ON SAINT GODEHARDUS
BISHOP OF HILDESHEIM IN LOWER SAXONY.
A.D. MXXXVIII
PrefaceGodehardus, Bishop of Hildesheim, in Lower Saxony (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR G. H.
[1] Among the illustrious of Germany men flourished in the century X and XI S. Godehardus, by others Gothardus, born in Upper Bavaria about the year of Christ DCCCCLX, The time of life from the year 960 inasmuch as who in the year DCCCCXC to have completed the year of age XXXI below in the Life number 8 is said: when in the monastery of Niederaltaich a monk Benedictine he was made, and after years eight Abbot created, then in the year MV to the rule of the Hersfeld Abbey translated, and afterward fifty more years old to the Niederaltaich monastery in the year MXII withdrew. Thence in the year MXXII to the See of Hildesheim summoned, on the Sunday first of Advent he is ordained: where things illustriously done in the Lord he fell asleep, the day after the Ascension, on the day fifth of May, in the year MXXXVIII. These characters so solidly affirm the said year, when by the cycle of the Moon XIII of the Sun XI and the letter Dominical A Easter celebrated was on the day XXVI of May, and the feast of the Ascension on the day IV of May: that wonderful it is to years two preceding or next following to have been able to be referred: since in those years Easter celebrated was in the month of April, even to the death in the year 1038, on the 4th of May undergone on the day XVIII or X or XV, and consequently the feast of the Ascension far would have receded from the assigned day V of May namely to the day XXVII, or XIX or XXIV of the same month. We have an ancient Chronicle MS. Saxon, even to the year MCLXXIX deduced: in which on the said year MXXXVIII these are read: Of holy memory Godehardus of Hildesheim the Bishop migrated to the Lord. More clearly this is set forth in the Chronicle of Hildesheim, volume 3 of the Writers of the History of the Franks by Francis du Chesne after the death of his father edited; in which on the said year MXXXVIII these are read: At that time of venerable memory our holy Pontiff Godehardus, on the III Nones of May, namely the sixth feria after the Ascension of the Lord, from this life subtracted to the eternal, with Christ perennially to live migrated, and to us wretched immense sadness by his departure brought. Which all below in the Acts are confirmed: where other certain things more conveniently we observe.
[2] Are these Acts of the best note and faith, by S. Godehardus's disciple and in very many things an eye-witness, written: and they most entire exist in the city of Styria Graz and a very old codex of the College of the Society of Jesus: The Acts from MSS. to which codex's faith our once Reinold Dehnius the Browerian edition diligently collated. In that MS. the Author is called Wolfherus, whom with Brower we judge from the Saxon Clergy by S. Godehardus co-opted, and in letters among the Boii educated, to him to have returned. and the edition of Brower Certainly number 14 he says preaching in the Chapter of the monks Gunther, by himself secretly heard through the windows, whom in canonical habit thither to enter religion forbade: his work moreover into two parts he divided. We each part after our manner distinguishing, Chapters universally six we constitute, no account had of the division in Brower, which introduced another: who here and there changing various things, nor enough fitly always (as below we annotate) the first part into ten, the second into as many but more prolix chapters distinguished, and to them titles subjoined, and in the place of Wolfherus the first Author, his own name substituted, himself Arnold called: and inscribed to his Master Menghardus, just as the prior Wolfherus, according to the Graz MS. to his master Albuinus. Finally what in the said MS. are wanting miracles, in the life by S. Godehardus wrought, and below in the Appendix are reported, seem by this Arnold added. The same Acts, but contracted, we have in a notable MS. codex to us by Bernard Rottendorff from a Monastery of Westphalia transmitted, and like things we find in the MS. codex of the Queen of Sweden. A like codex used Laurentius Surius, who the style himself to have changed and certain things paraphrastically to have rendered, prefaces. Two other compendia we have, The History of the Canonization, one from the MS. Utrecht of S. Salvator, the other at Florence itself from a notable codex of the Senator Strozzi we transcribed. But these omitted we give the History of the Canonization and of the miracles, especially after it done. The author also at that time lived, and often himself what he writes to have seen affirms. What into the Appendix we have cast, by various afterward were adjoined. And these to the one Brower's diligence we owe.
[3] We have of the Hildesheim Breviary the summer part, in the year MDXVI printed, The cult May 5 on the day of deposition, in whose Calendar on the day V of May these in a red character are impressed. The Dedication of the greater Church of Hildesheim, and the Deposition of S. Godehardus, double. But because in that part summer the Offices of feasts from S. Urban begin, what of S. Godehardus there wonted was to be recited, not we could know. We have also an Office to us from Graz transmitted with proper hymns, antiphons and responsories, as there after the Acts, on the very of the Deposition day to be recited, was read. From these various are contained in the ancient Breviary of Passau in the year MDV printed. On which likewise day V of May celebrated to have been his feast in the dioceses of Minden, Ratzeburg, Cammin and others the ancient of them with us preserved Breviaries indicate: and confirm the Offices proper of the dioceses of Vienna, of Passau, of Trent and others: in very many are recited Lessons, from the Acts assigned taken. On the same fifth of May the memory of S. Godehardus is celebrated in the MS. Martyrology of the monastery of Suben in Bavaria under the name of Bede augmented, and in the MS. Florarium Sanctorum; likewise in the Martyrology of Lübeck and of Cologne in the year 1490 printed; and May 4 on the day of death and translation: and finally in Greven, Maurolycus, Canisius and others with Peter de Natalibus book 4 chapter 129. But the memory of the Translation, which on the very of death anniversary day fourth of May happened, is prescribed in the cited ancient Hildesheim Breviary to be celebrated with nine Lessons; and is the chief feast. On which day also are celebrated in the ancient Breviaries of Lübeck, of Erfurt, and the Missal of Milan of the year MDXXII, and the Breviary of the year MDXXXIX, and more recent, likewise in the MS. Martyrologies of Prague and of Liège of the Cathedral Churches, and in the Martyrology cited of Cologne and Lübeck printed, in Greven also, Molanus, Galesinius, Wion, Dorganius, Menard, Bucelinus, and others. But in the proper Offices of the Church of Hildesheim in the year MDCLVII printed: IV of May is venerated S. Godehardus, and V of May only the Dedication.
[4] In the year next after the Translation of the body made MCXXXII to be founded began a monastery of the Order Benedictine under S. Godehardus's patronage, a monastery, relics, churches. and to it in the Basilica of Hildesheim two altars placed, and to his honor various churches built to have been, and in the said monastery a chasuble incorrupt, in which he was buried, and other Relics to be preserved, hands down Brower. Among these a wooden cup is, within with a silver plate clothed, which of the same metal a bond exteriorly crosswise led round binds. Is sought it everywhere by those giving birth, even Acatholic, with the best for the most part success and often miraculous, while to them a drink is afforded, as to us wrote in the year MDCLXXIV P. John Dirking, then there of Philosophy Professor. Besides in the sacristy of the Prague church are held of the body of this Saint two parts of notable magnitude: of which that a document some if it be had should be sent us, we asked the Dean there, from whose to us sent Phosphorus those to us became known, but he answered not to be found. Molanus on XXV of March reports S. Godehardus in the Birthdays of the Saints of Belgium to be venerated as Patron of the church in Arneken, a village of the Cassel territory in West Flanders; but that they hand down him there a Pastor to have been displeased Molanus, and deservedly: we too after examined the said tradition, nothing solid to it to underlie we judge.
LIFE
By the Author Wolfherus the Disciple.
From MS. codices and the edition of Brower.
Godehardus, Bishop of Hildesheim, in Lower Saxony (S.)
BHL Number: 3582
BY WOLFHERUS FROM MSS.
PROLOGUE.
[1] To the of highest reverence with grace to be venerated, my Lord and Master a Albuinus, with all ever of devotion zeal to be venerated, b Wolfherus, in spirit and body small, whatever for the plural of subjection debt by right his own. The History of the life and institution of blessed memory of the Father and Pastor our Godehardus the Bishop about to write, between hope and fear c anxious, long and much deliberating I doubted; because me to so arduous and illustrious a work unequal, and less fit, not I was ignorant. For, as much as by hope and delight of the virtues, which through him God showed, delighted I was called forth; so much, by the manifold of my own negligence conscience and fear terrified, I was drawn back; until at length of the preceptors and brethren, and most of all of the blessed man and true God's worshipper Athelbertus our Abbot the commands, partly spontaneously, partly unwilling, obeying such a height to attain I attempted; and to thy clemency, O Preceptor noble, The Life from obedience written, more secretly to be offered I esteemed; with whom both for errors easy more prompt, and not suspect, the benignity of caution; or at least undefamed the celerity of taciturnity eternal. or wondering disdain, that thou alone of the general of Pontiffs, Abbots, and Doctors college, as to the of my triviality inspection specially art chosen. it is offered to be read to the intimate friend of S. Godehardus, Since also this prudent of the aforesaid monitor and impeller my industry has provided; most of all, because to thee for the of faith and love thy merit, of the same Father our the life, both before and after the Pontifical promotion, before the rest always shone: and because he himself to thee more secretly and more familiarly, by the example of Christ and the disciple, whom he loved, of his heart the arcana before all opened. And therefore also me, as I have foresaid, unequal and less fit to the same work especially impelled, that through my adolescence's times, between e the Hersfeld and Niederaltaich monastery, as f Orosius's manner, I ran to and fro; and his earliest deeds, by the faithful of Christ both frequently I heard, and even, for the small still of a little genius capacity, gladly I retained. God therefore, who the secrets of hearts by beholding searches, I attest, me nothing in his memory's praise about to describe, except what either himself both I saw and heard, with the highest faith from certain knowledge, or from truly truthful and even approved I learned. Most of all
nevertheless when at Niederaltaich for study's sake I was in exile, of a certain veteran Presbyter, g Reignoldus by name, whom also thou better hadst known, the familiarity and conversation oftener I used: and if God at any time should deign, Composed of his truth-speaking relation to this very thing I was instructed, who certainly to him from his very infancy with faithful ministry always adhered, and him in sacred erudition's letters first instructed; and all his sayings and deeds, even to the monastic profession, and also to the Pontifical promotion, he himself better had known.
[2] But also I, by the wonted of ancient obedience manner, if anything perhaps either apt or inept to compile I have been able, first to thy sagacity by merit to be offered I have decreed; that surely through thee the errors be corrected, the gaping be supplied, the superfluous be scraped away, the necessary be supplied; and wherever I shall have deviated, which I confess easily happens, my stolidity pardon may obtain; which also against of the insulting mockery by so great authority's defense be fortified. Since nevertheless, God witness, for this least am I moved, if anyone of such ones elated has derided me, or that something inurbane I have forged more wordily has objected, so that only to the studious and God fearing the simple of truth sentence I have constructed; and to these, who perhaps by the Spirit of the Lord's inspiration assenting, after this, while the spite of envy clouds spreading shall have set, of the aforesaid Prelate the acts and life with condign reverence to adorn shall have known and shall have wished, of things and times the certain order I have depicted. After the manner indeed of a more sagacious dog, who at the assenting hunter either by nod or sign sent out, the whole day unceasingly and as untiringly labors, not that for himself only, which neither he presumes, the prey he should snatch, but, that of the commanding Lord the playful will he should accomplish, a rare namely and unusual something taking, whence not only the Lord with his domestics more festively may rejoice, but also to supervening perhaps friends of a more sumptuous supper the pleasantness may be reserved. to the utility of posterity His, I say, manner me gladly to labor I profess; not that any praise, which in this neither I merit nor I deem worthy, I may acquire; but that either to the modern or to posterity, as I have foresaid, the eternal of the just memory although by an unteachable estimation I may set forth. Why therefore should I blush me to dogs (who certainly a greater and more excellent among brute animals, by the gift I think of the Creator, intellect have) to be likened, when neither that Evangelical Canaanite blushed, nay even rejoiced that she by the Lord to dogs was compared, nor even Lazarus spurned by the rich man shuddered, these licking, to be consoled? For as much as the brutes more excellent, so much to the rational they are nearer. Nor at least over this of the faithful anyone be moved, that by the aforesaid mockers to my fatuity is objected, not to become so illustrious and notable a man as it were the lowest genealogy to defame; but rather, as they themselves think, in his praise by being silent to hide it: since whoever soundly are wise not so attend to the vain of high birth boasting, as to the more useful of divine inspiration's prerogative; by which certainly no one noble seems, except whom virtue to ennoble is proved, since it is written, Where the spirit of the Lord, there liberty: 2 Cor. 3 and the Prophet says: 1 Kings 2 The Lord poor makes and enriches, raises from the dust the needy, and from the dunghill lifts the poor, that he may sit with princes, and the throne of glory hold. Which in him truly fulfilled to have been, the whole holy Church witness, we describe; because him through the ways straight by the Lord led, and in the sight of Kings magnified, with Princes gloriously to have sat, and among Princes wisdom to have spoken, and the throne of glory happily to have held, we have seen. Whence also by none of the faithful is doubted, that now in the of the Saints order of Priests before Christ beyond doubt he rejoices. If therefore now the frivolous of my loquacity sentence beyond the lawful or the pleasing in speaking has proceeded (which certainly timidity, all things even safe fearing, has effected) thou Father and Doctor eminent, who this not only to the aforesaid Prelate's memory, but also to our unskillfulness both to owe art believed, and to will; thou, I say, in whom is both of approving the skill and of disapproving the power, of any whatever the gainsaying contemned, wisely mayest provide, that both the inept and useless with eternal taciturnity be buried; and the profitable, the Lord granting, without of adulation disguise be brought forth. Because, if anything from the true differs, not to my unskillfulness, but to thy is imputed carelessness: but, if perhaps anything more apt shall be, not my but thy part it will be, as a certain one humbling himself says, If anything from the mouth pleases, the praise of the monitor it will be.
ANNOTATIONS.
of Graz Rumoldus.
CHAPTER I.
S. Godehardus's birth, studies: the Clerical life, then the monastic.
[3] Because by the Evangelical of truth voice it is enjoined, that and because the secrets of Kings to be hidden are commanded; the works indeed of God to be revealed and magnified, by right are spread; therefore worthy and even glorious we thought, The Life both to the Bavarians and to the Saxons for imitation set forth. the Life of the blessed and venerable Father our Godehardus the Bishop, as much as the divine clemency shall have granted, for an example to the moderns and to posterity to set forth; and of his deeds the probable mastery to the God-fearing to set forth. Matt. 5 Truly also we fear, us the fault of negligence not to lack, if we suffer those things, which from him praiseworthy both we have seen and heard, under silence to lie hidden. Tob. 12 a Whom therefore b Bavaria once, from the beginning of the word of God by the plough cultivated, and with the of sacred faith seed sufficiently fecundated, the true of religion teacher to us, to whom there was need or certainly Saxon-born, and (as truly, alas! to us by an insulting mockery is objected) by the word of God long untamable, of peril we lack not, if his glory, by domestic sloth hardening, by being silent we neglect.
[4] Therefore in the seven hundred forty-first of the Lord's Incarnation year, in which c Charles the first, son of Pepin the first, son of Anchises, son of Arnulf, Near the Niederaltaich monastery in the 8th century constructed from this life migrating, to his sons Carloman and Pepin this Pepin Charles the Great begot, the beginning e of the Niederaltaich monastery f by the worshippers of Christ wisely begun, and into a religious monastic institution happily was perfected, fifteen almost years before the distribution of the Bishoprics, which after the year in Bavaria by holy Boniface the Archbishop made was, from the decree of Zachary the Pope and the consent of Pepin the King, to whom before then a triennium the brother Carloman, at Rome tonsured and monasticized, the hereditary part of the kingdom and of his property; relinquished when to Willibald of Eichstätt, to John of Salzburg, to Erembert of Freising, to Garibald of Regensburg the Church is committed, and the Christian there religion worthily to God is strengthened. In the aforesaid certainly monastery the service of Christ from the beginning happily grew up, and through a hundred almost years in the monastic purpose praiseworthily advanced, even unto that detestable dissension, which began between Louis the Emperor son of Charles the Great, and his sons Louis, Lothair, and Charles; and then, the Emperor dead, between the brothers themselves through many years, as the chronicles testify, and various destructions having suffered, persisted. In that therefore tempest the Churches many were despoiled, the monasteries were disturbed; among which also of the same Niederaltaich church the property, there by the faithful conferred, and to that point unshaken, was plundered; and to this crime to those warring, according to the of the raging will, of a benefice, nay of a maleficence the cause, was divided. By this indeed necessity the monastic there norm failed, under the rule nevertheless of Canons the same place even unto the times of pious memory likewise through a hundred years persisted. Which also Otto the pious King, son of King Henry the Saxon, often decreed in some places to restore again; but by manifold misfortune obstructing, most of all however of his brother Henry the Duke of Bavaria's machination impeding, not he could accomplish. Who certainly to himself in the first royal ordination, in the presence of the Princes and his father, as in jest by indignation, himself nobler boasting, resisted; and in the same vain will, always against his brother the King privately, and craftily against the son of the King Ludolph, as Bavaria still testifies, publicly persisted.
[5] Of illustrious therefore disposition a boy, Godehardus by name, near the Niederaltaich monastery from the same Church's family, in h the village Ritenbach of the diocese of Passau, from truly Christian, pious and honest parents happily was born and reared. To the studies of letters still of his parents, he gave himself. There were schools, which he visited, near the monastery Altach, across the river Danube. among the monks of Niederaltaich But when in the morning rising the holy boy, for the sake of visiting the schools came near the Danube, which a bridge there was not that he could the river pass through, God granting, going to the schools or thence returning, sound provided conveyance. In the same monastery the boy aforesaid faithfully by his parents offered, by the Brethren devoutly received, of literal science the draught, the Lord bestowing, praiseworthily imbibed; and of the divine law the knowledge, for a little still of age small genius, gladly received, according to what is said, Most easily is learned, where the Spirit of God a teacher is present. i [For began the holy boy, in the first of age or of his youth flower, vanities to decline and levities to avoid; more choosing the yoke of God's law to undergo, and of the virtues the paths to enter, than to enjoy the vanities of this world, as that age always is wont: and he began from good to better, from the better to the best not sluggishly himself to transfer. On this account always he wore the Church's thresholds, that there he might draw of the sacred law the rivers, that thence his mind he might inebriate thirsty. There was present to him God's fear him from all wantonness boyish drawing back. So therefore himself to all he exhibited, that an organ a certain of the Holy Spirit to be, most truly it appeared. Whence also it was made, that in the habit secular, in which among the religious he remained, many of the religious in life's sanctity he allured evidently.
[6] But when a good, and with manners honest of this kind life praiseworthy in the said monastery Altach through some years he had led, and of adolescence
years he had reached, and of holy life the fame through all Bavaria had spread itself] at that time, he lives with the Bishop of Salzburg. the blessed man k Frederick Bishop of Juvavum the same monastery for a benefice's sake governed, in the time of Duke Henry the prior. And the Brethren there in divine service united, after the same boy's praiseworthy in God's fear disposition they knew, him to the notice of the Pontiff intimated. Which he hearing, as certainly he was most prudent, to God thanks rendered; and him thence brought out, into his own familiarity assumed l. Whom when from virtue to virtue, the grace of Christ advancing, to ascend he knew, more him, for the conferred divinely industry of expeditions, and of the other journeys the more difficult ways, as for testing's sake, he carried about, and of the sacred faith and religion in catechism more devoutly instructed: n and so him to the same monastery the Brethren him for the supplement of divine service earnestly demanding, with the Subdeaconate's grade adorned, sent back. Who there in of holy conversation zeal from day to day through adolescence's time more sagaciously watching, by whom sent back a Subdeacon. to the common also of the Brethren advantage and utility more devoutly intending, the elders namely according to the Apostle in honor preventing, the coevals with just examples exhorting, the subjects with sacred oftener admonitions to better things soliciting; and so divine clemency accompanying, in a short time of true religion the discipline to the full obtaining, as truly afterward appeared, God predestining a Provost was constituted. Rom. 12 [p]
[7] In the year then after the Virgin's bringing forth [q] DCCCCLXXXIII, Otto the Emperor second; after the most perilous and even most unhappy of Calabria war, still through the world of the earth by slaughter and infamy most known, from this life taken away; and at Rome with the highest of all Christendom grief, enough nevertheless honorably, buried; certainly after the inconsiderate of the Merseburg Episcopate [r] destruction, and after the innocent (according to the voice of the people) Gero the Count's [s] slaying; the aforesaid Henry Duke of Bavaria, Father of Henry the Emperor, by the Emperor, his cousin certainly, before a septennium on account of infidelity and tyranny, which against him in a paternal manner he exercised, After the death of Otto 2 the Emperor and the election of Otto 3 from honor removed, then on occasion of justice into the hope of reigning by arrogance's fury in vain elated, the lordly son, worthy by God's ordination of the kingdom heir, to oppress; and himself into the monarchy of the kingdom, the seducer persuading, tries to raise. Whose nevertheless trifling machination, by the chiefs of the kingdom, God truly fearing, and most of all by Willigis the Metropolitan of Mainz and Bernard the Duke of Saxony peacefully is stilled; and to him after many apt and inept things, which now better are kept silent, because in the Chronicles more fully they are contained, the pristine Duchy is given back. In the next moreover of the Lord's Birthday day Otto the third honorably received; and in all ecclesiastical perfection happily, in the ancestral manner, to grow began. Of whom indeed of the praiseworthy industry an initial was the indication, that [t] in the seventh of his ordination year, the often said Niederaltaich monastery by the Bishops' counsel, aiding at length the Duke aforesaid, into the pristine of monastic religion to be reformed he made the state.
[8] A certain therefore venerable man Erchanbertus by name, there Abbot is set over, by whom aiding the Lord, under Erchanbertus the Abbot made a monk, a Prior is constituted the divine there ministry, according to the Rule of S. Benedict, religiously is disposed. At whose at once most salutary admonition, of prompt obedience the youth Godehardus, in heart and mind from the world's vanity converted, with some of the same place Brethren, intimated) of his age XXXI [u]: [several nevertheless from the same monastery, that not unknown afterward to memory, Brethren departing, among whom was but not a Bishop we saw.] But the new of the new religion recruit, adopted into the of a better life noviceship, as in the prior purpose he was wont, with all of heart and mind affection to the of the heavenly hall threshold panted: so that the new Preceptor to the new hearer, which certainly in such ones unusual is, his probity considered, all of the divine fold the care after himself utterly commended, and him to himself in of spiritual exercise sonship singularly preferred. [y] [For he was in charity fervid, in labor strenuous, in prayer devout, in meditation profound, in contemplation suspended, in body honest, in heart pure, to himself rigid, with the defects of others compassionate, in humility especial, in poverty glad, and in true bright in chastity.] Who nevertheless the aforesaid Abbot after a triennium, either for the cause of infirmity, or by weariness of secular care, the same rule left; and to of a more secret life solitude in the sight of the internal Arbiter to be at leisure decreed.
