ON B. SALOME THE VIRGIN, AND JUDITH THE WIDOW,
RECLUSES AT ALT-AICH IN BAVARIA.
CENT. IX
Previous commentary on their age, race, cult and Life written.
Judith, Recluse in Bavaria, of the Benedictine Order (B.) Salome, Recluse in Bavaria, of the Benedictine Order (B.)
BY THE AUTHOR D. P.
The situation of the twin Altaich: In Alt-aich in Bavaria on the bank of the Danube the convent is double, commonly Alt-aich, that is, Aged Oak; the upper one below Straubing, the lower other below Deggendorf, both between Regensburg and Passau. Common founders both had about the year 739, Duke Tassilo and S. Pirminius the Bishop; but their own each Abbots diverse, the series of whom in his Metropolis of Salzburg Wiguleus Hundius proposes, vol. 2; of the Lower indeed p. 4; in the Upper Abbot Walther in the 9th century of the Upper p. 53. About the Upper to treat it seems to us here: for the Lower was sacred to S. Maurice the Martyr; but this, to which B. Salome came as a pilgrim, about to visit the threshold of S. Aegidius, seems to have been sacred to him. Of the Lower no Abbot Walther is named, with which name however he is called who shut her in; in the Upper he is so called Abbot XXIV, and the same penultimate before the desolation, made by the Hungarians in the year 907, after which it itself in its ruins lay until 1102, received Salome: with the Lower meanwhile standing; and naming Abbot XXI Walker or Walger, but for the year 1069 to 79, when England had no other King than S. Edward, perpetually a Virgin, and son of Canute the Dane; of whom therefore the daughter could not have been B. Judith, having followed the example of her cousin Salome, as the Life narrates.
[2] Therefore besides the name of the aforesaid Abbot Walther, no note of time do I find in that Life: which appears to have been written in the same IX century, in which he lived, with still surviving both Brethren and Seculars, with whom in the time of her residence Salome cohabited, in the same place Judith survived him: as is said num. 4. But after she was dead, according to num. 25, B. Judith for a long time survived. Again however some years must have flowed, before the bodies of both, on account of the nocturnal lights seen over the tomb of Salome, the bodies of both under the altar. taken up from the places, in which first they had been buried, beside the altar of S. Aegidius were placed, as is said num. 27, by which testimony rests the appellation of Saints and Blessed, attributed to them in the Ms. before and after the Life, and the place to be given to the same in this work. For with the monastery (as has been said) destroyed by the Hungarians, and with the tombs of the sacred bodies abolished, Cult known from Bucelinus. to which probably people frequently ran; the cult also seems to have been abolished, except that to renew it recently has taught Gabriel Bucelinus, in the Benedictine Menology on this day, from the Ms. monuments of the monastery, diverse from this Life: which if he had had, he would not have omitted B. Judith; and from that Life alone he could not have had the day either of death or of cult: for none does it define.
[3] As to the Royal lineage of both, there is no one among the Anglo-Saxons, ruling in the IX century, whom as grandfather of those I would rather judge to have been, They could have descended from Egbert King of England, than Egbert, who in the year of Christ 810, from Kings of the West Saxons, drawn by direct series from the brother of King Ine, ordered nearly all the island, insofar as it was held by Saxons, Angles and Jutes, lords, to be called England. He in the year 37 of the same IX century, as also of his reign dying, left a son Athelwulf, then to be the father of four Kings; why not also of one daughter, to whom Judith was the name, even if of her no English histories mention? So the same did not mention another daughter, born of the same Egbert; whom yet equally he could have had, the mother of Salome; as must be presumed, that he had several sons, but predeceased to himself. For how otherwise would he have allowed Athelwulf to become a Cleric, educated under K. Athelwulf, and to be ordained Subdeacon, whence afterwards he had necessity, to ask for release of the vow, since he was now the only one remaining for the succession, from Pope Leo III, as our Alford teaches? Athelwulf reigned to the year 856, a most pious and most clement King. In his court therefore educated his niece Salome, could before the middle of that century have left her country, still a young woman of outstanding form; and after some years of deformity obtained from God, Died before 880. in the convent of Altaich was shut in by Walther, after the death of Egbert, with his brother Athelbald reigning, about the year 860. Under the same Walther, or his successor Abbot Arnold, to the same came Judith, only a few years still going to live with Salome, and longer about to survive her; and to have died at least before the year 880; so that both the translation was made, and the Life was written, before the end of that century.
