ON S. MARIUS THE SOLITARY,
OF MAURIAC IN AUVERGNE.
CENTURY VI, OR VII.
PREVIOUS COMMENTARY.
On his certain cult, apocryphal Acts, and uncertain age.
Marius, Solitary of Mauriac in Auvergne (S.)
AUTHOR D. P.
[1] Where the river Dordogne separates the Lemovici from the Arverni, on the rivulet Auze, lies Mauriac; and in it a monastery of the Benedictine Order and the Cluniac reformation, In the town of Mauriac which is believed to have been founded by Theodechilda, daughter of Clovis King of the Franks, dedicated to S. Peter. But the town itself with the title of Archpresbyterate, under the diocese of Clermont extended to several neighboring villages, pertains to the provision of the Bishop, who imposes a Curate upon the Parish church there. But to the monastic church...
[2] & Life in an old MS., The Life of the aforesaid S. Marius the Confessor, Patron of the city of Mauriac, faithfully and word for word transcribed from a certain Latin very ancient parchment manuscript of the monastery of S. Peter of the same city, and containing after the Life and miracles of S. Austremonius, the Acts of the same S. Marius, as is read at the end of the transcript, and found among the sheets of Father Odo Gisseius, came to us by the kindness of Father Peter Possinus under this title, Here begins the Life of S. Marius, our Patron; which title and others, prefixed to individual Chapters, are noted with more elegant rubric. There follow however in the same codex, quite ill kept, the Passion of SS. Tiburtius and Vincentius, and the Lives of Saints Guinidius the Bishop (whose Relics the Convent of Mauriac possesses), Benedict, Odo, Albinus. These things however I therefore here add, among Lives of Patrons. that I may make it probable, that the Mauriacense monastery itself still survives or had survived, when these things were being written there by Odo Gisseius, deceased before the middle of this century, although in the Pullary of Benefices and the Indices of Abbeys of Gaul nowhere is it named. However that may be, I would wish to be more distinctly instructed by those who now possess the place about the present cult and state of the sacred body; then also about the three Saints aforenamed, Benedict, Odo, Albinus, whose Lives are said to be had in the same place, whether they are commonly known, Benedict the Patriarch of the whole Order, Odo Abbot of Cluny, Albinus Bishop of Angers; or others perhaps unknown to us. About the first and third we have treated in March, and also in May about Alcuin, otherwise also called Albinus; about Odo about to treat on 18 November. But the Acts of Guinidius, or Quinidius, Bishop of Vaison, Bollandus illustrated on 15 February. I would also wish to know, whether they are still in use, the Invitatory, Antiphons, Verses, Responsories, and Hymns of the Office of S. Marius, at Matins, Lauds and Vespers, as in the same codex they are set before the Life; and which perhaps are all more ancient, and supplied the very argument to be written: whence we very much desire to obtain those things themselves.
[3] Cult widely diffused, Not however does the cult of that Saint rest there; for in the whole diocese of Clermont an Office is done of him under the rite of a semidouble, partly on this day, partly on the preceding; as appears, from the Breviary of the Church of Clermont and the monastery of Casa-Dei. Several churches throughout Auvergne and Aquitaine and several altars, says Jacques Branche, are found dedicated to the same, in which through his intercession, God works many miracles; for example the church of Villesèque, near Cahors; the Chapel within the building of Holy Virgin of the Port, at Clermont, and another in the same place of S. Peter; in the church of S. Julian of Brioude; in the village of S. Saturninus near Clermont; at Massiac, Orcet, Outable near Issoire; Bonneguise, near Usson; Fortuny, near Murat; Cronce and Mollèdes, near S. Florus; at S. Bonitus, near Ackon. But at the village of Besserens, which is distant two leagues from Pebrak, on 7 June peasants run together, to commend their animals to him, through chapels and altars; with the best success, as I myself learned from them in the year 1643, when at least two thousand had flowed together there: nor could I approve the cupidity of certain secular Lords, vindicating to themselves a good part of the cheeses, then wont to be offered in great number; and I feared lest this should sometime turn out ill for them.
[4] The same Jacques Branche, these things being so related, at the end of the Gallic Life, by himself composed after the aforealleged Carmelite; The Life was not written by S. Odo Abbot of Cluny. makes the author of the old Latin one, which he also asserts is preserved in the archives of the church of Brioude, S. Odo, Abbot of Cluny; naming no witness, nor noticing what he had said before about Ermengardis, as caretaker of the translation, in the 11th century advanced to its middle; and that S. Odo died in the year 942, at least one century earlier. Add, that the style so verbose, such as I find here and especially in the first book (which yet and the second are of the same Author) by no means returns that Odo, sufficiently to be known from his writings. Nor would I say that he wrote anything, asked by the Monks of Mauriac, perhaps earlier than the Body was translated to them, possessing in the neighborhood and ruling the parish, also itself called S. Marius's; as most verbose, unless another earlier Ermengardis be admitted, who managed the translation. For then I shall easily concede that an Office was composed by Odo, which afterwards another extended with the most ample phrase, adding of his own a second book on the translation and later miracles: yet it would remain difficult to grasp, how having such an author, he had sufficient with him unnamed to promise, that he was simply about to write the Acts of the Saint, as they were handed down by the ancients (and indeed in writing, as he afterwards intimates), and to commit the faith of the whole history to those who handed these things down. Now the same complains of one of the more recent, that, not content with the ancient, he filled the Acts of S. Marius with so many superfluities, and with so much glittering nugacity of empty sayings, that to all serious readers or hearers, not only nausea and disgust, but also (unless on account of reverence for the Saint) almost all that is said there, would utterly seem to be contemned and rejected.
[5] confusing times and matters wonderfully, Would that this censure did not also fall upon his very most verbose Preface and the whole first book: in which not only the words, but the matters themselves are such, that our Henschenius doubted, whether they were to be published with our types; and the Author himself rightly took care not to vouch for the truth of the history, to be written by him from the ancients. For who, however skilled in languages and times, would read without stomach-turning, that the companion (as he is set forth) of S. Austremonius, sent into Gaul from Rome a Saint, after he had cured and baptized the demoniac Ermonius at n. 11, ordered him to be called by the name Bernard; at n. 12 that a blind man, called Salmana, by the Saint was called in baptism Barnerus; and that to the paralytic Stennonius the same Saint at n. 14 strictly forbidding the publication of the miracle done upon him; while Teutonic names are imputed to the companion of S. Austremonius imposed on one accustomed to Teutonic speech the name Hilpericus? S. Gregory of Tours, born and educated in Auvergne, who in his History of the Franks proposed especially to enumerate seriatim the Bishops of two Bishoprics, namely Tours and Clermont; among these he sets first Austremonius, in the consulship of Decius and Gratus, that is, the year 250, sent into Gaul, as he says in book 1 chapter 28. And yet then all Gaul, obeying the Romans alone, was ignorant of Frankish and Teutonic names; which also are ineptly feigned to be assumed by a man, such as Marius would then have to be conceived to be, or even of a disciple of Christ. in language, law, nation Roman. And if these things were ineptly feigned about such a man, much more ineptly are they feigned about him, who (as handed down in writings by earlier authors, says the Author of the Life at the very beginning,) was of the college of those disciples, who when they had seen the Lord Jesus present in the flesh, followed the first of the Apostles Peter and Paul to Rome, and were faithful ministers of divine preaching under their magisterium.
[6] For Austremonius flourished in the 3rd century John Savaron, President and Prefect of Auvergne, a learned man and best deserving of letters and the history of his country, writes about S. Austremonius in the Origins of the City of Clermont, that he, after he had presided over his Church for thirty-six years, substituted for himself S. Urbicus, and departed to the village of Iciodorum, and survived six years more. The Acts of S. Urbicus Henschenius gave, and taught that he died about the year 312; and again on 5 June, about his successors the Saints Leogontius and Illidius, he proved, from their Acts, to have flourished in the 4th century. And hence further from the mind of the Bishop of Tours to S. Austremonius, brought back in the middle of the 3rd century, an easy ascent is made; not likewise to the age of the Apostles; to which those who move S. Austremonius from a certain opinion of the common people, eagerly raising the origins of their Churches unknown to themselves to the Apostles, are forced to admit a huge gap in the successions of Bishops: which ought not to be done without the most certain testimonies, such as are not had for S. Austremonius, much less for S. Marius, and thus it is necessary that whatever is said about him as such waver in the whole first book of the Life. Yet I have proposed to give the whole context here, that each may estimate the matter by his own judgment, the more free as he shall have received the Life of S. Marius, of whatever kind, more faithfully transcribed.
[7] I see in it nothing, in which any plausible conjecture about the age of S. Marius can be formed, except those Teutonic names themselves, plausibly said to have sent S. Marius, just as he was himself sent by S. Peter, which otherwise we would have to acknowledge as introduced by the highest absurdity. For what, do we have from elsewhere, by which he is vehemently persuaded not to be much younger than S. Gregory of Tours? who, although he has notably illustrated the Acts of most Auvergnat Saints in his books, On the glory of Martyrs and Lives of the Fathers; yet does not mention S. Marius. Now the first, who wrote anything about him, seem to have been the Monks of Mauriac, after the care of the burial place was committed to them. Let it therefore be permitted to me to suppose, that as S. Austremonius is said to have been sent by S. Peter, because sent by some successor of his in the Apostolic See, for example S. Fabian, who died at the beginning of the year 250; so also S. Marius, sent to extirpate the remains of Gentilism in the mountains of upper Auvergne, sent by some Bishop of the Auvergnats, in the 6th or 7th century, with the Franks now ruling all Auvergne, is said to have been sent by S. Austremonius, though he came into Gaul in the year 250. because no more illustrious...
occurred, to whose name that mission could be ascribed, by men by no means evil, and recognizing the beginnings of the Christian faith placed among them through S. Austremonius. Thus it will best be understood, how Marius could have, having converted and baptized by him, place Teutonic names, that is Frankish: if however they ever had other names, and were more than cured from bodily diseases, and not Christians from birth. For I fear, that the whole conversion of the Gentiles proclaimed with so many words, has another foundation in the truth of the matter; than that S. Marius, & Marius perhaps pertains to the 6th or 7th century. with no office of sacred ordination yet imposed, but the devotion of a pious breast compelling, and a simple Cleric; gave useful service for instructing mountain people, Christians indeed, but very rude, from that solitude which he had chosen for himself; with the Bishop of Clermont, who had given him the Clerical tonsure, approving, or even exhorting. But let the reader judge these things by himself; and how much more credit they merit which are strictly said in book 2, than what in book 1 are so prolixly exaggerated.