ANNOTATIONS.
d Nay the administration of the kingdom, because under them still from the Merovingians constituted
e Altach a double in Bavaria monastery, upper and lower, of this is treated now. It is near the Danube, a mile from the town Deggendorf, where a chapel is seen to S. Godehardus sacred.
f The MS. of Graz. By S. Pirminius and Lord Odilo Duke of Bavaria and other of Christ worshippers wisely begun, and into a religious monastic institution happily was perfected, before the distribution of the Bishoprics, which in the tenth after year in Bavaria by S. Boniface &c. Are venerated S. Pirminius 3 of November, S. Boniface 5 of June, and S. Willibald 7 of July.
h At Altach on the anniversary day of S. Godehardus is handed down to be afforded a feast to all, who can demonstrate themselves from his stock or family to descend. So Brower. Born moreover he was about the year 960.
in the year 991, dead in the year 1012 or the following 1013. The same in this place reports the MS. of Rottendorff and the Compendium of Strozzi. But the MS. of Graz has, The blessed man Frederick Bishop of Juvavum. He is the Archbishop of Salzburg, created in the year 956, dead in the year 990, to whom the age of S. Godehardus agrees: then favors Hund, asserting by the said Frederick, who then Altach in benefice had, made an Acolyte and Subdeacon: which namely benefice to the Bishops translated was in the time of Duke Henry the Prior, dead in the year 955. He moreover was the brother of Otto the first Emperor, of whom above it was treated.
But feared the holy youth Godehardus, lest something in so great, with which impeded he was, affairs vain should slip into his mind; therefore from the said Bishop of Passau of withdrawing a license sought and scarcely obtained.
p What in this number are narrated, are wanting in the MS. of Rottendorff. They are in the Graz.
q Was noted the year DCCCCLXXXVII, but by the error of the copyists, the number five in the place of unity signed, which we have corrected. Dead indeed was Otto 2 on the day of Venus 7 of December in the year 983, which not could be hidden from the Author of the Life.
r This destruction happened in the year 982 by Giselher the Bishop, to the Archbishopric of Magdeburg promoted, who there an Abbey for the Episcopate substituted at the same time held: but the Episcopate then in the year 1001 was restored. Consult the Chronicle of Dithmar, Bishop of Merseburg created in the year 1008, dead in the year 1018.
s It is Gero, 11 of August in the year 978 by command of Otto beheaded, as accurately the year is noted in our MS. Saxon.
t In the year of Christ 990, as also noted Hund.
u The enclosed in brackets [] are wanting in the MS. of Rottendorff.
x The MS. of Graz, A certain Dietricus, whom afterward of the Minden Church, but not a Bishop we saw, Are wanting in Brower these but not, and wrongly, because nowhere among the Bishops he is reported. Seems nevertheless to be wanting the word, Provost, or something similar: and therefore points we have signed.
y The enclosed are wanting in the MSS. of Graz and Rottendorff. in this then the following are contracted.
CHAPTER II.
S. Godehardus the Abbot's life in the monasteries of Niederaltaich, Hersfeld and others. His private life: and under him of Gunther the hermit.
[9] In these also days the aforementioned of Bavaria his son arose; not his father's insolence, The long refused Abbot's dignity but the beginning of wisdom the fear of the Lord fully following: because he was with all of letters study principally imbued, and wholly truly in faith and act Catholic. Who at once in of divine service the worship kindled, the aforenoted monastery again of a spiritual to be deprived Pastor, grieved; and the same Godehardus, then b a Presbyter, Abbot there to set over wished. To whom he, through a biennium, with a just enough excuse resisted; because the seat and place of his Pastor, he surviving, to usurp he ought not. But after the Abbot by the Brethren, Erchanbertus abdicating at length he undertakes it. and also by the Bishops called to come back refused, and to them a license, whom into his place they wished to substitute, gave; at length by Episcopal authority, and of the Brethren unanimity overcome, the same rule, according to the Duke's decree, he undertook c. Who at once in the beginning of his promotion wholly himself to Christ vigilantly devoted, and to himself the Brethren, to enter anxiously took care, and in such zeal himself there through eight d years unceasingly exercised. And besides this nevertheless, by manual labor a manifold fruit, and necessary utility he acquired. Who also there, on a certain mountain, which e Helingeresberg is called, a strong castle, and in it a most beautiful church in honor of the holy Mother of Christ Mary, into whose special service future he was, with a fitting edifice constructed; and round about, most of all however in the Bohemian forest, which to the same Province nearest stands, to thirty and beyond mansi, by the labor only of hands with the Brethren, by Apostolic example, the woods and brambles rooted out, to the use of utility he formed. Meanwhile in MII of the Lord's Incarnation year, the noble Emperor Otto the third from this life, by an untimely death, departed: into whose kingdom the aforesaid Henry the Duke, with all piety conspicuous, succeeded.
[10] There was at that time in f the Hersfeld monastery of S. Wigbert g Bertholdus the Abbot, venerable
by family, and by dignity memorable; who nevertheless, that in peace it be said, The undisciplined Hersfeld monastery beyond his purpose's order in a human manner of popular fame to the praise intent, of the same monastery the Brethren, perhaps somewhat than the due conversation he fostered more indulgently, so that after the manner of Canons properties to themselves both in private buildings, and also in horses and finer also very many garments, and the rest of mundane glory pomps they claimed; and a license also of giving and receiving, with illicit and superfluous banquets, and the rest of such they used. Which namely Abbot two years before the end of his being sick, and beyond the Fulda river on a mountain, on which he himself a monastery in honor of S. Peter the Apostle built, with soldiers and the rest to him familiar, of refreshment by the mildness tarrying; the Brethren by indignation moved, and as by a Father contemned, to the King, both through themselves, and also through letters and legates, oftener diverse complaints direct, to them of food and clothing the necessaries to be denied; and them with the rest of Christ's poor hungering, the Ecclesiastical things through vain and useless utterly to be dissipated. Which their complaint the King wise more deeply than they themselves esteemed understanding, but also the life of them not unknowing, longer by dissembling deferred: but at the last, by the importunity of them overcome, with a moderated speech answered; gladly himself their Father, if by God's gift he should convalesce, of such things about to admonish; but if he should die, to them and to himself in setting over according to the fear of the Lord about to provide.
[11] But the remembered Abbot a little after dead, the aforesaid Godehardus to them as Father and Governor, to be reformed he undertook and rules it by the Bishops' counsel, set over; whom also, that in all things to them according to the Lord's fear and the monastic life he should provide, skilfully he premonished. h [Who thither through Willigis the Archbishop led, and through him also, as to God thanks well he knew, to do good wisely instructed, in the first coming, thanks to the divine piety rendering, and His direction in the past, present, and future solicitously seeking; firstly to them, according to the regular precept, harder and rough commands proposed; and a license to them at the prayers of the Metropolitan, either with him these to celebrate, or whither they wished to depart, he contributed. Who at once unanimously conspired, together all (a few only elders or little boys remaining) gone out, through diverse places variously were dispersed. Whom nevertheless afterward by a sounder counsel, and of those same who had remained certainly the industry of him and mildness understanding by aid, some quicker, some indeed slower, nearly all to the fold he recalled; and them under the light yoke of Christ easily the Lord governing he united. The city itself indeed, as also the other two, and the cloistral cohabitations, from superfluous and inept many buildings, forthwith he purged; and into a fitting of monastic necessity condition honestly reformed: and, with there found and from elsewhere acquired Brethren, in the same monastery i through seven years worthily to God and to men praiseworthily he ministered.] k Were committed to him also two other monasteries, the Tegernsee and l Kremsmünster, which with equal also diligence in Christ's service he governed.
[12] In the same times there was in Thuringia's parts by name m Gunther; who for the offenses of youth groaning, and considered more diligently of his acts the quality, the face of the Lord in confession preventing, to Hersfeld to the new Abbot, worthily (as afterward appeared) by doing penance, came; and to him all the secret of heart and of his will, utterly opened. Whom the Abbot, justly in God fearing, with bland consolation and condign also provision, penitent received; and to the monastic even profession, by his most salutary admonition, the Lord co-operating, converted. Who of his own diffident weakness of body and of mind, to utterly to abdicate whatever are of the world, the manifold of his heritage property, which he had received from his progenitors, Gunther after offered his heritage to the Hersfeld monastery to the Church of S. Wigbert for the use of those Christ serving, with the consent of his heirs, by a firm delivery delegated; and himself there into regular perseverance, by a spontaneous promise, devoted: first nevertheless under witnesses by a testament having stipulated, that a monk made, the monastery, which n Gellinge is called, of food and clothing for the sake, he himself should possess, and to the Brethren there Christ serving, with himself thence the necessaries should provide. But the Abbot, with prudent reasoning a counsel, to the man newly converted such a pact, in the way of the commands of God, of the greatest future to be peril; and more thence through days of the soul to be born loss, than of the body, as he thought, subsidy: meanwhile him with provident mind from the undertaking suspended, and in a lay habit still using to the Niederaltaich monastery with himself led. There the aforesaid man to the heart compunct, asked from the Abbot, that before the profession, it should be lawful for him to Rome to go, and of the Apostles of Christ and of other Saints the intercession, a monk in Niederaltaich made, for of the transacted life the deviations and for of the new life the entrance, to seek. Which permitting, he goes and returns: and at length before the altar of S. o Maurice the girdle laying down, the head and beard he shaved; and made according to custom, the petition, received, and for some time regularly proved, by the same Pastor of the monastic life the habit obtained.
[13] But, after the vow of profession, not unmindful of his, which we have prescribed, pact, going to the Abbot, which he had stipulated, according to the agreement to inhabit: and from the pact a Prior in Gellinge, which the pious Father meanwhile consented, unwilling him by an obstinate contradiction from an affection, although iniquitous, to prohibit; until, reason dictating, the unlawful desiring mind, little by little he could mitigate. To him coming therefore to the place, Gellinge called, and disposing the necessities of those there remaining, from the hidden of the tempter snares, God, as certainly we believe, to the example of B. Job permitting, many and various to him occurred discomforts. For which while he himself, namely before of poverty and labor unaccustomed, to the Abbot oftener by complaining fled, and his for such things counsel and aid anxiously inquired; the solicitous Father, the fluctuation of his mind deeply perceiving, and about to follow perhaps of heart the mutability vehemently dreading; with bland sometimes consolation and sweet-speaking admonition his sadness mitigating, sometimes indeed, according to the Apostle, by arguing, by beseeching, by rebuking, opportunely, importunely, his wavering mind chastising, to the way of salvation him to lead back strove: which nevertheless still little it profited. he is induced that to the pact and care he should renounce: 2 Tim. 4. But when in this altercation oftener they struggled, and in this kind of molestation both more frequently were wearied; to him again, on a certain day of his solicitude the complaint suggesting, the man of God by due of justice zeal moved, swelling, as they say, the lung answered; that either in the promised of obedience stability God more devoutly he should serve, or certainly to the wonted of the world vanity, by the snares again of Satan ensnared, the habit cast off he should return. At which voice the stupefied hearer trembled; and of his error the excess late at length shuddering, groaned, all the aforesaid pact from the heart forgotten; and the whole of any whatever discomfort complaint abolished, to the Niederaltaich monastery, where then under of the same Father the care (that in the favor of all I may speak) a singular of divine worship zeal fervent was, himself he betook; and there to the Brethren most humbly subject, and in of sacred religion's strictness fully in a shorter time of divine dew by infusion instructed, beyond the regular precept himself, even the Prelates wondering, afflicted.
[14] In the third namely of his conversion year in the aforesaid Bohemian forest a hermitage he sought, who then to a hermitage withdrawing, in which to XXXVII years, in the zeal of holy religion and in the highest truly strictness of voluntary poverty, with those remaining with him, he lived. The provision finally of them was various: by a various certainly zeal from the Hungarian King, and from Bohemia and Poland, and the rest of diverse provinces, together with clothing procured. Of drink, as to all known it is, nothing at all there except sole water was had; and that itself even, to the guests to sufficiency, to the Brethren indeed to measure, was given. For letters at all, except only the Psalms, he did not learn; and yet all the reason and understanding of the Gospel, of the law, and of the Prophets, and of histories also, from the frequent of the Brethren relation, unlettered although, to a wonder to all by speaking he was. and also by a more avid of the word of God hearing, marvelously perceived; so that very often the more obscure of mystical intelligence, sometimes by jesting, sometimes indeed by admonishing, the hearers being astonished, he brought forth. Which we indeed, who him more familiarly knew, frequently heard; especially however, when on his highest festivity, on the nativity namely of holy John the Baptist his special patron, his sermon we were present at; by which, in a chapter collation, on the same day, his Brethren he admonished, while them about of the same Father the life and manners, food and also clothing and works, to of his poverty to the Lord God pleasing tolerance he instructed. Truly indeed I say, and before God I lie not, that almost all who were present at the same sermon, to a most abundant of tears effusion, by God's gift, were compunct. There sat there the venerable Abbot of Niederaltaich Rathmundus, with several of his monastery Brethren, and others many besides guests, except us, whom in the Canonical habit thither to enter religion forbade, whom nevertheless of the Brethren familiarity and most of all the Abbot's license round about at the windows, the preacher not knowing, secretly placed: for he was (as of S. Benedict is said, whom after God, in life and manners most of all he followed) both knowingly ignorant, and wisely unlearned.
[15] The blessed therefore Godehardus, by age and labor now wearied, and even by weariness of secular care filled, the assenting King, the Hersfeld rule to the illustrious man Arnold, his before in that place Provost; and [p] Bertholdus, equally venerable his Primicerius, the Tegernsee committed: and so to Altach returned; S. Godehardus Altach cultivates: where, if to God only it should please, in the end of his life in the due of the begun religion zeal to persevere he decreed. The same indeed monastery with all devotion, as even today there is clear, to adorn he strove; with books namely most precious, missals, garments, and the rest various and useful ecclesiastical ornaments: most of all however (which everywhere most known is) very many in the same monastery Brethren, in knowledge and manners illustrious, he nourished; whom afterward among diverse monasteries as Fathers and Doctors, by the King's and Bishops' petition he distributed. But, when now in laborious, to himself nevertheless pleasing, that his quiet, through [q] ten years, in this kind he paused; and with whole of heart intention in the region of the living to the Lord to please, by daily and nightly sighs, he preferred, intimated, after which certainly vision himself from this world, when God should command, about to go away, he doubted not.
[16] On a certain therefore night, as always through thirty now years he was wont, after the first only of the night quiet the church entering, to the psalmody and the rest of such offices intent, he passed the night; but also after Matins in the begun resolve he persisted. And now the dawn shining, he is terrified by a vision of an olive dug up a little slumbering the bedchamber he entered; and himself upon a bench only inclining, of this kind
there in the cloistral atrium stood, and he thought himself under the same tree for reading's study to sit, and to him certain graver and unknown persons to approach; who themselves by the King thither sent should assert, that the same olive dug up to themselves for the Royal service they should carry. Nor a delay, as to him it seemed, axes and digging-tools they seize; and it, with the highest haste to extirpate they strive: but the higher they dig in, the denser of the roots tenacity they find. Which they seeing, of haste for the cause, axes applied, the roots by cutting they cut off; and sprouting again, and so the torn-up tree with them carrying away they depart. And at once, as he estimated, from the left of the roots density, innumerable and beautiful little shoots grew up; which the whole even atrium, by their multiplication filled; so that both the crowd of diverse sex and age came, and from the same thickets little plants several plucking through the fields and crossroads disseminated. But he waking the church at once entered; and himself, all his thought in the Lord casting, to the divine clemency more attentively commended; because himself after the same dream about to depart, more certainly he estimated. Which nevertheless wise anyone other things evidently to portend, plainly understands; who the manifold of his doctrine numerousness solicitously shall have weighed, both there in the prior religion's exercise left, and afterward wherever through diverse of divine dew dogmas salubriously dispersed. [r]
ANNOTATIONS.
of Upper Bavaria monastery at the lake Tegern, of which more largely we treated 25 of March at the Life of S. Cyrinus or Quirinus the Roman Martyr, whose body there is preserved.
m Gunther with the title of Saint is reported 9 of October, whose Life then more accurately will be to be examined: in which all the same, which here are read, also are contained and are in the MS. of Rottendorff.
p The MS. of Graz Purchardus.
q Therefore even to the year 1022.
r More clearly he would have said by that vision to have been foretold, how from the monastery to be torn away and to the Episcopate to be transferred Godehardus, there none the less should be in disciples to be multiplied. Moreover the 2nd part on the Episcopal Life of S. Godehardus hence takes its beginning. Under a new as it were preface To the Defender, by which name his master Albuinus understands the author.
CHAPTER III.
The Hildesheim Episcopate long refused, then admitted. The controversy of preeminence in the monastery of Gandersheim.
[17] Since indeed of the blessed man's life, not by my own knowledge, which certainly is none, but by Divine clemency favoring, from the beginning hitherto through many praiseworthy things I had described; thanks for the knowledge condign to the same clemency I render, and thy, Venerable Father, aid, whom from the end even to the end in all things, and in this especially business as a teacher, defender, and corrector I have prechosen; thy, I say, and of thy like aid and intervention to God I implore, that thenceforth greater and more praiseworthy things, by His direction, without of lying disguise, truly and congruously I may describe. In the year therefore after the incarnate word of God's mystery MXXII, of the Reign indeed of the Lord Henry the XXI, of the Empire moreover the IX, of happy memory a Bernwardus, the venerable of our Church Prelate, After S. Bernwardus, Bishop of Hildesheim, his death, from this life to the perpetual migrated: whose certainly death the whole region most of all saddened. For he was, that hastening all his life's history I may run through, in all of divine service zeal justly fervid, and in all of mundane utility sagacity wisely provident; against the rebellious and hardened by right severe, toward the obedient and modest duly mild; in alms and miseration compassionate and liberal; with vigils, fasts, and prayers fittingly intent. Our monastery therefore, with books, silk, gold, silver, gems, pictures, and other ecclesiastical ornaments several becomingly adorned; Clerics aiding God many, and even in divine service useful he nourished; the venerable temple of S. Michael, by his own labor constructed, and by his heritage and acquisition sufficiently endowed, into monastic religion to God consecrated; towers most fortified, and even honorable, with adhering wall, in the Eastern and Western part of our city, in protection of the citizens constructed; churches many, with various and useful buildings, through diverse of the Bishopric courts built; and with all utterly of Pontifical provision honesty, in divine and human things, skilfully watched.
[18] At the same time the Emperor at b Grone sat, and the aforementioned Abbot, by the wonted ever of piety manner, with himself had. Coming therefore the Legate with this mournful legation, the offered by S. Henry Episcopate he refuses: the Emperor the faithful of Christ and of himself friend with condign grief bewailed; and his pious soul to God and the holy of God Angels with due commemoration commended. Then the Abbot in a secret soliloquy he met, and to him his will's secret about the Episcopate of the same See opened. To whom at once he in the face resisted, and himself unworthy of such and so great honor and office answered. Whom again and again from the abundance of heart more devoutly he admonished: he indeed in the begun excuse firmly persisted: saying, certainly himself greater burdens of riches on this account to have rejected, that to God alone more freely he might be at leisure, and of the fragile life the end, in the wonted and beloved to himself poverty, more securely he might await. The Emperor indeed through the Bishops the hardness of his heart to soften attempted; and them about such things him to meet asked. In whose colloquy he, with the wonted confidence resisted; and himself at length, if this nevertheless name worthy to them he should seem, until Regensburg or Passau should be vacant, where not to himself but to his own only he could profit, more gladly to await related. And so there, through the whole week about this among them the matter was treated; but he always in the same of his opinion tenacity was retained.
[19] At length on the vigils of S. Andrew the Apostle, which then on the fifth feria before the Advent of the Lord had fallen, moved by a vision, likewise a dream he saw, which then to the Emperor only, afterward indeed also to us both congratulating, and even lamenting, oftener intimated. For he beheld in a vision, after the wonted nocturnal vigils and prayers matutinal, as to him it seemed, in the atrium of the same church, in which after three days to God to be consecrated he was, an exceeding certainly multitude among themselves tumultuating, and about the Episcopate of Hildesheim seriously contending. Then approached to him in the midst of the multitude, with a beautiful of girls company, a certain Matron venerable, in countenance and habit marvelous: and, taken hold of his hand, from the frequency of the crowds, him into the same church introduced; and, the right hand extended, by a nod only him to to do before the Crucified c reverence, admonished. And at once, himself to the prayers inclining, she with the bystanders with a clear voice thus to God to chant began. Pour in Thy unction clement to our senses. At which voice he from sleep waking, and of the same vision's mystery compunct, the church entered; and before the altar of the Lord prostrate, to the divine piety himself and his vision commended. The day moreover made the Emperor more secretly he met; and his mind's pertinacity remitted, of the vision to him the series opened; and at length himself to the divine predestination, and his also counsel and will about to obey, vowed. Nor a delay, on the same day, at dawn our Clergy with the soldiery came: to whom when the Emperor his secret, nay divine decree intimated; the whole of them unanimity, gratefully God praising, received: although first, which nor wonderful was, some either on account of his unknown life, or even on account of the heard once of his youth excess, for a time were terrified, he is ordained Bishop by Aribo of Mainz, and to themselves such something dreaded. The following indeed day, on the Birthday of the Apostle d, with the highest of Clergy and people exultation, to him the pastoral care is committed, who on the next Sunday of the Advent of the Lord, by e Aribo the Metropolitan of Mainz worthily to God is consecrated.
[20] f But yet in the very of that honor, or, as he himself thought, of the burden beginning, by the just from God, as truly is believed, predestined, not lacking was a temptation. the previously stilled controversy of Gandersheim. For the same his consecrator Aribo, on the same day before the Masses' solemnities more secretly him with the Bishops met; and to him in the Gandersheim place and surrounding territory all of Pontifical office provision, g of his Ban by interposition, prohibited. Which indeed Ban he himself, of his simplicity in the manner, neither approved nor refused, but at once to the Emperor, from him only patronage in such things seeking, fled. Who forthwith the Archbishop with the Confraters familiarly called, and dissembled of heart the molestation of his, this new conflict the Ban dissolved wisely and peacefully decided. And so, the aforesaid consecration festively celebrated, the same day in the fear of God exulting glad they passed; and so in peace their assembly they dissolved. Not therefore to you, O readers, the monastery under the jurisdiction of Hildesheim founded, inconvenient or wearisome let it seem, if of this very conflict the beginning, to you certainly in the posterity necessary, more deeply for necessity's cause it be repeated. A certain Duke Saxon h Ludolph by name, with his spouse Oda, with the counsel and license i of S. Altfrid, the fourth of our Church Bishop, Rome sought; and from Blessed k Sergius the Pope the relics of the holy Prelates whose honor a monastery and convent of Virgins, first m in Brunshausen, then, in the fourth after year, in Gandersheim he constructed: and the same villas, with the adjacent territory and all his heritage, thither for the utility of those Christ serving conferred, and his daughter Hathamuda Abbess there the first, the same Bishop ordaining, constituted.
