ON BLESSED NICHOLAS
A HERMIT SLAIN AT NAPLES.
IN THE YEAR MCCCX.
PrefaceNicholas a hermit, Martyr at Naples (B.)
G. H.
Philip Ferrarius in the General Catalogue of the Saints, who in the Roman Martyrology are not, at this XI of May these things writes: At Naples B. Nicholas Hermit Martyr. Of whom, memory in Ferrarius. he says in the Notes, Paul Regius Bishop of Vico, in the first book of the Saints of the Neapolitan kingdom, from an ancient MS. codex of the church of S. Restituta, where his body lies: He was slain in the year MCCCX by night in the church, which he served, by a certain man, who an option to him proposed, saying: Either thou kill, or thou be killed. Wont was the slayer the alms of Mary the Queen, whose servant he was, to the Hermit to bring. The homicide perpetrated he could never flee, although by no one visibly detained. An Italian Life in Regius. These things Ferrarius. Queen Mary, as observes Paul Regius, was the daughter of Stephen V King of Hungary, and wife of Charles the second then reigning in the city and dominion of Naples. But the place, in which was the church of S. Mary Ad circulum, where dwelt B. Nicholas, The church of S. Mary Ad circulum, and at this time is called Ecchia, at that time deserted and without inhabitants, now is beheld adorned with most noble edifices, and cultivated with most illustrious inhabitants. So Paul Regius, who the life of this Hermit published, extracted from an ancient MS. Latin codex, kept in the church or chapel of S. Restituta Virgin and Martyr, The body in the Chapel of S. Restituta, in which is kept the body of B. Nicholas Hermit. The same observes Henry Baccus in the description of the Neapolitan kingdom, by Caesar Engenius augmented and at Naples in the year MDCXIII printed: where after the narrated eleven bodies of Saints, which in the Cathedral church are kept, a twelfth he adds, the body of B. Nicholas Hermit. The year, in which he was slain, accurately is indicated, the one thousand three hundred tenth with Indiction the eighth, which to that year agreed. A Latin Life. The cited Latin Acts, by an author as it seems contemporary written, to us transmitted at Naples Antony Beatillus of Bari, of the Society of Jesus a Priest, and of our studies about the Neapolitan Saints a singular favorer. Who in that Life at the burial's time is said to have been absent the Neapolitan Bishop, Humbertus was, of divine worship to be increased most zealous, as him Ughellus praises and is clear from the Acts: among which is numbered in that very year MCCCX in the month of March made the translation of S. Severus, as we said at his Life the XXX of April. Such therefore since he was, it is not doubtful that returned into the city, he wished also a part his to have in honoring him, whom God so greatly willed to honor.
LIFE
From an ancient MS. of Naples.
Nicholas a hermit, Martyr at Naples (B.)
BHL Number: 6222
FROM MSS.
[1] A certain man penitential, by nation a Lombard, Nicholas by name, Near Naples a solitary, bearing the habit of a Hermit, from of old the Neapolitan city on pilgrimage sought: and having found a small basilica, by the name of the glorious Virgin distinguished, to which the surname Ad circulum, from the very city distant nearly the space of a mile one, solitary indeed and from human society's vicinity removed, upon a worn-away and high rock, to the sea bordering placed: but only to the living God and our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom to serve is to reign, dedicated himself in it perpetually about to serve. In this therefore church, which by devout operation he repaired and increased and cleansed kept and adorned, nor caused it to lack for the measure of his faculty of divine celebration the mystery; he passed days and nights in sanctity, given to prayer, fasting from himself utterly of worldly solicitudes the cares and noise renouncing, continually praying, and bringing to the divine service a hindrance the too great frequency of human conversation avoiding. To him, to God always intent, once in the day food and drink was bread and water: to which sometimes beans and raw herbs he mixed.
[2] and of penitence rigid, His garment on the bare flesh an iron circle, the belly and sides with the kidneys binding and compressing, twin containing straps of iron, on the right and left part from on high downward let down to the shoulders, and after descending to the kidneys, which connected to the said circle were joined. Also other orbicular small circles his twin arms constrained, and went around his body a thin chain iron, after the manner of a belt the lower parts pressing, which lest it fall a bar made firm. To these then an iron cuirass was superposed, which covered a bear's hide with hairs shaggy, and that under a white linen lay hidden. But also his little bed was a raised against the wall ladder of wood, to which sleeping he clung clothed: a pillow moreover was a rough stone. Such indeed a life in the aforesaid church leading the most happy Hermit, and of years nearly twenty to continual recollection at leisure, for 20 years. for heavenly things earthly he despised, for stable things the falling he refused, transitory things for abiding he fled.
