Winnoc

ON ST. WINNOC, ABBOT OR PRIOR OF WORMHOUT IN NORTHERN GAUL,

BEGINNING OF THE EIGHTH CENTURY

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY

Winnoc, abbot or prior of Wormhout. (S.)

BY C. D. S.

§ I. Of the first Life of St. Winnoc.

[1] The original Life of St. Winnoc, from which the others are derived, We have found a threefold Life of St. Winnoc. The first, which in certain manuscript codices is joined with the Lives of Sts. Audomarus and Bertin, and, as it seems, was composed by the same writer See below, no. 2., was published by our J. B. Ghesquière among the Acta Sanctorum Belgii, vol. VI, p. 432 and following, from a codex sent to the Bollandists by the Fathers of the College of the Society of Jesus at Molsheim in Alsace, thereafter marked in the Bollandist library ✠ ms. 86, now of the royal library at Brussels 8518–20, written in the tenth century See Catal. Lat. Brux., vol. II, pp. 213–15., but not complete, because the codex does not display it complete. It was edited complete, as he thought, by L. Deschamps [In Mémoires de la Société des antiquaires de la Morinie, vol. V (1841), pp. 200–207.], from a codex now of the public library of Saint-Omer 764, likewise of the tenth century Compare [Michelant, in Catalogue général des mss. …, in 4°, vol. III, p. 344.]. But in the Saint-Omer codex too there were lacking the miracles after death, which the distinguished Bruno Krusch indicated are copied in the codex of the public library of Bologna in Gaul (Boulogne-sur-Mer) 107, of the eleventh century Compare Catalogue général, in 4°, vol. IV, p. 639. Neues Archiv, vol. XVIII, p. 569.. From this threefold codex, with the addition moreover of the Cambridge codex of Corpus Christi College no. IX, of the eleventh century, the London Arundel 91, of the twelfth century, and the copy which is contained in the codex formerly of the Bollandists, now of Brussels 8933–34, we display the document now wholly complete.

[2] the writer does not seem to have been That the writer of this Life, if you except the last chapters on the second series of miracles after death, which chapters perhaps are to be attributed to another See below, no. 6., is the same to whom are owed the older Lives of St. Audomarus and St. Bertin formerly edited by our John Stilting Act. SS., Sept. vol. III, p. 396, and Sept. vol. II, p. 586., he, rightly, as it seems, gathered Act. SS., Sept. vol. II, p. 551, n. 12. from the title common to these three Lives prefixed in his codex: In the name of God, a few things concerning the holy manner of life and the life of the soldiers of Christ Audomarus, Bertin and

Winnoc. After this title there follows a preface (in which indeed the life of Audomarus alone is announced as to be told), and after the Life of St. Audomarus, without another preface, there follows the Life of St. Bertin, and afterwards similarly the Life of St. Winnoc. Moreover, to one reading through the three Lives it is clear that they were composed in the same rough and unskilled style [Compare L. Van der Essen, Études d'hagiographie médiévale, in Analectes pour servir à l'histoire ecclésiastique de la Belgique, 3rd series, vol. III (1907), pp. 76–77; the same, Étude critique et littéraire sur les Vitae des saints mérovingiens de l'ancienne Belgique (1907), pp. 402–403.].

[3] a monk of Wormhout, but of Saint-Bertin, That the same writer was not a monk of the monastery of Wormhout, which acknowledges Winnoc as founder, is easily gathered from the fact that the monks of this monastery are throughout designated by him as servants of God dwelling in the aforesaid cell [Life I, beginning of c. 5. Compare beginning of c. 6, beginning and middle of c. 8, c. 10 before the middle.], while nowhere does he indicate that he was joined to them by a closer bond of spiritual kinship. And by similar reasoning you might conjecture that he belonged to the monastery of Sithiu or Saint-Bertin: for in his whole writing (on the three saints) he seems to have had before his eyes as chief aim to celebrate that saint as founder, with Sts. Audomarus and Mummolinus, and chief patron of this monastery. As to the time at which he wrote, it seems that it can easily be settled by more than one indication, and that no obscure one.