[8] More certain are the monuments of the ancient cult, in the place where the Saint led the eremitic life and was buried; In the place of his first burial, his memory which Jacques Branche asserts is named from his cave there S. Mary le Creux, in tables from the Auvergnat dialect, le Croz, that is Hollow of S. Marius, or literally Marius Hollow. There the Parish church erected over him, under the title of S. Peter, still preserves the wooden ark of the body, surrounded by iron circles, whence it was taken to be transferred to Mauriac: and in the same valley a spring gushes forth, named from the same Saint, from which the sick drinking frequently draw health: and two hundred paces from there is shown a stone, whence he was wont to instruct the people, called the Seat of S. Marius: the church itself even now is much visited, although the body is absent, and is illustrated by many miracles. So Jacques le Branche, who afterwards does not seem to make much of it, that Marojolium, where the soul of the Saint was seen, by the Bishop coming to care for the burial, to be borne to heaven, is thought by some to be, what today is called the Hill of S. Marius, different from the aforesaid, between the city of S. Florus and Mauriac, which place is distant 8 leagues from the place of burial: and it is closer to truth, that Marojolium is not far distant, from the parish of S. Victor, if it is not itself; if indeed he is here said to rest in body at n. 19 and is distant from the Hollow of S. Marius only by two leagues. But as for the aforenamed Hill, since it lies in the way of those going from Massiac to Mauriac, I would believe, that as the body was passing through there, it was given to the Mauriacenses, on the occasion of the miracle performed about the mule fallen into a precipice at n. 25: as elsewhere we have often read to have been done in such cases.
[9] In the year 1528. Thus far I had written, when I received from Mauriac, an Episcopal decree published 160 years and more ago, about the feast of the Translation to be celebrated on 10 September, in these words: Thomas du Prat, by divine pity Bishop and Lord of Clermont, to all and singular faithful of Christ, in Him who is true salvation, eternal salvation. The Pastoral care is to watch over the flock committed to him, and to procure its salvation in all things, indeed to render himself a faithful minister to the Omnipotent, and especially if those things which are asked concern the salvation of souls. Considering therefore the fervor of charity and sincere devotion of our subjects, the citizens and inhabitants of the town of Mauriac, Thomas the Bishop establishes that among certain other feasts of our aforesaid diocese, which they have toward the parish church of the said town, where the image of the God-bearing and most sacred Virgin Mary is venerated and decorated, on account of the miracles which omnipotent God, at the intuition of the most blessed Virgin, frequently and from day to day deigns there to make and work; and also on account of the bodies of Saints Quinidius the Bishop and Marius the Confessor, which rest, are venerated, and most devoutly worshiped by the said citizens, in another church of the aforesaid town, namely in the monastery of S. Peter of the Order of S. Benedict. We therefore, from our office desiring, to augment the devotion of those aforesaid subjects of ours, as we thirst and desire in the Lord; concede, permit, and will, that for the rest each year, in the same place, by ecclesiastical men and laymen alike, the feast be made and celebrated, as it is wont to be made and statuted by law in our said diocese on Sundays and solemn Feasts, the Translation of S. Marius be observed on 10 September: in the whole aforesaid Parish; namely the memory of the miracles of the inviolate Virgin on 9 May; likewise also the feast of B. Quinidius, on 15 February; and his Translation, on 25 September; and the Translation of S. Marius, Presbyter and Confessor, on 10 September. Desiring moreover to render their will still more inclined; we concede in the Lord to all and singular, visiting the aforesaid churches, and celebrating the feasts of the aforesaid Saints on the above days, 40 days of Indulgences, which from this we statute will perpetually avail. In strength, faith, and testimony of all and singular which, we have ordered these our letters to be fortified by the appending of our round seal. Given in our Episcopal house of Clermont, on the 5th day of the month of May, in the year of the Lord 1528. Signed G. Dovitre; and sealed below with red wax, bound with a red silken cord.
[10] although today only the natal day of 8 June is observed. We marvel that nothing is here placed for 8 June, which as the Natal of S. Marius is even now venerated with a semidouble Office, as is plain from the index of the proper feasts of the diocese of Clermont transcribed to us thence, and the Order of reciting the Office for the year 1656; when the same feast, then concurring with the Thursday of Pentecost week, happened to be transferred to 13 July, with the addition; Was on 8 June. It seems even more wondrous, that the feast of the Translation, with the prerogative of Indulgences so studiously demanded by the people, and granted by the Bishop, has not perennially continued to posterity; but in the said Order and Index is wholly omitted; perhaps because falling in the time of vintage, it was less apt for stirring up a popular concourse. Now Bishop Thomas was, that I may say this in passing, who first established our Society, brought from Italy, in Gaul, with the foundations of three Colleges laid, at Billom in Auvergne and at Paris in France, which growing afterwards into the greatest celebrity and amplitude, Who that Thomas was? held the name of College of Clermont up to these our times; until King Louis XIV made it his own, and it began to be called Louis the Great's; the third was erected at Mauriac, whence we received the aforenoted diploma, without hope of finding the more ancient monuments we desired above.
Noted* or Rohanensi?
LIFE
From an old MS. of Mauriac.
Marius, Solitary of Mauriac in Auvergne (S.)
BHL Number: 5542
FROM A MS.
PROLOGUE.
[1] Among all the Saints, who after the coming of the Lord Savior, either by life, Among the Saints especially to be praised, or by preaching shone through the world, the merits especially of those are to be exalted by the faithful, through whom the faith itself was founded in the whole world, and propagated. For although afterwards there were many, who shone by the wondrous exercises and great merits of a holy life, and also by huge miracles by the grace of signs conferred; yet whatever of these faith and merit obtained, the whole nevertheless looks back to the supplement of the merit of those, through whom these were able to come to the grace of belief, and to virtue through the faith of operation. To this is added, that of incomparably stronger virtue and greater merit was, than can now be, at that time to have recognized and received the belief of true piety, when it was not yet so approved by glory and virtue, after the departure from this life also of those who had been its acknowledgers and worshipers. For those things, by which these after this life show themselves to live with God and through Him to be able very much, indubitably and most certainly prove, that they by no means, while they lived here, erred in the cult of piety, and through this made the imitation of true faith indubitable to those following: which already in our times by so many and great documents has been made most certain, that more easily, even unwilling, anyone is compelled to believe these things, proving the still recent faith by miracles, which he is convinced he cannot deny, than that he should be willing to believe, more laboriously to be persuaded to anyone it would seem. But truly in those first times a great fluctuation of doubt could from here creep into human minds; lest perhaps what was preached to be believed, were such a thing, which prevailing for some time, afterwards entirely ceased to be. But certainly with such abundance the virtue and grace of the Holy Spirit clung to them, that sincerely beholding the certitude of truth itself in the preaching of faith, they could receive in it no ambiguity of doubt. Nay rather it so abounded in them, and so great abundance of the same Spirit filled them, that not only did they retain it with the strongest faith, but they also strove to diffuse it throughout the whole world by the most insistent preaching.
[2] But now who can worthily estimate, how great was, and of how great glory, and of how great merit that virtue, & much endurance, by which, for the same preaching to be disseminated throughout the whole breadth of the world, they neither feared the perils or labors of the most harsh journeys, nor the straits of universal indigences, nor the immense ferocities of barbarous nations, nor without doubt the manifold persecutions that were to come, lastly not the so diverse kinds of so many torments, and at last through these the inflicted destruction of most cruel death? But if at some time to some of these, suffering in such things, the supernal counsel of the Majesty spared; who however would dare to say, that they lacked the glory of passions, who are agreed to have not only delivered themselves to bear all passions, but in a way also to have offered themselves to them? as did S. Marius; One of such, our peculiar Patron, namely Saint Marius, the celestial dignation has attributed to us: on whose account, to express in some way his huge merit and most eminent glory, we have judged in the first place to say a few things in general about men of this kind. Now to his particular matters, according to the slenderness of our discourse, the intention of speaking or narrating seems to us to be directed, that yet those very things may be thought to be praised or approved not from elsewhere, than from that very thing which the general praise of such Saints is proved to have; that is, not from any fabricated or extrinsically sought praises, whose Acts obscured by too much verbosity, but from the very evident intimation of his own deeds. For a long time now indeed I know not who, of this most blessed man, as also many others of others have taken up the narration of his deeds, filled it with such great superfluities and with such glittering nugacity of empty sayings; that to all serious readers or hearers it not only produces nausea and disgust, but also (unless on account of reverence for the Saint) almost all that is said there, would entirely seem to be contemned and rejected. Wherefore all these being entirely omitted, the deeds of the most blessed
man, as they have been handed down to us by the ancients, so simply and briefly we have decreed to be set forth; given more simply, as they are had written from ancient times. that, worthy of consideration of themselves and laudable, with moderate commendation they may not be empty. For neither ought they to be superfluously decked out with external compositions, nor with the consideration of their own and internal beauty neglected, to be defrauded of the admiration and glorification of such great beauty. The faith indeed of the whole history, handed down to us by earlier authors, about him or his acts, we commit to those who handed these things down; and only according to their relation, we either recite his deeds, or proclaim them: about the magnitude however of his virtue and merits we judge that no one should at all hesitate, which we see proved by daily and quite wondrous miracles.
APOCRYPHAL BOOK I.
CHAPTER I.
The mission of an Apostolic man into Auvergne & withdrawal into a solitary place.