[21] So the whole same territory from the beginning always to the Hildesheim Bishops through CXI years pertained; and no Mainz Prelate anything
thence either for himself, or for his Church claimed; until from Rabanus the twelfth n Willigis the Metropolitan the Mainz Chair occupied, a man certainly in all Catholic piety illustrious, but in this alone only perilously rash; who at the persuasion, that with impunity the truth I may speak, of Lady Sophia the sister of the Emperor Otto the third, who by youthful boasting and by family's dignity elated, by the o Pallium-bearer only to be veiled desired, the same place for himself to usurp attempted. Which nevertheless machination in the sight of the King and Princes, [p] Osdagus, the eighth after Altfrid of our Church Bishop, of truth to him and of justice with the voice resisting, perished; when scarcely by the favor of the King, where to veil Sophia the Sister of Otto 3 him from him to subtract striving and of his mother a license from the same Bishop he obtained, that there on the birthday of S. Luke the Evangelist a Mass should celebrate the Archbishop, and of the aforesaid Sophia the veiling together with him should perform; but of the rest to be veiled Virgins, our Prelate by his own right should provide. After a little moreover, the aforesaid Osdagus the Bishop dead; and Gerdagus also for us elected, and after a biennium having died; Lord Bernwardus, the Royal Chaplain, the same See obtained: whom the same Archbishop consecrated; but about the same repetition altogether kept silent, until Lady Gerberga the Abbess venerable a new monastery, which she herself after a fire constructed, wished to be consecrated. But, because she herself, by infirmity detained, these things to provide could not; to the aforesaid Sophia, a spiritual certainly daughter and also granddaughter, this procuration she commended: who at once, in the wonted manner, her own Bishop contemned, the Archbishop honorably to such things called. and to the Mainz right to transfer Who again at this kind of persuasion, of right forgetful, the same place to invade hastened: but by our Prelate's letters admonished, deferred. Again he is invited, and again by authority's right he is repelled. At the third indeed invitation the Archbishop thither came, the church, as he thought, about to dedicate: which certainly Eggehardus the Bishop of Schleswig, truly a faithful of our Church son, thither with the Clergy by our Lord sent, by the Scriptures' authority intercepted. After many moreover and various of this kind disputations, the same cause at length by the Bishops comprovincial, even into the presence of the Roman Pontiff and Emperor is deferred.
[22] But at that time the pious Otto the third the Emperor to Christ migrated; in whose place, as foreordained is, nothing he had won, Henry into the kingdom entered. Who at once the birthday of S. Laurence at Paderborn celebrated: where Lady [q] Cunigunda the royal crown received. The aforesaid also Gerberga of Gandersheim the Abbess from the world taken away, Sophia succeeding her, in the wonted again manner there the Princes' license of Lord Bernwardus to bless from the Pallium obtained. Then the new King the first of his honor year, on the Birthday of the Lord, at Palithi began. There before him through the Princes the often said of the Bishops suit recited, to the heart he grieved; and to that to be stilled, the often intercepted dedication of the Church of Gandersheim on the Vigil of the Epiphany of the Lord destined. Thither therefore on the appointed day coming, and the Dedication's office beginning, within the sacred mystery performed, the King with the Bishops and Primates before the doors to the people came forth. Where Willigis the Archbishop by a public sermon of his estimation the fault professing, Willigis of Mainz compelled to renounce the pretended right: to the right and repetition of the same place renounced: and in testimony of this renunciation, the staff Episcopal to Lord Bernwardus, as afterward in the Frankfurt Council appeared, before the Clergy and people granted. The Archbishop indeed, this suit stilled, our Prelate, with all honor and charity beyond loved, and in our monastery a brotherhood honorably acquired, the highest love both to the place and to the Brethren provided: who in the fifth after year, full of days and of good also works, to Christ migrated. Whose successor Erkanbaldus, which the successor in vain wished to stir up against Godehardus. of the Fulda monastery before Abbot, Lord Bernwardus on the Kalends of April at Mainz consecrated: who there nine years presiding, his ordainer, by consanguinity also to him near, with due devotion venerated, and the above-said controversy altogether kept silent about. To this moreover Aribo the Royal Chaplain succeeded; whom by the Imperial ring's gift, in the royal manner, foresigned, Bernwardus the Bishop, at the principal altar, of the aforenoted Gandersheim church, a Presbyter ordained; and to him in the word of the Lord and of the ban of S. Peter by authority, of the same altar and also of the place or the surrounding territory the usurpation, the invasion also or the repetition, the Emperor standing by with the Bishops, publicly interdicted. In of this ban's vengeance, he to our new Father brought the aforesaid temptation. He was nevertheless, that the truth we hide not, the same Archbishop by family and by dignity, and by the probable of manners also gravity, truly venerable; but in this only rashness toward us in part culpable. This therefore of this conflict abbreviation therefore here is annotated, that of the subsequent disputation, about the same Gandersheim territory, the truth and reason more clearly may be known.
ANNOTATIONS.
i Altfrid sat, if it be believed to Eggehardus, from the year 847 even to the year 875, in which dead he is handed down on the feast of the Assumption of S. Mary: on which him day, not we find in any calendars assigned; yet with the title of Saint him they honor, Trithemius l. 3 on the Illustrious Men of the Order of S. Benedict chapter 27, Bruschius and Wion in the Bishops of Hildesheim, and Bucelinus on the day 9 of December.
Witichindus, whom Innocentius the first asserts Albericus in the Chronicle, and the Relics in the year 849 brought hands down. Is venerated the said Innocentius 28 of July. The Acts of S. Anastasius we gave 27 of April. Of the Relics of his body received mentions also Tangmarus in the Life of S. Bernwardus.
This man in the year of the Lord 852 with Ludolph the first Duke in Brunshausen, and in the fourth after year in Gandersheim, a Virgins' monastery began. Was Gandersheim a most celebrated Abbey XXIII Roman miles from Hildesheim distant. Tangmarus the same year 852 in the first place assigns: but in the year 856 begun to be constructed a monastery in Gandersheim hands down.
p Osdagus, a man of the highest charity and chastity, in holy religion approved; sat from the year 985 to the year 989, as is read in the Chronicle of Hildesheim. But Bruschius asserts to have sat from the year 986 even to the year 990.
q The Acts of S. Cunigunda the Empress, we illustrated on the day 3 of March.
CHAPTER IV.
The illustrious in the Episcopate virtues. The basilicas constructed and dedicated. The jurisdiction about Gandersheim defended.
[23] The Cathedral monastery's discipline he cares for, The blessed therefore Godehardus, with the Pontificate's infulae adorned, on the Nones of December to Hildesheim came, and all on his coming truly congratulating found. Who soon, when of our monastery the religion, to that point reasonably (thanks to God) preserved he recognized; condign forthwith to the divine miseration praises paying, with all of devotion zeal it to amplify, and in of divine worship the exercise to adorn was busy. Outwardly indeed of the general of Clergy and people governance, by Episcopal watching, skilfully he was vigilant; for which also by day and by night, in all of his life time, with undeficient groaning, the Lord unceasingly he supplicated. Himself indeed in the holiness wonted, and at first begun of good works the assiduity not only cautiously he guarded, but also religiously daily augmented. In vigils and prayers, and continual and certainly scarcely credible of fasts frequentation, and most ample of alms profusion, and in the highest of all divine fear gravity, even to the end, the Holy Spirit strengthening, he persevered. He was therefore, that no at all of his virtue panegyric I omit, to Kings and Chiefs both for dread and for honor; to the rest indeed, to each one according to himself, for fear equally and love. For all namely duly solicitous, and in Christ to all all things made, to himself only grave and austere persisted and sparing. His monastery with Pastoral care wisely he governed, and the Brethren's advantages, in food and clothing, and the rest of human indigence necessaries, the youth in studies he educates: oftener augmented; whom also to of sacred religion the observance, Apostolically by arguing and beseeching, and manifoldly by informing, he led. The young men also and boys, whom there of good disposition and apt he found, through diverse of schools studies round about he distributed: of whom certainly afterward by service, a various and manifold to his Church utility, in reading, writing, and painting, and manifold more honest of the Clerical office discipline, he acquired. the fabrics he restores: The treasure none the less ecclesiastical, which there numerous he found, as becomingly as also usefully amplified; and whatever in buildings ecclesiastical, not only of his principal city, but also in other of his provision places, ruined or aged he found, all with the highest celerity to demolish, to renew, and to better hastened. Among which nevertheless all things the baptismal church, which of happy memory Otwinus, the X our Prelate, in honor of S. Mary and of a S. Epiphanius the Bishop (whom from Pavia the city, by God's gift, as Patron to us he brought) in certainly and negligence fallen, he demolished; and in the same place a monastery honest, in the foretitled honor, in the first of his ordination year, founded, in the fourth consummated: and there a Congregation Canonical, of more surely honor and utility, in God's fear he united; which by his exchange's acquisition, sufficiently he clothed and fed, and abundant there in the future for such things sufficiency granted.
[24] The miracle therefore first, which through him
Christ's grace in his very first year had done, going to Mainz to a Synod in the year 1023 into the hope and joy of the readers here to be interposed deservedly I think; which by the very truth, which God is, witness, not I lie, by him indeed even to the end utterly hidden; but by the Clergy and people, who were present, divulged. In the same year Aribo the Archbishop the Emperor at Pentecost to Mainz invited, where also a Council general he gathered; in which by the Bishops' counsel several things, which had deviated, he corrected. Especially however Otto the Count of Hammerstein and Irmgard, illicitly cohabiting, to separate he disposed; which nevertheless utterly to accomplish he could not; because he partly himself by Royal fear c, partly by Episcopal admonition in some way corrected: she indeed publicly the bans prevaricating, there the right and law, as even today is clear, utterly lost. To the same Council our Prelate, both by Imperial and Pontifical vocation summoned, with a beautiful of Clergy and soldiery company though not spontaneously accompanied, thither hastened. And on a certain day in a village, which Logingaha is called, near the aforesaid Castle Gruona, where by the grace of God both elected and consecrated he was, the journey he was taking; and it happened there in a village a certain, a woman by a spirit to be vexed unclean; the demoniac he heals: and by parents or kinsmen through churches to the Saints' patronages to be led about. Who, when the new Bishop thither to come they had known, into meeting him, in his holy reputation trusting, together with the sick woman in haste hastened. The unclean indeed spirit, by their very haste affrighted, through the mouth of the sick woman with an anxious cry, whither she was led, inquired. To whom, when they said, that into meeting of Godehardus the Bishop she was drawn; with a horrific at once bellowing and wailing, began miserably to resist, and, lest to the Bishop she should come, to those, who him led, wondering equally and being terrified, to struggle, wailing and vociferating, Godehardus himself neither to hear, nor to be able to see. In that contest while the sick woman by the faithful, with faith and hope, as truly appeared, fervent, was drawn; the spirit wicked with whole violence struggled. at length (thanks to God) the demon put to flight, the woman is freed; and to the man of God, where under a certain tree of refreshment for the sake he had sat, sound in heart and body is led. Who, the things known, by fear equally and joy compunct, weeping thanks to the divine piety, on the face prostrate, by right paid; and to her hands imposing, her by blessing equally and prayer in the faith confirmed; and strong, nay and rejoicing, with the rejoicing citizens and friends sent back; and so the journey, which he had begun, performed. Whence him all who with him accompanied, more both loved and feared, of whom before God such a merit they knew: to whom nevertheless, over this deed, with serious authority silence he enjoined. But neither the sick woman, who felt it; nor the crowd, who the salutary miracle saw, kept silent.
[25] There was also in the Eastern part of our city dread odious, in that there, as they thought, At the Sulza marsh by him expiated, as much at midday as also at nighttime, illusions certain horrible either they heard or saw; which from a fountain of brine, which there in the midst bubbled, Sulza is called. Which he beheld, and the illusion also phantastic by which the brute populace was terrified having heard, the same marsh in the second of his coming year with his there fitted; and in the midst of the peril an Oratory, in honor of S. Bartholomew the Apostle, an oratory and a hospital he builds: founded. Which the following year consummated and dedicated, all of demons phantasm thence utterly extirpated: and the same place to all dwelling or coming pleasant, and without any whatever temptation habitable rendered. Where a hospital of Christ, for the reception of the poor he built: which with all of human indigence convenience abounding, to a faithful certain his Presbyter Bernwardus, whose here the name for the of faith merit by right is interposed, he commended; through Christ's name him oftener terribly adjuring, that not only to those there dwelling, but also to all perhaps coming of food and clothing the necessaries, so fittingly he should provide, just as for this very his dispensation to God a reason to render he ought. d
[26] A certain however of such ones kind, those namely who either in a Monastic, or Canonical, or even Greek habit through regions and kingdoms run about, whom also in Plato's manner Peripatetics in deriding he surnamed; toward pilgrims discreet those, I say, utterly by reproaching as it were he execrated: whom nevertheless, on account of Christ's name which they professed, with necessary sustenance for a couple of days or at most three days he consoled: and so afforded shoes or garments, them, lest of their course the wonted they should forget, to depart he exhorted. To some indeed with him longer to remain desiring, that of Gregory in the Dialogue sentence ironically he objected: how the enemy through his fellow-traveler, and through a fountain's or meadow's pleasantness, or even of foods sweetness deceived. Sometimes indeed by his familiars, which neither him displeased, admonished, that among such oftener of the true God friends were found, that at once of Jerome the joke he opposed: Because the lying, he says, make, that to the truth-speaking scarcely is credited. Book 2, 13 If some however of such ones in God's worship or fear stable he recognized, these doubtless privately rather than publicly, which also they themselves preferred, in those things which to God pertain, mild toward the penitent, he loved. But also over the delinquent and noxious with marvelous miseration mild and placable he was; so, that if any of such ones of confession and penance for the sake to him fled; both the offenses to them at once with ready clemency he indulged; and with vigilant care to them, lest further into such things of necessity for the cause they should fall, all sufficiency in the future he provided: in the manner indeed and example of his holy Patron Nicholas the Bishop, who by of alms gold, both of virgins the incest, liberal toward the poor. and of their father the want, and of the whole family the detestable removed infamy; and of any whatever poor, to him in any way pertaining, by pious clemency stilled the indigence. By his, I say, example our Prelate was busy the needy everywhere always to console; to whom also it was at heart with such to converse, with them in sporting and even feasting to make merry.
[27] In that also year from the nativity of Christ MXXIV, of pious memory Henry the Emperor, of his ordination in the year XXIII, to Christ migrated; whose indeed death, the whole of Christendom gladness, which under him flourished, mournfully troubled. To whom succeeding a man noble and strenuous e Conrad, the first of his felicity year on the birthday of the Lord at Minden began: Under Conrad the Salian about Gandersheim in vain he is vexed: thence after the Epiphany to Hildesheim came. There also the aforesaid Aribo the Archbishop, who the Emperor living already for a biennium had been silent, again an occasion found B. Godehardus about Gandersheim to disturb began: which nevertheless his machination the new King, by the Primates' counsel, broke off. And so the King, traversed by a compendious journey Saxony, in the Lenten time through Thuringia and France into Bavaria advancing, at Regensburg the holy Easter honorably kept. And in that summer, the parts of Bavaria, of Swabia, and of the Carinthians, with the surrounding provinces' boundaries, passing through, the Birthday of the Lord at Liège celebrated; at the Purification indeed of S. Mary, at Augsburg remained. Thence his journey to the parts of Italy directed; and the next Easter at Vercelli prosperously celebrated: and so the contiguous round about regions, in also of his year, various basilicas he constructs or dedicates: our Prelate the Mount beautiful, in the Western part of the city, to inhabit began; which in the fifth after year, by the title and name of S. Maurice, his highest Patron, he dedicated. A church also beautiful in f Holthusen, in honor of S. Benedict the Abbot, to monastic conversation apt, he dedicated; and round about through his Bishopric's boundary basilicas many, either he himself studiously built, or by other faithful of Christ constructed gratefully to God consecrated.
[28] At that time the aforesaid Aribo the Archbishop on the birthday of S. Matthew the Apostle at Seligenstadt, a Council general of Bishops twelve convoked; Anew about the aforesaid right convened at Seligenstadt in which our Prelate about the aforesaid Gandersheim territory publicly convened: which nevertheless Synod the unanimity of the brethren to the future year deferred; the King moreover the Birthday of the Lord feast at h Ivrea began: Thence to the thresholds of the Apostles tending, on the third feria before the Supper of the Lord to Rome, with happy prosperity rejoicing entered; and on the holy of the Resurrection of the Lord i day the crown of the Imperial honor, from Blessed k John the Vicar of the Apostles, gloriously received. Thence on the next Sunday returned, having traversed round about by power that region, in peace returned; and the Nativity of holy John the Baptist at l Imbripolis, the new Emperor celebrated; where also having died in good old age m Henry the Duke of Bavaria, his son; to Lord Henry the same Duchy, by the Princes' choice, he committed.
[29] n In that likewise year, Aribo of Mainz at Frankfurt the Emperor with Bishops XXIII: and at Frankfurt, in which again the blessed man Godehardus, of the often before-ventilated cause, in his manner, disturbed. There our Prelate, at length by the highest truth, which God is, again in the Gandersheim cause victor, pitying equally and aiding, his Episcopate's property, over the whole Gandersheim territory, by the testimony of seven Bishops, who the aforesaid pact in Gandersheim both had heard, and had seen, canonically retained; namely Bruno of Augsburg, preaching; truly unwilling, by the word of God's ban affirming. These indeed were the Bishops, who to our Elder their testimony, just as they had heard and seen, afforded, that is, Bruno of Augsburg, Eberhard of Bamberg, Meinwerc of Paderborn, Meginhard of Würzburg, Sigebert of Minden, Hildiward [p] of Zeitz, Bruno of Merseburg.
[30] Beautiful indeed was there and reasonably ordered both Royal as also Episcopal session. For in the Eastern part before the altar the Archbishop Aribo with his Suffragans Werner of Strasbourg, the cause in the Synod present he obtains: Bruno of Augsburg, Meinwerc of Paderborn, Eberhard of Bamberg, Meginhard of Würzburg, Godehardus of Hildesheim, Brantho of Halberstadt, Wigger of Verden, Hazeco of Worms, sat. In the Western indeed part the Emperor sat; and at his right Pilgrim of Cologne the Archbishop with those to him subject, Sigebert of Minden, Sigifrid of Münster, Benno of Utrecht. At the left Hunfrid [q] of Magdeburg the Archbishop with his, Hildeward of Zeitz, Bruno of Merseburg, Luizo of Havelberg, Thiedric of Meissen. In the southern moreover region the Bishops Rambrecht of Verdun, Rodolph of Schleswig, Hiltolph of Mantua, Reginold of Oldenburg sat. In the Northern also, the Abbots Richard of Fulda, Reginbold of Lorsch, Arnolph of Hersfeld, Gerbert of Mainz, with others also of the same order six were present. The following also Birthday of the Lord feast the Emperor at Liège celebrated: Easter indeed at Aachen festively kept, where also his son Henry of the royal name the crown from Pilgrim the Archbishop, by Clergy and people's election, as also at Geizlica through a legate: honorably received. In that year again Aribo a Synod his at Geizlica convoked, to which likewise our Elder Godehardus to be disturbed, by legates and writings
he called. Whither he to go dissembling, the venerable man Tadilo, the Dean of our monastery, with the Brethren to meet him sent; who him honorably on the part of the Elder saluting, of the past Synod's definition admonished, and with manifold on both sides of authorities collation poured forth, by the Bishops' aid him from that repetition, then only, restrained. [r]
[31] The following also none the less year, the Emperor at Palithi sitting, and at Palithi the aforesaid Archbishop there a Synod held, the old complaint against the blessed man, the Emperor present, began: but after many and various of disputations colloquies, scarcely at length by the Bishops admonished he desisted. In this also year Bruno of the city of Augsburg the Bishop died, to whom [s] Eppo succeeded. Werner also of Strasbourg the Prelate is taken away, after whom William is substituted. The next also year the Emperor at Merseburg Pentecost celebrated; where the aforesaid Aribo the Archbishop and our Elder Godehardus among themselves mutually over their long-lasting disputation, reconciled were. For the Metropolitan himself Father Godehardus secretly before the Bishops met, and himself over this parish to have erred confessing announced; and all fraternal satisfaction, but also of the past suit perpetual taciturnity, under the true of Christ and the Church testimony, promised; and to himself the former errors for the sake of God to be remitted suppliantly asked. and at length at Merseburg, the adversary himself confessing himself conquered; This therefore here truly is inscribed, because by the very Lord Godehardus the same oftener in his sermon attesting publicly, true to be is proved.
[32] In that year Unewan the Archbishop of Hamburg died, to whom Liebizo succeeded. Then the Emperor the Birthday of Christ at Paderborn kept, where Aribo the Metropolitan on the holy day amid the Masses' solemnities, and Confraters to Rome to go asked; and at the same time from the Clergy and people indulgence for himself from God to be obtained demanded. to whom dead is substituted Bardo. And so after the Purification of S. Mary a journey taking, to Rome he went. Thence indeed departing on the VIII Ides of April, ah! ah! he died, in the year of his ordination the XI: to all certainly Catholics deservedly mournful, because in all ecclesiastical religion he was truly praiseworthy. To whom a man simple and upright, Bardo of Hersfeld the Abbot, succeeded; who, God manifestly advancing, in a short time to the summit of the highest perfection happily advanced. Whose of piety the life and acts here more fully therefore are not inscribed, because (thanks to God) at Mainz for of his sanctity the merits among the Apostolic Priests magnificently he is celebrated. One nevertheless of perfection his privilege I will say, which to him in our confines by soundly wise Clerics, for honor's sake, was offered; namely, that being equivocated with Blessed John the Bishop in the surname, on account of the sweet-sounding of preaching melody, Bardo Chrysostom he was called [t].
ANNOTATIONS.
Lord Godehardus, the first after his ordination summer a beautiful monastery in the Eastern part of our principal church honorably by founding began. Behold the Eastern part, which here Southern in the manner of that age is called. There now is the College of the Society of Jesus.
monastery at the Main river, between Hanau and Aschaffenburg. Are preserved there the bodies of SS. Marcellinus and Peter the Martyrs, of whom together and of this place it will be to be treated 2 of June.
rain or shower: is moreover within Bavaria, of the Imperial Estates' assembly today a most renowned city: but since the matter which here done is narrated concerns Bavaria, and clear is of the indicated name the etymology, nothing us moves the diversity of writing, by which the name in various MSS. corrupted, Imbrolis Impripolis and In Bripoli is expressed. Surius here prints Herbipolis. In Brower printed is Werle which of Saxony a town to be asserts Brower: it is namely in the Duchy of Westphalia, formerly Western Saxony by the name called: which nothing makes to this place.
p Under this the See of Zeitz to Naumburg was translated, each moreover city in Meissen is.
q That is of Magdeburg.
r To Ughelli Isolphus he is called, by nation a German, and is noted to have sat from the year 1017 to the year 1044.
s Eppo in the MS. of Graz Ebbo, by others also Eberhard and Gebhard, dead in the year 1048.
t Bardo by several Calendars is inscribed on 10 of June. Various his Acts collected Serrarius in the Mainz affairs.
CHAPTER V.
Miracles. The death of Tadilo and his own foretold.