[4] who flourished before the middle of the ninth century For in the first place it seems that the Life must be concluded to have been written before the year 846 from the fact that in it is not recorded the translation of St. Winnoc to Saint-Omer, which Life II (c. 15) says took place while Charles, surnamed the Bald, held rule in the sceptre of the Franks and Baldwin his son-in-law gloriously held sway in the monarchy of Flanders, that is, between the years 840 and 877, but which is more distinctly bound to the year 846 by the Chronicle of the deeds of the Normans, in which is read: In the year of the Lord 846 pirates of the Danes, going to Frisia, laid waste provinces and churches and killed the people in them. Hearing which the Flemings … came with the relics of their saints to St. Audomarus… These are the saints who because of that persecution came to the same fortress: Sts. Bavo,… Winnoc… MG., Scr. vol. I, p. 533.. And the body of St. Winnoc was never afterwards brought back to Wormhout, but, as is told in the second Life Life II, c. 16., was carried from Saint-Omer to Bergues.

[5] and perhaps before the middle of the eighth century, But there is besides at hand for us an excellent document of that age, namely a martyrology written in the old Anglo-Saxon tongue, which, from a codex written before the end of the eleventh century [And moreover from two other codices written in the tenth century, and a fourth of the eleventh century.], was edited with the greatest diligence a few years ago by the distinguished George Herzfeld An Old English Martyrology, London, 1900, in 8° (Early English Texts Society)., and which that most learned man judged from the character of the language to have been composed about the year 850. But he also demonstrated quite clearly that it was derived from an older Latin martyrology Ed. cited, p. XXXII., which he very probably held to have existed about the year 750. For not only is there in it no memory of any man or event later than the year 740, but there is no mention either of St. Boniface, that archbishop of Mainz, crowned with martyrdom on 5 June 754 Compare Anal. Boll., vol. XXIII, p. 503.; who was held in such veneration among the Anglo-Saxons that in that very year or the next, in a general synod, they decreed to celebrate solemnly with annual attendance his birthday and that of the band martyred with him [Haddan and Stubbs, Councils and Ecclesiastical Documents, vol. III (Oxford, 1871), end of p. 391.]. Now in that ancient document there is read at 6 November not only the name of St. Winnoc, but also a brief compendium of his Life, which was manifestly taken from that first Life [That our readers may see this more fully, we shall not be reluctant to transcribe here the text of the martyrology as expressed by the distinguished G. Herzfeld in the present-day English tongue. It is as follows: On the sixth day of the month is the decease of the abbot St. Wunnoc. He was the head of the monastery south that is called Wurmholt, and yet he was so humble that he would perform all the work that was hard and irksome for the other brethren. When at last he grew old and could not work outside, he would grind with his holy hands for the food of the indigent brethren in Christ. Immediately when he approached the mill and put the corn into it, the mill moved by divine power, and the abbot locked the door, stood near the mill and said his prayers. At last there was such an abondance of flour that they all wondered whence it did come. One day one of the brethren looked into the house through a small opening; then the mill stood still at once, and the man became blind. The others greatly terrified led him away and he told the brethren of the minster the miracle that he had seen there. The next day he threw himself weeping at the abbot's feet and asked his forgiveness; then the abbot blessed his eyes in the Lord's name, and he was immediately able to see. In the place cited, pp. 201, 203.]. It is not established, however, that this notice had already been inserted in the Latin exemplar and was not first in the English recension.