[4] The Life was found in the second part of the Legends of Saints of the Order of S. Benedict, about the year 1480 by Fr. Bartholomew Krafft most elegantly written out, It is given from a Ms. Life, edited by a Monk of similar age. and transcribed by our John Gamans, from the very large parchment of the Blauburen convent near Ulm, and sent to our Henschenius in the year 1663, under this title: Here begins the Prologue to the Life of Saints Judith and Salome the Recluses; and with this clausula at the end, Here ends the Life of the Blessed Virgins Salome and Judith: which by the discretion of the scribe was done, perhaps thinking that by this virginity was preserved even in matrimony; because num. 21 she is named co-virginal to the other, although she is said to have been handed over to a Husband. But if in these words rests the presumption of a continent bed; it is weakened by the addition, that she was widowed of an heir of both sexes. Let it suffice therefore to have called her a Widow, but so far Co-virginal to believe, insofar as in the court of her father a virgin with the virgin Salome she lived.
[5] They did not live in Altaich the lower: Gamans had added, that they had lived about the year 1069 under Abbot Walker; but to the Abbots of Upper Altaich, who then were none, he seems not to have looked, and only to have consulted the series of Abbots of the Lower monastery; from this that in charter 26 in Hundius p. 26, given to this monastery by Henry IV in the year 1048, is named Ulrich son of Count Thiemo. But gratuitously he presumed this to have been the father-in-law of Duke Ethelbert; and (as I have already said) the Kings of Anglo-Saxon stock then had ceased; but it is not easy to King Canute, author of Danish Dominion in England, to give those nieces, of whom one with the father of the other had been educated: yet here could have been brought Relics from the Upper. for Harald and Hardicanute and Alfricus, brothers of Edward, lived a modest time after their father, all deceased within the fifth year; but Edward himself gave no effort to begetting children. Finally it is not proved, that at the Lower monastery there was any cult of S. Aegidius. It seems yet able to have happened, that with the Upper monastery destroyed, the bodies of the Saints were brought to the Lower, and there also at some time had a cult, about which we wish to be more certainly taught.
LIFE
By Author a Monk of Altaich, nearly contemporary. From the Blauburen Ms. drawn out by J. Gamans S. J.
BHL Number: 7465
A. CONTEMPORARY FROM A MS.
PROLOGUE.
To the vision of supernal peace, from the valley of tears; to the many mansions which are above of the paternal house, To human weakness for following Christ from the Kingdom of Pharaoh, from the place of horror and vast solitude called; while from the body, which by the law of sin resisting the law of mind is corrupted, weighed down we are retarded, hearing that sentence of the Apostle; He who says himself to remain in Christ, ought, just as Christ walked, also himself to walk; soon by the consideration of divine power and of our weakness together, as if from opposite, we are struck; and as if at the voice of the divine thunder speaking to us under a seal, not daring even to breathe, from the medicine of salutary doctrine we are called away. I Joa. 2. 6 For while to the bleared senses of our weakness occurs, that with truth arisen from the earth, in that which is weak the mercy of God and truth have met each other, justice and peace have kissed; as if by the splendor of heavenly light too great, the scintillating ignition of our reason saturated is dispelled, and namely of its corruption to be able to strive against the obstacles, in imitation of its creator, in whom alone the censure of paternal justice has pleased itself, greater than faith it seems to itself to be.