[33] On a certain also time, when in the Episcopal manner our blessed Prelate Godehardus, A boy foully contracted and leprous, for visiting the committed people for the sake, of his Parish the boundaries went round, a Huginhusen his court he went to. There when with of alms the bounty, in which before all he was busy, the poor he refreshed; a certain widow poor of the same family her son to his sight offered, kind weakened: for partly by paralysis, partly by leprosy he was vexed; and with twisted nerves of the members, from all of the bodily formation utility he was dissolved: for the hands with the arms, and the knees with the feet and shins, with a putrid swelling and flowing gore flowed, so that neither a step in any way to move, or at least by creeping he could anywhere to go forth. received by the Saint, Whom he both in countenance, and in heart cheerful, as truly a gift of God gratefully received, and to his chamberlains more diligently commended with himself to be led ordered: Powerful is, he says, God, who from the beginning did not disdain to the wretched and sinners, with diverse of His piety remedy, to come to aid, us also over this little poor one, in the wonted of His piety manner, to gladden. Which boy to the principal our church with the Bishop led, and not without great of the boys, who him guarded, labor through some weeks sustained; at length after four or five months began little by little plainly from the blessed man's merits and prayers to convalesce, and stilled partly of the swelling and gore the flux, within a year he convalesces: sometimes by rising, sometimes indeed by creeping forth, as to the step of the members the nerves to exercise. Which the Prelate pious recognizing, for joy oftener weeping, to the divine miseration thanks due rendered, to whom also more intently to supplicate (as afterward, truly God granting, appeared) he ceased not. For within a year's space, as certainly with us to all known it is, the boy put to flight of the diseases the multitude, and loosened of the nerves the contraction to the better, convalesced, and from day to day to any whatever of service office strongly advanced. The same indeed man, Werinus by name, now for twenty and beyond years in the Episcopal chapel sound serves; except that, as in testimony of the virtue of God, in himself certainly, in the legs and in the hands the very of the members tortures, and, so to say, humps certain to all seeing him he shows.
[34] To others also very many, with various of human condition fragility laboring; and after others very many by his prayers cured, to some namely (which also most grievous is) of sins by the weight pressed, to some indeed with diverse of infirmities molestation detained, to him fleeing, the help of his intercession he imparted; and them by untiring of holy prayers instance, both from the imminent peril freed, and in the future God aiding, from such things guarded. Of which how many to many plainly known truly to narrate I could have, unless those by them, then himself compelling, dissembled, them most of all for the cause by being silent now I had passed over, lest either to readers more deeply weariness be brought in, or to such things sluggish of incredulity the sin be augmented. One nevertheless I will say, which as by a playful joke at Goslar he effected, when there in the Royal Court, in the last of his age time, by command and petition of Gisela the Empress, a church he constructed b.
[35] There was there a matron a certain, in lay conversation placed, a matron laboring with ophthalmia, but in God's fear inwardly devoted, Hathzeca by name, whose son the Bishop himself, for of faith the religion which in her he perceived, from the sacred font received; whom, on a certain time it happened, with a most grievous of the eyes pain to be vexed; and through some days so, that neither food nor drink to take, nor any bodily quiet to have she could, to be tortured. Who at length, compelling a most grievous of pain anxiety, her little son to the Bishop with eulogies sent; and to him of her infirmity the excess intimating, some of remedy subsidy from his piety sought. Which the Prelate having heard, with glad cheerfulness smiled: and flowers certain ruddy from a tree which in the tongue Teutonic by a poor man some brought, by flowers by him blessed she is healed. with the sign of the Cross fortified, and to the same little boy gave, saying; Bring these little flowers to my friend, your mother, that them in my memory with her she may have, and from God of health remedies may ask. Nor a delay, as she herself to us oftener by swearing related, when those flowers to the sick eyes she applied, all forthwith of all infirmity the pain from her head, with marvelous celerity, to flee away she knew: and at once, opened either the doors or windows of the bedchamber, which now through some days more diligently for her sickness's cause were shut, began more clearly to see, and nothing at all of this kind molestation further to feel. Who on the following day to the Bishop came, and rejoicing at the same time and weeping, thanks condign to the divine miseration and his visitation humbly rendered. Whom he benignly consoling receiving, and in the Lord with a heart firm to hope and unceasingly to do good enjoining, her eyes by a Presbyter with sacred oil, which of the infirm is called, to be anointed ordered. Which certainly unction, and his pious deprecation, her from the same pain, even to the end entirely healed.
[36] That also, which in the antepenultimate of the present life year to him happened, I propose, for an example and caution to the faithful, and fear and dread to the negligent. There was indeed in our congregation a certain Presbyter, from the family of the church sprung, of literal science (that in peace the truth may proceed) nearly ignorant, a Presbyter by family base to the harm of others but of mundane sagacity subtly and beyond measure
knowing: who from the lowest poverty grew up to the highest riches, all marveling. He, at first happily exalted by the Lord Bishop Bernward, but by the Emperor Henry, for certain causes, which are now better passed over in silence, humbled; again by this blessed man, because he seemed useful to him for the affairs of the Church, raised up by pious compassion, yet variously and rather often held between adversities and prosperities; but at last he so far won over to himself the mind of so great a Pontiff by his craftiness, that he alienated very many who before had faithfully ministered to the Bishop; and deprived them both of that lordly favor, which was certainly most grievous to them, and also of their dignity and of the profit of their property. But lest this seem wonderful to some, since, as B. Gregory witnesses, it often happens, creeping upon the Saint by his cunning, that a mind occupied in many things and especially in divine matters is easily filched from by flatterers; at length he is publicly cursed by all, and even now and then this kind of insolence is cast up to the Bishop by men of sound understanding: who is at last by these very men, who being innocent had been alienated, brought back into favor.
[37] The pious Prelate, however, after some years more clearly certified of such things, and at length inclined to pardon toward those who were unjustly injured; on a certain day commanded the Provost and Dean of our congregation, with some of the Brethren, when he had cunningly refuted everything objected against him, and the rest of his chief men, to assemble at Holthusen, where he then chanced to be staying: with the venerable man also sitting by, his nephew by his sister, Ratmund Abbot of the Monastery of Altaha, and the same Presbyter being present, he granted to all who complained of being injured by him license to speak in his presence. And straightway without delay, many kinds of complaints, both from the Abbot himself and his men, who were present as guests, and also from our own, are brought forward, which are publicly said against him by all as with one mouth. For all together complained, first of the general scandal of the Church and of the Episcopal honor, then the citizens and guests each one of the special detriment of his injuries. Having heard which, as if in mockery, as he was most crafty, he smiled; and as if wondering what these things were, he inquired; and then by the devices of his worldly wisdom, of which plainly he was full, which is truly reckoned folly before God (as in him it manifestly appeared) he eloquently repelled each of the objections, and wonderfully rendered all those opposing him as if mute and tongueless.
[38] adjured by him concerning true love of him, The pious Prelate, at length truly compunct by the Holy Spirit, and moreover also moved by a wonderful astonishment; considering alike both the manifest truth of the matters and the confident rashness of his heart; forthwith checked the voices of all; and with measured speech, all marveling, thus began: Hildewin, said he (for so he was called) behold, thou hast, as it seems to thee, conquered all the bystanders; behold, by thy subtlety thou hast shown all, while God beholds the truth, as if liars; now then turn to me, and to me alone, adjured by Christ, answer the truth. I approach thee, said he, with an Evangelical sentence; and, because thou dost not plainly grasp the Evangelical sense, I address thee in the German tongue. Hildewin, said he, Lovest thou me? He at once confidently, Truly, said he, I love thee. Again the Bishop, Hildewin, said he, Lovest thou me? but he, Certainly, said he, I love thee. And again the Bishop a third time, Hildewin, said he, Lovest thou me? At length that wretched man, not fearing to forswear himself, astonished by the Evangelical example, but not rightly, alas! compunct, with speech at once angry and tearful, answered, God, said he, who knows all things, He Himself knows that I truly love thee. Then the Prelate: Behold, said he, if indeed thou speakest the truth, thou hast satisfied me; but if thou deceivest, thou hast miserably bound thyself. But if, as thou sayest, thou faithfully lovest me, feed my sheep, that is, love my brethren and friends, also my guests and my poor, love thy fellow servants and thy household. Wherefore, and I admonish thee by God, that if thou hast truly sworn, thou keep thyself in the truth; if otherwise, that thou worthily repent; and under this pact return now home; and use thy dignity together and thy benefice and thy property, in my favor, if indeed God shall grant it. And thus he dismissed that assembly, all marveling alike and trembling.
[39] He nevertheless commanded them likewise there to receive the exhibition of charity, a little after the feast and thus to depart in peace. Among whom Hildewin glad and cheerful, and as it were exulting over his victory, sat down to dinner; and thence returned unharmed. But at evening he sat at home with his own, merry and feasting; and against those, by whom he grieved that he had been injured, hurling reproaches and threats. So he sought his bed; and safe, as it seemed to him, he rested. In the early dawn, about to go to provide for his ministry, he rose vigorously; he put on his shoes more quickly; but rising to put on his tunics, he wretchedly perishes. he suddenly fell, and forestalled with wonderful swiftness, miserably expired. Yet he left very many and most ample riches in his property, in innumerable and precious garments, and other money, and even private goods; which nevertheless the blessed Prelate, grieving over his death beyond what can be believed, commanded to be wholly distributed to the poor for the remedy of his soul; and granted him remission of sins from the heart, though late; and ceased not to sweat often, by fastings and supplications, for the deliverance of his soul. Since therefore we now reprehend him, more for the necessary truth than out of envy or hatred than is due, and have made known to many his negligence, perhaps less than our own; we beseech (O readers) your love, that when ye shall read these things, ye implore for him from the Lord indulgence and remission of sins, certainly for our felicity; and so perchance this our reproof shall become to him, before the mercy of the Judge, a venial remission.
[40] There was also in our congregation a man of venerable life, the death of Tadilo, a most excellent man, foretold and rightly praiseworthy in all observance of the canonical rule, by name Tadilo, of whom also above I have related a few things; at first under the Lord Bernward, for the prerogative of his faith and industry, Vicedominus; but by this blessed Pontiff, for the utility of the Church, set over the Deanery and the scholarly Mastership: and, because he pleased him from the heart for the merit of his piety and chastity, he adopted him to himself as a Consecretal and Symmyst in the service of God. For he was, the whole Church which knew him witnessing, aged and a veteran, illustrious in humility and love, but in ruling and admonishing the brethren, severe with a tempered charity; and in the whole exercise of virtues solicitous before God. For in his admonition he often used that pleasant proverb; Let men, said he, love, let them hate vices. To him the blessed Pontiff some months before often, as it seemed to us, jesting, foretold, that either with himself, or a little before himself, he should depart from this life. But very lately to him lying in his last sickness, through the aforesaid Abbot his nephew, whom he directed to him in his stead for the sake of a visitation, he seriously commanded, that he should receive the sacred Unction of oil, by truly repenting and confessing his offenses, with full faith, and fortified with the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, should pass on undaunted; the Saint promises that he himself will follow the next year: promising him truly that he, surviving, would unceasingly beseech the grace of God for the remedy of his soul, and would follow him in the next year in the peace of Christ. Which Abbot anointed with the sacred oil that same beloved and rightly ever to be remembered Master of ours, with the Brethren standing by; and granted him by the power and command of the Bishop a plenary remission; who happy after two days truly migrated to Christ. Whose death nevertheless sharply grieved us because it deprived our Congregation of the patronage and counsel and mastership of so great a man. he being dead Truly indeed, and with the Clergy and people witnessing, we say, that we have never seen nor shall see a man of his order, in all ecclesiastical worthiness, more honorable: whose memory certainly we ought rightly to retain from the heart, whom we doubt not to remember truly before the sight of our Saints. So therefore God plainly fulfilled the prophecy of this blessed Prelate, who took him after a year and only three months happily from this life.
[41] But now, the more manifest end of the blessed father Godehard approaching, he was ever panting from virtue to virtue with increases of good works, that he might deserve to see the God of gods in Sion. And now, the plural office of the practical life ceasing, he fixed himself unceasingly in the sole exercise of contemplation, excepting specially only three things from the general, the psalter, almsgiving, himself religiously running through the seasons of the feasts and above all the abstinence ever his companion and friend; so much so that if rarely at a more festive time, the Brethren compelling through obedience, he took anything of more delicate food or stronger drink against the custom of his stomach: it was rather a trouble to his body than a refreshment. And then he votively celebrated the last Birthday of Christ of the present life, namely in the year 1038, the Emperor sitting at Goslar, at Holthusen himself; rendering certainly according to the Gospel, the things that are Caesar's to Caesar, and the things of God to God, offering namely himself, in the aforesaid manner, a spiritual sacrifice to Christ, but also nevertheless to his own Clergy and people in divine and human things, congratulating according to the rite and also the duty, according to his strength. He also was awaiting cheerfully with the highest affection of heart and mind the most sacred days of Lent, and, as he himself often jesting proclaimed, most salutary; which passing bodily as if wonderfully outside the body, with his sinews scarcely holding together he had arrived at the most holy Pasch. Nevertheless Palm Sunday, and the Lord's Supper, and the feast of the Resurrection of Christ, with the due Episcopal office, his strength gathered beyond his powers, he performed: and so he visited the feast-days of Pasch, through the surrounding stations, according to his wonted religion, admonishing the faithful. In which days also he often publicly announced, he designates the day of his own death. that he now was rejoicing with them in the last joy of bodily fellowship; and at the Ascension of the Lord, would be invited whither God should bid. But we hearing these things, as it were derided them; because we had now so often heard him threatening us with his return to his ancient fatherland, namely Bavaria.
ANNOTATA.
CHAPTER VI.
Sickness, death, burial.
[42] Having therefore departed from us after the Octave of Easter, with his aforesaid nephew Ratmund the Abbot, succumbing to sickness at Adenstadt he came to Adenstadt, where he was striving to complete a church now newly begun, and not able to struggle longer against the infirmity, his flesh failing, he lay down. Which lamentable rumor being learned, the aforesaid Abbot, a man certainly in heart and mind bound over to the divine service, and our Provost and Dean with the Priors, came to him for the sake of a visitation: whom nevertheless, his languor dissembled, in his wonted manner, sitting at ecclesiastical labor, and sustained by the hands of the bystanders, we found. Coming to whom, glad with his wonted cheerfulness of charity, he received us, and as if having forgotten his trouble, wondering and inquiring the cause of their coming, he commanded himself to be carried back to his chamber. There, the Clergy being specially admitted, first he was skillfully admonishing each one of them concerning the procuration of his obedience; to the Clergy visiting him: and thereafter all in general concerning the observance of the holy faith and religion, as salutarily as terribly, beseeching and at the same time reproving, he was instructing; then he committed himself to their prayers, against the snares and frauds of the crafty tempter; he foretells his death and the order of the obsequies and to them the day and time of his death, and the order of his funeral and obsequies and even of his burial, as it afterward happened, as it were jesting, he clearly foretold. Go, said he, and prepare yourselves each one for the coming joy of the Lord's Ascension, according to the quality of his obedience and also according to the quantity of his spiritual prerogative: and await my coming glad, and as if truly about to rejoice with me here and in the future: for on the vigil of the Ascension I shall come into the mountain, to my holy Patron Maurice; and there I shall pass the holy night and day. The Abbot, however, I shall send to you, who in my stead shall perform the solemnities of the Procession and of the Masses. And thus with eyes lifted up, and sighing more deeply, yet as it were smiling. That night, said he, Christ willing being passed, on the sixth feria at dawn I shall come to Saint Michael, with the Abbot and brethren to spend the night, thence on the Sabbath to S. Andrew to pray, and thence I shall come to you wholly to remain with you. But the Lord's Day, the Brethren and friends being called together, let us solemnly celebrate, and so wholly end the joyfulness of our whole feast. And saying these things, he gave the blessing; and so dismissed us marveling alike and astonished.
[43] The blessed Father also had in his private ministry a certain illustrious youth, clothing the chamber-boy with his own garment, the son of a widow, a craftsman of the painter's art, who kept his mean garments and shoes, by name Buno; to whom from the beginning of that same year he often commanded, that he should set out with him for his fatherland, that is, Bavaria. For, as we said long before, he often seriously promised that he would revisit his fatherland, and to many of every order offering themselves of their own accord, and desiring to set out with him, he gave thanks for their devotion, and chose only Buno alone to go with him. On the same day indeed, before the coming of the Clergy, as we said, while in his manner in secret he changed his garments, he commanded that same youth, that he should put on the same garments which he laid off, and come to him quickly. Which words he, as if dotages or full of mockery, despised; but the Prelate, as if disdaining, said to the chamberlains; Go and put on him the garments which I laid off, and lead him to me: who at once drawing him behind the curtain of the chamber, clothed him, and led him back into sight, as if mocking. Whom he, long gazing upon, said: Truly know thou, that in this same garment thou shalt find a rumor. These things said, the boy went out; and in that very moment an intolerable cold seized him; he intimates that he is about to die of the sickness soon contracted: and the same hour falling sick, he lay down on a bed. Whom when after the departure of the Brethren the Bishop sought, it was said that he was sick. The Procurator being summoned, he commanded him, saying; Cause that boy to be carefully and without trouble led to his mother, that he may be ready to set out with me at my coming. Who at once is led away, and his strength decreasing daily, he is prepared for the last.
[44] Then our Prelate, the fever growing heavier, is conveyed to Holthusen, and of the Abbess Sophia being reconciled to him where, the multitude flowing together in ecclesiastical manner to the visitation of so great a man, there was a sufficient abundance of buildings. There, amid the great frequency of Clergy and people, on a certain day the venerable lady Sophia of Gandersheim came; who at length (that I may speak in peace) her former pertinacity laid aside, with full faith and devotion turned to the familiarity of the blessed Prelate. Who then, occasion found and the popular crowd removed, the Clergy standing by, made a beginning concerning a certain frivolous pertinacity, which had grown up concerning the Clerics of her Church against the blessed man, and began to promise due satisfaction. At whose words he, partly the sickness compelling, partly indeed (as it seemed to us) indignation moving, answered angrily, and asked that such things be suspended for the future. But she dissembling his agitation, and dreading his too speedy death, again and again in her satisfaction, he announces beforehand that he will be with her on the feast of S. Mary. even weeping, persisted; and besought him by entreaty, that he would deign to receive her. But he, Lady, said he, by God be silent a little, and suspend these things, until in the festivity of S. Mary we shall meet. But she, as it seemed to all, understanding his end would come more quickly, and yet, vehemently terrified at his words, Would, said she, O beloved Father, that thy life so long remained to us, until this time should come. But he strongly, his strength collected, and his eyes opened, and all having long been looked round upon, said: In the power of God indeed our life, and our departure truly consists; in the truth nevertheless, which is God, I say to you, he foretells her death: that on the festivity of S. Mary, where God shall will, certainly we shall be together; and there in presence, by truthful testimony, both of these and of other things also, which are at variance between us, we shall treat: and saying these things, his eyes pressed together, he was silent. But she, frightened with too great astonishment, the bystanders being silent, said, Alas wretched me; shall I then be about to die, and to follow him soon after? Nor yet did she presume to disquiet him more, but humbly asked of him both indulgence and at the same time license. Again he, his eyes opened, briefly, nay also salutarily, admonished her concerning the observance of holy religion, and reproved her concerning the plural provision of her obedience; and so, his right hand lifted, fortified her with a blessing; and to her, for the time, granting remission, not without great fear, as she herself confessed, dismissed her.
[45] But the week being passed, the Blessed Father, his body now utterly failing, is anointed by the Abbot and the rest of the Brethren with the liquor of the sacred oil in ecclesiastical manner, and so, as he foretold, conveyed into the mountain of S. Maurice on May 3 on the Vigil of the Lord's Ascension, he is carried over into the mountain of S. Maurice. There at once the Brethren came together to him weeping; nor were they able longer to hide the bitterness of grief, with which they were vexed to the heart. But the rest of the innumerable multitude of the faithful flowed together, whom no lesser bitterness afflicted for the death of the dearest Pastor: whom nevertheless he, though his tongue now almost failing, kindly consoling dismissed, and commanded them to come again at dawn. They departing, and passing that holy night in great grief, the blessed Father, in his accustomed manner, ever ruminated the Psalms, as for a sweet refreshment; and in such meditation, completing his course, passed the night. But at the very dawn, again the Clergy, Matins performed, came: whom he himself with his last address briefly, yet salutarily, admonished concerning the observance of holy religion and of obedience. And so the verse of confession being together pronounced with them, to the celebrating with the Abbot of the solemnities of the Masses, he bids farewell to the chamberlain about to die. with a last farewell he dismissed them. But the clement Prelate, not unmindful of his promise, anxiously inquired concerning his aforesaid chamberlain Buno; whom when he knew to be despaired of bodily, he commanded by a messenger, saying: Be consoled, my boy, in the Lord, and be comforted; for now the time is at hand, in which thou must truly come with me to the fatherland of eternal blessedness. Which words the boy gladly heard, and now meditating nothing of the present life, on that very holy day of the Lord's Ascension asked for the saving Viaticum: which received, rejoicing he awaited the promise of the blessed Prelate.
[46] The celebration therefore of the Masses among us being performed, and refreshment festively taken, again the Brethren, the day being now the tenth hour, came back to the beloved Pontiff; and the office of the tongue almost ceasing, but his heart, according to the Apostle, his spirit and mind singing psalms, they found him ruminating the psalms with difficulty in his breast alone. 1 Cor. 14 Then, and amid the psalm-singing counsel taken, they set four scholar-boys on either side of the little bed, whom they made recite the psalter from the beginning openly and distinctly. Which the blessed Father hearing, as if delighted by this melody, rested a little while; meanwhile also together with them he longed to sing psalms: yet those chief verses, which specially pertained to supplicating the Lord, with eyes open and lifted up he uttered aloud more deeply. But at midnight the psalter now finished, the end now more manifestly impending, they began the morning Office; and while they came to the psalm, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, he dies on the day after the Ascension: the blessed man then sweating in the last agony, his eyes scarcely yet open, the Clergy singing, To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; he said, To direct our feet into the way of peace; and at this word, while by the Clergy, Glory be to the Father, with the Antiphon, I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God, was being sung; he was lifted from the bed by the bystanders; and so truly happy, that soul, as it were the body sleeping, was loosed from the carnal prison-house. The bells at once sounding together in that same place, the Brethren, who in the monasteries were awaiting his happy death with diligent watchfulness, devoutly frequented the funeral prayers for the remedy of so beloved a soul.