[6] the last chapters of the Life having been added later by another, Our conclusion would be much more certain and more definite if it had to be judged, on the one hand, that the last chapters of Life 1 Life I, cc. 11–15. are to be ascribed to the same author to whom the preceding ones are owed; and, on the other, that what James Meyer Annales Flandr. (Antwerp, 1561), fol. 11 (at the year 821). and James Malbrancq De Morinis, vol. II (Tournai 1647), p. 203. report was drawn from sufficiently pure sources, namely that in the year 821 the township of Spirliacum was given by Count Gerard to the monastery of Wormhout. For in the said chapters there are recorded by the writer certain things … done in our times Life I, c. 11. and among them the donation of the place that is called Spirliacus Life I, c. 13.. Whence finally it would have to be settled that Life I was written between the years 821 and 846. But it seems to us far more probable that those last chapters are to be assigned to the genius and style not of the same writer as the earlier ones, but of another. For, besides the fact that in only one codex, that of Boulogne, they are read joined to the earlier composition, the very little preface by which they are announced Life I, c. 11. sufficiently indicates, if I am not mistaken, that here some things are being added to those handed down by the early writers. I also seem to myself to perceive some difference between the two parts Cc. 1–10 and cc. 11–15. as regards the kind of writing. For the structure of the sentences in the latter part aims at a more oratorical form, and, while in the former part by far the most of them end in a word which, as the grammarians say, is a substantive or adjective, whence arises a certain kind of rhythm which they call the cursus, in the latter they generally end in a verbal word and care for rhythm is not so much perceived. But whatever may be the case with that question, it is certain that the writer of this appendix was a contemporary of that Gerard who gave Spirliacum to the monastery of Wormhout and who they say flourished a little after the beginning of the ninth century. For he testifies C. 11. that he is telling things done in his own times; and he tells several things Cc. 12, 13. which happened on the occasion of the benefits granted by Gerard.

[7] relates little of the saint's history. Would that this first Life were as abundant in things narrated as it is ancient and abundant in words. But on the contrary it shows itself very meagre in this kind. For, as generally tends to happen in the Lives of the saints of the Merovingian age [Compare W. Wattenbach, Deutschlands Geschichtsquellen, vol. I, §11 (7th ed. [1904], p. 124).], apart from general praises of virtues and miracles performed by the saint's intercession in life or after death, it has preserved for the memory of those who came after scarcely anything about his manner of life or the things done by him. And this is the more to be regretted because, as also very often happens, whatever has been handed down about the saint in other writings has been drawn from that one source.

§ II. Of the second and third Lives of St. Winnoc and of the Book of miracles written by Drogo the monk.

[8] [The second Life, almost wholly excerpted from the first, was composed by a certain man who stayed for some time as a guest in the monastery of Bergues] This must certainly be said of the second Life, first edited by Surius and by Mabillon Compare BHL. 8954., which we display below from eight codices and the edition of Mabillon. Its anonymous writer at once indicates in his preface that he is not a monk of the monastery of Bergues, but that he stayed for some time as a guest in that monastery and put all his effort into polishing the earlier Life. For from the brothers of the monastery of St. Winnoc, he says, by whose charity I was not a little pleasantly refreshed, I received the suggestion, not, I confess, without my confusion, that I should hammer out in a new style, taken from the old, the acts and life of the memorable father of whom I have spoken… I feared greatly lest I should not obey the fathers and should not make return to those to whom I owed much… Considering on this side their charity, on that their command, placed between the two, I owed to charity a return, to command obedience. This he so performed that in a kind of writing swollen rather than elegant, and generally with circumlocutions of many words, he has reworked whatever was narrated in the earlier Life, adding of his own only two things from other traditions, namely those of Bergues. The one Life II, end of c. 2., which will presently be shown to be false Compare below, nos. 21–25 of this commentary., where he reports that St. Winnoc with his companions, before they founded the monastery of Wormhout, stayed for some time in the place which was thereafter called the Mount of St. Winnoc up to the present day. The other End of c. 7., where the day of his death, which the writer of the earlier Life did not distinctly mark, he indicates

to have been the eighth of the Ides of November. Moreover he subjoined to his reworking Cc. 15–21. a history of the miracles and translations which happened after Life 1 was written.