[2] But although it can instruct our faith, strengthen hope, enkindle charity, the examples of the Saints make courage. that the same mediator of God and men, according to the very flesh, in which alone among the dead free mortal he appeared, but tempted through all things for similitude, namely of sinful flesh, but without sin, the Apostle asserts; lest yet amid the waves of hesitations of this kind, our life the shipwrecking charybdis should absorb; the life of his elect he set forth to us; with whose contemplation hope resumed, our fragility, for making worthy
fruits of justice or penance, not sluggishly rises up. Heb. 4, 15 For not only of the male, but also of the more fragile sex many, the Spirit of counsel and fortitude instructing with knowledge, and to them showing the way of prudence, also so in the perseverance of good works strengthened; that, while they were like us passible, clothed again with virtue from on high, like the heavenly animals, where the impetus of the Spirit was thither going, their conversation placed in heaven.
CHAPTER I.
To the King of England related Salome, deliberates with her two handmaids, about leaving the country and age.
[3] Of such therefore beloved and elect of God, of whatever sex they may have been (the weak things of the world chose God, Salome divinely destined for Altaha, that he may confound the strong) and by the example of life, by the help of his intercession, from the torpor of our sloth deservedly to awake, and from the uncertainty of our fluctuation to breathe again, we must; of which thing namely a lively and present exemplar, known certainly to our times, of pious and blessed memory the handmaid of Christ Salome we have. For she indeed by choice rather, than by earthly nativity, daughter of the highest Father, to the voice of his calling inclined her ear, of the heart certainly; and seeing, that the very King would desire her form, going out from her kinship, and from the house of her earthly father, to our land Altaha, by demonstration namely of divine will she came; and it as her habitation and rest unto the age of the age, certainly going to follow the present, as if a desert, neighboring the land of promise or land of the living, choosing, as it were in the very entrance of the fatherland, in it in peace falling asleep, rests.
[4] This indeed blessed virgin Salome, as in our preceding, in the family of the King of England, then even to these times remaining of our Brethren, also of the secular witnesses, is known to the multitude, with whom certainly all, in the time of her residence, for some time by God's nod manifestly she cohabited, of the King of the Angles the daughter of his sister was. Whom in her tender years, while she still lived in the affections of childhood, deprived of her own parents, the King her uncle himself adopted to himself as a daughter; and indeed as heir of paternal things, but as co-heir of his rule, grows up of distinguished form, by laws he ascribed her. For with most dear affection toward her he was held: and deservedly. For of such great beauty she was; that with the rosy blood imbibing in her a lily-bearing whiteness, working in her nature in nothing had erred, except that mortal she had established, in which namely (that with stomach to be said be said) as in a picture, especially rational, with the hand of the highest Artificer working, from his art's divine industry, an image as it were heavenly had emerged. but more in interior virtue she advanced: By divine gift also prevented, the years of her tender age with the noble maturity of morals and works she began to precede. For royally, as became a royal offspring, educated with cultivation, from her mind she cut off the beauty, with which she shone forth conspicuous in countenance. For all the glory of the daughter of the supreme King was from within, less loving this in herself, what to the eyes of her heavenly Spouse she knew it could not please much.
[5] But blessed Virgin Salome had in her service two girls taken from her paternal house; who with two handmaids was wont to withdraw, although not freeborn, yet by the most outstanding honor of ministerial grade neighboring freeborn status: which were faithful witnesses of her sobriety; and of her piety in the more inclined, but hidden, distribution of alms, more frequently were apt helpers to herself. With these therefore, for avoiding the tumult familiar to the houses of Kings of secular pomp, to more open and quieter places she betook herself: and there into vanities and false madness to look, both corporally and mentally declining, the hateful and pernicious dances of joy she alleviated. For her before the royal city, with these solemnities of virginal leisure suitable, leafy here and there, but on every side flowery Tempe, whose vernal pleasantness and beautiful grace, the more by the beauty of fruits the sight and mind they fed, the more (because to those loving God all things cooperate for good) as to carnal ones incentives for the cause of transgression, so to her for salvation acquiring soul exhortative and provocative material always existed. There therefore with the girls clinging to her, for relieving the malice of the day, and of the perilous (as the Apostle says) times the wearinesses, as often as she had entered, among the customary conversations of womanly utterances (because from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks) those others thinking otherwise, she from the good treasure of her heart the drachma of divine courtesy more becomingly inserted. 1. Tim. 3, 7
[6] Furthermore this more moderately, lest namely the one precious pearl of the heavenly kingdom found, with great discretion she was hiding for whose acquisition already all her things heartily she had given, both by mundane favors, and by the spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places, robbers envious exposed she should lose. For through the sea of fluctuating age, where the mundane and diabolical cooperating with itself and confused mutually pomps reptiles, of which there is no number, the journey of all the elect by custom carrying out; like the heavenly animals, having eyes before and behind, the past by remembering, the present by directing, the future by foreseeing, with diligent caution she circumspected herself; lest, while spiritual things into carnal coercively always she would inculcate, the sacred and multiple fruits of fecund piety, either favor (as has been said) human, or the pirate of diabolical fraud should scatter.