[47] I do not therefore now think it should be passed over in silence, the first token of his merit, in that same blessed death, which the chamberlain perceiving, God witnessing, declared. For the oft-named boy Buno, in the house of his mother, near the church of S. Michael, at that same moment, his limbs dead beforehand,
only the last breath palpitating in his breast alone, lay despaired of: who, the bells at once resounding, as if awaking from sleep, astonished, asked what this was. To whom when his mother dissembling said that the morning Office was being signaled; he, as if pointing out the deceit of his mother and the bystanders, Why, said he, do ye deceive me? why do ye conceal the truth? Truly with this signal my beloved Lord ascends heaven, and, of his promises, ah! ah! unmindful, has left wretched me. Arise, said he, and with hands and hearts lifted up, commend his beloved soul to the divine clemency, he invokes him, and at once dies and beseech that he may now remember me. And his eyes lifted to heaven with what effort he could, O Prelate, said he, holy, O most clement Father, by Him to whom thou goest I adjure thee, that now thou remember me; and that thou leave me not in the flesh now after thee, whom thou hadst often promised should go with thee to the fatherland. They, astonished alike and mourning, while they obey his command, scarcely yet their eyes turned back, at once beheld him lifeless. Whom forthwith they were laying down on the couch, and weeping set aside, they rejoiced together that he had obtained Him whom he had desired.
[48] and at the same time he is carried out, But the Brethren in the monasteries, the due Office of the obsequies and of Matins performed, with the celebration of Masses and the chanting of psalms, were commending their Pastor to the divine compassion so much the more devoutly, as they more confidently hoped to be commended by him. But Bruno of happy memory coming, Bishop of the Church of Minden (whom that venerable Father himself had adopted to himself as a spiritual son, who also, his infirmity being known, dwelt near our borders) at the third hour of that same day the whole Clergy with the people of the soldiery, certainly and of the household, and with a great frequency of citizens and provincials and especially of the poor, proceeded to the mountain, where our special treasure was kept: and led him to the monastery of S. Michael, as he himself living predestined. While approach is made to which, before the gates of the court, the funeral of the dead youth, with no small crowd of kinsfolk and citizens, is brought forth; which is also carried about before the feet of the Bishop through the appointed churches by the ministers. But how great a wailing and lamentation either of the Clergy, or of the people, or even of the poor was there, the eloquence of our wit certainly does not suffice to narrate; because, in the one mind or voice of each, mourning and joy sounded alike; while the breasts of the faithful, grief over the present, joy over the future, smote. Because, as is sung of S. Martin, It was pious to weep, and pious to rejoice. Rightly therefore we wept, that we had lost such a Pastor: but also rightly we rejoiced, that we had sent before such an intercessor.
[49] and at the same time he is buried in the Cathedral: The vigils therefore being there worthily performed according to our measure, the blessed body was honorably borne in the morning to S. Andrew; and there, Sacrifices being offered, thence in our principal church with due veneration placed. But on the morrow, the Lord's Day dawning, from divers monasteries throughout Saxony Brethren and Sisters had come together, in homage to so great a Patron; who had wept with due lamentation the destitution of the Clergy and the desolation of the people, and the general loss of all Christendom; and so the Mass-Office being most devoutly performed by the Bishop, the sacred body of the blessed man was placed in the earth in the midst of our choir, in ecclesiastical manner, which there, unto this day, by the faithful of Christ, according to the possibility of human frailty, is frequented with worthy reverence. But the little body of the aforesaid boy was first buried by the same Bishop before the Western entrance of the temple. But the lady Sophia, of whom also we related above, the Abbess follows them about the feast of the Purification. now more and more solicitous concerning her own forewarning, sent thither her Sisters and Presbyters with offerings, and humbly committed herself to the merits and prayers of the blessed man; and so, fearful, awaited the coming Assumption together with the Nativity of the blessed Mother of Christ: who nevertheless, the following year beginning, three days before the Purification of S. Mary, departed from this life. So also in this God plainly declared the prophecy of the blessed Father. We also, as much as, God granting, we are able, ought rightly often to commend the soul of that same Abbess to the divine compassion, who, while she lived, cherished our Congregation ever with all love; and left to posterity a sure testimony of that same love.
ANNOTATA.
a. Brower: admitted.
CHAPTER VII.
Miracles wrought after death.
[50] Concerning the miracles therefore, which through the merits of the blessed Father, after the dissolution of his body, the writer timid in these things because of impostors for the salvation of believers the divine piety clemently showed, we think a few rather than many should be written; lest either to the studious we contract weariness, or to the slothful or even to the unbelieving the danger of incredulity, by the prolixity of the narration. Especially, however, on account of certain persons of vain mind, who in our country in the wonted manner running about through the sacred places, rashly feign themselves either blind, or feeble, or tongueless, or certainly possessed, and before the altars or sepulchres of the Saints, rolling themselves before the people, and beating themselves with their fists, at once proclaim themselves healed, namely from this sole insane pleasure, that thus only they may receive the greater alms or gain from the common folk; and so it happens (as we have set forth that the blessed man often said of such) Because the liars, said he, bring it about, that the truthful are scarcely believed. And when in deceit of this kind such are plainly detected, even the true virtues of the Saints are by this doubt drawn back into a dangerous despair; or certainly also these, who are truly healed, are believed to deceive not only by the perfidious, but sometimes also by the faithful: as indeed openly happened to us concerning a certain little woman.
[51] For in the first year of our aforesaid Prelate Hezilo, what an old woman feigning blindness was like, on our special festivity, that is, on the Assumption of S. Mary, a certain old woman unknown to us, her head veiled, her face clouded, cast herself before the sepulchre of the blessed man: and there, in the aforesaid manner of the mad, having rolled herself a long while, at length springing forth proclaimed herself blind for many years, there then enlightened. Which rumor at once being spread abroad, the Clergy and people ran together, the Bishop himself also came. And when now he was hastening to render thanks publicly to God; the citizens of that woman, who had before known her, and had often noted her in falsity of this kind; came, who truly said that she had lied in such things both now, and often also before. Against whom, when now the people deservedly rose up, that she should be ill-treated; defended nevertheless by the Clergy out of veneration for the Blessed Pontiff, confounded she departed; and nowhere afterward appeared to us. Such deceits therefore by cautious consideration after these things being avoided, he proposes to narrate only a certain few sure things: many sayings of unknown persons, which certainly could be true, being by doubting dissembled, to those things only alone, which present, the truth of God witnessing, we saw, or, which certainly we heard from those, whom we knew to be truthful in the fear of the Lord, we direct the series of our narration.
[52] For the first was, that which both was and is most known to all. A certain one of the workmen of our church, by name Luidiger, a lame man familiar to the Saint while in the court of the church they were placing wood, a certain heavier beam falling, his thigh with the shin and foot miserably crushed, was utterly disabled: whom the blessed Father, because before he knew him faithful and useful, made and commanded to sit daily before his table with the poor at the alms. Which wretched man over the grief of his disablement, often afflicted himself with a heavier mourning, because he could not be useful for the work, to which he had been bound. Yet whatever he saw done by the boys, which he could do either by sitting or by creeping forward, in this he busily exercised himself with voluntary usefulness: nor at all did he suffer any time to pass for him, except when he took sleep or food, without ever seeming to be useful in something. For it was a custom for our beloved Pontiff, that he often sent the little boys or even the stronger poor through the streets or through the dug pits of stones, and dear on account of his diligent industry, who would bring to him certain small pebbles of snowy color, or black, or sometimes red, or various; which he himself filed and polished, and by various collision or rubbing reduced into the likeness of precious stones, placed honorably either on the altars, or books, or in caskets. In which work doubtless that aforesaid poor man privately exercised himself, and usefully forestalled the industry of the rest, and for such curiosity wholly pleased the Bishop: but sometimes also he mingled himself with the painters, and with those who composed the windows with glass, among whom also he was usefully busy.
[53] But the blessed Pontiff being taken from this light, he himself shorn and clothed in woolens, finally the pious keeper of his sepulchre, abstaining from flesh and the rest of the more delicate refreshment, betook himself to his sepulchre; and there both to the keepers and to the rest of the faithful, with what fidelity he could, he served: and at last, the masters consenting, he wholly usurped the whole keeping of the sepulchre: yet scarcely, his weak leg sustained with wood, but the rest of his body lifted up with a staff, did he exercise such service. Nevertheless the strength, which infirmity denied, the devotion of obeying ministered. For he knew not the Psalms; yet the words, which he had received by the narration or admonition of the faithful, by more devoutly watching, and often lying down in the manner of pardon after the manner of the faithful, solicitous he frequented. Which there in this sedulity more firmly enduring, and striving to advance to higher things as much as in him lay; on a certain Sabbath day at evening, while in the choir the Vesper praise is sung, he is healed through a dream: he himself prostrates himself near the Pontifical sepulchre; and there a long while, either by sleep or by ecstasy, as if immovable, is held; and, as he himself moreover confessed, by a certain intolerable distention of his limbs and sinews
or contraction invisibly tortured. But, the praise being finished, as if drowsy he rose, and as it were sick more than usual, scarcely sought his lodging again; and at once placed himself on his little bed, and through the whole night labored more hardly in that distention of his limbs. But a little before Matins at length lulled, he fell asleep; and he saw a dream, in which he was bidden to rise, and hasten to the church to render thanks to God. Yet quickly awaked from sleep he rose, and presently the femoral support removed, and the staff cast aside, at the morning hour both entered the church, and before all praised God, glad with evident profession; and afterward unto the end of his life unharmed, the longer the more devoutly he ministered.
[55] Also a certain woman, by name Mersuind, most known to all dwelling with us, a blind woman recovers her sight: another lame man is restored. who for many years wandered blind, at the same sepulchre of the blessed Prelate, on the morrow after the Assumption of S. Mary, before the Clergy and people was enlightened. A certain rustic also, of the village of the church which is called Holtlaon, by name Deniko, miserably wearied by a lasting infirmity, by a contraction of the loins for many years was despoiled of the office of his legs. Who at length came to the memorial of the holy man, scarcely yet creeping forward by the support of staves; and there on his anniversary day received entire health, before the Clergy and people, all of us beholding.
[56] But a certain noble woman, not unknown, of the Bishopric of Minden, Siuve by name, brought up a girl the daughter of her brother; a lifeless girl is cured. whom adopted in place of a daughter, she intimately loved: who, prevented by a most grievous infirmity, began to be in danger, and as if dead beforehand lay lifeless for two days. The kinsfolk with the household and citizens sitting by, and bitterly weeping over so great an elegance of the girl, out of manifold compassion; a certain old woman, who served at the church, had speech concerning the memory of our Prelate; and set forth how at his tomb the sick, through the divine compassion, were healed. By whose admonition the lady herself compunct, at the morning time entered the church; and prostrate before the altar, with poured-out tears, to the Lord and to Saint Mary, and also to the soul of the blessed Prelate, for that same niece of hers vowed offerings with inmost supplication. And straightway (as she herself weeping swore to us) returning, she found the girl now seeing, now speaking: who asked for refreshment, and received it; and Christ granting it for the merits of the blessed Man, received entire health. Whom the aunt, on the fifth day after, led to the altar of S. Mary and to the tomb of the Prelate, with the promised offerings; and proved before the multitude how she had been healed, with sufficient testimony of her citizens and provincials.
[57] Our brother also of memory not unknown, Wolchard the Presbyter, at that time Vicedominus, afterward our Provost, finally happily Bishop of the Church of Brandenburg, by the counsel of Wolchard Bishop of Brandenburg, a dying boy is healed. who to that same Father of ours (as is known to all) both faithfully served, and intimately pleased; when after his death he went about the Episcopal courts in the wonted manner, he came to the village which is called Aschgereshusen; and turning aside into a certain house to dine, found a little boy held by a wretched infirmity of languor; who then for some weeks lay destitute of all office of his limbs, and daily (as it seemed to all) approached his end. Whom that same Presbyter, as he was ever compassionate over such, long beheld weeping, and inquired of the household the time and event of the languor. Which when he learned, he persuaded the weeping mother, that she should promise candles to the tomb of the holy Pontiff according to the measures of the boy; which she also at once most willingly did. But since the poor woman had no wax for such things, he himself commanded a wick to be prepared of flax; and made the boy be measured through each limb; that she might bear with her a certain measure, and the wax being furnished by himself, might offer candles for the sick child at the memorial of the blessed Man. Which done, they sat down to dinner, and as if the boy forgotten, began to talk certain other things among themselves. But meanwhile the boy with wonderful swiftness as if revived from death, and in the bed, all marveling, sat up; and the mother called, crept forth from his couch, and asked for refreshment, and at the same moment took it; and afterward, for the merits of the blessed man, remained unharmed.
[58] Desiderius the Deacon, sick and blind, recovers. There was also in our congregation a certain youth, converted from a layman, Desiderius by name; and that same blessed man bidding, tonsured into the Clergy, and promoted up to the order of the Diaconate. And, because he could not frequent the full office by singing and reading with the Brethren, he commanded him, lest he be wholly idle, to minister with the keepers of the church. But in the time of Azelin our Prelate, after the miserable burning of our monastery, while that same brother of ours, within the festive days of the Lord's Nativity, on a certain evening sat in the schools talking with the boys; smitten with a sudden blindness he miserably fell, and another infirmity also growing, for a long time he lay down. But at the Lenten time, the blindness continuing, he recovered from the infirmity: and frequenting the church in due manner, at the Pontifical sepulchre, with hope of being healed, he often prostrate lay down. And it happened on a certain feria before Pasch, certainly on the Kalends of April, when we celebrate the coming of the relics of the holy Cantian Martyrs, while he lay there at Matins, forthwith, as if his right eye itching and rubbed more hardly with his hand, no small blood burst forth; and at once in that same eye he received sight. For which clemency, the divine piety was praised by all in common, and for the rest the wonted power of the Lord's compassion was awaited. But after Pasch, on the anniversary day of our holy Father, when in his memory Mass for the dead was celebrated by the Bishop; at the time of the offerings, before the Clergy and people, as if made sick he fell down: and blood forthwith bursting forth from his eyes and nostrils, and also ears, the eye opened, he plainly perceived sight. The Mass-Office at last performed, the Bishop a sermon being had, admonished the Clergy and people, to render due praises to the Lord; and tears unanimously poured forth, the Lord likewise he himself praised. Which Brother at that same moment, giving thanks to God, wholly recovered; and after these things in the promised profession remained faithfully unto the end.
[59] Grace of healings at the sepulchre of S. Godehard. Very many therefore of the praises of our blessed Pastor, only for that reason which we have set forth, we pass over; which, through the divine clemency from the beginning unto now, we often perceive gloriously to be done. Nor yet shall we be silent of that, which the whole holy Church of God witnessing we know to be true, that very many for the most part come rejoicing to his sepulchre with offerings, who publicly relate themselves and their own to be freed from various tribulations, or infirmities, by speedy succor, through the merits of his virtues. For, as soon as anything of inconvenience, or trouble, has befallen anyone, at once when at the memorial of this holy Father, even absent, he shall have promised wheresoever the vow of his offering; without doubt at that same moment whatsoever consolation hoping in true faith he beseeches, that more speedily by his merits suffraging he obtains.
ANNOTATA.
APPENDIX.
Concerning the miracles wrought by S. Godehard in his life, and not indicated in the prior Acts.
Godehard, Bishop of Hildesheim, in lower Saxony (S.)
BHL Number: 3583
FROM BROWER.
[60] Fevers are cured by S. Godehard the Abbot A certain John a citizen of Passau was vexed for long times by the inconvenience of a fever: but it happened that the holy Father Godehard, still Abbot, in his monastery of Altach, on business of his said monastery came to Passau; and that sick man, his presence being known, sent his brother to him, asking that he would deign for God's sake to visit him: a citizen of Passau, which also he did. But having seen the fevers in which he lay, he groaned, and said: O Father Adam, who so quickly blinded thee, that thou shouldst go against the commands of God thy creator, and subject us all to so many evils by thy sin? Behold after these things which here temporally we suffer, unless we keep His commands, we dread to suffer eternally; and this temporal evil will be to us the beginning of eternal evils. But when he had said this, taking a certain cup, and pouring wine into it, signed with the sign of the Cross he blessed it, and gave it to the man lying down, saying: Drink, brother, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and be comforted in Him. Who drank, trusting in the clemency of God; and by the merits of the holy man, forthwith rose, wholly freed from all inconvenience of the fever; and went to the Church of S. Stephen, praising God.
[61] The holy man Godehard led with him a certain monk from his monastery of Altach to the monastery of Hersfeld; of a monk of Altach who afterward, there lay sick with the trouble of fevers. Him the holy Father for the sake of consolation frequently visited. But on a certain time he said to the sick man; My brother, how art thou? And the sick man said: Behold, Father, the trouble of fevers vexes me too much, so that there is now almost no life in me. And the holy man said to him, Our Lord Jesus Christ
suffered greater things for us, than these inconveniences of thy fevers can be. To whom the man lying down said: I know, my Father, I know, that He suffered for us much heavier torments unto the bitterness of death. And S. Godehard said: In the name of Jesus Christ, who endured heavier things for us, rise, and in the College of thy Brethren singing psalms bless Him, who washed and redeemed thee with His blood. And the sick man said, I will rise in the name of Jesus Christ, and I will go to my Father, who is also the father of my Lord Jesus Christ; and I will say to Him, Now I am not worthy to be called thy son, but do with me Thy mercy, as with Thy servant, but deviating from Thy way; and clemently receive me returning to Thee. And amid these words he rose; and went to the choir; and all marveling, with the bystanders praising God, and singing, he blessed.
[62] A certain young girl in the town of Teckendorf, in the Bavarian territory, of a girl of Teckendorf, when she was being too heavily burdened with the trouble of fevers, there stood by her certain honorable women, relating to her how the aforesaid man at Passau by the merits of blessed Godehard, after the draught of wine blessed by him, had been freed from the rigor of fevers. Which heard, the sick girl said to her father: O my, beloved father, I ask thee by Jesus Christ, that thou send to the holy man Godehard, asking him, that he bless a little wine in his goblet or cup, and send it to me, that I may drink of it, that I may be relieved from the fervor of the fevers, with which I am incessantly afflicted and burned. But the father these things heard, sent as she wished, and received blessed wine from S. Godehard: which the young girl drank, being sick, in the name of Jesus Christ; and suddenly she was healed, and rose praising God, who by the merits of S. Godehard clemently freed her from the force of fevers.
[63] The servant of God Godehard, because he was merciful from the heart, and bore pious bowels over the afflicted, of a young scholar. always visited the dwellings of the sick or of those lying down, either by himself or by others. But it happened on a certain time, when he still presided in the Abbey of Altach, that a certain scholar of a certain poor widow was gravely sick with the trouble of fevers; whom with his wonted piety he often visited. To whom also at a certain time he said, Son, act manfully, sustaining the scourges of the Lord, and let thy heart be comforted in Him: for He Himself is who strikes, and heals and makes whole; chastising His elect, lest they be delivered to everlasting death. And the youth said: What is my strength, that I should sustain these grievous things, and act patiently? And the holy Father said: Trust, son, knowing that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory which shall be revealed in us: and gladly mayest thou wish to glory with the Apostle in thy infirmities, that in thee, as in him, may dwell the virtue of Christ: for virtue is perfected in infirmity. 2 Cor. 12 To whom the sick man said: I beg, holy Father, that thou suppliantly entreat God for wretched me. But the holy father, having an apple in his hand (which perhaps he had brought with him, or had found near the sick man's bed) blessed it, and gave it to the sick man saying: Take, son, and eat the apple, in the name of Jesus Christ; and, if it be His will, rise from the bed whole; but if not, let this infirmity remain to thee, and act patiently, that thou mayest be able to merit from God the reward of eternal life, in which is eternal health. He ate it, and rose whole, praising God.
[64] A certain youth, of the castle Stauwenborch in Bavaria near the Danube, wishing to cross the river, the storms overturning the boat, is plunged into the stream; where he remained more than three hours unknown: at length the lifeless body is cast out to the shore, At the prayers of the Saint and the dead man is carried to the house of his parents. The neighbors weep, and the kinsfolk groan, for the death so sudden of a youth so famous. But the holy Abbot Godehard, by chance passing that place, and hearing the voices of the howling, said: O death, how bitter is thy memory to a man! how suddenly and unexpectedly thou extinguishest! who both to sinners art most evil, but to the just exceedingly desirable and precious. But while he said these and the like, the wretched mother of the youth came, and fell at the feet of the holy man, saying: Lord, if thou canst do anything with God, have mercy on me, and raise up my son. To whom the holy Father; Believe me woman (as it is true and daily experience teaches) we all lie subject to the empire of death, and therefore blessed are the dead who die in the Lord: for death lays low all, who live in the world, not in one, but as it were in a thousand ways: Blessed is he who watches, and is forearmed at the coming. And again the woman said with a tearful voice: Behold my only and beloved son, suffocated in the river, has perished suddenly; for him I fear damnation, because he was too worldly. I ask therefore, pious Father, if thou canst do anything with God, raise up my son; that only he may confess his offenses, and be fortified with the holy Sacraments of the Church; and after, if it please God, may happily rest in peace. To whom the holy man, using the words of the Saviour, said: O woman, great is thy faith, be it to thee as thou hast asked. And passing with her to the corpse lying on the bier, the drowned youth raised; After the Sacraments received he dies again, and holding his hand, said: Young man, I say to thee, arise. And the youth rose unharmed and whole, and sought the holy man, that for God's sake he would hear his confession, and enjoin upon him for his sins a salutary penance. And the holy Father granted his petition: and his confession heard, fortified him with the holy Sacraments of the Church. Which done, the youth said, Bid me, holy Father, now again to rest in peace, for I greatly dread the world, which sends its lovers into gehenna, whose most grievous punishment in part I have experienced. And the man of God said: Sleep, my son, and rest happily in the peace of Jesus Christ. And he answered: Amen. And his head inclined, in the grace of God he happily fell asleep. But his happy mother, these things heard and known, all sorrow utterly removed, with joy delivered the body of her son to burial in ecclesiastical manner; and to God, with as much devotion as she could, most gladly commended his soul.
[65] those laboring in childbirth are aided, The holy Father Godehard, while in his cell after the morning vigils he sat for the sake of prayer, it happened, that a certain woman, dwelling in the borders of the monastery, was tortured laboring in childbirth. To whom compassionating, the holy man, falling to the earth, gave himself to prayer, saying: O Lord God almighty, help Thy creature, have mercy on the daughter of Eve, laboring in the curse of her mother. And forthwith, in a certain unexpected manner, the woman was silenced; because she bore a son; who afterward sleeping, it was revealed to her, that by the prayers of S. Godehard she had been freed from the pain of childbirth. Who gave thanks to God, who by the merits of the holy man so clemently visited her; but she made her son be called Godehard, and in his boyish age delivered him to the holy man, to be imbued with the regular disciplines. For this cause therefore the women of that region in the pain of childbirth had been accustomed to invoke the patronage of S. Godehard, and many felt the desired effect of their petition.
[66] When S. Godehard, on business perhaps of his monastery, went to the Roman court, having some of his monks with him in his company, a broken leg is healed, among whom a certain one older than the rest, Erkenfrid by name; incautiously proceeding, while he ascended the mountain which is called Godehard's, the horse fell with him, and wholly broke his right leg. Who groaning, with tears said, murmuring against the holy man of God: For what, Father, didst thou lead me to the precipice of that mountain, that thou mightest kill me? To whom the holy Father said; I know, my beloved son, that unwillingly thou tookest this journey with me, and within thyself murmuring detracted from me; therefore now is thy reward rendered to thee. Repent therefore, and pray God, that He remit thee this offense, that thou mayest be healed. Who said, Help, Father, my infirmity, and remit me what I have offended against thee: and let the scourge of God torture me, as much as it pleases. But the man of God, his devotion heard, touched the broken bone of his leg, and said: May the Lord Jesus Christ heal thee, brother; and thou, in His name rise, that we may walk. Who rose wholly whole, and proceeding further with him, the same afterward followed him to Hildesheim, and remained with him until the day of his death.