[3] The blessed Marius therefore, as we have received handed down in writings by earlier writers, A disciple of Christ, was of the college of those disciples, who when they had seen the Lord Jesus present in the flesh, followed the first of the Apostles Peter and Paul to Rome, and were faithful ministers of divine preaching under their magisterium. Whence Peter the Prince of the Apostles is said first to have sent four of these, chosen and approved by the testimonies of tried virtue, to the nearer borders of Italy; sent by S. Peter into Gaul, after they had there sufficiently preached the word of faith, thence afterward to proceed even to Gaul, and there to disseminate the same word a. The first of these by name Austremonius is reported to have consecrated Bishop b; and to have attributed to him as companions Necterius c the Presbyter, and the Deacon d Mammetus, and Marius, a strenuous and faithful minister of the word of God. So not yet promoted by the sublimation of any Sacerdotal office, with S. Austremonius, yet already as a minister of divine preaching by Apostolic election through the Holy Spirit he was shown to be worthy: and he who, leaving borders, homes, and possessions, friends and acquaintances and parents, to assist hastily Apostolic labors in the announcement and testification of faith, announcing the same faith to foreign nations, obtained the same ministry as the Apostles and the same labor; and was made to foreigners a man of Apostolic dignity, who following the Apostles did not delay to become a foreigner to his own.
[4] And those indeed whom, the grades of sacred Orders being received, the very necessity of ordination impelled to solicitude, though he was only a Cleric: it is not so wondrous to have been the most instant operators of the injoined administration of God's farming and of God's building. But he, with no office of sacred Ordination yet imposed, but with the devotion of a pious breast alone compelling, nonetheless made a most instant operator, is he not worthily to be marveled at for so great a gratuitous and voluntary assumption of virtue? For in what manner with his companions, to whom by the prince of the Apostles he had been attributed as companion and minister, he carried out the work undertaken, the historical tradition about them clearly shows us; yet in no way inferior to his companions in preaching the faith, where it narrated what was done from him or about him afterwards. And by words indeed it sufficiently confirmed that very thing, asserting that he, no less distinguished than his companions, both in preachings, and in virtues and miracles, together with them led almost all Italy to the cult of true piety. About his manners also and the virtues of his mind and the instruction of his life, he related many illustrious things, by which it might appear, that to convert so great peoples his life sufficiently agreed in him with his preaching. But what is next narrated as done, is proved to surpass in this matter all attestation of words. Now that is, that the holy Pontiff Austremonius, with the aforesaid two companions, Necterius the Presbyter and the Deacon Mammetus, is sent by them ahead into Auvergne: while still delaying in the borders of Italy, that third companion, and in the office of preaching co-minister, the most blessed Marius, is said to have chosen and judged to be sent ahead e, to insinuate by words and virtues, the doctrine of Christian faith and virtue to the nations of Gaul. Which burden he, although the greatest, neither dreaded, nor refused, nor as if most heavy hesitated to undertake. For about this matter approached by that Saint, in what manner he received and undertook his command, according to those things which we have received handed down hence, we have judged briefly to insert some things.
[5] You see, S. Austremonius said, O Marius, venerable brother, and most beloved son, both by reason of the time, who having undertaken the exhortation of Austremonius and also by the dignity of the work and the utility of the operation, and at last by the paucity of workers, we are compelled, that we ought by no means torpidly to grow idle in the Lord's farming: but with all our strength we must continually so insist on holy labor, that if possible no moment of time, no rest of pausation be spent in useless vacation. Therefore while we still delay in these borders, we wish through you the parts of the western world to be illuminated by the brightness of holy preaching and the light of truth; that both to perishing peoples eternal salvation may be conferred through you, and to you through their salvation the joy of your Lord, and in the kingdom of heavens you may be set over many things. Do not fear the ferocity of barbarian men, because you know that we have been sent by the Lord, as sheep in the midst of wolves. But did He hate His own, whom He so sent? or rather did He not study to show hence how much He loved them, whom by the persecution of enemies He willed both to acquire the palm of patience, and from their subsequent subjection in the heavenly court to triumph sublimely? To the remuneration therefore of this battle, to the glory of this triumph always look; and never to the endurance of labor of whatever kind, or of tribulation, will you suffer either fear or anything of slaughter. Then the most blessed Marius, more alert and rejoicing, than doubting or fearful, to such exhortation of the blessed Pontiff is reported to have given this response: setting out alertly, How sweet to me, Most Blessed Father, are your commands! how saving seem your admonitions! and of how great opportunity to bring of merit to be acquired, and of beatitude to prepare of reward to be obtained! I acknowledge you as a most useful instructor, and most salutary exhorter. It is fitting therefore, that you have me as the most prompt obeyer. I will go joyful and alert, and I will be, God helping, no sluggard of the office injoined by you, as minister with all my power. It remains that you always accompany me with your unceasing prayers, and from the common master of all Christ Jesus our Lord obtain by diligent vows, that He may help me to expend congruent labor for the undertaken ministry, and that the expenditure of labor may not exist vain or unfruitful to those nations around which it shall be expended, and may deign to give me so great patience for all passions to be borne for His name, as may avail to overcome all enormities.
[6] So now secure and intrepid, also with the highest devotion, as if with no one admonishing, I will set out voluntarily. & full of the Apostolic spirit, What do you say, truly wondrous and astonishing man? Sole herald of truth to innumerable worshipers of falsehood do you not hesitate to approach as a combatant? Against errors of so many peoples, confirmed also by so great antiquity, do you not fear, alone, to rise up as overthrower of all? Hence certainly it is proved, that as much as was in you, to repel all errors, not only of the Gauls, but of the whole world, you desired to expend yourself wholly and in every way and with inmost vows, if the matter could come to pass. It will not be greatly wondrous now, that you easily contemned all terrifying things, when you desired to be one of the heavens out of those, who have narrated the glory of God, and into all the earth has gone forth their sound, and into the ends of the orb of the earth their words. With Paul the Apostle you longed to discharge an embassy for Christ, and to be one of God's helpers, and a faithful dispenser of His mysteries, and so strenuous a minister of Christ, that according to His promise you might be able to be there with the Father honoring, where the Son Himself is, to whom you ministered: with this, I say, so great glory not vain, but of true magnificence delighted, induced by zeal of piety to the acquisition of so great and sacred dignity, it is not so wondrous if to obtaining these things by however great labors you have judged you must hasten, nor has any fear of any sufferings recalled you from them. Wisely therefore and usefully you did not refuse to begin, what with God's favor you valiantly consummated. So the suffrage of prayers requested the blessed Pontiff soon in the present strove abundantly to bestow, by solemn benediction of piety praying for him prosperity of journey, devotion of operation, instancy and fruit of labor, protection from enemies, fortitude of suffering, longanimity of sustaining, and at last for a good fight and the consummated course and the faith preserved, the crown of justice laid up by the just judge.
[7] And having entered Auvergne, So setting out, with the borders of Italy crossed, and the Alps overcome, he came to Gaul, disseminating the word of piety through whatever places he passed. In this manner traversing almost Gaul itself, and approaching the regions of Aquitaine, he came into the Auvergnat territory; where placed in a certain confine of those same countries, the sun of truth coming from Eastern shores, would more easily shine forth with rays stretched even to the very limits of the Western Ocean; and so would illuminate innumerable multitudes of peoples, before he came there. There also in a short time, through the whole region round about, the same clear light of Evangelical preaching is diffused; the signs of wondrous works follow the words of preaching; he performs many miracles; and whatever heard could come into doubt, asserted by wondrous deeds, is most certainly proved. For sights were restored to the blind, hearing to the deaf, to the feeble the strength and vigor of members, to any sick and languishing the pristine health to integrity; to those wearied by unclean spirits perfect cure, nor were they allowed to have any violent vexing in their bodies, in whose hearts they were compelled to lose the wicked right of pristine domination. So with divine arrows and javelins sent forth by preaching, while the unconquered soldier of God protects himself with glittering arms and flashes, all enemies subdued, he merited to bring a quite noble triumph from their subjection to the kingdom of the heavens. And he indeed the shower of celestial light chose for himself a humble place, and at that time, sufficiently obscure in fame, for his own habitation: that is in a certain little village, which by common name is called the Valley of Jorne f.
[8] in the Valley of Jorne he places a cell for himself: There therefore running about everywhere for the grace of the word to be sown, he had a little hospice placed for himself, to which returning he might privately and more secretly remain. But by no means by the obscurity of the place could the brightness of light be obscured, nay rather by the brightness of light the obscurity of the place could and merited to be driven off. For, as someone equally holy and learned says of another Saint, the hiding place is illustrated, when the threshold is opened. Finally, when through the places situated everywhere around, and through diverse regions even more distant, the splendor of his doctrine and virtues shone forth; the sanctity and sincerity of his life seemed to all approaching nonetheless wondrously to resplend: wondrous abstinence there of which matter we have received from a certain relator of his acts and life many things said, and more superabundantly than is necessary, which we have judged neither to be wholly omitted, nor to be touched on in the greatest part. He judged that the first Apostolic example to be imitated by him was congruent and convenient, namely to castigate and reduce his own body into servitude, lest to others...
preaching, he himself be made reprobate. So he excelled in wondrous abstinence, but he exercised this no less wisely than wondrously: for indeed the reason of this virtue always to be observed, demands as much, which the Lord Jesus in the Gospel briefly indeed but fully intimated. For when about John the Baptist He had said; For John the Baptist came, neither eating nor drinking; and they say, he has a demon; and then about Himself; But the Son of Man came eating and drinking; and they say, behold a man voracious and a wine-drinker, friend of sinners and publicans; exercising himself in vigils: the foolishness of those saying such things He immediately refuted by these few words, And wisdom, He said, is justified by her sons: which is such, as if it were said, All foolish and stupid persons place the merit of justice or injustice only in the sole consideration of either taking food or abstaining from foods; while they attribute the highest palm of justice to those only, who only in that manner in which they themselves are wont abstain from bodily foods; but they reckon those less just, who with the rest use common nourishments: but the generous sons of true wisdom assign the whole merit of justice, neither to abstinence nor to eating, but to wisdom alone; by which among the other acts of every religious man, in abstaining also, similarly as in eating, only rationally is it both fasted and eaten. Let it suffice to have said these few things about the intimation of such great virtue, lest any think it consists in the long duration alone of fasting, but rather in the moderation and tempering of eating. The blessed man also is recalled to have flourished quite notably with laudable strenuousness of vigils, with the almost continual continuation of prayers, and with the assiduous meditation of the divine law, with the most insistent zeal of a holy and blessed life.