[7] In royal gold therefore always circumspect and purple, already then of the infesting dragon (whom God formed, her purpose of leaving the age; for him to be mocked by Angels and his elect) the foul and horrid jaws she avoided; and his head, lest by perpetration of the work, as if by belly and breast, afterwards he might creep to the affections of her soul, in the first encounter she crushed. So therefore living among them, who daily were torturing her soul with not good works, while by hearing and seeing of these she was burned; and now at last to nubile years had come, an emulator of immortal life; the marriage chamber, soon to various sorrows, groaning casualties, miserable divorces subject, with corruptible torches despised, the royal offspring, the privileges of heavenly nuptials preferred to have. Therefore she wishes, loves, and on the pious beginnings more vigilantly insists, and as if by the magistery of divine dialectic taken up by herself; seeing that no one can serve two Lords, one of these, that is to serve God and to adhere to him, judging necessary and useful, she preoccupies. But because every impetus has difficult entrances; she began meanwhile, more frequently anxious to be solicited, and with all attempts of mind, something great and new to plan; and by what reason, by what manners she could, the change already made in her mind of the right hand of the Most High to undertake.
[8] When on a certain day to her beloved places, walking and lightening care returning, at last about to reveal it to them, she appeared sadder than usual; by her girls she is asked, what cause existed, that the royal face to such undue sadness she should subject; and pouring forth from herself the sweetness of starry sight from the eyes, to the ground she would press them. What more? At length that Blessed one, who already in the wine cellar of the Beloved, by the kiss of his mouth, abundantly had tasted, how sweet is the Lord; mindful of the abundance of his sweetness, and to whom in her reclining her spikenard had given its odor; to her girls asking her largely breaks forth. For she herself first hearing, what the Lord God was speaking in her, belches forth also to them from her heart the good word: she says, that is, by vow ascribes, her works to Christ the King: but that the zeal of God she had, according to the knowledge of God she may bring forth; first demands faith of secrecy; first the fraud of betrayal, by the pact of divine and human sacrament, prohibiting from happening, at the same time their consent into her vows with her, but for the pleasure however of their own will, she begs: and with received, in the consummation of the pact of covenant, their faithful right hands; taught by the finger of God, through the creature the Creator, his invisible things also and the eternal power of his Divinity through the things which are made, by faith rather, than by the inflating knowledge of philosophy, intellected to see;
[9] You see, she says, not handmaids, but in Christ beloved Sisters, the splendor of the firmament, the solar lamp, then she orders them to consider the form of created things, and the lunar globe, the choirs of stars and dispositions, of those shining into perpetual eternities. You see also how to each its own color is implanted, to one indeed ruddy, to another bright, to another vibrating, to another joyous, to another obscure, to another profuse: then quality to others another: for some of them are flamy, some cold, some desiccating, some at times pluvial, at times most full of dewy moisture. But that we may omit the arcane things of God and to inquire what heaven is; and, since we are mortal, the things which are mortal let us care for; you see, with those things which are above us intermitted, that at last, which is below us the beauty, of rational and irrational, sensible and insensible, diverse kinds, diverse properties, many helps, various pleasures, manifold species, many forces, multiple fruits; sown, planted, growing of their own accord; some of these delightful to eat, some pleasing to sight, some apt to laughter; some to glory advantageous, some to medicine salubrious; but all things very good.