[3] But of the envying spirit at the good works often by a strong temptation he was not free. Which certainly divinely permitted is believed, that of his acts the perfection might be proved. For it is held by religious men of a heavenly life and conversation honest, who with him in life conversed, and to some of whom he himself confessed, adjured by them and diligently exacted; By a demon he is tempted by the appearance of a woman put before him, that he himself the ever-watchful of the human race enemy once in the appearance of a beautiful woman, the sun setting came to him, crying out: and fleeing complained, that certain men, in that place's solitude pursuing his ambushingly footsteps, with him to commix basely strove: and so he asked more instantly, himself within the said church to be received, that the attempts of the wicked he might escape pursuing. He indeed the pious and merciful Hermit, from that to which then he was at leisure prayer suspended, to the exterior door not slow ran, and the closed door forthwith opened, and the feigned woman admitted. Who dismissed, behind her by the hands of the hermit shut, in the middle space before the doors of the church,
when into it to enter the unclean spirit dared not, to the prayer's interrupted suffrages, of this thing ignorant, the Hermit returns: and while a little while delaying he gazed what she did, the door opened, whom he had introduced, he found not. Then the Hermit recognized, that of the vice of the flesh by the craft of Satan solicited he had been and tempted. On account of which more himself to prayer he gave, Him who with him mercifully had acted blessing. At another moreover night a certain time, not feigned, but a horrific demon, on the church's roof sitting, and at another time by terror. and the praying Hermit by name with a loud voice calling, uncovered the church, downward casting, what from the roof violently he had torn off, to strike striving the man of God. But he by his protections of prayer aided, the raging one from the roof expelled and unharmed remained, and again the omnipotent God blessed.
[4] But neither with these content the enemy laying ambush, what through himself he could not do, at length opportunely through another procured. For behold there was found for his service a certain one, by name Perottinus, of the city of Aix of Provence, long conversant and serving in the house of the illustrious and Catholic Princess the Lady Mary, from Perottinus the alms of the Queen wont to receive; of Jerusalem and Sicily and Hungary the Queen: through whom the same Lady to the aforesaid Hermit by way of alms foods often had sent, since to him a pious she had mind and of entire devotion an affection. But he although the foods themselves devout received, not however ate, but secretly to the poor dispensed. Hence Perottinus the same, who both devout appeared exteriorly, and an almsgiver Christian, into so great acquaintance and familiarity of the same holy man had come, that admitted through him by night sometime he was to sleep in the same church: which certainly permitted to another is not found, by the same with him passing the night, except this man to solitude given, that his more quietly he might afford to the Lord service.
[5] Indeed the aforenamed Perottinus, who as by his speech's testification it was perceived, for years continuously four stimulated by a malign spirit had been, that the said he should slay innocent one; on the night the eleventh of the month of May, the 11th of May in the year 1310, in indiction the eighth, in the year of the Lord one thousand three hundred tenth, armed and alone approached to the place; and calling the mentioned Hermit, watchful and praying, himself to be admitted in the said church asked. He indeed the Hermit, the person known, of the petitioner's affection satisfied. Nevertheless the church's doors opened, by the betraying lamps' light, armed appeared, who to come was wont unarmed. The Hermit smiling inquired from him, why he had come armed. But he: That thee, he said, I might kill. Which heard the Hermit trembled, beholding fearful the opportune place, and the time fit, and of the ill-disposed and armed man the unusual will. While himself from this wicked to remove purpose by words and examples holy the Hermit strove; when him to kill he was unwilling, said he: In vain thou strivest and laborest in vain. To be chosen is for thee one of the two, either thou me slay, or I thee destroy. Seeing moreover the Hermit the aforesaid choice iniquitous, necessarily to himself given, into a safer part the holy declined affection, to kill refusing, and himself to be killed by patience devout permitting. Forthwith therefore the man that wicked, is slain himself. the sword from the sheath drawing forth, struck and destroyed already dead to the world, and besprinkled the church with the precious blood of the man just. Who before the soul, the slain body's prison deserting, as it merited, he breathed out into heaven; with repeated turns his he exhorted and admonished slayer, that straightway he should flee, and to escape try: as much as in himself was remitting to him, what he had done, and praying devoutly to the Lord for the same.