[9] chaste, To have had no less chaste manners and to perfection chastised, and moreover adorned with the beauties of all virtues, tranquil with the gentleness of modesty, composed with the honor of gravity, founded with the longanimity of sustaining, strong with the tolerance of suffering, lovable with the sweetness of kindness, abounding with the fullness of love toward all, fervent with the ardor of charity toward the Lord, merciful, compassionate to all those troubled from any side; large according to his power, but beyond the possibility of bestowing merciful to the needy; always desirous of peace and concord, whether to be preserved or repaired among any mortals; ever zealous for virtue with both; lastly hateful of all injustice and iniquity, full of the sweetness of all justice and equity and universal goodness and kindness; but empty of all malice or ferocity or even excessive severity's bitterness. efficacious for the conversion of the unfaithful, With such holy purity equally and exercise of life, with such institution flourishing in all the virtues of manners, adorning the doctrine of holy preaching, with joined wondrous deeds of signs and prodigies, he is said to have converted to the faith of God and our Lord Jesus Christ the whole multitude of the nation placed far and wide around. It must therefore be weighed, what rewards of supernal retribution so many and so great merits of holy operation purchased for him; since, if leading a life without crime, he only inculpably carried out the injoined office of preaching, he would compare from this not a little both merit, and would be believed to obtain a reward. Again, if with no office of preaching either imposed or executed, he should lead a life only of such great purity, and therefore worthy of manifold praise. of such great labor and exercise for acquiring virtues; and this, with human sight avoided, he should perform only in the sight of divinity, that alone could acquire for him immense merit of a reward to be restored from heaven. But if, with his good manners and acts hidden by no outward concealment, by his example alone, namely without any admonition of word, to all sluggish he should offer an excitation, and to those solicitous for the bettering of their own salvation and confirming of their proposal an imitation of his life; hence also he would merit no small retribution of eternal reward. How great therefore do we think the immense merits of supernal rewards acquired by him, who by the exercises of so many magnificent works obtained for many both justifications and remunerations as one.
NOTES D. P.
CHAPTER II.
Miracles done by him living: preparation for death.
[10] But now about the miracles which he privately performed in the place of his own habitation, Few more distinctly written, besides those which he did in diverse places for the salvation of the peoples, with throngs of spectators standing by; some, though quite few, are noted, and are handed down for our ready memory in an earlier writing: because indeed these more easily, with also assigned both names and passions of the persons cured, by those staying around could be known by following tradition a; than those which were exhibited among outsiders and to outsiders, scarcely possible to be collected for their multiplicity, were committed much sooner to the oblivion of those present than to the memory of posterity. These therefore from them, by the writing handing down, have come to our notice: these we also, not so much for the magnitude or number of deeds, as for the certitude of the rest to be held, hand down to the notice of posterity.
[11] A certain demoniac, agitated by furies, led to the blessed man, An energumen freed by him, dreaded the presence of him with huge fear; the demons immediately crying through his mouth; Why, man of God; why, Blessed Man, have you come to drive us from our own seats? They know you sufficiently holy, all know you sufficiently potent: what need is it that we feel your power being exercised against us? And if we are cast out, let us at least be spared the eternal fire meanwhile; you yourself know that the time of suffering it without end is imminent and is now too too near at hand. These or words of this kind, as more often were heard groaning the unclean spirits proclaiming, soon by the Saint were ordered to be silent, and with all haste to depart from the possessed man. With these immediately departing, the man, made free in body and of sound mind, fell at the feet of the Saint, and confessing the faith and professing the fidelity of Christ Jesus our God and Lord, began most devoutly to give him many thanks for his liberation, and to the Saint through whom he had been freed. Whom the blessed man, diligently instructed in the rules of the Christian faith, and then sanctified by holy baptism, Marius baptizes and instructs: ordered to be called by the name Bernard, who before was called Ermonius. About fulfilling also the Lord's commands, and about good acts to be valiantly and continually exercised, both fully erudited and sufficiently admonished, he was taught to be a Christian not with an empty name alone, or by faith alone; but he who had before been a vessel of demons, learned thereafter to be a vessel of virtues. For so with the other co-ministers had this upright minister of divine preaching and sacrament learned; so had the one true Master taught them to do, that those converted to the true Lord, first imbued with the doctrine of faith, and so purified by holy baptism, they should teach to observe all things, teaching to observe these precepts: whatever should have been commanded them by Him. Hence, what was said about this one, about whom we have related above, we do not think to be superfluous; because when that blessed dispenser of the Lord converted so many and so great throngs of men to the Lord; in this one is to be considered not negligently, how much fruit from the instruction of all the others he could have collected and was zealous to do: for him observing the Lord's precept it would not suffice to lead those converted by his preaching only to the reception of faith or to the initiation of the sacraments; but more studiously to inform them in the religiousness also of the whole holy conversation.
[12] After a short time elapsed, with the most blessed man passing through the way in the shadows of the night, when a certain man deprived of his sights, not knowing where to enter, was going around the houses of that place, and groping the closed doors of those resting, with importunate voices disturbing those sleeping inside; asked by a blind man by chance he ran into the man of God, passing through the same (as has been said) way. Whom when, not knowing into whom he had run, he soon learned to be him; he immediately fell at his feet, and in this manner began to implore him with suppliant vows: You are the Holy one; you are that preached servant of God and most faithful minister; you also by worthy merits His intimate and most familiar friend; all testify that your mercy toward all the wretched is most abounding; they likewise confess your huge power to succor any wretched: and let your powerful mercy itself therefore succor me, restoring the lights once lost; and after the too long night of tedious blindness, at last repairing the late day of desired vision. He invokes God, Implored by these affectionate and suppliant words of the man in need of help, the Saint himself also took up the affection to implore the Lord for the same, and nonetheless began both with vows and words to supplicate Him in such manner. It is yours, Lord our Lord, who has mercy on all, to succor all, who lack any aid. From You we have everything, if we have any good: from You every necessity is to be sought, which we need. It is therefore of Your gift, if any efficacy is present to us of such operation, by which there is in human bodies any reformation. You therefore both Former and Reformer of men, of whom is all salvation, and through this You are the Savior of all; receive now the vow of my prayer, and grant the effect of devout supplication; and so to this man repair the light of the blinded face, that the very reparation of bodily light may illuminate the same mind: when sensing the goodness and virtue of Your operation, and the enlightened one he baptizes: and having obtained knowledge...
[13] Nor is it to be disbelieved, that the blessed dispenser of God also for the others, thence avoiding the esteem of himself born, about whose salvation he was then still laboring, in the same deed preferred and procured their salvation, which it is handed down to us followed in no small measure; when, with the wondrous work being known to themselves, then up till then a very large multitude of incredulous believed; and the light of true faith, and the possibility also of seeing the Lord Himself someday, the enlightenment of one blind man opened to innumerable. But because, on account of deeds of this kind, with throngs running together to him from every side, in that place where he had chosen for himself the dwelling of private habitation, he could no longer have leisure for the desired quiet, by which alone he might more freely cling to God alone, when with the bodily senses disturbed by no noises, and on this account disturbing, he might be able with free mind to transcend the whole world and all created things; on account of this matter he began to seek out some more secret little place. So... In the same Valley of Jorne, as is said c, he found a certain cave, which he judged was fit enough for him for what he desired. So entering this, he hides himself in a cave: he remained intent on his usual zeals of vigils and prayers and fasts without any intermission: and he who had borne so great care for innumerable other souls, it can scarcely be estimated how great solicitude he assumed for his own here especially; for this reason especially, that brought now to the highest age, he was not ignorant that the blessed end of his holy labors was at hand. So indeed is the custom of all men of virtues, that the nearer they have felt the term of acquiring merit to be at hand, the more solicitously they press and more laboriously to acquire it. But here he could not lie hidden longer: for so great a light, although hidden in such hiding places, sent forth as it were through a certain chink a sufficiently brightening ray, by which certainly, where it was hiding, at last it permitted, willing or not, those ignorant to know.
[14] Finally a certain man by name Stennonius, vexed for some time by the infirmity of paralysis, to which a paralytic coming, and now not little weighed down by the dissolution of his whole body, admonished by the command (as he afterwards related) of divine revelation, and led by the help (as is believed) of the same virtue, by some means came to the cave, in which holy Marius lurking was staying. Brought there, through a certain little window he peered in more curiously: and saw a man, clothed in vile garments, with knees bent to the earth and supported by the tips of his fingers, with body indeed inclined to the ground, but lifting his face and eyes to the heavens, and from the depth of his breast frequently drawing deep sighs; and immediately he understood, that that man was of God, whom the heavenly revelation had commanded him to seek. So he began, standing outside, to shake the little door with frequent knocks, until the Saint, drawn off from the holy intent of prayer, might hear him inquiring from within who he was. Then responding to him he said, that he was called Stennonius, gravely seized by infirmity, harshly vexed, that he had been sent to him by the command of divine revelation, that he might be able to obtain the desired remedy of the suffered ill health. Let him therefore deign to have mercy on him, and hasten to obey the divine will, which through him to his weakness had shown that succor must be given. So the Saint, first stirred by the hearing of supernal revelation and command, then moved by the most tender affection of pity and compassion toward the weak; receiving the man, and pouring forth suppliant prayers for him to Him whose is all health, is healed. obtained continuous recovery of vigor for the invalid members; and saw the cold body of the convalescent abundantly filled by the swift coursing of blood through the channels of the veins; and the man restored to perfect soundness, immediately standing forth strong in all his members, whom he had received almost wholly destitute. Then strongly forbidding to him the publication of the miracle done, he imposed on him accustomed to Teutonic speech the name, namely Hilpericus; perhaps that with both his vigor before unknown restored in his body, and his name known to all changed, the matter might somehow be hidden; which he was sufficiently afraid would be published, on account of the disquiet of frequenters to be undergone again. But neither in this way could that concealment be obtained: for both, this notable miracle, however much he himself wished to be hidden, more swiftly defamed everywhere, that was done, which by us is by a certain similitude above intimated; that is by this deed, as if by a ray sent forth, where the light was hidden was so suddenly manifested to those ignorant. Who again to the same, as good sons to the most sweet Father more often recurring, could not but disturb the dear quiet of the Saint.