[10] But if you all see these things by reason rather than by carnal eyes, and thence to rise to the love of God, from consideration of these necessarily you must observe, that if such sweetness, such pleasantness, such utility is in those which descend into corruption, of which certainly the corruption deceives those who love the world and the things which are in the world thinking, in these to consist of the highest good and the highest joy perfection; how much more (as often from the Doctors of the Church we have known, and with the senses it is permitted to discern) more potent, more beautiful, sweeter is the creator of these, disposer and governor. For of creatures so good, as has been said; indeed better, than can be said, of all the reason, in life itself remaining is, having every delight and every flavor of sweetness, from whose life's citadel vivacious and vivifying have proceeded all things. Through their species, all these corruptible things of present flowers and trees, as if a subject example to the eyes behold. They do not labor neither spin, and whence I beseech do they grow, whence do they flower? Because he himself brings them forth from his treasures. What therefore remains, except that those, although very good, in respect of the highest good are even of no moment to be believed? And which to us as gains future could seem, now judging as dung, or naked from the midst of this perishing Babylon let us go out.
[11] and for it to despise the world; Then they; Why therefore, O Lady, they say, most sweet, royal stock, gem of special beauty conspicuous; why by the good God were so good things created, if as execrable, they are to be fled? Far be this, she says: for not execrable they are, but for the cause of sobriety and continence sometimes to be avoided. For illicit things often foreknowing to be committed, we make to ourselves licit things less licit. So wine, which gladdens the heart of man, for joy or necessity created, through intemperance into contumely of the Creator is turned; so the sacred law of marriage, by the vice of fornication and adultery is sullied; so a ring
golden with an impressed gem more precious, as a pledge of the spouse to be cultivated to be loved, to be guarded, not for the love of gold, but for love of itself by a chaste and faithful spouse is committed; which if for its price he should have loved with polluted love of the Spouse, would she not as guilty of meretricious love rightly be noted? So therefore, with which they being so persuaded, through inordinate love of temporal things distancing themselves from God, they will perish, and he will destroy all so fornicating from himself. Wherefore, O beloved to me Companions, if for obtaining the kingdom of God all these things with me, that we may follow Christ by pilgrimage, you shall wish to leave (glory to him, to whom alone is owed) but if not; and this be given to you with your souls safe; but to adhere to God is good for me, to place in the Lord my hope.
[12] all change clothes, Wonderful to say, soon the Holy Spirit touched their hearts, who were hearing this word: for into the same vows to agree with their Lady heavenly they are animated; and as if a column of smoke from aromatics, by the fire of pious love to the Lord they are consumed. But for this arcanum of her purpose to be carried out, a certain suburban Nun, the love of divine wisdom had provided for her: to whom the chosen of God herself and all her things, under the obtestation of faith commending; for making for them in this business a suitable habit, with strict prayers they compel her. She nods to those asking, and at the same time the handmaids, about to make pilgrimage. with their Lady one in Christ to be in future, while clothes from her cheap and humble they received, gave to her their precious ones, which in the opportune time were the cause of manifesting the deed. With the praise and confession therefore of the one Trinity, in one profession, in one heart, and one soul, the sacred theft they carry out; by which namely themselves from the devil and his pomps withdrawing, to the King of kings and Lord of lords they consigned themselves.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAPTER II.
Salome having made pilgrimage to Jerusalem, loses sight in Bavaria, and made leprous near Altaha is shut in.
