ON B. HERCULANUS OF PLEGALE,
OF THE ORDER OF MINORS OF THE OBSERVANCE,
AT CASTELNUOVO OF GARFAGNANA IN TUSCIA.
IN THE YEAR 1451.
PrefaceHerculanus de Plegale of the Order of Minors of the Observance, at Castelnuovo of Garfagnana in Etruria (B.)
D. P.
[1] To this Blessed man Plegale, a town of the Perugian territory, gave origin and surname; that very one I believe, Born at Plegale which in the tables of John Antony Magini, renewed by John Blaeu, is written Piegao, at the beginnings of the river Nestore, not far from the confines of Tuscia: but he migrated to heaven from this mortal life, where the rights of the Duke of Modena beyond the Apennine pour themselves into Tuscia. There is an ample Dominion, which the river Serchio, by the ancients called Auzer, wholly irrigates, together with many rivulets by which it is from time to time augmented, and is called the Valley Grafiniana commonly Garfagnana; taking its name perhaps from an old Grafiniano castle, which formerly was there; for which then arose that which is called Castelnuovo of Garfagnana, the chief town of the whole valley, on the confine of the Lucchese territory. Hence at so small an interval is distant Castelplebis Pieve, that the convent of the Observants founded in its district by B. Herculanus, is called the monastery of Castelnuovo of Garfagnana by Luke Wadding at the year 1451, in which he there died. dead at Castelnuovo, The Convent was not yet then completed: it happened therefore (as Gonzaga narrates in Convent 18 of the Province of Tuscia) that the body of the deceased, for a whole five years, on account of the imperfection of the work, lay open to the drippings of waters: which yet was found altogether incorrupt and unputrefied
: wherefore exhumed thence, it was translated to the greater chapel. Thus Gonzaga, almost a hundred years ago. Wadding at the year 1451 in which he died number 45: The church being at last completed, he says, he was first translated, entire and sound, to the wall of the greater chapel; then resolved into ashes, to the chief altar, where still he is reverently kept. But the most recent and modern writer, he is venerated on the Sunday in Albis, Antonius Tagnocchi de Terrinca, whose Etrusco-Minoritic Theatre has at last come to light, in his MSS. to me says, that besides the chapel or oratory, erected there in his honor, there is had there also a Society of secular laymen under the title of B. Herculanus, which keeps his feast on the Sunday in Albis. These things being set down it is sufficiently established concerning the public cult: which since with the Paschal cycle it is movable, or because the day of death is nowhere found noted, Arthur of the monastery thought it lawful for himself, in the Franciscan Martyrology, to determine a day well seen to himself, and he determined this 28th of May; on which we retain him, because that for the present seems better. For the use of that Martyrology being somewhat already received through the Order, on this day he is inscribed in the Franciscan Martyrology. and no certain argument appearing by which the true day of death may at some time be defined, it is verisimilar that he is hereafter to be retained by writers, who shall wish to commemorate B. Herculanus on a fixed day, as Jacobilli did in the Lives of the Saints and Blessed of Umbria.
[2] The institute of the Minors being undertaken, says Wadding at the year 1451 number 43, Companion of B. Albert of Sarteano, he adhered to B. Albert of Sarteano. This man had passed from the Conventuals to the Observants in the year 1415, and flourished in great esteem of virtue and zeal, Wadding witnessing, about the year 1430; when Pope Martin V, about to reconcile the Conventuals and Observants, had instituted a general reformation of the Order in the General Chapter of Assisi. In this how he behaved himself, will be said on the 15th of August, on which he died in the year 1450, and on which he will come to be commemorated by us, as Blessed. Concerning Herculanus, companion of the same purpose with him, the Author of the Life such as it is, Silvanus Razzi, says, he follows the stricter observance. Vol. 1 of the Lives of the Saints and Blessed of Etruria page 648, that seeing the said reformation not to proceed, for the reason that the Brothers of the new family did not obtain in that reformation their intent, of living according to the pure observance of their Rule, as before they were wont; he soon began to think, how he might extricate himself from that bond to which the Pontiff had bound him. To this a great help was to him the immense favor of the Lucchese citizens acquired about the same time, and the vulgar opinion of no small sanctity confirmed by miracles. Wadding narrates the matter, at the year 1451 number 43. I, having gotten from Wadding's successor Harold what Marianus the Florentine wrote concerning Herculanus, two hundred years ago, in book 5 of his Chronicle chapter 24, prefer to give his own words, as they are read in the autograph folio 162 column 4.
LIFE
From the MS. Chronicle of Marianus the Florentine.