[9] [in the tenth or eleventh century, and he can probably be supposed to be Bovo, a bishop in Saxony.] From this it becomes further manifest that he flourished after the year 900, since he narrated the translation of the body of St. Winnoc made in that year C. 16.. But that he did not write before the year 962 either we can gather from this, that Folcuin, a monk of Saint-Bertin (afterwards abbot of Lobbes), when at that time he was composing the Deeds of the abbots of St. Bertin of Sithiu, copied several things from the first Life of St. Winnoc C. 11 (MG., Scr. vol. XIII, p. 610).; for it is very credible that he would rather have copied the second Life, if it had already existed, lately composed in a more ornate style in the neighbouring monastery of Bergues. More about our writer we have not been able to learn. For that an end was put by him to his composition about the middle of the eleventh century there appears no other ground for affirming than that Drogo is thought to have taken the beginning of his description of the miracles of St. Winnoc from this time Compare below, no. 11.; which argument does not seem so very strong, since Drogo by no means proposed to continue the second Life, but only to review the miracles which had happened in his own age at Bergues [Book of miracles by Drogo, prologue and beginning of c. 1. But compare the annotation at the end of the prologue.]. Nor does the assertion of the distinguished Oswald Holder-Egger seem stronger, who MG., Scr. vol. XV, p. 774, note 3. held that our author wrote after the year 1022, since in his prologue he indicates that he was compelled to polish the older Life by the brothers of the monastery of St. Winnoc, by which term the distinguished man thinks only monks can be understood, whereas monks were first substituted for canons in the monastery of Bergues in the year 1022 Compare below, no. 34.. But that by the name of brothers of the monastery of St. Winnoc canons too could have been designated is clearly established from a certain passage [Already cited in Henschel's edition of the Glossarium med. et inf. latinitatis, under Coenobium.] of the Life of St. Godehard, bishop of Hildesheim, written in the eleventh century, where concerning the college of canons of the cathedral church these words are read: He, as soon as he recognized the religion OF OUR MONASTERY kept thus far in a reasonable way, … strove to adorn it with every zeal of devotion… He wisely governed his MONASTERY with pastoral care, and often increased the comforts of the BROTHERS in food and clothing… Life by Wolfherius, c. 18 (MG., Scr. vol. XI, p. 206).. Much more willingly would I agree with that most learned man where he says: “One might indeed conjecture that the author (of this Life II) was Bovo, a Saxon bishop, who, in the year 1058, stayed “for many days” in the monastery of Bergues, as Drogo reports in the Translation of St. Lewinna, c. 12, and the Miracles of St. Winnoc, c. 22; but by what means I might render it more probable, I do not have MG., Scr. vol. XV, p. 774, note 2..”

[10] [The miracles obtained by the intercession of St. Winnoc after the middle of the eleventh century were described by Drogo, at that time a monk of Bergues.] To the second Life, by way of an appendix as it were, Mabillon subjoined the Book of miracles obtained by the intercession of St. Winnoc in his own age, narrated by one who is entered as its author, a certain Drogo, otherwise little known [That he is wholly different from Drogo, bishop of Thérouanne, our Solerius clearly demonstrated, Act. SS., July vol. II, p. 363, nn. 19–21.]. That this Drogo was a monk of Bergues is certainly drawn out from not a few chapters of the book, especially those in which he indicates that he was present at things that happened in the monastery of Bergues Cc. 2, end of 7, end of 8, 26, 27, 28., and indeed he expressly professed himself a nursling of Bergues End of c. 17.. That he flourished there about and after the middle of the eleventh century is gathered from at least a threefold argument. For first, he dedicated another booklet of his, on the translation of the body of St. Lewinna to the monastery of Bergues made in the year 1058 BHL. 4902., to Rumold, abbot of this monastery, who departed from the living in the year 1068, and in the very formula of dedication he calls himself presbyter and monk. He likewise reports among the miracles of St. Winnoc one which most certainly happened in the year 1067 C. 19; compare the annotation at this place.. Moreover he indicates that he had as contemporaries Adela, countess of Flanders (the years 1036–67) Cc. 3, 15., Malbold, abbot of Saint-Amand (1018–62) C. 18., Drogo, bishop of Thérouanne (1030–78) C. 19., Alard, abbot of Saint-Vaast (1067–68) Ibid., Rumold, abbot of Bergues († 1068) C. 21., Bovo, bishop of Saxony (who in the year 1058 was present at the translation of St. Lewinna) C. 23., the dates of all of whom agree excellently with the age assigned to Drogo [The name of Drogo the priest is reviewed among the recently dead monks of Bergues in the roll which the inhabitants of this monastery sent back to Corbie for the sake of mutual fellowship in the year 1097 (Mabillon, Act. SS. O. S. B., saec. III, 1, end of p. 329). One may easily conjecture that he is the same as ours.]. Of the miracles which he testifies he partly saw, partly heard Middle and end of Prol., he indicates that the first happened not many years before he came as a little boy to the holy religious purpose at the monastery of St. Winnoc Beginning of c. 1.. Drogo's book was edited by Mabillon Compare BHL. 8956. from the Compiègne codex, from which he also edited the second Life; but he passed over several chapters or parts of chapters which seemed to him of less moment. We display it complete from the same codices that have preserved for us the second Life Praised below at the head of the text of the second Life., apart from the one of Cambrai, in which it is not copied, with the variant readings of Mabillon's edition added.