[13] The Saint returning from Jerusalem through Bavaria, So therefore royal and delicate limbs everywhere by traveling mortifying, and exiles of the way and life, various necessities suffering, holy Jerusalem they approached; and there in gold and silver brought with them, or rather in contrite spirit, their vows they fulfilled. With the Lord therefore filling in good things their desire, making a stay there, all the Sacraments of the Lord's Dispensation, each in each of the places, namely of the annunciation and incarnation Nazareth, of the nativity Bethlehem, of the passion Jerusalem they venerate: of his virtues also wherever performed the insignia adoring in the place where his feet stood, with faithful dispensation they embrace. But because the future fatherland rather seeking, nor did they have an abiding city there; for accomplishing the office of pilgrimage, journey thence, not soul moving, through Bavaria, that they might wholly avoid kinsmen and acquaintances and the paternal house, the thresholds of B. Aegidius and his faithful suffrages to seek, journey they disposed. On this very journey the blessed girls, whose charity many waters of the stormy age and troublesome infestations, indeed with their Lady in all her temptations faithfully remained, could not extinguish; and to nature's last debt paying, returning to the earth their bodies, they brought their blessed souls to heaven.
[14] Then at last the poor and exile royal daughter, in the Lord and in the power of his virtue strengthened, near Regensburg she is courteously received, about to carry out the begun journey, piously proceeds; but by chance is impeded, not however casually happening, since with the Lord the steps of man are directed. For while going to that city of Regensburg approaching, in a village, which not far from the very city situated, Wissena is called, into lodging is received: where by a young Soldier, lover of this world, with amorous gesture, and words mingled with illicit sweetness, publicly however she is provoked. Who hearing his honeyed discourses above oil, but noticing them to be javelins, and there impudently solicited, she feared, grieved; and as the daughters of the age about the opprobrium of deformity are wont to blush, more she at the praise of beauty blushed.
[15] With deliberation therefore of the Spirit of wisdom and intellect held, she asks to be deformed suppliantly from God lest, burning with the oil of spiritual joy, the lamp of her good conscience should be extinguished; after a small interval of time, with those who were present not knowing, or whither she was going, or what she was intending, fleeing the hateful, indeed harmful dirges of words she goes out. But coming into a meadow, and seeing herself there able to be free from human frequency, on her knees she falls; and as a torrent, which the Spirit of the Lord compels, with longer tears, sought from the deep of her heart bathed, she prays to God; that not beauty, namely which the form of flesh was offering, should be scandal to her; some mark of deformity he would impose on her. Soon the vow the deeds follow; and what the good of her country with the very country willingly she had left, and is deprived of sight, with the votive afterwards aid of her co-virginals, to the last solace of nature itself, with the sights of both lights extinguished, she is bereaved.
[16] Here for every faithful one carefully it must be observed, that mostly the reprobate are heard, salutarily heard. for will, not for salvation, as the very head of the reprobate the devil asked Job to be flogged and received; but the elect for salvation always, not also sometimes for will, as Paul the Apostle, praying that the buffeting angel of Satan should be taken from him; that the grace of God would suffice for him, and the virtue in infirmity would be perfected, he heard: but this handmaid of Christ Salome, was heard at once for will and for salvation. 2 Cor. 12, 6 For approaching to the service of God, even to this point she had prepared her soul for temptation, that, wonderful to say! Even pouring prayers and supplications to God, for the cause of the same thing, she was heard for her reverence. Therefore esteeming all joy, Hence having fallen into the Danube, that into various temptations by her blindness she had to fall; while everywhere, not knowing where she was going, she wanders, into the waves of the Danube she slips headlong; but God's providence making with the temptation also the issue, and from there with difficulty saved, by two fishermen, with a small skiff soon gliding by, she is lifted up, applied to fire, frequently here and there rolled; and with the waves drained and again poured back, growing warm she is reanimated.
[17] she is seized by leprosy: Then besides wholly to be possessed by God, but entirely to be alienated from herself; from the abundance of imbibed, as the simpler think, moisture; indeed rather by God's nod, scourging every one whom he receives; with the most serene complexion of her formerly most delicate body untempered, she is sprinkled with leprosy: that in her, what the Apostle says, Your Bodies are the temple of Christ, and you are not yours, might be fulfilled truly. 1 Cor. 6, 19 While therefore from the sole of the foot to the crown there was no health in her; necessarily now, that he himself might nourish her, all her thought she cast on the Lord. Received at Passau, Wherefore by the pity of certain ones, before the foul appearance in her wholly should appear, to Passau by ship she is conveyed; and there pitiable, not miserable, around going around, by alms of certain faithful for some time sustained.