FROM THE MS. OF MARIANUS
[3] Preaching on the Passion he stirs wondrous motions of souls. Brother Herculanus of Piagale, which is a Castle three miles from Castelplebis of the province of Tuscia, in that very year in the place of Castelnuovo of Garfagnana happily fell asleep in the Lord: a man indeed holy, a chief zealot of the regular observance, and luminous with miracles, and a singular and most devout preacher: who in his time preached on the passion of the Lord above all others in a wondrous manner most fervently. Whence once, on holy Friday, preaching at Aquila, he excited the people to so great a lamentation, that they sent forth voices to the stars. But when through almost the whole sermon they had wept so bitterly and cordially, a certain noble Lady, called Mary Cantelama, with a loud voice said; No more, Fr. Herculanus, no more. But he on the contrary answered, Nay more, Lady Mary, nay more: let us all weep, let us weep. And in this way the voices of all so grew strong, that never in that city was a like lamentation heard. And not only on that day, but often in his sermons, intermingling something of the Passion of the Lord, or terminating the sermon, he moved the people to great lamentation.
[4] the Lucchese being besieged for three years When the Florentines, to besiege the city of Lucca, had sent their army, in the year of the Lord 1430 or thereabouts; and for three years, with the greatest damage of both peoples, the war had been protracted; at last the Florentines surrounded the city with a rampart, and put the Lucchese in the greatest famine: at which time in the great Lent Fr. Herculanus preached to the Lucchese. Who while once, for the peace and custody of the city, in the chapel of S. Martin, before the people he had most fervently prayed; the people heard the Lord Jesus Christ speaking with him, and saying, that not yet did he wish the people to deliver the city into the hands of their enemies. Whence afterward Fr. Herculanus, daily and confidently preaching, comforted the Lucchese, that they should not be afraid; but that they should remain intrepid: because still for them was their God, and pressed by famine he persuades them not to surrender the city, about to defend them against the enemies. The citizens also disagreeing among themselves, some wished to deliver themselves to the Florentines: but Fr. Herculanus asserted, that they should by no means do this, on account of the crimes and deflowerings of virgins that would follow. But the citizens who called the Florentines, closing the granaries, the greatest famine followed in the city; so much that from hunger some of the people perished. But the servant of the Lord preaching, excited the people to make penance and to loose their fasts: and on a certain morning in the fervor of spirit, turning himself to those who had closed the grain, and he foretells that provision will be present at Easter: he said: Bring forth the grain, and sell it; and I promise you, that this Easter your enemies will bring you much grain, and many lambs and kids will be sold in the square: and so it was done. For a certain Florentine citizen, compassionating the famine of the Lucchese, on a certain night of the Great week brought secretly into the city a thousand five hundred measures or stari of grain, and many lambs and kids. Which seeing the people, exhilarated with joy, rendered immense thanks to God: who by the prayers and exhortations of his servant Fr. Herculanus, had kept their city untouched from the hands of the enemies, as he had promised them. For the aforesaid provision being had, the Florentines reformed peace with the Lucchese.
[5] he meanwhile with his men often lacking bread, The companions of the Man of God related, that while they were in so great penury, he exhorted his companions, that the bread, which by the Community was bestowed on them daily by measure, they should yield to the famished people: and he himself wishing to be the distributor, when he ascended the pulpit, dispensed to the famished poor: whence for two and sometimes three days they themselves were without the eating of bread. Wherefore the Lucchese then conceived so great a devotion toward the family of the Regular Observance, that when the Brothers had no places in the Lucchese field, they obtained Bulls from the supreme Pontiff Eugenius, that Fr. Herculanus might receive two places in their county: who received one near the city of Lucca, in the place which is called Pezzuolo, at a mile near S. Cerbo a, and another of S. Francis at b Barga, and besides erected another place from the foundations near Castelnuovo. Who when from the inhabitants of Castelnuovo he could not obtain a site for the foundation of the place, he builds a convent, the man of God Fr. Herculanus going to the land which is called Pieve, two miles distant from Castelnuovo, preached to the people; and asked, that he might construct a certain site or place for himself and his companions; promising on God's behalf, that if they should concede the site, never would God invade their land with a contagious pest, unless brought from outside. But the men of Pieve, having great faith in the servant of God, where he himself chose the site, granted it. Therefore the site being obtained, Fr. Herculanus himself, Brother James of Pavia helping, constructed a humble place of wood and earth, not without small labor: and it lacking water, in the very construction, he obtained a great vein of waters near the place of prayer by grace. Moreover according to the promise, made to the men of Pieve, never has God up to the present day scourged that land with disease; although he has often struck the lands round about with pestilence.