[15] But because the Lord God of all had now decreed that blessed and most faithful worker of His, The Saint seeing himself approaching death, with the worthy reward of his so great labors, after a little while to remunerate; and the same Saint, with the vigor of the wearied body failing, felt the end of the present life would be near at hand to him; he did not think he ought to run on further in this manner here, with leisure unceasingly observing the Lord alone; but rather to implore liberty, the bonds of corruptible flesh broken, perennially to stand by Him in the heavens. So after a little while touched by bodily discomfort, and not ignorant that it was the cause of the final dissolution, all those staying around, whom he himself had acquired for the kingdom of Christ and God, he made to be gathered called to himself. Whom first admonishing about the integrity of faith to be preserved, then about the life agreeing with the faith with all instancy of good acts continually to be held, calling together the faithful he admonishes, lastly instructing and beseeching them about mutual peace and concord and fraternal love most fervent with one another and toward all by charity, he poured forth to them words of holy doctrine of this kind: You best know, brothers and sons, what I have already long since handed down to you, about the faith to be believed and works to be observed: for so the common Master Himself of us and you and of all, our God and Lord, taught that we ought to instruct them, that after the received truth of faith and initiation of sacred mysteries, for all His commands to be observed vigilance and solicitude and instancy may never fail us. Wherefore I admonish you with heart and mouth stably to hold first of all the firmest foundation of faith, as also of all justice and salvation; upon which the building of all virtues established, against the violence of all temptations, and against the violence of all vices, can continually remain unshaken: of which matter you ought to be sufficiently secure with Christ promising, to stand in faith, who named the strength of His faith, which Peter the first of all the Apostles had confessed, a rock, Upon this, He said, I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; which are indeed the diverse kinds of universal temptations, by which all wavering and unstable in faith are easily precipitated into hell. You therefore strongly embracing this rock, on account of which that blessed Apostle and supreme of the Apostles was called by Christ Peter, & patience be no longer solicitous of any attack of the enemy striking either intrinsically or extrinsically; nay (as the Apostle James says) you ought rather to esteem it all joy, when you fall into various temptations; even if, according to the saying of another wise man, you have been proved like gold thereafter most precious to God in the furnace of humiliation. Jam. 1:2
[16] In such tribulations therefore and adversities, in these incursions of the wearying devil and grave wars, consoling and joyful in that hope, because you know, that through many tribulations you must enter into the kingdom of God; rather fear that, and always be solicitous about it, and to hold mutual charity, lest among yourselves any scandals disturb your fraternal charity; lest mutually provoking, mutually envying, you bite and devour one another, and so (what may it be far) be consumed by one another: for every kingdom divided in itself shall be desolated, as says Christ our Lord, and house shall fall upon house. Mt. 12:15 For with you dissenting and assailing one another, any external assailant will overthrow you with all ease: but on the contrary, with you preserving with most studious integrity that special and unique command of the Lord, that is mutually loving, as namely sons of one heavenly Father and through this all brothers to one another, that saying of the most wise Solomon will without doubt be fulfilled in you, A brother helping a brother is as a fortified and strong city: and likewise that, If anyone prevails against one, two shall resist him: a threefold cord is hard to break: so also against all visible and invisible enemies, and against all adversaries you will always persist invincible; and having the Lord who is love, and who is God of peace, abiding in you, you will both suffer no evil of dissension or discord, and you will be free and prompt to exercise every good work. Prov. 18:19, Eccl. 4:12 These things therefore I have taken care to admonish you now called together with the greatest solicitude, because the end of the present life is at hand near me. Therefore the labor, which I have hitherto expended on you, I have taken care to consummate with this exhortation; that both you may persevere in the good begun, and I for you may receive the reward, which I hope of the Lord's mercy.
[17] At this saying, all emitting sobs and groans, all poured forth bitter tears, they bewailed equally that they were losing the sweetness and protection of his paternity, and complained, fearing to incur the dangers of desolate orphans. Whom the Saint piously rebuking; Why, he said, forbids his death to be lamented; either grieving for me, or fearing so much for yourselves have you so now begun to addict yourselves to mourning and sadness? Where is that which, a little before exhorting you, I confirmed; namely that no peril is ever to be feared by you, if firmed with the solidity of pious faith, and you should be tied to one another with the bond of holy charity? Moreover about me you ought rather to rejoice than to grieve, if however you love me with true charity: since, as I trust about the goodness and clemency of our God and Lord, from such great and so daily labors and miseries of this life to perpetual beatitude at length and to a place of eternal quiet I pass. About yourselves therefore be comforted in the Lord and in the power of His virtue: but pray for me and implore, that I may be at last one of those blessed, who dwell in His supernal house, of whom the one and full and most perfect good is the highest, which is God Himself, to see, love, and praise the blessed and beatifying good in the ages of ages.
One thing there is which I ask you to do at present, namely that you ask my Lord and Father Austremonius, Bishop of the Auvergnats, who once before me directed me into these parts, & asks S. Austremonius to be summoned. hastily to come to my pusillanimity; and let him not disdain or be sluggish to seek out this servant as quickly as possible, established at the end; that of the ministry injoined by him, and by me somehow fulfilled with supernal grace helping, he may, present, study to entreat the common Lord that He may be most deigning Remunerator of the reward for one migrating thither. Which as he asked, so soon the throng of faithful standing by, with a swift messenger hastening, fulfilled.
NOTES D. P.
CHAPTER III.
Honor bestowed by S. Austremonius on the dead man: whom the Author praises and invokes much.
[18] At that time S. Austremonius was by chance procuring with worthy obsequy the burial of a certain Blessed man; by name Lucius a, martyred for Christ: but with a message of this kind brought to him, he hastened to dispatch all the rest with haste; The Saint coming, sees the soul of the dead man borne to heaven, and taking up the companions of his own journey, holy Necterius the Presbyter and Mammetus the Archdeacon, undertook the journey of hastening to the blessed man of God. But when he had arrived at the place, which they call Marojolum b, the blessed Pontiff illuminated by supernal light, looked and saw the soul of the Saint himself, drawn out from the bonds of the flesh, ascending to the heights of heaven; and penetrating with free ingress that arduous interior. Whence very greatly congratulating his beatitude; & orders a church to be fabricated over the body: and praising the Lord with his companions with much glorification, to exhibit due obsequies of the funeral to be venerated for the sacred body, with companions hastened he urged that what remained of the journey begun be advanced. So at length they came to the cave, where the Saint had lived solitarily, and in which then his lifeless body was lying. There also with psalms and hymns, for his blessed transmigration to the Lord, duly paid to the supernal Majesty, the venerable body cared for with the usual and worthy obsequy, the blessed Pontiff buried in a new mausoleum; where also he ordered a church c worthy of the merits of so great a Father to be fabricated, which would both satisfy the devotion of the faithful peoples, who had believed through the Saint; and would represent and attest to all posterity the magnificence of his huge merits with God.
[19] Indeed also in that place named Marojolum, where the above-mentioned blessed vision had been granted to him, by which he saw the soul of the most blessed Marius brought into the innermost recesses of celestial glory; also another in the place of the aforesaid vision, he commanded and arranged that a church be built, and dedicated it to the Lord in honor of Peter the prince of the Apostles: where also now a certain holy Martyr by name Victor d rests in body. Thus that holy and blessed Bishop Austremonius, procured that a faithful memory of his most blessed once disciple's safety be had, not in only one place: which, wherever throughout the vastness of the world in ages afterwards to come it should be had, was about to provide salvation (as is now proved by things) to all having faith. Sacred to S. Peter. For it seems credible that for this reason he wished the aforesaid church to be constructed in that place, and to be consecrated to the name of the prince of the Apostles, the master both of himself and of the most blessed Marius e, where the glory of the blessed soul ascending to heaven appeared to him; and that, namely the memory of so great a vision being handed down to posterity, it might be strengthened by the attestation of the church soon constructed there; and while the church itself was consecrated to the honor and name of Peter, for the merits of so great a disciple no less of so great a master would the pious cult there be held more celebrated. For well and sufficiently congruently does the glory of either correspond to itself, since both the disciple, this one indeed not alone, but not the least among many, attests the magnificence of the master, in that he chose and destined so fit a preacher for so great a ministry, that is for procuring the salvation of diverse nations, so efficacious in work and doctrine; and he himself is proved to obtain no little glory from so magnificent a master, whom since God and our Lord Jesus Christ leaving His own Vicar on earth, for feeding His sheep, that is for ruling all Christians, set in charge; He Himself made those not mediocrely glorious, whom directing through the world nonetheless in His place, He gave to be in charge of the peoples converted through them, as masters indeed.