[11] [The third Life is a compendium of the second Life, before which the author placed several fictions of uncertain origin.] We have very little to say about the third Life. We have found this in one codex of the royal library at Brussels 8933–34, formerly of the Bollandist museum, which contains copies made by the early Bollandists or sent to them; but no mention is added there of the library or place where the exemplar was preserved. Nor have we met anywhere any other codex indicated, nor any writer, whether of the Middle Ages or later, who shows some memory of it. The kind of writing which the author uses shows that he flourished in the Middle Ages already advanced, yet not reaching to times later than the fifteenth century. By far the greater part of his composition is made up of a compendium of the second Life and of the Book of miracles written by Drogo. But before this double reworking he placed several things that are very fabulous, which are read nowhere in other documents. Nor is there indeed any reason why we should attribute any weight to his authority.

[12] Certain other more recent documents on St. Winnoc. A source for our treatment much later, yet not to be despised, especially as regards the history of the cult of St. Winnoc, is furnished by the Catalogue of the Reverend Abbots of the monastery of St. Winnoc, whose first part, reaching to about the year 1575, has as its author Peter of Saint-Omer or of Walloncapelle, a monk of Bergues, who died in the year 1603, at 75 years of age, 52 in religion. Of this catalogue, carried on by various writers and scribes up to the end of the eighteenth century, a manuscript exemplar (the first hand stops at 22 November of the year 1677) is now preserved in the Bollandist library. From that exemplar many things were brought forward by Alexander Pruvost, S. J., in a thick volume which he published to illustrate the history of the monastery of St. Winnoc of Bergues [Chronique et Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Bergues-Saint-Winnoc (in Recueil de Chroniques, etc., publié par la Société d'émulation de Bruges), Bruges, 1875, in 4°, XXXIV–883 pp. On the work of Peter of Walloncapelle compare the volume cited, pp. XXIV–XXIX.]. Peter himself indicates the sources of his composition in the preface in these words: But lest anyone should doubt the truth of what is to be said, I have thought it very necessary to declare whence I bring those things forward. And first of all, not a few things were supplied to us by the books written on the life and miracles of St. Winnoc, as also by Meyer's Commentaries or Annals of the affairs of Flanders, who, it may be proved from his own testimony, drew a great many things from the Chronicle of this monastery, before it perished for us, as also from that of Saint-Bertin. These were seconded by the tradition of our fathers received from hand to hand, which indeed I learned from Meyer is to be valued as highly as writing, who by his writings afterwards convinced me that a great many things which I had often heard only from the report of the elders were true. In addition, no little light and help was brought to this study by the Chronicle of Blessed Bertin. I myself read it once, whence too I have certain things noted, as also from the Annals of the people of Saint-Bertin; likewise the catalogues of that monastery, and also of this one Of Bergues, namely., have helped us very much. A great many things, then, I myself, and with me almost all my brethren, have seen and experienced, which I have most faithfully committed to paper, with the addition of certain other things foreign to the subject but not unworthy of memory, which happened about those times to which they are ascribed Ms. Catalogue, pp. 2–4; Al. Pruvost, p. XXVIII.. Of less moment are the Annals of the abbey of St. Winnoc, still unedited, which were excerpted from the Catalogue of Peter of Walloncapelle, with a few things here and there removed or added, by Amand Belver, himself also a monk of Bergues (died in the year 1681 Compare Al. Pruvost, the work cited, p. XXX., and the Antiquities of the Abbey of St. Winnoc described by Rupert de Coussere, likewise of Bergues (died in the year 1777), of which writing a manuscript exemplar is also preserved by our Bollandist library.