[67] It happened on a certain occasion, that S. Godehard passed through the town of Straubing of the diocese of Regensburg; a blind woman is enlightened: and there met him a certain blind beggar woman, seeking bread from door to door, who perhaps was striving to avoid the noise of the horses; and hurting her foot on a stone, she fell very grievously. But the holy Godehard, this seen, suddenly came down from his horse; and running up, embracing her, raised her; and, as much as he could, diligently wiped the filth of mire from the little woman's mantle, and said; Why didst thou fall, mother? And she said: I am blind, friend; and therefore I cannot beware of the stumbling-blocks of the ways, nor can I avoid them. But the holy Father compassionating her from the heart, said; O my God, how many are on the earth the reproaches and grievances of Thy creature! Well therefore is it said, Woe, woe, woe, to them that dwell on the earth. And when he had said it, he mixed mire with spittle, after the manner of our Saviour, and anointed her eyes saying; O Lord Jesus Christ, who in the sight of Thy disciples madest mire of spittle, and didst anoint the eyes of a certain blind man, and he saw; enlighten also the eyes of this Thy poor woman, that she may confess to Thy name, and glory in Thy most worthy praise. These things thus done and said, the woman began to behold the holy man; and fell at his feet, saying: My eyes have seen the salvation of God: and prone she kissed his feet; and went to her own home, praising God for the virtues and merits of the holy man.
[68] In the city of Regensburg at a certain time S. Godehard was staying, on business perhaps of his monastery; a sorceress possessed by a demon is freed, where a certain woman possessed by a demon was led to him, that she might be healed by him. Whom the man of God beholding, said; Answer me, unclean spirit, to those things which I ask of thee. What dost thou here in a creature of God? But the Demon said; By full right her soul is mine; for she is an enchantress, and through her I have gained many souls. And the holy man said; Why is she thine because of enchantment? And the Demon said, Hast thou not read that the Lord commanded soothsayers, diviners, and enchanters to be exterminated? for what do such do, but what to me
and my princes serve? for they are idolaters: scarcely even can we possess any by so great a right, as those entangled in vices of this kind. Dost thou not know, that among a thousand enchantresses or diviners scarcely one is found, who, man or woman, is willing to confess this vice? for so we close their mouths, that of such things they are able to speak nothing in any way whatever. And the holy man said: I know, that great is the malice of thee and of thy like; nor yet do I doubt, that greater is the goodness of God and His clemency. Therefore, unclean spirit, give honor to God, and depart from this creature of His; that she may return to the grace, which thou hast taken from her. And the demon said; Why dost thou bring me into so great violence? what have I done to thee? or what hast thou against me? And he said: Hear, insolent and unclean spirit: in that eternal fatherland, from which thou in pride didst fall, so great will be to me the joy from the common good, as from my own proper good, nay also much greater: and therefore here it is fitting to grieve over another's evil much more strongly, than over one's own evil: for through this I shall merit eternal life. I have therefore against thee a just cause, that thou possessest less justly, and she comes to her senses. and punishest my sister, the creature of God thy creator. For not, as thou assertest, do I do thee violence: but for the glory of God and the love of His creature, for whom His Only-begotten pouring out His blood sustained a most bitter death, against thee not as a champion, but as a glorious victor I contend. Therefore, I command thee, proud and unclean spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ depart from her; and presume not henceforth to molest a creature of God. And so that malign spirit departed: and the woman, as dead, fell. But the holy man suddenly raised her: and being raised she publicly confessed with tears the vice of enchantment, which long since she had many times accomplished. Whom also the holy man loosed, by the virtue of the passion of Jesus Christ.
[69] In the city of Passau there was a certain citizen very rich, who had a son whom he most tenderly loved: which boy was so dull, a dull nature is rendered teachable: that in three years he could not bring it about, that he should learn even the alphabet. Whence his father went to S. Godehard, and related to him the hardness of his son's heart, asking more earnestly, that for him he would deign suppliantly to pray; that God almighty might deign to enlighten him. But holy Godehard, the boy being called to him, read over him, what follows, All wisdom is from the Lord God, with the collect, God who by the wisdom coeternal to Thee, didst fashion man when he was not, etc.; and added. Be strong, son; and may that best of masters, who suddenly taught the Apostles, instruct thee, and lead thee in the right way to a clearer knowledge. Which boy was so changed, that in a short time he surpassed all his kinsmen, and all his coevals, nay his elders and more learned than he, in the fullness of wisdom: who afterward on account of the profundity of his understanding and wisdom, was elected and ordained Bishop of Passau; whence for himself and his subjects for the salvation of souls he labored most instantly. The following miracle was done, when he was Bishop.
[70] It happened that the holy Prelate Godehard excommunicated certain of his subjects, on account of their rebellion, after the wonted admonitions: of whom some, stirred up by the venom of their malice, while he was celebrating, entered the church arrogantly and insolently. Which known, he turned aside from the altar saying: I command you all who are excommunicated, the effect of the excommunication pronounced by the Saint. in the virtue of the Holy Spirit and of holy obedience, that ye go out of the church. But the rebellious and excommunicate, not caring for this command, persisted, remaining in the church. But certain of the dead, who for many years had rested in their tombs, who also perhaps, those who buried them being ignorant, had been buried in excommunication, rose up and went out of the church. Which those rebellious ones seeing, blushed; and after the dead went out. But the holy Prelate, the Mass finished, going out to them, said: Hear, ye rebellious and unbelieving, and see the just judgment of God against you: behold the dead obey God in His vicar, but you filled with a proud spirit have contemned to obey. These dead therefore shall rise against you in judgment, and shall allege the sentence of damnation against you, unless ye do full and worthy penance. And, these things said, he turned to the dead saying: I, brethren, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, absolve you from the sentence of excommunication, by which until now ye had been bound, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Go, return to your places, and rest in peace, awaiting the coming of the Judge. But the dead, their heads inclined and their hands joined, as if giving thanks, returned to their places and rested.
HISTORY OF THE CANONIZATION AND MIRACLES.
Godehard, Bishop of Hildesheim, in lower Saxony (S.)
BHL Number: 3584, 3585, 3586, 3587, 3588, 3589
CHAPTER I.
The Canonization made by Innocent II. The body elevated.
FROM BROWER.
[1] Glory to the supreme Creator, and restorer of the human race; who not by our merits, but by His immense goodness, Preface of the author. deigned to reveal His Confessor B. Godehard the Pontiff, for the salvation of all believers, to the men of our time: and Him who for the length of time had now been obscured by a certain cloud of oblivion, that at length he might be venerated by the inhabitants of our church, He willed to manifest to the nations of divers lands: that his glory might not only reach the domestics of the faith, but also dilate itself into outer nations. But in what manner and in what order the translation of our aforesaid Confessor was made, not with turgid eloquence, nor leaning on a grand buskin, but with a simple style I undertake to describe; not trusting in the little fire of my wit, but in that Evangelical saying; Open thy mouth, and I will fill it. Psalm 80, Matt. 10 And again, It is not you that speak; but the Spirit of my father, who speaks in you. For by writings things past and in a short time to be delivered to oblivion, are recalled to memory; and by things virtuously done in the Church, when they are read, the faithful are kindled, and the torpors of minds are shaken off.
[2] In the year of the Lord's Incarnation 1128, but the ninetieth of the death of blessed Godehard, Berthold, both conspicuous in all Ecclesiastical religion (inasmuch as he was very learned in literal science, Berthold Bishop of Hildesheim and greatly adorned with honesty of morals) presided over the Chair of our Church: which by discreetly governing, and by gathering to himself religious men everywhere from divers Churches, he so exalted, that he built divers cells in his times, and in spiritual conversation confirmed them with sweet exhortation. He sitting in a common assembly of the Clergy committed to him, and treating (as was ever his custom) of the utility of the people of our Church, in the assembly of his men solicitous concerning the honor of the Saint God working it (as the effect afterward showed) unexpectedly speech concerning our Patron, namely Blessed Godehard, arises, again and again is repeated by many, complaining and grieving, that they had so merciful a Patron, and that worthy honor was not exhibited to him in the Church of God. For how great a mercy and how manifest a grace the aforesaid Confessor had obtained for our Brethren, by his merits, with God, by those very authoritative men, being present in the aforesaid assembly, is manifested to all. Through which, the minds of all sitting by are not only made cheerful; but how the praises of him in the Church of God may be multiplied, unanimously all are kindled.
[3] For our aforesaid Prelate Berthold indicated to all sitting by a private grace, granted to him by our Patron; he relates that in his youth, a man mortally wounded by him and how he had known him to be a pious intercessor with God, not without contrition of heart he recounted to our Brethren. For in the time of his youth, when he himself among the other youths was intent on sportive things, it happened, that he himself in the suburb of our city, not voluntarily pierced a certain layman with a lance, and laid him as if dead to the earth: who as if half-alive is led home, fastened to a bed, and is endangered unto death. But our aforesaid Prelate grieving and mourning, is hurried into divers ways, is distressed that he is to be repelled from the holy Orders as a homicide; and so his mind is invited into divers thoughts. At length wavering, as a ship caught in the waves of the sea, to our Patron B. Godehard, that he may direct himself to a safe port, he fixes his hope in him as an anchor in a firm shore, that from the impending anxiety he would rescue him, with a contrite heart and a humbled spirit he asked. But while the wounded man was now placed in his death-agony, having invoked S. Godehard he obtained health: he himself firm in faith prostrated himself at the sepulchre of our holy Patron, and passed the whole night in prayer, and rather by the roaring of his heart, than by the open utterance of his voice, implored mercy. But at length near the end of the night, wearied with vigils, and disturbed with grief, he is compelled to enter rest. In which both the stature and form of our Patron, which yet he had never seen in this life, is most certainly manifested to him in a vision. For, while he was still between vigils and full rest, the person of our Patron appeared to him in a vision; that he should make the solemnities of the Masses be celebrated, he most diligently enjoined him; and that he should make the Office, Fear not Zachary, thy prayer is heard, be sung, he forthwith added. By these things seen aroused, he set himself to continue his prayers more and more: but on the way he received a messenger, who most certainly announced that the sick man had escaped death. These things heard, in heart and mind made cheerful, he blessed the God of heaven, who reserved for us such a Patron in our Church.
[4] But there was at that time in our assembly a certain religious Priest, others add a thumb cured for himself, Adelbert by name, who lived by a regular life in the cell of B. Bartholomew, which is situated in the Eastern quarter of our city: who, when he had heard what our Prelate narrated, seeing a fitting time for himself, he also intimated to all the grace, conferred by the Lord on our Patron. For while he himself on a certain night, imploring the patronages of the Saints, went about the altars of our Church; at length near the sepulchre of the blessed Confessor he prostrated himself: but rising indiscreetly with his hand, holding his sarcophagus, he raised himself; and forthwith his thumb withered out of its own joint. But seeing himself now disabled in his hand, suppliant and groaning he prostrated himself to the earth; he asked pardon and mercy from B. Godehard. And at once into its proper place, without delay and hurt, the thumb sprang back.
[5] and an epileptic boy. Hearing these things a certain Master of the mount of S. Maurice, Reinard by name, a man of advanced age; he also having experienced the manifest grace of our Patron, when he saw it opportune, kept it not silent, but to all
being in our assembly evidently disclosed it, saying. For there was a certain boy assigned to his keeping, to be instructed in the Clerical art, who was so vexed by the epileptic disease, which by the common name they call the falling sickness, that daily at least six times he was cast down to the earth, and unto death, by excessive exhaustion, was endangered. He on a certain day is led to the patronage of our blessed Confessor, but on the way is twice cast to the earth. Prayers at his tomb for him are poured forth; alms are bestowed on the poor, and perfectly healed he returns to his own house.
[6] These three signs being recited in the common assembly by the authoritative men, all perceive them with cheerful mind; they instigate our Prelate himself, Hence it is begun to be treated of the Canonization: that what he would willingly of himself do, he should by all means labor, how he might canonize our blessed Pontiff Godehard among the other Saints of God. But since in the least things, much more in the greatest, in which we await a glad end, the divine aid is to be invoked; it pleased all, that special prayers be everywhere poured forth to God in our Church for this cause, lest we should begin anything in vain or inconsiderate against the will of the Lord, which we should not be able to lead to a good effect. for which prayers and almsgiving are decreed: Therefore it was decreed, that all both greater and lesser, the morning hour finished, should assemble at the tomb of our Blessed Patron Godehard himself, and humbly prostrate themselves to the earth; and the Psalm, Thou hast blessed, O Lord, Thy land, with a contrite and humbled heart, chant to the Lord. And it was decreed, that in the several monasteries, constituted in the territory of our Church, special prayers and bestowals of alms should be made for him; because it is impossible that the voices of many prayers be not heard.
[7] These things therefore, for some time being performed, our Church is shaken by a new tribulation. meanwhile Berthold being dead Bernard succeeded. For our aforesaid Pastor, alas! is withdrawn from us out of this life: and our whole Church desolate of so great a Pastor is disturbed. But God who consoles the wretched in their tribulation, did not permit His Church to fluctuate long in the waves of this world without a governor, knowing, that where there is no governor, the people shall fall. For our whole Church gathered together as one chose Bernard the chief Provost, a man learned in all clerical science, and adorned with the best morals, by the common consent of the Clergy and the alacrity of the people, crying out against it and resisting by all means, and vociferating himself unworthy, as their spiritual Pastor; and led him up to the Chair of the highest Priesthood. These things thus done, the cause of our Patron, which on account of our tribulations had now somewhat fallen, is renewed; and in what order it might be led to effect, is labored over by all.
[8] But since by the Canonical censure, on account of the illusions of demons, which have frequently happened in the Church of God in such things, it is decreed, [through whom the canonization of the Saint was sought from Innocent II in the assembly at Liège,] that no one be canonized without Apostolic authority, and his life approved by authoritative men (which nevertheless in the preceding had greatly retarded our cause, both on account of the difficulty, and on account of the length of the journey) it came to pass, God granting, that what before without great expense and the highest labor could not be led to effect, that to us as if before the door unexpectedly was brought. For in the city of Liège a Court was proclaimed, where Pope Innocent with the Roman Church, and a great part of Gaul, with King Lothair and almost all the Bishops of the German region, met; that they might treat of the violence done to the Roman Church by Peter the son of Leo, who at that time violently usurped the Papacy to himself, and labor how they might destroy that idol, placed in the temple of the Lord. It came to pass therefore, that on the Sunday Rejoice O Jerusalem, to the aforesaid city many Catholic men, both with the Apostolic and with the King, met, and treated of the common state of the Church. Among whom our president Bernard with the Greater men of our Church being present, seeing the opportunity of its own accord conferred upon him, approaches the Apostolic himself with all the Roman Court; and the life of our Pastor is recited before them; and that through him he be canonized in the Church of God, most devout prayers are poured forth.
[9] But since it is the custom of the Roman Church in a general Council to canonize the Saints of God, and put off to the Council which at that time had been proclaimed in the city of Reims on the feast of S. Luke; the council taken, he deferred the petition of our Church unto the aforesaid place, and there promised most certainly to determine it. These things thus done, our Prelate, animated by the Apostolic promise, glad returns, and is devoutly received by all, and what answers were given him, are narrated. Then all hearing what was promised through the Apostolic, unanimously rejoice, and prayers are most devoutly poured forth before our Pontiff, that he withdraw not himself from so great a promise; but, although it be laborious, that he himself nevertheless together with the Greater men of our Church present himself at the proclaimed Synod. Now the day had come, in which the Synod of the whole Cisalpine Church had been proclaimed. Then indeed our aforesaid Prelate Bernard, together with the Metropolitan of Magdeburg Norbert, by the same having set out to Reims for this he is again asked, who at that time had been of great name in the Church of God, and the Greater men of our church, set the journey to the aforesaid Synod; and, God granting, with great prosperity and opportunity came to the place of Reims. Where honorably received, while now the Synod had been celebrated some days; our Prelate Bernard met the Apostolic Innocent with his Cardinals, and most devoutly reminded him of the cause of our Patron B. Godehard until then put off. But, God granting and doing it, he found all unanimous and concordant in his petition; as the matter itself afterward showed.
[10] For on the next day, when in the general Synod the Apostolic sat; no one admonishing, but God doing it, the Apostolic made a luminous oration to all, in which most eloquently he set forth the petition of our Church concerning our Patron; and, that they would lend their assent, most devoutly asked. These things thus done, the Bishop of Tarragona, a religious man and learned in literal science, and the Pope affirming the sanctity of Godehard known to him it is decreed. set forth in what order the Translation ought to be made; namely, if those things which were said of our Patron, our Church should prove by legitimate witnesses and oaths. But at these words the Apostolic interposed himself; and asserted that he had been so certified by the Princes of our land in the Church of Liège, that there was no need to testify a second time that, which more brightly than the sun could be proved. But having heard, what was said by the Apostolic, all unanimously lend their assent, that he be canonized; and admonish, that praises be paid to the Lord, who deigns to rescue His servants from the infirmity of this flesh, and to place them among His Saints and elect. Forthwith, We praise Thee O God, is sung; praise to almighty God is paid; and so at length the gathered Synod is concluded. Then indeed our Prelate, fortified with the Apostolic letters, returns even unto us, and is kindly received by the Clergy and people: and the Apostolic letters are unsealed; which recited, praises are paid to God. But the tenor of the Apostolic concession follows in these words.
[11] Innocent Bishop, servant of the servants of God, to the beloved sons, and the epistle sent to the Hildesheimers October 28 is published. the Clergy and people of Hildesheim, greeting and Apostolic benediction. Our venerable brother Bernard your Bishop coming to us, in a plenary Synod, which at Reims by the grace of God had been congregated, by the attestation of our Brethren, Bishops, and Abbots, and others, who had come with him, asserted that Godehard of holy memory your Bishop had lived laudably in the world, and both in life and after death had shone with many miracles. Whence we, with our Brethren, returning thanks to almighty God, their counsel and joint praise being had, because we believe him to be crowned in heaven with the Saints, command him to be honored among the Saints; mandating you, that ye both appoint a solemnity for that same blessed man in your Church; and take care to assemble for it annually. Given at Reims on the IV Kalends of November. But because then the winter time was impending, the translation is appointed to be made on May 4, nor was he able to expedite himself for so great a business; it seemed fitting, that the things granted through the Apostolic be announced to Catholic and religious men; and the Translation itself be deferred until the fourth of the Nones of May.
[12] And now the time had come, when so celebrated a rumor, namely concerning the Translation of so great a Patron, was gathering into our city many men both religious and of promiscuous sex. These things seen, counsel in the common assembly is taken, how cautiously without disturbance he may be translated, The sepulchre is opened, lest any scandal to our Church arise thence. For there were certain religious men, very much fearing, on account of the length of time, either that the body would not be found, or no token of sanctity be discovered. But at length, after many disputations, in this all agree; that the multitude removed, before the morning hours, all should assemble; and so the tomb, in which he had been placed, with all devotion open. At the time therefore of the middle of the night our Prelate, together with religious men, both monks and regulars, gathered to him, with great fear and trembling, entered the crypt of our church, and commanded the sarcophagus, in which our Patron had been placed, to be opened: and he himself with the rest of the faithful, meanwhile most devoutly insisted in prayers. But where the greatest labor in breaking the sarcophagus had before seemed, now, God doing it, forthwith it opened of itself; and afforded a most easy access to the body. Then indeed, the sarcophagus opened, how great tears of the bystanders thou wouldst behold, what sobs thou wouldst hear, what spiritual disposition of his body thou wouldst look upon, who could express either by speech, or by pen? What more? whence a wonderful odor breathes forth: A certain divine and unknown odor was fragrant, which refreshed certain bystanders as with a certain spiritual sweetness; and corroborated them in perfect faith of his sanctity. Then indeed thou wouldst behold all humbly excusing themselves, and that they were unworthy to touch the body of so great a Patron; since they knew their life to discord far from his sanctity. At length, all hesitating and making long delay, by our Brother the Provost Berthold the body is raised, and on account of the multitude of people, which had come together to see so great a thing, is carried into the secret place of our sacristy.
ANNOTATA.
CHAPTER II.
The blind, dumb, lame, and others healed. The drowned, hanged, captive freed.
[13] But let these things hitherto said suffice, in what manner blessed Godehard was translated: now it remains to intimate to your charity, The Translation made, the miracles increase: in what manner through him the world was enlightened, and exalted even unto the most remote and most pagan nations. For from the length of time the merits of his life had been almost abolished, and known only to a few; which through the translation of his body were most evidently manifested to all. For the Lord did so many miracles through him, that they cannot be expressed either by tongue or by writing: but those which are more known and more manifest I undertake to describe, that in them posterity may be able to trust in the patronage of so great a Father. For on the very day of the translation, when his body was being borne even to the mount of S. Maurice, with great reverence of the Clergy and people; it happened, that a certain man had fallen into a river which flows past our city; and a long time, remaining under the waves, had wholly expired. a man drowned in a river is restored to life: He, while the body of our Patron approaches him, is restored to his former life; and the Lord aiding, whole and unharmed is raised from the earth: who afterward for many times appeared in the service of our Patron, and for his life restored was not ungrateful to God.
[14] But these things heard, our Church did not at once and indiscreetly acquiesce; but humbly awaited another more sure and more manifest miracle. But on the next day, when the anniversary day of our Patron had dawned, the Mass and the appointed Hours finished, a certain dumb woman, having a son deprived of light, suddenly is as if rapt into ecstasy, and for a small hour is rolled on the ground. But some time having passed, the tongue is unlocked to the mother, the light is restored to the boy: and that it is a manifest miracle, is proved to all. For there were in our city at that time certain authoritative men of Corvey, fellow-provincials of that woman, who knew her, the dumb woman and the blind boy are healed, and most truly announced that she had been dumb, and her son deprived of light, for a long time. These things heard, our Church, both Clergy and people, are gathered into one: praises are paid to the Creator, who knows how to absolve His elect from all ambiguity, and to make them solid in perfect faith: for signs are due to the unbelieving, not to the believing, that by miracles and unusual things they may be confirmed in those things, which are removed from our senses and memory.
[15] Scarcely are praises for the aforesaid miracle paid to God, when a certain lame man, who for a long time had been contracted, likewise 3 lame men, suddenly raised himself; and set his foot to the earth with firm step. And so it came to pass, that on the very anniversary day of our Patron, within our basilica, five miracles happened, which appeared to have been manifest to all: for a blind man sees, his mother speaks, three lame men received the power of walking. These things thus done, the rumor and fame of our Patron, on account of the frequency of the multitude which had come together for the Translation of so great a man, more and more became known, and dilated itself into all the fellow-provincial lands. Whence it came to pass, that so great a multitude of men, imploring the patronages of our Pastor, flowed together into our city, as none of men either saw before in our church, nor (as I judge) henceforth shall see. For all having sick, languid, lame, deaf and dumb, and also demoniacs, or detained by any disease whatever, bring them even to the patronage of our Pastor for recovering health.