[6] When the odor of sanctity of the servant of Christ was diffused everywhere through that region, he takes companions, some excited by his salutiferous sermons leaving the world, received from him the habit of holy Religion: of whom some shone with sanctity and miracles, as were Fr. Michael, Fr. Francis, Fr. Matthew, and Fr. Gaspar, all of Barga; and also Fr. James of Pavia. This Fr. Herculanus, with the blessed Father Fr. Albert of Sarteano went to the holy city of Jerusalem c, and received those sacred places into possession for the habitation of our family. Afterward returned to Tuscia, he shone with sanctity and very many miracles: and passed his life with so great austerity of life, that it is altogether incredible. But since with God there are no impossibilities, as we firmly confess; he passes his life almost without food, why do we doubt concerning the austerity of life of Fr. Herculanus? when we read that not only men, but women sometimes, transcended the human course in abstinence and other arduous works. Pius II supreme Pontiff concerning S. Catherine of Siena, in the Bull of her Canonization, recites, that she for a long time lived without any human food except the Sacrament, thus saying: The highest was the abstinence of this Virgin, and the wondrous austerity of her life. For when she had utterly cast off the use of wine and flesh, nor used any pottages; at last she was brought to such a point, that she neither ate legumes, nor fed on bread, except the heavenly, which the true Christian takes in the Sacrament of the Altar. These things he. If God conceded this grace to the feminine sex, except on Sunday. who would not have believed, that he conceded the same to Fr. Herculanus? who that he might flee vain glory, not always content with the Sacrament of the Altar, chose and took every Sunday a refection of bread and water with raw herbs, and sometimes that he should feed on legumes.
[7] He also used always one little tunic with a rough hair-shirt, coarse and patched. Often afflicting his little body with scourges, and praying with frequent vigils, the Body under the rain incorrupt and bewailing the sins of the people, he lived sleepless almost the whole night. Who at last consummated in life, in the above-said place of S. Francis near Castelnuovo of Garfagnana happily d fell asleep in the Lord. And because the church was not yet completed, near the foundations or walls of the refectory they delivered him to burial: where for about five years under the rain-waters, falling from the roof, he lay interred. translated to the altar. And yet his body was found entire: which thence elevated above a certain foot of the vault of the chapel they laid: where it being finally resolved, the bones
themselves they laid under his altar, to the praise of our Lord Jesus Christ.
ANNOTATA.
COROLLARY
TO THE 28TH DAY OF MAY.
PrefaceA certain convenience of the Printer now requires, that the more prolix Greco-Latin Acts should not come to be printed at the end of the Volume to which they pertain, about to inject an importunate delay to the presses, then chiefly wont to hasten. Since therefore at the end of the 28th day, and so of the 6th Volume of May, S. Andreas Salus was seen to stand; it has pleased to give his most prolix Life to be printed in each language out of order, before the work should have seriously begun to proceed; and that under a peculiar number of pages, to be noted by **, and distinguished from the other pages of the sixth Volume, in order to the Indices to be made. But this Saint is so much the more congruously given, separated from the other Saints of the present day; the less certainly can his legitimate and true cult be proved in the Constantinopolitan Church. For he died not much before, than the unhappy Sergius at the beginning of the 11th century revived the Photian schism, and therefore he has been found hitherto only in a single and that a more recent Synaxarium; but in none of the sacred buildings has he a peculiar feast, because in none of them did his body ever rest, uncertain whither it was divinely carried. But if this man, who by an author coeval and familiar is on almost every page of his Life called Saint, is not without caution adjoined to the Saints of this day; much less could there be mingled with them the Venerable Mary Bagnesi; who if at some time in her own city she absolutely possessed the title of Blessed, Urban VIII abrogated it, wishing nothing in that kind to remain ratified, except what either by express license of the Apostolic See, or by the prerogative of immemorial time could be said to be approved: but neither obtains in Bagnesi, dead not full fifty years before the decree. Meanwhile neither this offspring of the sanctity growing obsolete among the Greeks, or for that reason more notable because the last, was to be withdrawn from the notice of the Latins; nor could she seem alien from this work, to whose eternal felicity among the Saints S. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi gave so luculent a testimony, as we read it clearly in her Lives edited in this very Volume. A testimony indeed, about to bring without doubt immense weight to the cause, whenever a canonical judgment concerning the sanctity of Mary shall be instituted; as another similar one of the same Saint is known to have contributed very much to the Beatification of our B. Aloysius Gonzaga. Something also had to be indulged to the honor of the Florentine Saints, wonderfully concurring in this Volume (which the very concurrence of them persuaded to be dedicated to the Grand Duke of Etruria) that from their consortium she should not be absent, who if she had flourished one century earlier, would without controversy be said to have legitimately received the honors of the Blessed, conferred by the People and the Prelate, progressed to her veneration so far, as they could progress with the respect of the Apostolic See preserved, as below we shall see.