[18] there into dogs feeding she falls without harm, But it happened that there she entered the house of a certain matron, who was called Heilka; whose husband, of Count Ulric was the Provost, and his daughter (that some digression for the cause of explaining history be made) Engilbert Duke of Istria having as wife, those, who now survive, the illustrious Counts of Ortemberg, illustrious grandfather, he poured forth. Entering therefore the house, and stumbling with feet on a channel of dogs, who at present were eating bran placed for them, she fell; and no one, although she was an impediment to their eating, even by barking at least, much less by biting, dared to attack her. Who, having experienced the dogs by touch, was struck; and crying out soon by attendants, with the matron ordering, was snatched from the dogs and presented to her sight: whom kindly, as she was liberal, she warmed; and with her for about three years detained.
[19] Where of how great frugality she was, how much of fasts and vigils she endured, and instituted a very severe life, how much finally of winter she bore, if to the end to recount it were permitted, sooner would time desert the writer, than matter. For daily with horrid chaos darkness assailing, the sacred churches to seek she went out, and all night was in prayers; until, with the synaxis of Matins performed, now nearly with morning made, she returned. Whence often it happened, most tolerant of cold; that under the time of winter with the marrow being immersed, and to her flesh and blood so much cold she brought back; that, with the matron herself providing for her always cold water, and her legs and feet into it placing, so by cold to expel cold she had necessity.
[20] At that time the Altahensian church was ruled by the venerable Abbot Walther: and is received by the Altahensian Abbot to whom, since he was her kinsman, her companion, Lady Salome, now manifested, she devoutly committed: whom he, with the senate of the whole Congregation nodding, receiving; built a little cell at the wall of the choir; on the outside toward the South. There at last that Blessed one, and is shut in. after many residences of mundane desert, as in the middle of the days of rests, alone for God alone was free; into eternal yet rest about to pass, through ascensions of virtues, which in her heart in the valley of tears she had disposed. But she was manifested thus.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAPTER III.
Salome receives as companion her kinswoman Judith: both die: their bodies are carried into the church.
[21] Through a certain countryman recognized At the first time of her departure, the King her uncle, judging her to have departed with a man, in all the borders of his kingdom her to be sought had caused. Whom when he had not found, at length the seen clothes of her, which long since to the said Nun for cheap and to her then apt habit she had exchanged, were betrayal to her, what about her had been done. Then wonderfully a part of the royal house to mourn, a part to rejoice, all together however to wonder
began, and God wonderful in his Saints to bless. But her co-virginal, daughter of a King, Judith the kinswoman about to inquire goes forth; called Judith, handed over to a husband, but widowed of an heir of both sexes, by excessive long-exiled kinswoman to be urged with affection began: and touched with grief of heart inwardly, until her found, perennial to herself from place to place pilgrimage she enjoined.
[22] With taken therefore for Royal magnificence the royal Offspring soldiers and girls, of noble together and middle birth, first indeed to Jerusalem, where her originally to have undertaken the journey through the often said Nun she had learned, the intention she directed; and while toward that proceeding, into these parts coming, from a certain Luitwald her manifested she found. For he from the same family arising, that the generation of the upright might be blessed, and from Jerusalem returning. this very purpose had undertaken: who whenever into the parts of this province he had come, of a certain householder in Helingersperg, by name Reginhard, because liberal of his things he was, familiar more often lodging he had. He therefore recognized, joins herself to her found: to the coming kinswoman Judith her kinswoman Salome known he made: and she rejoicing and praising, that of her vow she had been made compos, seen and known and saluted her beloved, the Lord Abbot and all the sacred choir of the sacred place addressing, that another little cell from nearby for her made, with her co-participant of flesh and spirit she might dwell, obtained.