[16] But it happened about the same time, that certain authoritative men from Thuringia came, who brought with them their pastor disabled in one hand. These, having a withered hand when they had implored the patronage of B. Godehard, forthwith he received health, and raised his disabled hand. Which done, all unanimously returned praises to God; and in token of the truth, compared hand to hand. For the hand, with which he before held the pastoral staff, they found wrinkled and hardened: but the other, with which he had not labored, they found white and soft. These things thus done, certain matrons from the same land came even unto us, leading with them a dumb man, for a long time not able to speak; a dumb man, who while they insisted in prayers, and for him implored the patronage of B. Godehard; suddenly the bond of the tongue was broken, and its office through the mercy of God was restored.
[17] But there was at that time at Erfurt a Vicedominus, having for the mercy of God a lame man, and disabled in almost all his limbs, a lame man, assigned to his alms; whom, the miracles which were done through our Patron being heard, he directed even to his patronage in our church: and as he believed, so through the mercy of God he received. For whom disabled and wholly not able to walk he sent unto us, God aiding, whole and unharmed he received back. But there was about the same time in the Cell of B. Paulina, another lame man a long time a certain lame man, known and manifest to all. Him a certain powerful man of Thuringia by the leave of the Abbot received to himself; and what was necessary for the body, for the mercy of the Lord furnished to him. He came to the patronage of B. Godehard, and received the soundness of his body.
[18] There was also at that time in Thuringia a certain hunchbacked girl, in the back greatly curved. 2 hunchbacks, She coming to the patronage of B. Godehard, through the mercy of God was made erect, and what rarely is wont to be done, was wholly deprived of her hump. A certain man born from the same land, through the mercy of the Lord and of Blessed Godehard, was freed from the same disease. But in the same times there was a certain matron in Hesse, known to all the fellow-provincials, and detained for many times by the greatest infirmities. She, when she now hoped nothing but death, and a woman with the stone. at length humbly implored the patronage of B. Godehard; and prostrated herself to the earth, and in a wonderful manner received health. For both in the groin, where before the flesh had been sound, it suddenly opened; and emitted two stones of so great a magnitude, as no one before had seen in a human body. Which done, one of them she brought with her as a token of the miracle, even to the patronage of B. Godehard into our Church; but the other she reserved at home as a token of the virtue of God.
[19] About the same time there happened in Thuringia a notable miracle, and worthy to be delivered to memory. For two men, alas! joined in evil society, A thief hanged, the Saint being invoked, perpetrated a certain theft, and stole away skins from a certain man. It came to pass therefore that both were taken, and dragged to judgment. But when now both being convicted were delivered to hanging, one of them with all his heart groaned; and, what alone he could, with a contrite and humbled heart implored the patronage of B. Godehard: but the other, as if despairing, insisted on no petition, nor emitted a voice of compunction. It came to pass therefore, that they were bound with one rope, and hanged on one bough: which done, the one forthwith gave up the spirit; but the other, who had implored the patronage of B. Godehard, without hurt and trouble hung. But now a long space of hours having passed, he is preserved alive, he whose skins they had been, coming nearer, and seeing the other to have expired, to this one, whom he yet thought to live, burst out into these words. For he asked, whether he lived, or whether he had been able to retain life. But he hoping that help had come to him, confessed both that he lived and that he felt no pain. Hearing this he who had made him be hanged, brought great inhumanity upon him: for the rope by which he had been hanged being twisted, with firm effort he pressed the body to the earth, and so hoped he would break the vertebrae of his neck: which done he at once departed, and doubted not that he had now fulfilled all his will.
[20] But it came to pass after their departure a long time, that the aforesaid man loosed his hands bound behind his back, and broke the cloth bound before his eyes, and so at length broke the rope, and loosed without harm bears witness to the miracle, by which he had been hanged. But prostrate to the earth, seeing himself to have no hurt, he turned himself to flight; and entered with haste the wood, which was near. Seeing this certain men, who had not departed remotely, marveling at him follow him, asking him to leave the wood, and to hope nothing but good of them. Who at length comforted by their exhortation, left the wood, and with them magnifying and glorifying the Lord, came even to the church. He afterward, came to the patronage of B. Godehard; and what had happened to him through the mercy of God and of B. Godehard, his fellow-citizens attesting, who many had come together with him, narrated to us all. as also many others thus freed. But how many hanged and now in the article of death God freed through the merits of B. Godehard, it would be long to describe one by one; especially, since the ropes by which they had been hanged, can be shown to all coming to our church.
[21] At that time two women from afar came to the patronage of B. Godehard, who most devoutly narrated to us all the grace conferred upon them by him. two laboring with want of food and blindness are cured. For one of them after an immense infirmity, lost all appetite of food and drink, so much that she took neither food nor drink within two months. But seeing, that she could not so for a long time retain life, she implored the mercy of B. Godehard, and received her former state. But the other, when for a long time she had been deprived of light, on the way, on which she was going to the patronage of B. Godehard, was enlightened. But there was in the same times in the Bishopric of Minden a certain demoniac man, likewise a demoniac. so possessed, that scarcely did many restrain him, but that he would slay himself and deliver others to death. He at length, his hands bound behind his back and his feet chained together, by his parents is led to the patronage of B. Godehard, and his aid by all most humbly implored. But his lord, Hezelin by name, seeing his utmost vexation and greatest tribulation, having pity on him, set him free, and delivered the servant to B. Godehard; which done at once he received health, and with his parents, the bonds loosed, whole
and unharmed returned home.
[22] Under the same time there came into our church a certain man of great penance and austerity; The iron cuirass is shaken off a penitent. who for many times had tamed his flesh with vigils and fastings; so much that he wore even a cuirass put on next to his flesh. He, when he devoutly insisted in prayers before our Patron, many seeing it, through the grace of God, the cuirass was broken as it were like a spider's web; and slipped down even to the earth. O man most worthy of all praise, by whose merits both the bonds of sins are broken, and iron bindings are loosed! There was at that time the Abbess of Wunstorf, who had a certain very disabled lame man, who had wholly lost the bone in his knee, The lame man is healed and turned his leg, into whatever part he wished, as if without a joint. Then the Abbess, when she perceived so great miracles to be done through our Patron, led with her the aforesaid lame man even to the threshold of our Patron, and, God doing it, brought him back whole and unharmed. But, when she returned to the church committed to her, with hymns and praises she brought him back, returning thanks to God for every gift conferred upon her.
[23] Seeing these things a certain woman less religious nor fearing the Lord, burst out into these words, that she would never wish to implore the patronage of B. Godehard, unless she should see a certain boy disabled in all his limbs, whom at that time she saw creeping in the street, disabled in all his limbs, walking with upright step. It came to pass therefore, that the parents of that boy, after a few days brought him to the patronage of B. Godehard, and, prayers being made for him, received him whole and able to walk. Which after the aforesaid woman saw, for the words rashly uttered with a contrite and humbled heart she repented, and vowed to the Lord that she would visit our Patron. This done, from the bottom of her heart she drew sighs, considering that the necessaries of the way were wanting to her, or whence she could provide at home for the boys begotten of her. While she was thus anxious, it came to pass, that her little one unwitting went out of the house, carrying a little cloth, which he had found in the street; in which the mother, as if the boy not knowing what he did, found nine coins. These things thus done, she paid praises to God and B. Godehard, who both rescued her from anxiety, and extirpated all doubt from her heart.
[24] another lame and contracted man, About the same time there was a boy in the Bishopric of Minden, in the village which is called Lanesberge, lame and in a wonderful manner contracted, him his parents, although poor, brought to the patronage of B. Godehard; and for recovering his health, most devoutly implored his mercy. But while they made some little delay, nor saw any progress in the boy, they prepared to return to their own dwellings, because they doubted that they would henceforth be heard. But when they had come near to the village, which is called Runeberge, and had disposed themselves to rest in a certain meadow, they burst out into tearful words; complaining, that they had come in much tribulation to the patronage of B. Godehard, but had perceived no grace in their boy. Who, while they thus conversed, suddenly the boy extended the limbs, which before had been bent; and from the cart, in which he was being carried, glad and exulting leapt forth. Which after the neighboring folk had seen, forthwith unanimously they praised the Lord, and led the healed boy most devoutly to the nearest church. But lest so great a miracle be delivered to oblivion, in the aforesaid place the fellow-provincials erected a certain hut, where the faithful passing by, in reverence of that miracle, for a long time after brought offerings.
[25] There was likewise a certain lame man in those times at Goslar, known to all; who he also for recovering health had betaken himself to B. Godehard; likewise another and the Lord aiding, received health: so much that the stools, with which before he crept, as if in token of memory, he left in our church; and he himself erect walked. This many religious men of that city confidently affirmed to all, who for many times had known him lame. But there was at that time, in a place assigned to the territory of our church, and one laboring with a fistula which is called Aulica, a man of so great sickness in the disease which is called fistula, that now he wholly despaired of life: who had lost the knob of the thigh-bone placed before in the joint, and feared now that he would lose the rest of the part. He commanded himself to be borne to the patronage of B. Godehard, and received the health of his body, God doing it. After these things the knob, which before he bore in his hand, in token of the miracle and of the gift conferred on him by the Lord, he ordered to be hung in the church; and then, glad and brisk, returned home.
[26] About the same time there was a certain matron born in the place of Herford, and a paralytic: who was wholly paralytic and dissolved in all her limbs: for no limb of hers exercised its proper office, but neither for many days was able to fulfill it. She had expended the greatest part of her substance on physicians, but through them could not recover the health of her body. But hearing so great a grace, granted through the merits of B. Godehard to men by the Lord, the external physicians despised, she wholly commended herself to the mercy of the Lord, and commanded herself to be borne to the patronage of B. Godehard. Who, while she made some little delay in our church, both through the prayers of the faithful and through the patronage of B. Godehard, was rendered to health, and all her limbs restored to their former vigor. She afterward frequently came to the threshold of B. Godehard, and for the gift conferred upon her paid no immoderate thanks to the Lord.
[27] Not long after a certain man came into our church, having a daughter greatly beloved, who labored with a grave disease, and now drew near to death. a bone fastened in the throat is cast out, For to her throat, a bone of immense magnitude, and of great sharpness on either side, had adhered for six days, which no one was able to extract by any art. Who at first went about the physicians at that time staying in our city, and from them sought counsel, what he should do concerning his daughter: but found no salutary counsel. But destitute of all external counsel he betook himself together with his daughter to the patronage of B. Godehard, and implored him for her with most humble devotion. It came to pass therefore, that on that very day the girl cast out the bone without hurt, and recovered entire soundness. Not long after a certain man labored with the same disease for seven days, and now most certainly death impended over him: He coming to the patronage of B. Godehard, was at once freed, and restored to his former state.
[28] But it happened about the same time that a certain Eckehard of Wigeleve violently and injuriously took captive a certain kinsman of his, The captives are freed at Wigeleve, and against right and divine law imprisoned him. Who while for some time he was detained in captivity, it happened on the very night of Pentecost, while the morning hours were celebrated, that he prostrated himself to the earth, and implored the patronage of B. Godehard for his liberation. At length raising himself from prayer, he approached a hole so narrow, that a boy of three years could not have passed through: but while he applied his head (as it seemed to him) the hole dilated itself, and he himself whole and unharmed passed through. These things thus done, without delay it became known to all, that the captive had burst out of the prison, and had escaped all things. At once all unanimously pursue him, fortify with guards the ways by which he could escape; and how they might apprehend him, by all means labor. But, the Lord aiding and B. Godehard, it came to pass, that he passed through the snares of all, and knowing them himself was known by none. He without delay betook himself to the patronage of B. Godehard, and for his deliverance paid thanks to the Lord in our church. in Hungary But there was at that time in the March of Hungary, a certain man placed in captivity, and fettered with the strongest fetters, who hoped nothing else, than either to lose all his goods, or to undergo death. To his ears the fame of B. Godehard thundered, and how great things the Lord wrought for love of him became known to him. Soon he prostrated himself to the earth, and most devoutly implored his patronage. It came to pass therefore, that, on that very night, the chain by which he was bound loosed itself, and he himself out of the captivity, God aiding, escaped. Him all saw in our church, and so to have happened concerning him truly perceived.
[29] But in the same times, there was a certain Pagan of the further parts of Slavia taken, and imprisoned in the city of Halberstadt. He by fame revealing it, had heard of our Patron, in Halberstadt. and how great things the Lord wrought for love of him in whatever manner had perceived, inasmuch as a Pagan. He on a certain night, compelled by fear of death, hanging between hope and fear, directed a prayer from the bottom of his heart to B. Godehard; and, that he would have mercy on him, most devoutly entreated. Which done, without delay, out of a log of great mass and strength, by which he had been enclosed, it remaining entire, as if out of a liquid thing without hurt he drew out his feet: and how that had happened to him he knew not, nor did he in any way begin flight. But the day dawning, the keepers came, and not without great wonder found him. and elsewhere others, But inquiring, how that had happened to him at the invocation of the name of B. Godehard, they wondered, and related it to their lord, and asked what they should henceforth do. But the lord, compunct by so great a miracle, granted grace; and ordered that captive to depart without hurt. But how many and how great imprisoned, and fettered with the greatest fetters, the Lord through the patronage of B. Godehard absolved from the utmost tribulation, it is long to enumerate by writings; since anyone can recognize those very torments hanging in our church. Wherefore we have thought it not superfluous to pass over very many of these things which would be long to write, and to pass to making known other things.
ANNOTATA.
CHAPTER III.
The dead raised, the blind enlightened, the shipwrecked and others aided.
[30] Not long after the things which we said, there was a certain man, having an only-begotten son greatly beloved by him; who in boyish manner playing by running through the fields, but by chance coming to a certain ditch, A boy buried by earth is called back to life; a very great mass of earth unexpectedly fell down upon him. But the father ignorant of these things, nor finding the boy himself at home, sought everywhere; nor could in any way find him. Whence it came to pass, that a certain man said, that he had seen the boy playing about the ditch, nor afterward had he appeared. Which heard the father with haste, where the aforesaid man had last seen the boy, ran across; and beheld that a great mass of earth had newly fallen down. Which seen, very many being joined to him, he uncovered the earth with great haste; and found the boy, having no token of life. These things thus done, because he had heard that our Patron B. Godehard had been one of great mercy, forthwith he directs most devout prayers to him, adding, if the Lord through his merits should restore the former life, he would offer him to him as a servant in perpetuity. Which done the boy is restored to his former life, and returns home together with his father. Him afterward with his father we saw in our church; and from the father himself, that so it had happened concerning the boy, we most certainly knew.
[31] a dropsical man is healed But there was at that time a certain man in the place, which is called Minden, so detained in dropsy, that about a year he labored in it; and now hoped nothing but death. He, the name of B. Godehard heard, in aid of his infirmity suppliantly invoked him; and that he would succor him placed in necessity, humbly entreated. It came to pass therefore not long after, that a certain man, whom neither before he had seen, nor afterward saw, entered to him; and an incision made, made so great an abundance of water to flow from him, as scarcely could anyone have borne in a vat. Which done, treatment applied, he departed, nor henceforth appeared. Him afterward we saw perfectly whole, and, he relating it, that so it had happened concerning him, we truly knew.
[32] About the same time, through B. Godehard, a notable miracle happened, and worthy to be retained in memory. For certain pilgrims from Russia were coming to the patronage of B. Godehard; Russian pilgrims invaded by Pagans rescue themselves from death. and on the day of Palms entered a certain desert. But in Christian manner, when they strove to perform the divine office; it happened, that suddenly a multitude of Pagans rushed upon them, and as many as they could delivered to death. It came to pass therefore that the Priest, who had been together with them, fell, and through passion migrated to the Lord. But the others seeing themselves slain together, although unarmed, prepared to resist them; but rather most devoutly implored the protection of B. Godehard. Which done, although many and armed engaged against the unarmed; yet, the Lord doing it, the Pagans turned themselves to flight, and cast away their arms here and there from themselves. But they seeing this, struck them with the staves which pilgrims use, and delivered about six to death: and made victors, took the arms which the robbers had cast from themselves, and bore both shield and sword in token of the victory into our church.
[33] Not long after these things it happened, that a certain fisherman with his boy wished to cross the Weser; and in his wonted manner to insist on his profit; A boy is freed from drowning. but when now he had nearly gained the middle of the water, so great a tempest fell on, that he doubted he would escape with life. But seeing the wind rise more and more, the master sounded a signal of help to the people; but the boy directed a prayer to B. Godehard. It came to pass therefore, that the master, who knew how to swim, trusting in the help of the people, was drowned; but the boy not knowing how to swim, through the suffrage of B. Godehard was freed.
[34] A disabled and lame girl is restored. At that time there came also a certain poor woman, into our city, born of the place of Speyer, leading with her a little girl disabled in all her limbs, and not at all able to walk. Who, while about a month she made delay in our city, nor perceived any grace in her daughter, sad set herself to return to her own land; because now she deemed herself unworthy to be heard. But when she had come upon the bank of the Weser, in the place which is called Münden, and had sent the ass to pasture, and had set the daughter down from the cart, the mother removed, the girl, who before had been disabled, suddenly raised herself, and burst out into these words: for she cried that she really perceived the grace of B. Godehard, and that he was remaining there with her. Which said, all her limbs, which before had been disabled, were restored to a natural state; and she herself was entirely healed. Her all of us in our church saw healed, and paid praises to the Lord for the gift conferred upon her.
[35] There was about the beginning of the translation of B. Godehard a certain Slav, A blind neophyte for a long time deprived of light, making delay among the Pagans. He hearing the virtues, which God wrought in honor of B. Godehard, came even to his threshold, and humbly implored his patronage. But while common prayers were made for him in our church, because newly, the error of paganism left, he had come to the Sacrament of baptism; it came to pass, our sins requiring it, that he received not health, but destitute of all hope after some time returned home. But it happened that his tribesmen, still remaining in their paganism, who saw that he had not recovered his sight, forthwith led him into reproach and derision; namely that he had forsaken his God, and in another had found no salvation. These and the like things they upbraiding, it came to pass that the aforesaid man was confounded with shame, and strove to bring death upon himself. having not received his sight, mocked by the Pagans, he is enlightened. But, O man most worthy of all praise, who both preserved his temporal life for him, and freed him from eternal death! For while he still remained in this intention, that he would bring death upon himself; through the merits of B. Godehard enlightened, to those, from whom before he had received contumelies, he upbraided their gods as deaf and dumb, and most truly affirmed that they would never receive any good from them. Him afterward in our church many saw, and that he had been enlightened most truly knew.
[36] But it happened not long after, that a certain man from Poland came to the patronage of B. Godehard; A possessed man is restored to himself. but while now he strove to enter the door of our church, suddenly he was seized by a malign spirit, and cast down to the earth in horrible manner. Who while he was led by force into the church and applied to the tomb of B. Godehard, with so great fury he began to rave, that anyone could marvel. At length the body of B. Godehard is borne to him, and with the sign of the holy Cross blessed; and without delay, at once with a token of great stench he is freed. But there was at that time in the Bishopric of Utrecht a certain man given to the merchant's art, who frequently crossed the sea; and what was necessary for him, sought out. He at a certain time in a very great tempest is caught in the middle of the sea, by all is despaired of, and now nothing but the last term of life is feared. At length some time being ended, the strength of their souls resumed, they implored the aid of B. Godehard: Rescued from a tempest they vow a silver ship. and vowed they would bring a silver ship, if they escaped. These afterward in our church, bringing a silver ship, we saw, and so to them to have happened most truly knew.
[37] It happened also at that time in Holland, that at a certain time the sea flowed in through an inundation, The Hollanders are freed from an inundation of the sea: and drowned an infinite multitude of peoples. This certain persons perceiving, betook themselves into a certain basilica dedicated in honor of S. Mary; in which they hoped they would escape death. But when now the sea flowed more and more, and now struck the very wall of the basilica, seeing that they could not escape, they implored the aid of B. Godehard, which at once they evidently perceived. For forthwith the sea slips back to its wonted place, and lest henceforth it have place of wandering, is divinely restrained. It came to pass therefore that our Lord showed the patronage of B. Godehard to us not only on land, and other shipwrecked. but also on the sea most certainly manifested it: for how many ships caught in a great tempest the Lord through him freed, the waxen ships still hanging in our church bear witness.
[38] About the same time Lothair Emperor of the Romans directed his legates, namely Eilbert Provost of Goslar our brother, to the Emperor of Constantinople, and the ancient treaty of the Emperors, which now had been almost neglected, between them repaired. He while he crossed the sea, and now proceeded with prosperous course; it happened, that a certain servant of his fell backward from the stern, a drowned man is rescued from the waves. and a long time being under the waves of the sea appeared to none. It came to pass therefore, while he was absorbed by the waves of the sea, and every voice was interrupted, with the sole intention with which he could, he implored the patronage of B. Godehard; and that he would free him from the peril of death, most devoutly besought. He thus thinking, there appeared to him a certain man of hoary face; and leading him out to the surface of the sea, taught him to swim, which before he knew not. But those who were in the ship seeing it, slackened the sail and with a smaller boat, which accompanied them, came up to him. So the aforesaid servant, now almost absorbed from death, is rescued, and in a wonderful manner restored to life. Him all afterward in our church we saw, and concerning him that so it had happened by true assertions knew.
[39] Not long after it happened, in the Hungarian regions to be celebrated a miracle worthy also to be retained in memory. For a certain Count of that region had had a son, The son of a Count in Hungary is raised from the dead. in whom he had placed all his temporal hope and trust. But it happened that he fell sick, and now was endangered unto death. It came to pass therefore, while all solicitously night and day watched about him, and hesitated between hope and fear, that the boy drew near to death; and on a certain day, about the first hour expired. These things thus done, while all redoubled mourning and lamentations, and prepared what was necessary for the obsequies, by chance a certain man from the Bavarian region had come, who also that very boy
had raised from the font. He therefore seeing the incomparable grief of the father and mother, having pity on them, began to intimate to them the name of B. Godehard, and how great grace the Lord administers to the faithful hoping in him, most devoutly to announce. These things heard, without hesitation, the father and mother with firm faith prostrate themselves to the earth, most devoutly implore the mercy of B. Godehard, and vowed to renew the journey with their offerings to his threshold, if to the former life through his patronage they could recover their son. These things finished, now the evening time had come, when in an unhoped-for manner, the boy returns to his former life; and, what is wonderful to say, without token of hurt rose from the bed of sickness. But the vow which the aforesaid father and mother had made, without delay they fulfilled; and with no small offerings visited the threshold of our blessed Patron Godehard: whom in our church we honorably received, and that so it had happened to them by truthful relation knew.
