius. Blessed Nicholas of Tournai. Of Calviacum. St. Leodegar of Soissons. Of Mareolum. Of Clairefagette.