[20] By this glory therefore Marius the blessed, through him primarily, with God favoring, endowed, Great praise of the saint was without doubt made more excellently glorious, in that by the conversion of many peoples both with God and with men he is proved to have been glorified: finally, if those have been held already long since the more glorious with men, who were able to subjugate more nations to some earthly realm... for thence is the more frequent fame about them with praise, which is known to be the definition of that thing which with men is or is called glory. For neither truly and absolutely is that to be called glory, which not by the things themselves of some true virtue, but only by windy and empty fame and praise consists. For human power or fortitude is called that virtue, by which the multitude of very many peoples is subjugated to human empire tamed by wars: when it is most openly that primary and greatest vice of pride of all, from the conversion of the gentiles, by which men desire to dominate over men, by the law of nature certainly their associates: but truly that is to be believed and freely called true virtue and glory, by which men are subjugated to God, by which earthly things are acquired for the supernal and mortal for the everlasting empire: and from this not empty praise and windy fame of mortals is gained, but the most potent efficacy of true virtue is praised by the truth itself, which is God; nor is transitory but perennial remuneration compensated for it. But since that true virtue, which by the truth itself as we have said is praised, is constituted laudable not for itself alone, but for all acknowledgers and lovers of truth; it is now to be weighed by us, how great glory this begets for whomever so serving God, whose true laudable and blessed fame all good men and Angels and men celebrate with pious congratulation. But that he was advanced to so great glory they would not doubt, and I would call this most strong soldier of God Marius blessed, even if only a hundred men, by such a number saved through him, or certainly a thousand, or finally ten thousand of men, snatched from diabolic perdition by the force of holy preaching, he had acquired for the redemption of Christ the Lord to be saved. But when, according to those things which handed down by earlier writers, are above related, I do not say men, but thousands of men, it is agreed are innumerable, which through him have been acquired for the kingdom of the heavens; it is now no doubt that it exceeds our estimation, with how great glory we ought to reckon our Marius is to be borne up by heaven and earth.
[21] whence huge glory acquired for him in heaven, Truly a happy workman, truly blessed, whom both the reward already beatifies of the work performed, and continually accrues to beatify him more and more by the merit of the work, as long as the world is turned. For although by himself in this life, of which he has now ceased, he can work nothing, by which he might compare merit for himself of greater reward to be obtained in the future life; yet he has worked while he lived here such things, which throughout the whole time of this world, while they always exhibit augmented fruit to God, who would dare to say, that these do not avail to the augmentation of his retribution in the supreme judgment of the future? by whose labor and zeal it is agreed it was done, namely with the grace of God working together with him, that all the good things now work which all act who through him are proved to be converted to God. Finally that promise of the Lord, by which we know it was said about the faithful and prudent servant, ministering food congruently to his fellow-servants, that He will set him over all his goods; if it be more curiously discussed and more vigilantly understood, this very thing seems to be intimated. If indeed this is piously believed and indubitably preached in the Catholic Church; that holy preachers, as to a faithful and Evangelical servant: both here and in the future, are to be set over those, whom they have gained by their preaching for the kingdom of Christ and God. But here, although over the just and good, yet over the corruptible and mortal and abounding with many miseries of the present evils, but still much in need of the fullness of future goods, they are proved set, and through this over a few still goods of their Lord: but where in that future blessed life all shall have possessed all the goods, whatever the nature of their mind and body requires; and shall have begun to enjoy the highest good itself, which is God, most perfectly each one according to his merit; whoever shall then have presided over such, not indeed for exercising any domination over them, but to rejoice mutually for the good charitably bestowed by these, and obediently and fruitfully received by those; cannot they most rightly be said to be set over all the goods of their Lord? But if no one can deny this, that is now without doubt consequent, that the greater the merits with which subjects have excelled, the more excellently shall be eminent also their Prelates over such. It is agreed therefore, that to the augmentation of the glory of such Prelates, both the merits and rewards of the subjects increased avail.
[22] To this very thing finally pertains that remuneration of multiplied talents, by which the good and faithful servants are commanded to enter into the joy of their Lord. who multiplied the talent entrusted to him: For since it is no doubt that all the pious and just are to be introduced to participate in the joy of their Lord; thus on the contrary all the impious and iniquitous to be cast out into the exterior darkness; why are the good gainers and multipliers of talents by a special remuneration commanded to enter into that joy? except because they will obtain something private and proper in it, which, although Saints and Blessed, the rest will not have? But this is, that as God Himself rejoices not from His sole beatitude most full and most perfect to Himself, but also deigns to rejoice over the goods imparted from Himself to His creatures, as He often speaks through the Prophets in this manner, whence the Author invokes him. I will rejoice over you when I shall have done well for you; so also to them, He gives to rejoice not only over that beatitude, which they themselves and in themselves attain, but also over that by which others together with themselves through them are beatified. To so great therefore and so intimate joy introduced, to so great a height of glory while we rejoice and proclaim you led, of our, Holy Marius, sadnesses too much depressing weight lift; from the depth of such great miseries lift us up; and with all by your merits and prayers washed of guilts, obtain for us that cleanness of heart, by which we may eternally be able to be blessed with you by the vision of the highest God and our Lord: and this very guilt, we beseech, wash away first, that we have presumed to write your acts by no means with words worthy of your glory, nor perhaps sufficiently grateful to you; nor permit that to remain an unloosed offense, which not by the zeal of sinning, but with inexperience, then with negligence, or even with the temerity of saying, what perhaps ought not to have been said, is agreed...
to have been committed. Favor, we pray, our devotion toward you, and indulge that which still exists in us of imperfection; since if anyone offends not in word, he is a perfect man.
[23] The church indeed, which the blessed Pontiff Austremonius, as has been said above, Buried in the church of his own name the Saint. ordered to be constructed in honor and memory of this Saint; more swiftly built up by the devotion and expenses of the faithful, he himself (as we have received handed down in writing) consecrated to the Lord, and confirmed by his own authority the donations of many estates f, made to the same place, for the subsidies of the Clerics serving there. Now that not undeservedly nor improperly such honor should be paid him on earth, the celestial virtue had grace to show. And indeed for so great benefits, conferred even by him while still living, he was most worthy of the greatest veneration of all men; and especially of those, whom he had both imbued with the doctrines of the holy faith and initiated by the sacraments: but lest after his departure from this life the memory of the earlier should grow obsolete, if the exhibition of later ones should not continually refresh this; as much as pertains to the bestowal of bodily benefits, the deceased began to extend here no smaller things to the living than he himself living nonetheless had bestowed. For those coming to the place provided for his rest g, to the Church dedicated to his veneration, nay also wherever the place imploring him for any discomforts whatever, while they obtain swift either of sight or of hearing or of the rest of the senses reformation, or restoration of members debilitated in whatever manner, he shines forth with many miracles, or even the not implored escape of pervading demons from those pervaded, lastly the relief of any mournfulness and anguish, do not allow the power of his virtue to go into oblivion. Yet those things which are done through that same power, while they are subsequently exhibited and pass; unless they are retained tied as it were by certain bonds of letters, committed only to fugitive memory they slip away more swiftly. Whence since many of these have already so slipped away, that no memory can recall them to us; we are pleased to explain a few done more recently in this other Little Book subjoined.
NOTES D. P.
BOOK II,
Written with greater certitude.
CHAPTER I.
Translation of the body to Mauriac and miracles that followed.
[24] As the acts of the life of Saints are set before those following for an example of imitation; The miracles of Saints after death also to be written, so what they did wondrous in others or about others, are brought forth as testimony of their virtue; that the more eminent and glorious the same virtue is proved to have been, the more devoutly that action by which it was acquired may be judged worthy of imitation: which is equally to be felt, both about those things, which while they lived here they wondrously performed, and about those which after the course of this life, either through them, or on account of them, are done by the Lord: for both both testify to the magnitude of virtue, and exhort to the zeal of imitation; thus the benefits, conferred on bodies, more often confer a more desirable and useful benefit of souls. To this is added, that these, while they incite the minds of men to a more fervent love and veneration toward the Saints, without doubt acquire for them a more succoring help both here and with God. Now how much these same, as testimonies of the beatitude obtained: both avail to convict the unbelief of the incredulous, and profit to strengthen and augment faith for the faithful; especially those, which, after their blessed departure from this life, obtaining them, miracles are done, is sufficiently manifested to all considering diligently. For who can now doubt about the beatitude of that invisible life, when in this visible he sees those placed in it operating such great things? Hence in relating these things nothing ought to be judged superfluous, or even of little advantage or small profit; and on this account as it seems profitable to us not anyhow to relate them, but to commend them to the more closely bound and more durable memory of letters; so anyone about to read or hear them ought not to hold them burdensome. About the virtues therefore, which Marius performed, after he migrated hence to the supernal fatherland, (since in the upper little book we have somehow explained the acts of his life) we attempt to relate some few in this following one; with all the more ancient ones namely omitted, already buried in long oblivion; and with only the recent, or those which approached our memory, briefly noted.
[25] and first what was done in the translation of the body, And we think this first to be recalled, what is asserted to have been done at that time, when his body was being translated from the place, where first it had been buried. A certain most noble woman, by name Ermengardis, with a huge multitude of Soldiers, approaching the place of the ancient entombment of the blessed body, namely that cave of the Valley of Jorne, where (according to those things which in the upper discourse have been brought forth) a church had once been constructed over him, took the same body away from that very place, and where now perhaps it was not cultivated with sufficiently worthy and grateful obsequy; and caused it to be carried to a certain monastery of S. Peter, situated in the place which they call Mauriac, where it might be cultivated with the worthy and grateful service of religious Monks. But when this journey was being completed with haste, whose carrier mule, fallen headlong with the shrine, it happened that they came over a certain very high rock, which they call Apion. There, not so much by the chance of fortune, as by the necessary view of divine dispensation, that both the virtue of the Saint might be manifested how great it was, and the same translation might be proved not ungrateful to him; the mule, which was carrying the most sacred body buried in a shrine, slipping from the same rock, fell into the deep, which under it lay open in horrible ruin for the space of almost a thousand paces. Which the venerable woman beholding, and terrified by huge fear, the Saint being invoked. and seized with most mournful sorrow, soon began to address the same Saint with such speeches: If you, Blessed Marius, as we believe, are truly Saint of God, are truly proved a friend of God; let it now appear, I pray, how great is your favor with Him, how great virtue has been conferred on you by Him: let your fall, I ask, not be such, as would be the fall of any vile man; nor let us suffer the loss of so great, as we trust, a treasure of your body, which even in dangers of this kind we piously congratulate ourselves to be our protection.