[6] The striker by divine force detained, But, O wonderful God's virtue! and inscrutable His height of counsel, which of human consideration the gaze attains not! The man just by iron is slain, and the causal thence reason humanly is not had. With Him however a right order is believed: who in the high dwelling, our equally despises actions and the thoughts of the heart. Stands accordingly the homicide in the church alone before him, of whom the exhortation and admonitions he had received dying, that, lest he be found, he should flee; not able from the first nearly of the night hour even to morning, risen now the sun, from the place to withdraw, where so dire a wickedness and crime he had committed, as by his confession it was learned, and by trustworthy of several men's assertion. For certain men near the said church stones cutting, by the latomers returning to their work long had been wont, for of their alleviation labors, when, the night approaching with twilight, their works they dismissed, in the same church with the same Hermit of their service the iron tools to deposit: which on single days at dawn receiving, they went of this kind their service to serve. On that moreover morning, which the already said night dark had preceded, while of them some the church sought, within it about to receive the deposited iron tools; they marveled, that at that hour beyond custom with opened both doors lay open the church; and they found a youth erect and watchful, with blood besprinkled, a sword in the right hand bearing: and bent down to the earth the light, the slain Hermit is beheld. he is caught fixed in the spot, Of the beholders the minds marvel while innocent he seemed extinct; and he who had destroyed him, had not gone away fleeing, when for flight time had granted spacious. They address him, nor he answers. Often they admonish, counsel, and by pushing provoke that he withdraw, before of the presumed temerity the daring horrible to common knowledge is brought. At length an answer given he says, himself not to have been able nor to be able to withdraw. For it seemed to him that his feet by a very great namely mass of stones were pressed. Straightway moreover through one man, from those there standing and astonished, to the Royal Captain of the said city in the temple of the deed the tenor is opened. and is led to the judge. Sent he most quickly his vicar, and with him satellites several armed, that straightway they should take the homicide, and to the curia lead him, of deserved penalty the judgment about to have. There is a coming to the place, the homicide is taken, but scarcely thence is torn away, that he be led, since with an almost stony invisible weight he seemed afflicted. Nor was he denying himself what he had done, nor from this even, what to be told wonderful is beheld, timid he appeared. With difficulty therefore bound behind his back the hands he is led, and that whole day before the house of the aforesaid Captain bound and guarded to his proper sight is presented.
[7] The body of B. Nicholas with a great concourse is visited, Meanwhile, fame divulging the business, there is made of the Clergy and people a concourse to the church aforesaid, in which lay on the ground the most blessed body. Those coming first a few the entrance lies open, to the rest the door is closed, and growing continually there assembles of men a multitude, to see this holy man, with pious affections anxious. Came also after a little the Captain mentioned to the holy place, who devoutly him having revered, ordered him to be brought forth outside. Brought forth with an odor most sweet he smelled: all kissed: by all are plucked out for devotion too great the hairs of the beard, and of the head the hairs, and whatever of these, with which he was found clothed, could be had, is torn. With his blood the wetted ground is wiped and dried: hence lay open to many before hidden within his garment things, which above are described. There is carried his body, of an almost Martyr, through the Clergy of the Neapolitan Chapter, and in the chapel of S. Restituta is buried: whom an innumerable crowd follows from the city of Naples, the Bishop then absent, to the major Neapolitan church: and there in the chapel or church of S. Restituta, the divine solemnly celebrated mystery, in a certain marble tomb is laid up and buried: in which certainly closed, a tiny breathing-hole left, to it committed the body for some days not smelled as a dead one, but a most sweet breathed odor. From which tomb it was translated to a certain tomb other, in the same church or chapel in a fitting place placed, in which at present it remains, and many on account of his merit in the virtue of the Most High sure and various miracles daily are demonstrated.
[8] But let us return to the of iniquity and wickedness man, of so great a crime the intrepid committer, describing what fruit of the perpetrated he received. the homicide is hanged. On the following indeed day after his capture, by sentence condemned to death, through the whole city of Naples bound, as he was, he is dragged, and on a gibbet hanged, finishing in bitterness his deserved days.