[23] But chosen of God Judith entering the little cell, as great externally she, equally shut in, as also internally in her flesh Lady Salome, temptations she suffered. For by nocturnal fear and meridian demon most sharply she was infested. For of foul vision by horrors, with floggings also, so much against her to rage the Demons heavenly were permitted, that any of the Brethren hearing, to her often liberation, even at meridian time of day, was compelled to run. Whence also it happened, that of a certain inserted arm, direly is vexed by a demon: from her shoulder by the demon extracted, nearly was weakened; perhaps for this, because being of little faith, he, who is so made, that he fears no one, by the virtue of flesh, not of faith, to be overcome had believed.
[24] Likewise a certain boy, professed of the same Church, by name Adelbert, whom appearing in the form of an owl for great his simplicity she had adopted as son: to whom when on a certain day care of humanity, for puerile necessity, accustomed she applied (as he himself afterwards often confessed) the envious of all good devil, into the appearance of a most obscene bird which an owl is called, that her from the work of charity he might deter, on her head sat. Whom she, already taught with herself by judgment of faith to engage, seized and placed before her casting into fire, his eternal fires with her sacred fires augmented: and soon he, with most foul wailing disappearing, punishes with fire. and the little cell with intolerable stench filling, suitable testimony of his presence he left.
[25] Meanwhile B. Salome, who, with the Lord making for her with temptation also issue, Salome having died first on individual feasts of the blessed Mother of God Mary only, to receive sight was wont for seeing the King in his beauty Lord Christ, to this life's residence, as to the tabernacles of Cedar, and its inhabitants, full of good works, the last farewell in joy made. But blessed Judith, with the Babylonian, indeed diabolical rather Holofernes, for long surviving, still to fight, longer survived: and him finally happily triumphed over, with the conopaeum of his earthly kingdom with all his to the anathema of oblivion handed over, the tabernacles of his mundane habitation through the deposit of body going out, the heavenly Jerusalem to be laureled she approached. But buried they were for testimony of their conduct, both in the place of their cells: B. Salome indeed at the upper part of the choir, externally on the side toward the South; but venerable Judith, at last with her is buried together. at the west, in the middle of the towers of the Church externally; their souls in abundance of virtues in the towers of heavenly Jerusalem placed.
[26] But kindled heavenly in B. Salome the lamp of virginal merit her heavenly Spouse, as under a bushel to hide did not wish; Nocturnal lights seen at the sepulchre of Salome, but for kindling the faith and hope of the faithful, by a wonderful sign, seen namely frequently in the place of her burial of wonderful light an indication, he declared. For a certain Brother of the same place illiterate, religious indeed and having a good testimony from all, while first very often to the church, last from there through the very passage departs; for seeing frequently around her sepulchre of marvelous brightness the clearness, divinely he himself was illuminated. Which indeed light in a wonderful manner, with no waxy substance and no nourishing liquid appeared: but wonderful to say! an ancient accident without subject shone. For while by sight it was proved to have a place of shining, it itself was seen not to have had a foundation: which since difficult to keep is, difficult to believe will not be; since the perpetrator of impossibles the Omnipotent, to believers all things possible to be asserts. Unless perhaps to think or to believe rather may be permitted, that there had been Angelic watches, who in the same place of this kind of brightness coruscating rays an indication of their presence had left.
[27] Then the Reverend Altahensian Church choir, with divine revelation gladdened, both are exhumed, her sacred bones, snow-like (as is reported) whitened, from the humble place of the first exequies translated; and at the same time of her co-participant in the kingdom and Jesus, holy Judith, both on account of kindred blood confederation, and on account of her in one purpose of hope and reward elaboration, the Relics lifting; in the southern part of the monastery both, beside the altar of S. Aegidius, with joy he hid. In hymns therefore and confessions together all blessed God, and is translated into the church. and due again over them exequies with thanksgiving celebrated. So therefore as one noble pair of acquisition of Christ's Charity, of one faith, one purpose, unique love, co-participants of flesh and spirit, in one place rest, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be praise and thanksgiving, into ages of ages. Amen.