ON ST. GOSWINUS,
A BOY MARTYR, AT ROME.
THE COMMENTARY OF JOHN BOLLAND.
On the notice of the martyrdom from the Martyrologies of more recent writers and the etymology of the name.
Goswinus, a boy, Martyr at Rome (S.)
The natal day of S. Goswinus on the XI Kalends of June was consigned in their Fasti by Hermann Greven the Carthusian a hundred and forty years ago, Peter Canisius our own, Molanus, Ferrarius. The former two only express the name and laurel in these words: Of Goswinus the Martyr. Molanus in the auctarium to Usuard, He is said to have suffered as a boy at Rome, adds the place of the contest, and the age of the athlete: At Rome, he says, of S. Goswinus a boy and Martyr. Ferrarius in the general Catalogue of Saints, citing Molanus, yet dissents from him as to the place: On the same day, he says, at Cologne of S. Gosuinus a boy Martyr. The same in the Fasti of Cologne has Aegidius Gelenius: but he found nothing further of this Saint anywhere, as he testified to us. The Ms. Florarium of the Saints, the place being dissembled, indicates the time of Martyrdom, but puts it on May XXVII: The Passion, it says, of Goeswinus a boy and Martyr under Antoninus Pius, in the year of salvation CLXXVI. But that was the year XVI from the accession of Antoninus Pius, of the empire of M. Aurelius and L. Verus XVI, with Pollio and Aper as Consuls.
[2] From the words of these authors I conjecture, that of this Holy Martyr some Acts are extant somewhere, perhaps sprung from Belgium, or relics are kept, with things added which we have related on some little label; as in ancient shrines is wont to be. The name is Teutonic: whence anyone might divine, that he sprang from Germany or Belgium, and came to Rome either in the company of his parents or kinsmen, or in the retinue of some Prefect returning from those regions; and that, having freely professed the faith, which either in his fatherland he had imbibed, or had learned at Rome, he carried off the palm of Martyrdom.
[3] Unless one should rather suspect, that to those shores the relics of an unknown Martyr were brought from Rome, who afterward as Goswinus, that is, or given by a Bishop a Teutonic name, Beloved-of-God, or Friend-of-God, or Theophilus, was named by some Prelate, a general name being turned into a proper one. For Wine or Win in the old language of our people, and also of the English, signifies Friend or beloved. Thus in the Life of S. Lebuinus the Presbyter in Surius November XII Hucbald, an old writer: After the bright lights of very many Doctors, which the same sun of justice, that he might drive away the darkness of the West, had irradiated with his own splendor, in which Win signifies friend, that they themselves also might be the light of this world; one star also, exceptional, when the day of this age was now nearly darkening to evening, suffused most copiously with the grace of his splendor, He deigned to bring forth for their enlightenment, namely Lebuinus, a dear friend to Himself, according to the idiom of a name most fittingly agreeing with him. For he is reported by those skilled in his language, that he was called LIEFWIN in the speech of his country, which to the Romans sounds, Dear friend. But certain letters being removed or changed to suit Latinity, he was called Lebuinus. By that word Wine Wilteramus the Abbot everywhere expounds in the Paraphrase of the Song of Songs, published by Paul Merula, that which in Latin is Beloved. Thus that chapter I. v. XII, *A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me*, he himself renders in the old Frankish tongue, as Merula speaks, or Teutonic or Saxon: Min Wine, is mïr also ein gebundelin mirron. And v. XIII, A cluster of cypress is my beloved to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi. Min Wine is mer Worthan ethele Winthruvo van Cypro, in then Wingardon Engaddi. And V, XV, *Behold thou art fair, my beloved, and comely.* Sino schone bistu Wine min, ande eerlich. And so onward. More examples of similar nomenclature James Revius brings forth in Daventria illustrata book 1 page 10, as Hlodewin, who is Chlodoveus commonly, that is, Friend of the people: Baldwin, brave friend: Winfrid, friend of peace, or dear peace. So therefore Goswin, God Deum; Friend of God. For God in the Teutonic speech is God. Hence Gods-win, or Godes-win, or for euphony's sake the d being cast off, Goswin or Goeswin. so that Goswin is Theophilus, or friend of God, What if some Saint, whose remains brought from Rome into lower Germany were there, was called Theophilus; and as for Theodulus or Servant-of-God, our people called certain ones Godscalc, for Deodatus, or Deusdedit, Gotgave; so Goswin, they preferred to call him?
[4] But the former conjecture is more approved by me, that S. Goswinus sprung from Germania Secunda, set out or was carried to Rome, on whatever occasion at last. But there were in the age of Antoninus Pius and M. Aurelius, Christians already quite numerous in the same Germania Secunda, especially in those places where there were Roman garrisons, at Cologne of the Ubii, Atuatuca of the Tungri, Jülich, Marcodurum, and elsewhere. And in the Belgic provinces, or of Lower Germany in the Cisrhenane tract, many everywhere from S. Goswinus, The name is frequent among the Belgians. their patron, draw their name in baptism. There is another B. Goswinus (but to whom not yet have the public honors of the sacred been decreed by the authority of the Apostolic See) Abbot of the monastery of Anchin near Douai, who died in the year MCLXVI, whose Life we shall publish October IX. His appellation doubtless drawn from that more ancient Goswinus, whatever he was: although outside the German Empire, or the kingdom of Lotharingia, namely at Douai, he was born. And from those things which we have here said, it is clear, what may be answered to the clever (as they themselves think) little questions of some, how it can be that from the ancient cemeteries of the Romans were dug up bodies of Saints, to whom German, or names used by other peoples, were ascribed. Thus in the college of the Society of Jesus at Mons in Hainaut, a noble city of Belgium, the body of S. Henry the Martyr is kept with public veneration, dug up from the cemetery of S. Priscilla at Rome. Why indeed not, since to that City from the whole world very many flocked together, whether for military service or for business, or led by mere curiosity, also Belgians, should have frequented it, and the neighboring Germans, since for more than CCCC years they were under the empire of that City, until, prevailing by arms, the Franks compelled it to be changed? And, to omit the custodians of bodies adopted by the ancient Emperors, Germans, Batavians, and others; is it not clear from the Notitia of the Empire, that very many troops of soldiers were chosen from these peoples? Thus the Nervii, Mattiaci, Menapii, Vandals, Germans, Franks, Quadi, Alamanni, and others, are read in the same Notitia to have served under various Dukes and Governors. Why not from these someone, imbued with our sacred rites, could have consummated martyrdom at Rome?
[5] Thus far formerly our Bolland, in favor of his friend Goswin Nickel, but without respect to any Saint. then Provincial Provost of the Lower Rhenish Province, but afterward General of our whole Society. But what we can add there remains nothing, except the wish, that concerning the place, in which the Relics of that Saint are kept, from somewhere greater notice may come; which had, perhaps also more light will shine upon the aforesaid conjectures. Meanwhile it is probable that those who among us are called by such a name, were so called without any respect to this or any other Saint: as most of those, to whom such names of their fatherland's origin fell, first indeed invented from the pious vow of parents, then for preserving the memory of grandfathers and great-grandfathers or godfathers in certain private families more studiously continued; equally as certain other words of good omen, chosen for the naming of sons, as of those born for public or private good, as are Ruwardus, Keeper of quiet, Lidericus, Rich for the people, and others similar, by the patronage of no yet illustrious Saint, to whom respect could be had from present-day usage, ennobled.