[26] Between these words, is brought up safe with the Relics. the mule sought in such great precipice of that deep, was found so sound and unharmed and vigorous in his whole body, as if he himself had gently laid himself to lie upon the softest plumes. The shrine likewise, in which the sacred body was reposed, was found sound and whole and in nothing at all hurt, so that it was manifestly proved that what was inside, had wholly preserved that, which had fallen into such great depth from the immensity of such great height. Then truly the fear is turned into admiration, the mourning of the happy woman into joy; and all who were present, the displayed virtue of the blessed Confessor of God, and so preachable a doctor of men, ineffably gladdened: which joy indeed was much greater and more grateful, from the event and incursion of peril, than if no such thing had happened to be incurred. For when in the virtue of the Saint, the conveyance of his body could be so ruled and preserved by him, that it walked through whatever precipices; yet no peril would be feared for him; yet God willed both that the perilous event happen, and that the fear and very great sadness should grow, that the greater and graver sadness that had preceded, the nonetheless greater and more grateful joy might succeed; and the virtue, which scarcely could be acknowledged in the aversion or removal of incurring, might most manifestly appear in the escape without any injury from the so great peril incurred b.
[27] But after the venerable body of the most blessed Confessor was thus translated, and reposed with worthy veneration in the monastery mentioned above; both in the same place, Against plunderers the body being borne aloft, and wherever else for bestowing aid it was carried, it shone with huge miracles: of which we think this should be commemorated first. Certain powerful men of the world, unmindful of divine fear and careless, were plundering and even taking away the villas and lands of the same monastery: against whom because human aid was failing the Monks, they were compelled to betake themselves to the divine. So they carried the body of S. Marius to a certain villa called Hibernalia, some cursing and threatening the sowers around which those seculars were inflicting on themselves very many damages; that being terrified at least by the presence of the Body of so great a possessor of that place, they might desist from the invasion of it, and from the wonted presumption of plundering the same. But one of them, by name Aldebert, of the castle called Sanias, when he heard this was done; who ought to have been terrified by the presence of the Saint, on the contrary turning to furious wrath, with his satellites gathered together with the noise of arms, came against the Monks; and began to terrify by objurgations and threats, and then began to assault with a terrifying assault with lances and swords, are struck with blindness: if perchance so terrified he might be able to put them to flight. But in that very wicked assault, with all together struck with blindness, and their lances falling to the earth; the servants of the Monks immediately rushed upon them, and began to beat the sacrilegious with hard blows; until they, willing or unwilling, humbled, begged indulgence, and asked for peace; and promised amendment both of past misdeeds, and of present so great presumption. So those, who had come haughty, intending to terrify the servants of God and Saint Marius, with even many horses taken from themselves, returned trembling, and not undeservedly hardly beaten for their daring.
[28] & he who had laid hand on the shrine, Moreover in that clamor and threats, with which the Soldiers had before been wrangling against the Monks, a certain man (as is reported) by name Girbald, wickedly and criminally had extended a sacrilegious hand against the shrine, in which the sacred Body was held buried. But he soon, debilitated in his whole body and most badly sickened, indeed somehow returned home, but irremediably remained held by the same infirmity. He came also afterward and for very many days, prostrated before the presence of the sacred Body, asked for the remedies of health; but he could in no way obtain it,
and so vexed by infirmity to death, is punished with incurable debility. he ended his wretched life with deserved death. About his too rash offense, in that extension of the criminal arm, it should not be omitted, that by some it is reported to have been heard, as if the voice of the most blessed Confessor sounded, thus complaining against him or about him saying: Why do you strike me? Whom indeed that sacrilegious extension did not touch; but, as our Lord and God Christ, who under the presence, no longer of a sacred, but of a sacrilegious Pontiff, in His own body, which is the head of the Church, was struck without fault, uttered those words; and also afterwards, against Saul persecuting His members, cried from heaven; Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? thus blessed Marius, made the man raging against him, and against his servants, and his fellow-servants under one Lord and God, attacking with furious voices and threatening swords, to be heard and willed it to be understood that he was persecuting him; who hastened by impious cutting to injure the members, both by God's grace joined to himself, and subdued and subjoined to himself by pious devotion.
[29] After this, with the sacred Body brought back to the monastery, and to the place provided for his rest by divine dispensation; The sacred fire is healed, a certain man, seized with burning of both feet, judged that his suffrage should be sought in so great necessity. But when he was hastening to the same place in whatever manner he could; before he arrived there, as if running to meet him the virtue of the Saint came beforehand; and what he desired to seek from him, & weakness of feet. before he sought it, with the desire fulfilled by his most large kindness he merited to obtain. For on that very journey that burning being utterly extinguished, the desired health was restored to him to integrity by the suffrage of the Saint. Now a certain youth was dwelling in the same monastery, who was called Dominicus. He, since he was crippled by weakness of feet, prostrate in prayer, and lying for a while before the body of saint Marius, with his feet restored and his step reformed, was swiftly restored to whole soundness.
[30] The above-mentioned necessity again demanded that the body of the blessed Confessor be carried elsewhere. For with very many existing, who were everywhere pillaging, ruining, The body being borne again and devastating the goods of the Monks; and on the contrary with such Rectors of the legal Powers almost wholly failing, who might protect and defend them from those, or also who might prohibit them from being pillaged or compel the pillaged things to be restored; to the unfailing suffrage of S. Marius the Monks had necessarily to recur quite often. So on account of such cause they once carried him to a certain possession of theirs, which they commonly call Orcet c. Orcet, There while they were turning aside to the church, and the shrine of the sacred Body was being introduced there; it happened that a bird, a cock, flying came and sat upon the same shrine. the cock leaping upon it falls silent, But it soon lost both voice and flight: which deed perhaps with a certain signification portended, that any proud and light men rising and leaping upon the servants of holy Marius, nay also rising and leaping upon members under Christ as head in one body, and pressing them down by wicked and rash oppression, would swiftly lose that voice: by which in the night of the present life over the servants of God with one exultation and great voice they exalt themselves, rejoicing and singing, and likewise that very lightness of proud flight, by which they strive always to have all the humble under themselves and to press them down, & the author of the injury is cast from his horse: and to extol themselves above all. For although in a good part the cock and the cock's crow has much another signification, yet we know many things by signification to be taken both in a good and in an evil part. And certainly that which followed in the exhibition of virtue, which is now undertaken to be narrated, we think is sufficiently intimated to us, which in that deed we said was signified; while in himself one experienced, what was to be expected by the rest. Finally a little after the Monks coming, those same malefactors of theirs when they had begun to wrangle harshly against them and their servants, and to threaten many evils with the wonted pride; one of them having made an assault against them, soon fell from the horse on which he was sitting, and with the same horse rather dying, he himself, who as a horseman was boiling with threats and pride, remained on his feet upright and humbled; perhaps to be reckoned, as far as pertains to the historical sense, among those, of whom the sacred Psalm; At your rebuke, he says, God of Jacob, they slumbered who had mounted horses. Ps. 75:7 Who if perhaps corrected by his punishment, has learned that one must no longer trust in evil works rebellious to God; he could congruently say that prophetic word; We will not mount the horse, nor will we say further, another likewise is punished: Our gods are the works of our hands. Hos. 14:4 At another time the same body was carried by the same Monks to a place of their possession by name Glenadum d. It happened there that a certain peasant, ignorant of reverence and fear to be had for Saints, began to deride with foolish and bold words that bearing of the sacred Body, and the request of the veneration to be exhibited to it; but he immediately with the sickle which he was holding in his hand, plucked out his own eye; and what reverence ought to be had for S. Marius, and that the veneration exhibited to him was not to be derided, he learned too late.
[31] A certain married man, when he was so demented by an invading demon, that he tried to lacerate his very wife with rabid bites, was led to the presence of the body of B. Marius. Where while with furious motions and acts he was raving hither and thither, it seemed to the Sacristan of the church that he should be bound with harder bindings, an energumen is freed, until by the virtue of the Saint with his sense recovered, about to harm no one further, he could afterwards safely be loosed. But the Saint disdained, that he who had been brought to be cared for by him, be left to the power of his alone. So, under the twilight of the beginning day, the same Saint appeared to scourge the sleeping Sacristan himself through dream, and chiding to say; that he who had been brought, demanding and obtaining the protection of divine virtue, did not need the protections of human providence and custody. There was also led there a certain little boy, deprived of the utterance of speech. a mute is given speech. He was the son of a certain poor man, but had come to such a Physician to be healed for himself, who for bestowing the benefit of medicine would not demand abundance of money; nay rather to him, who always more willingly was wont to run to the poor and humble, than to favor human height and fear. So with no money spent, but the power of speaking received, much more precious and more useful than great money; he who had brought the boy sad, received him joyful; and giving due thanks to God, and to that so powerful and so pious Physician, he saw his own again. But I would not so say that the blessed Confessor had it as well-pleasing and always has to run to the poor and humble, as that he disdains to extend the necessary benefits also to the high and rich in this world, if they humbly and devoutly seek them.
[32] Finally a certain Noble, by name Stephen, of the Castle called Scorrailles e, when he was laboring with immense fevers, A violent fever is cured for one, suppliantly and devoutly sought the virtue of blessed Marius, healing all diseases from heaven and easily; before whose sacred Body's presence prostrated with whole humility of heart and body, he swiftly merited to obtain the desired remedy of the incurred illness. Now he was (as we have received handed down) although a man of lay habit and of secular height, yet praiseworthy for the probity of manners and the honesty of life. And he therefore, with the fevers laid aside and the remedy of soundness received, returned home, who beside external gifts, had borne to the sacred place of blessed Marius's rest much more acceptable gifts of piety and devotion. and to another: Another likewise by name Stephen, but in habit religious, in title of profession a Monk, himself also seized by dire fevers, brought to the same place a similar devotion, brought forth a like postulation; nor brought back a dissimilar soundness from every ill, the bad health being laid aside. two blind women are enlightened. Two women, each bewailing one but her own blindness, judged that he should be sought by them for bestowing the remedy; who utterly lacking the light of truth had enlightened so many nations with supernal light. Nor was such faith of theirs reputed empty; for with the shadows of all blindness driven off, they obtained the desired light by the virtue of the celestial enlightener.