[40] About the same time, while so great miracles through B. Godehard flourished; One wishing to abuse a bone for relics perishes by a sudden death, it happened that two men, gorged with too much drinking, went out of our city, and wished to cross to the next village. Who, while they stood in the middle of a field, one of them by chance found a bone; which raising in his hand, for an hour he carried with him. But seeing that bone to be of great beauty and whiteness, he said he wished to cross the land, and to notify to all, that he bore Relics of our Patron; and so temporal gain, as the rest, to acquire. Which said without delay he is hurried into madness, and speaking strange things is led home, and by an evil death the next night is delivered. These things heard, the greatest terror is struck into men, and, if any doubt concerning our Patron had crept into their hearts, in every way is eliminated from them.
[41] There was in those times a baker of the Brethren, Adelward by name, to whose lodging certain pilgrims turned aside, and in hospitable manner remained with him for the night: who, while they led their horses to be watered, a boy suffocated in the waters returns to life, set his son still being of small age upon a horse, and the father not knowing, led him away: who while they watered the horses, by chance the child frightened is thrown headlong from the horse, and without delay drawn under by the waves, and where he could be sought is unknown to all. But the pilgrims not able to find the boy, sad return home, and to the father announced what had happened concerning the son. Which heard, the father quickly rises, sad goes to the water, and seeks the boat drawn far off; and that he might find the son at least dead, since he could not living, he labored. Who while a long while he sought the boy in the place where he had fallen, nor found him; he returned to land, sought a hook; which found, after a long space he found the boy. These things thus done, he turned aside into the next house, and there set down the boy dead and having no sign of life; and only what was necessary for the obsequies, solicitously sought. While these things are thus done, the mother of the boy with the rest of the women, of whom a great multitude had entered the house, implores the mercy of the Lord and of B. Godehard; and, that the wonted benignity, which he had bestowed on all, he would not withdraw from her, most devoutly entreats. What more? After a little time, the boy emits sobs; the water, which he had drawn in, with great force flowed out; and at length resumed his former life.
[42] But there was about the same time a man given to the merchant's art, who by trading, passed through divers lands, A merchant with his nephew captive among the pagans and for himself and his own sought a living with difficulty. But it happened, that he at a certain time for the cause of merchandise, with many others, made his way among the Pagans, and bore with him no small possession. Who while they proceeded with a prosperous journey, it happened that they entered a vast solitude, where they had a not small multitude of Pagans meeting them. Which seeing, they ran to arms, prepared defenses everywhere for themselves, but were not able to resist their multitude. Then indeed certain of them they delivered to death, certain they maimed in body, certain they took captive; and plundered their goods. Among which captives, the aforesaid man, with a certain boy, the son of his brother, is taken captive, and led into the most remote parts of the Pagans; and there is detained in a certain island of the Ocean: where, when long he sweated at servile work, and had not whence he might be rescued, inasmuch as where the sea flowed round on all sides, nor found any place of escaping; at length he vows that he will go to the patronage of B. Godehard our Patron, if through what part he could flee the hands of those men, he would show him.
[43] These things thus done, on a certain day while about the shore of the sea distressing himself and insisting in prayers he walked about, he found a small skiff in an obscure place of the shore, in which he hoped to cross the sea, by the help of God; in a wonderful manner by sailing away he is freed. but, because the sea was great and spacious, he trembled to attempt so great a peril, and commended himself to the prayers of B. Godehard, asking that he would inspire his mind, and prepare fitting supports for him, by which he could escape so great a tribulation. These things finished now night had come, when now with fixed mind he prepared himself for flight. Two small lances therefore being taken, and a cloth pulled from the mattress, he goes to the boy the son of his brother, who was staying in another village, and led him away with him. But when he had come to the little boat, with the small lances and the cloth, which he carried with him, he fitted a sail, and so commended himself to the mercy of the Lord and of B. Godehard. Which those who dwelt in the island seeing, suddenly pursued him: but, God aiding, they could not seize him; and home, the business unaccomplished, rowed back. But the aforesaid man, not unmindful of what he had vowed to God, without delay came to the patronage of B. Godehard, and the lances and the cloth, of which he had made a sail, in memory of so great a miracle, in our church asked to be hung.
ANNOTATA.
APPENDIX.
[44] Meanwhile while these things are done, and the memory of B. Godehard is held very celebrated, it happened, that the Archbishop of Cologne, Henry Archbishop of Cologne, Henry by name, passed through our city, with a not small band of Clergy and people; and recognized the aforesaid miracles, which were done through him. He came therefore into the assembly of our Brethren, and devoutly asked our fraternity. For the confirmation of which fraternity, he humbly asked that there be given to him of the Relics of our blessed Patron, the Relics of the Saint obtained, promising that he would bring it about, that in all his diocese he be held celebrated, and fitting honor be exhibited to so great a man. But because we deferred his petition on account of the absence of our Pastor; and then we promised that we would satisfy his will, when he should be present; not long after our Lord, when in our assembly he had recognized these aforesaid things, acquiesced to the petition of the Archbishop, and commanded what was asked by him to be given to him. Soon the Abbot of Blessed Godehard is sent to him with a portion of the relics, and is by him most devoutly received. But this portion the Archbishop sent into the land of his nativity, he founds a church in Swabia, that is, into Swabia; and there appointed a certain church in his honor: to which, when many flowed together, and recovered most certain salvation of soul and body; it happened that on a certain day a certain man's hand was cut off, so much that not even the least particle was joined to the body. Seeing therefore that he was maimed, he snatched up the hand, and his faith confirmed set it to the stump, and to the same church to the patronage of B. Godehard migrated; where they shine with miracles. where, when most devoutly he implored his mercy, there happened a most celebrated miracle, that the hand was glued to the stump, and restored to its former state.
[45] A certain honorable man, whose name was Theodoric, a citizen of Hildesheim. The Author of the Fraternity of S. Godehard, He moved by a singular devotion, instituted the fraternity of S. Godehard; and into it brought men of both sexes; bestowing of his own a sufficiently ample alms to the poor on the feast of the said Pontiff Godehard. He lying in a certain infirmity, which is called consumption, is abandoned by the physicians, who despaired of his life. But on a certain night, which he passed almost sleepless, there appeared S. Godehard to him in Pontifical habit, saying to him, What dost thou brother? why dost thou lie thus prostrate in bed? To whom Theodoric answered: Burdened with a strong infirmity, I can do nothing other than lie prostrate; but I ask thee, S. Godehard, pray for me. To whom the holy man said; Rise in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and go to the church, and show thyself to thy Confraters; from consumption he is healed through him appearing, and tell them, that the Lord Jesus by my merits has healed thee, because thou hast procured my honor in this infirmity. Moreover tell them, that they persevere in what is begun; and I will be their brother, and defender from the malign enemy, and from all things which can hurt their honor, life or fame; and with God I will be ever an intercessor. But the said sick man rose; and did what had been said to him: and all who had heard the word, blessed God, who gave them such a Patron and intercessor. But the said Theodoric whole and cheerful afterward lived many years, devoutly commending himself to God and S. Godehard.
[46] Master John, Dean of Aachen, when he was a scholar, was at a certain time so gravely sick, that confessed and anointed nothing seemed to him but death. Who when the matter had been drawn up into the brain, lying alone he came into a trance: likewise another dying man. and he saw men unknown to him enter, who set the scales, which they bore in their hands, with short and square pieces of wood before him. They standing on one side of the bed he beheld three illustrious Confessors enter, namely Saint Martin of Tours, and S. Godehard Bishop of Hildesheim, and blessed Bernward; who stood around him on the other side. In whose sight the boy John is placed on one scale, and the weights of wood on the other. And when, the balance raised, the sick youth was found wanting, the aforesaid Confessors placed a small and beggarly little boy in his bosom, who suspending together the opposing scale soon, they appeared heavier than the weights. And at once John, who related this vision to me, bursting into sweat, made the crisis;
and from that same infirmity quickly recovered.
[47] In the year of the Lord 1338 the city of Passau, surrounded by the Bishop of Passau with a great soldiery of armed men, was so straitened, Passau besieged flees to the patronage of S. Godehard. that the people in it despairing of safety, wished to deliver themselves to their enemies. But it happened that one among them, bearing a special trust in S. Godehard, and sitting among the greater men of the city, said: We have heard many tokens of piety, and not small proofs of salutary help, how S. Godehard, sprung from this our land, nay from this our diocese, stood by many in tribulation, and they received consolation from him, as is most known to many. It is expedient therefore that we also implore his aid, asking with suppliant devotion that he clemently assist us, and avert from us the wrath of God, by which we have merited this calamity. The word of the old man pleased all, and all favor his exhortation: and they made a vow unanimously, that they would send some of the citizens with offerings, asking that he would more quickly succor them in their necessities. Which vow uttered, with wonderful swiftness they found themselves consoled. For the generous Prince the Duke of Bavaria coming, intercepted the business; and is delivered from the peril. and between the Bishop of Passau and the citizens of the said city besieged by him established friendly truces: and so the Prelate departed, and the city rejoiced in unhoped-for peace. But also in the meantime the said Duke of Bavaria confirmed the peace begun between the Bishop and the city, and bestowed consolation on men of both sexes. But the citizens of the said city, sent their men as they had vowed to the sepulchre of S. Godehard with votive offerings, narrating to all there, how by the suffrages of S. Godehard from the greatest tribulation they had suddenly been freed.
[48] To those wishing to know what and how great things the Lord deigned to work through the merits of blessed Godehard, Relics being brought into the diocese of Utrecht many sick are cured, when we were in the Province of Utrecht and in other places, having with us the venerable Relics of the same, we took care briefly to note down certain things. An honorable man, Abbot in Dokkum, we evidently knew to be cured of a flux of blood, with which he had vehemently and long labored. Through his suffrage also a certain matron, who with good hope asked the same Relics to be brought to her, God from a double disease, dropsical and gouty, with which she had long labored, by his merits powerfully and evidently freed. Besides, the girdles of many being applied to the same Relics, and set to the limbs of the sick both secular and claustral, are known to have received health forthwith; namely the sick laboring with quotidian, tertian, pain of the head, of the eyes, of the teeth, and of the rest of the limbs. When a certain woman among her fellow-citizens, we giving the confraternity, in the wonted manner absented herself from it; admonished by a vision and by B. Godehard, why she wished to be deprived of so great a benefit? and answering, that she had nothing to offer; she heard, that rising in the morning, whatever she should find with her, she should offer; and so finding in her purse two coins of heavier money, she offered them, and professed the same deed before the people. A certain great man also, being very contrary to us, and aid is given in various necessities, when he strove to turn the people from us, and to impede our business in every way; so began to be endangered by a swelling of the throat and of the whole head, that now he seemed almost to fail; until coming to himself and repenting in heart, through the suffrages of B. Godehard freed from the very jaws of death, he corrected his error with devotion and humility. A certain woman when she bore twins, delivered of one before our coming, for three days with the other began to be in peril: but us coming, by the touch of a girdle applied to the holy relics, forthwith she is found delivered. Besides, when the greater Church of Utrecht was for a long time too much troubled by the suspension of divine offices, on account of the coming of the relics of blessed Godehard, it resumed the Divine offices; and gave to the whole people immense joy, namely in the dedication of that same Church.
ANNOTATA.
ON S. HELENA THE VIRGIN,
AT TROYES IN GALLICAN CHAMPAGNE.
PrefaceHelena the Virgin, at Troyes in Gallican Champagne (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR G. H.
After the city of Constantinople was taken in the year 1204 by the Latins, and Baldwin Count of the Flemings was created Emperor of the East, very many relics of the Saints were translated into the West: among which to the Episcopal city of Troyes in Gallican Champagne was conveyed the body of S. Helena the Virgin: The body of S. Helena at Troyes incorrupt, of whom Nicholas Camuzat makes mention in his Promptuary of the sacred Antiquities of the diocese of Troyes folio 116, in these words: But to the foregoing it pleases to add the sacred body of the Divine Helena the Virgin, which even now is entire and compacted in all its limbs, from Corinth the capital of Achaia, into the said Church of Troyes in the year 1209 by the French, who had brought the Empire of Constantinople under their yoke, conveyed and brought. Thus there. The solemn veneration of this Virgin was greatly increased and promoted, after which, her patronage being invoked, from the year 1257 very many and illustrious miracles were wrought, which in the Gallic idiom Nicholas des-Guerrois published, in his book of the Christian Sanctity of the city and diocese of Troyes: and we would give them from the autographs of the Troyes archive itself, renowned for miracles. if at our request they had been sent; now from the Gallic we shall exhibit them rendered into Latin. The day of veneration is here the fourth of the month of May, not only in the Breviary of Troyes, Cult May 4, but also of Auxerre under a double rite: of which Church we have some ancient Breviaries. Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology on this day delivers, that her precious body is honorably reposed at Troyes in the chief church, and that to venerate it today from the whole diocese the people flow together with a very devout concourse. Des-Guerrois adds that this feast is celebrated among the people, with all servile work ceasing. In the Register of the benefices of Troyes printed at Troyes in the year 1612 there is assigned to the altar of S. Helena a proper Chaplain in the Cathedral Church, an altar with a proper Chaplain. of which Benefice the collation is in the hands of the Bishop himself. Greven in the Auctarium of Usuard makes mention of Helena the Virgin: whom Ferrarius makes a Martyr.
[2] These things concerning the cult and miracles of S. Helena the Virgin, translated to Troyes, are certain and undoubted. But, as des-Guerrois asserts, the people of Troyes had a pious and curious desire of obtaining the Life and deeds of this most holy Virgin: to whose will someone about to satisfy, Her Life in Greece fabulous. composed a certain history, plainly fabulous; which nevertheless so pleased, that even at some time it was inserted into the Breviary itself. But on account of the detected fraud the said history was omitted in the new Breviary reprinted, R. D. Peter le Venier admonished us by letters, Penitentiary of the Church of Auxerre, whose humanity in the said city in the year 1662 we experienced, and whose excellent learning we esteemed. We obtained the said history from a Longpont Ms. by the study of D. Nicholas Belfort, which D. Louis Nicquet a Celestine and Librarian of Soissons also transmitted to us, distributed into six lessons. There is wanting in each codex some part concerning the death, burial and miracles after death: in the other also the Preface, in which is an epistle under the name of Argimer, lector of Chalcedon, to Hervey Bishop of Troyes, who presided over the said Church from the year 1207, unto the year 1223. thrust forward under the name of S. Chrysostom: To this is subjoined an epistle of S. John Chrysostom to Rosarius Bishop of Athens, as if to him he sent the life of S. Helena composed by himself in Greek, which the said Argimer, at the prayers of the Bishop of Troyes Hervey, and the instance of John Angelicus, had translated into Latin. Argimer asserts that John Angelicus dealt with him in the city of Constantinople in the year 1215 on the fourth of the Nones of May, namely on that very day, on which the whole province of Constantinople and especially the Church of Natura celebrated the feast of the precious Virgin. But S. Chrysostom in his epistle had written, that on the fourth of the Nones of May, the whole day on which the flowery Virgin Helena had migrated, the whole city of Natura had been filled with roses and lilies falling from heaven; with the fragrance of whose inestimable odor also had been suffused the whole city of the Athenians, so far removed.
[3] That these things were written and believed is to be wondered at even the more for this, that in the Church of Constantinople there was no memory of this S. Helena, which we could have from the ancient Synaxarium of that Church or other Menaea: or any vestige among the ancient Greek authors. In the Acts themselves Helena is said to have been baptized by Aurisius Bishop of the Corinthians, his Deacon Amandus standing by. Other Bishops are cited, Porphyry of Natura, Martian of Christopolis, Algasius of Heraclea, The more recent Episcopal Seats inserted. Euagrius of Philippi. From whose Seats we gather, that these fables were composed in the thirteenth century, the Episcopal Seats being assumed from the Catalogues of those times. There were not known to the ancients Natura or Christopolis: but there were,
that one near Constantinople, this one toward the borders of Thrace toward Macedonia, afterward constructed, and erected into Episcopal Seats, as will become manifest to one comparing the ancient Notitiae of the Bishoprics with the more recent. But who was that King Agiel, who from Corinth even to Natura or Constantinople should rule? The very Latin names not at all in use among the ancient Greeks, with the rest of the phrasing indicate that nothing of these things came forth among the Greeks, much less from the pen of S. John Chrysostom. There displease also many and great miracles, stuffed together beyond verisimilitude; which nevertheless all can be read in des-Guerrois translated into Gallic. In the Kalendar of the Breviary of Dol printed in the year 1519, there is commemorated on the XX day of May S. Helena the Virgin, where this seems to be understood.
[4] At the time when Alberic lived and wrote his Chronicle, [the people of Troyes do not seem before to have distinguished her from the mother of Constantine.] that is in the XIII century advanced to its middle, the people of Troyes seem to have believed that they had the body of S. Helena the Empress, mother of Constantine: for her handmaid he says was S. Hoildis, who is venerated April 30, and whose body is kept in the church of S. Stephen, and perhaps was thought to have been brought with the body of S. Helena from the East. But that error being detected, and it being known that Hoildis was of French birth; but the body of Helena the Empress was held at Rome, another S. Helena seems to have begun to be sought, but with unhappy success, while such a Life was fastened upon her as we have rejected. But because the whole faith of the Translation made from the East perhaps has no other foundation, than that confusion of the two Helenas; there will perhaps be one who will doubt, whether this Troyes one lived and died elsewhere than in France, and will take no slight argument of doubting from the silence of the Greek Menaea and Synaxaria, what if she was a native of Gaul? to which she does not seem to have been able to be unknown, who had her cult so near Constantinople. We omitting all those things, which how uncertain they are appears from what has been said, retain only the title of Virgin, under which ecclesiastical cult is paid to her: and to prove this we give from the Troyes Ms. the miracles: to which Desguerrois seems to add the grave conflagration, by which in the year 1530 on the IV day of May more than sixty houses had burned at Troyes, repressed at the presence of the sacred biers, in which the bones of SS. Helena and Hoildis were contained.
APPENDIX
On S. Helenus the Anchorite.
Helena the Virgin, at Troyes in Gallican Champagne (S.)
BHL Number: 3796
BY THE AUTHOR G. H.
[1] Among the ancient parchments of the Thuanus Library, To the other benefits, which the officious assiduity of the Lord Wion d'Hérouval conferred upon us, this also was added, that when in the year 1662 to us passing through France into Belgium, all the Libraries of the city of Paris, even the Royal, lay open of their own accord; but the Thuanus alone remained closed, through the indiscreet severity of an old keeper, caring nothing less than for the matter committed to him; he (to whom by the will of the Lord most free access to it was daily given, and absolute power of carrying out the codices) wished to communicate from it whatever seemed to make for our matter. But among the parchments, thus shown to us, was a codex marked 599, where some pages written by a most ancient hand, had fragments from the Offices or Lessons of S. Sinericus, the part of the Life of S. Helenus found, who flourished in Normandy in the VII century and is venerated on the VII day of May, and of Saints Timothy and Apollinaris Martyrs Patrons of the city of Reims, who are venerated August 23: but in the middle place there were as it were three Lessons concerning S. Helenus, containing the beginning of his life.
[2] It was difficult to divine who he was, since the Kalendars and Breviaries of the Gallican Churches exhibited no Saint of this name: and although it was said that at Ricia he had served the Lord, whom Saussay seems to make mention of from this we could be made no more certain of the truth, when not even this name was known to all the Gauls. Thus to us hesitating Saussay occurred, in his Catalogue of Saints Blessed and Pious, who have not their proper histories or birthdays, but in the deeds of the Saints, in the Gallican Martyrology and its Supplement written, on their proper days with praise of piety are commemorated, under the letter H thus writing. S. Helynus Confessor, whose Relics are stored in the sacristy of the mother church of Troyes on May 5. On which day in the Martyrology itself it is said, that at Augusta of the Troyes folk on the Sunday within the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, there is a celebration of the holy Relics, recounting the Relics of the Cathedral of Troyes there stored in the sacristy of the Basilica of S. Peter. But of these, enumerated in a long series, the order is closed by, The most sacred bodies of the Holy Virgins Mastidia and Helena, likewise some relics of S. Helena finder of the Lord's Cross, and also of the glorious Prelates of Christ Nicholas, Martin, Amandus and Vulbianus, and of the blessed Confessors of the same Theobald, Helynus and Maculphus.
[3] Here S. Marculph perhaps has a name truncated by one letter, of whom there was treatment May 1, and whose deposition is observed at Reims on the next day. Theobald seems to be the Count of Champagne, October 2 related among the Pious. under the name of Helynus Vulbianus is equally unknown as Helynus is. But considering the Lessons concerning S. Helenus now found how easily for Arceia, or Arciaca, a town near Troyes upon the river Aube commonly Arcis, Ricia could have crept upon the writer, especially if of old it was also written Ariciacum: I began to suspect, that in his district perhaps the saint was once venerated, but the body afterward translated to Troyes: which perhaps was by the common folk turned into Helena. and since the life was thereafter unknown, and the use of the common tongue, in pronouncing S. Helene or Heleine would not distinguish the masculine from the feminine, little by little the opinion prevailed, by which it was believed that at Troyes was the body of S. Helena the Empress, as we have said: but this vanishing there succeeded the prolix fable of Helena of Natura: while meanwhile those Relics, which are assigned to three different persons, are all perhaps of one, and indeed not of Helena but of Helenus or Helynus the Anchorite: of whose age and anchoresis more distinct things will be able to be said, when the entire Life shall have been found. Now receive this beginning of it.
[4] There was a holy man Helenus by name: he from boyhood served the Lord with all continence; He carried fire with his garment unhurt and nourished with most chaste instructions, had attained to the highest merits. Finally when he was still a boy in the monastery, if fire had been necessary to be sought from a neighbor, he bore burning coals with his garment unhurt; which all the Brethren who were present marveling at, desired to imitate the zeal of his mind and life.
[5] To him at a certain time, when he was alone in the desert, a desire of eating honey arose; and turning, he saw on a rock a honeycomb clinging. But understanding this to be a deceit of the enemy, forthwith rebuking himself, he said: Depart from me, deceiving and enticing concupiscence: for it is written, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the concupiscences of the flesh. Gal. 5, 16 and in the desert rigidly fasting And at once leaving even that place itself, he departed and went away into the desert; and there for the punishing of the concupiscence of the flesh by fastings he began to afflict himself. But in the third week of his fasting, he saw lying in the desert divers fruits and scattered: and understanding the wiles of the enemy, he said: I will not eat nor touch them, lest I scandalize my brother, that is my soul: for it is written, that not by food alone does man live.
[6] And when he fasted also the following week, he was led a little into sleep: and an Angel stood by him, saying: Rise now, and what thou shalt find set before thee, nothing doubting eat. And rising he saw a fountain of water, filled with gentle streams; and its banks round about bordered with certain tender and fragrant herbs; by an Angel led to refreshment is said and approaching he began to pluck and eat, likewise also to take a draught from the fountain, but he affirmed that he had never in all his life had so great a sweetness. But he found in that very place a certain cave, within which for some while he rested: and when the time and necessity of refreshing his little body was at hand, by the grace of God nothing was wanting of those things which he asked of the Lord.