NOTES D. P.
CHAPTER II.
Other miracles at the invocation of S. Marius.
[33] That sacred body, we have already recalled several times has been carried to diverse places, As often as the body is borne to a neighboring mount, nor has it from anywhere been brought back to the place of its rest without the exhibition of a miracle. About which matter we have received handed down from earlier writers in writing to our memory, that nowhere has it been carried out for any necessity, but has frustrated of their vow whoever has labored in carrying it. Finally on this very account in the most beautiful place of a certain high mountain, next to the monastery, a church was built and dedicated to him; in which usually the sacred Body, brought there for any necessity, may be cultivated with due obsequies. So if at any time too great serenity of the heavens has induced the lack of necessary rains, with due veneration and supplications congruent to the necessity, rain or serenity is impetrated: the venerable body of blessed Marius is carried there by the Monks; and immediately, with the harmful dryness removed, the desired rain descends. Likewise if a greater profusion of harmful rains has existed, in like manner, with the sacred Body carried there for obtaining serenity, the requested serenity immediately returns; which both manifests the merit of the Saint to those requesting, and restores the greenness of the harvests in peril for which it is requested.
[34] Nor should it seem to be omitted, that when on a certain occasion it had been carried there, and when thieves were threatening, and had remained for some days not brought back; certain men of evil mind plotted that it should be borne from there by theft. Which when with perverse heart they were treating, and with sinister counsels were inquiring by what act they could fulfill it; by a nocturnal vision it was shown and commanded from heaven to a certain poor man, that he should take care as quickly as possible to admonish the Sacristan of that church, that he should strive without delay to bring back the body of S. Marius to the monastery. Of which vision and precept, he either doubtful of the certitude, or fearful of the indication; at the first such apparition he did not wish to indicate anything to him, to whom it had been commanded: wherefore there was need of a second apparition, but not similar to the first. For in it he was now not only admonished, but for the punishment of his disobedience...
he was punished with a deserved penalty. For in that vision now he heard divinely said to him: a certain man, ordered through a vision to prevent it, Because you have denied due obedience to the celestial precept, you shall be at present addicted to grave debility. Which threat the threatened debility followed without delay: for with his feet gravely infirmed, who now had almost wholly lost the use of walking, he could sufficiently seem to have persuaded himself, not to wait still to be admonished by a third vision. But when he had stayed for some time in that debilitation, he judged no one more rightly to be sought for receiving health, than him, by whose castigation of virtue he had been debilitated. punishes the delay with sudden debility. So asking for indulgence of guilt and release of vengeance before the presence of the sacred Body, he merited to be reformed to pristine soundness. Thus the Saint, although he could easily by secret virtue have prohibited those little thieves from carrying away his Body; perhaps preferred also by the attestation of a miracle openly to show, that no other place is more pleasing to him for reposing until the day of resurrection, than the place of that sacred monastery; from which he was by no means to be taken away, and to which he so solicitously took care to admonish that he be carried back more swiftly.
[35] The very church itself situated on that mountain how grateful he held it, The church dedicated there declared under the very time when it was consecrated. Finally when the venerable and reverend Stephen a Bishop of Auvergne had come to exhibit the same consecration, and with a huge multiplicity of Clergy and Nobles, and with the innumerability of plebeian people, had dedicated that very church in honor of the Most Blessed Mother of God and the holy Confessor of Christ Marius; and had fulfilled all things which the solemnity of so great office demanded; with the sun falling into setting, and bringing the usual shadows over the earth, in that church the brightness of celestial light shone forth; and the brightness of celestial ministers resplend with such glittering, that the greatest part of the surrounding region grew bright with that wondrous splendor, is illuminated by nocturnal light from heaven: and compelled all standing closer to the same church to flee away far off through too great admiration of itself. By the showing of which miracle what else did that eximious Confessor of God intimate? except that he, together with those bands of blessed spirits already associated to him, had it as gratifying, to visit the church constructed and consecrated for him; and to declare by exterior light shown, with how great brightness of internal light he himself shines with God. And who could estimate, with how great brightness God's face shines on him, who with the light of His truth, and through the faith of cognition, has enlightened so many peoples, illustrated so many men? Rightly therefore, after his blessed transmigration to supernal things, eternally he shows his light to men exteriorly, who showed it to them to be acknowledged and obtained exteriorly nonetheless.
[36] There existed at some time a cause of a certain devotion, by which the often-mentioned most sacred Body of the blessed Confessor was carried to the monastery, a blind man is enlightened which is called by the special name Beautiful-place b. And when it was placed on a ship to be carried over by ship through the river Dordogne; a certain man deprived of his sights coming there, by divine mercy and the virtue of the Saint, was there enlightened. But when he had come to the aforesaid monastery, a weak man is healed, and the sacred body had been deposited in the church of that monastery with the desired reception and due veneration; the virtue of the treasure brought there was made manifest. For a certain man weak in feet, contracted in legs, consoled by the pious visitation of so great a guest, with his steps repaired was raised up sound. Rain is impetrated for the Senonenses, At the Senonensian city of France, in the monastery of Peter Prince of the Apostles, which by surname is called Petri-vivi, the Monks of the same monastery were performing at some time the solemn festivity of the blessed Confessor of Christ Marius. At which time, when now longer hostile dryness had detained the convenience of rains, and the abundance of harvests was in peril by the long lack of rains; on that day for so great a necessity holy Marius was more devoutly implored by them. plunderers are kept away, Nor was the desired effect of the exhibited imploration lacking to the affection of pious devotion: for immediately on that day the long dryness was removed, and the abundant supply of necessary rains was brought back. On the same day also, to plunder the goods of the Monks, a certain troop of wicked soldiers had rushed in: whose leader and chief, an energumen is freed; was caught by the servants of the Monks, and cast into deserved chains. But a servant directed into the wood by the Cellarer of the monastery, when he was being vexed there by a demon seizing him, became a servant of S. Marius, and was continuously freed.
[37] From the regions, in which that blessed man first sowed the doctrine of piety, Pilgrims excluded from the church, whose sowing's harvest fructifying even till now sends blessed fruits to celestial barns; certain coming, as if piously about to revisit a most loving father and special patron, and about to give due thanks to the same for their salvation; when they had come to the above-mentioned monastery of Mauriac; whither they knew the most sacred Body had once been translated; and from the keeper of the church begged entrance to that interior sanctuary, where the venerable Body was reposed; I know not from what injury or obstinacy of the keeper, was by no means opened to them. But that most indulgent blessed Father could not bear to send back sad his pious sons over the denied vision of him, whom he accepted grateful and congratulating about their salvation through himself. For while they stood before the door of the place with gifts and devout prayers; by the virtue of the powerful Saint the door was opened, and free faculty of entering was granted to them. the doors being opened of their own accord they are admitted: How much that deed augmented in them the affection of holy devotion toward him, and how great praiseworthy joy from the showing of so great virtue it bestowed and offered, is much easier to understand than to say. So with the vows increased, the gifts offered and the prayers; those who had come to give thanks to their Patron about salvation bestowed to them, returned to proclaim a more excellent grace toward themselves. A certain man, by name Robert, seized by the most grievous anguish of wondrous infirmity; the sacred fire is cured for one, that is the burning of feet, was led before the presence of the body of blessed Marius: whom the more harshly the anguish of that burning was straitening, the swifter the medicine of the most clement Confessor healing from heaven was at hand. For soon that worst fire, by no means visible to behold, dreadfully sensible for punishing, was so wholly extinguished in that man, that beside that part of his feet which had already been consumed, that man even today exists surviving sound to integrity, and to another: no less also now availing for all things, than before the incursion of that disease he was availing for all. Another pressed down by the gravation of the same discomfort, experienced in his healing the same clemency of the Saint as well as virtue; and strengthened by the same power for all things, in the service of the monastery has remained even now strenuous and devout.
[38] A woman from the Limousin soil, asking the mercy of blessed Marius, a blind man is enlightened: had brought her blind son for the reformation of his sights; whom on the Sunday before the festivity of the Saint, on which it is wont that the venerable clod of the sacred body be borne to that mountain which we above mentioned, that celestial enlightener both of souls and bodies, restored the blind son seeing to the faithful mother, who had once snatched so many minds bereft to blind infidelity. At another time another woman set before the presence of the sacred Body her son likewise small, debilitated in a little arm: and when his mercy had been asked for some time and not obtained, returning home desperate, the weak arm is healed, and now having gone out beyond the borders of the place; looking back, and complaining about the blessed Confessor to him himself; O Saint Marius, she said, how trusting I had come about obtaining your mercy for the healing of this little one, of which now further obtaining despairing I return sad. As she was saying these things, the little boy, whom she had set down on the earth for a little to rest, began to extend his contracted little arm to her, restored and sound. Then truly she turned the mournful complaint about the Saint, into the action of thanks already due to him; nor with hope resumed, but the very thing which was hoped received, she who had begun to return sad, completed her return joyful. A certain man of the same place nonetheless brought his small son gravely sickened to the same sacred place. Who when for some days, a dead boy is raised. not only acquired no remedy, but also with the languor growing worse daily had it always worse; on a certain night at length they came to that mountain. When the father, beholding his afflicted son, and already near to death with the supreme failing; sad and groaning, said, O holy Marius, I had not brought my son here to you, to receive death, but to recover life. Among words of this kind looking again at the boy, lying before the presence of the sacred relics of Marius, he found him somewhat breathing and improved: and somewhat resuming hope, and asking the help of the Saint with more strenuous devotion, after a little he so received his son restored to life and soundness; that with morning made, with the boy frisking and playful before his father, he returned with him home, when the dead one was expected to be borne to the tomb c.