§ III. Whence St. Winnoc came and at what time he lived.

[13] They assert that St. Winnoc came from Lesser Britain That Winnoc and his companions came from the far-distant land of the Britons to St. Bertin, leaving parents and country, the ancient biographer testifies at the beginning of his narrative Life I, c. 1.. These words seem to designate insular rather than Armorican Britain: whence that Greater Britain too would have to be said to be the saint's country. The contrary opinion, however, was embraced after Malbrancq De Morinis, vol. I, p. 430. by Mabillon, led chiefly by this argument, that in the old Life of St. Judoc Winnoc is said to have been a blood-relation of that saint, who certainly had Armorican Britain as his country Act. SS. O. S. B., saec. III, I, p. 302., and besides he brings forward that genealogy which is prefixed in several codices of Life II Compare below, p. 267..

With Mabillon our Ghesquière agreed in such a way Act. SS. Belgii, vol. VI, pp. 390–91, nos. 10, 11. that he nevertheless freely admitted that by those words, the far-distant land of the Britons, transmarine Britain is signified. “Yet from these things,” he says, “it by no means follows that our saint was born in transmarine Britain. Indeed, on the contrary, if we determine that Winnoc was born in Armorica, that he afterwards journeyed from there to the island of Britain, and from there at last landed among the Morini, the narrative of both biographers will flow much more correctly…” So indeed, provided that with Ghesquière we judge that genealogy which Mabillon praised to be of good note; but if not, that interpretation appears wholly improbable and forced. So the question is reduced to examining that alleged kinship of our Winnoc with St. Judoc.

[14] [traditions, by which he is said to have been a relative or even a brother of St. Judoc] The first argument for asserting this blood-relationship is taken from that Life of St. Judoc, ancient indeed and of venerable authority, edited by Mabillon among the Acta Sanctorum O. S. B. Saec. II, p. 566 and following.. But that passage which the same Mabillon brought from it to confirm his opinion concerning the family of St. Winnoc is so gratuitously and improbably fitted to this man of ours that I cannot sufficiently wonder that a critic of so keen a nose was deceived by it. For in the conclusion of the Life of St. Judoc, in which not even a little word is uttered about St. Winnoc, only these words are read: But after his (Judoc's) most holy soul had passed on the Ides of December to the everlasting happiness of the heavenly kingdom, his two nephews, namely Winnoch and Arnoch, succeeding in his place, were accustomed frequently to wash with water and to trim the lifeless body of the blessed man, which long remained incorrupt In the work cited, p. 571.. I read the name of Winnoc indeed; but what else, I ask, has this Winnoc, who succeeded Judoc in the hermitage of the district of Ponthieu, in common with ours of Wormhout or Bergues? Nothing at all. And that there were several men of this kind of name in those early times in that region of Gaul will not surprise one who knows that both the word Gwen, which in Latin means white or bright, occurs frequently in British names both of men and of women, and very frequently the suffix oc, as appears both in Arnoc and in the three companions of St. Winnoc who with him came from the far-distant land of the Britons to St. Bertin. Certainly in Gregory of Tours H. E., V. 21 and VIII. 34. there is recorded a certain Winnocus or Vennochus, a British presbyter, surely different from ours.

[15] [and to have sprung from the stock of the kings of Britain, but on too uncertain sources.] More clear but no more certain are those testimonies where our Winnoc is indicated to have been not the nephew but the brother of St. Judoc. Among which it is possible to note certain degrees of growth. For while in the first Life there occurs no mention at all of a nobler condition attributed to the saint, in the second it is already reported that he took the beginnings of his birth from a royal lineage Life II, c. 1. Likewise c. 7, a little after the beginning.. The same distinction is ascribed to him more than once in Drogo Book of miracles, end of c. 6, middle of c. 18, end of c. 23.. Up to this point, however, none of his relatives had been named more distinctly. From there, proceeding more boldly, the fancy whether of the people or of men of letters blossomed further, on the one hand into that genealogy which we read already copied in a double codex of the thirteenth century Compare below, p. 267., and which, yet under a certain other formula, John Longus or of Ypres seems to have known from traditions, those of Saint-Bertin no doubt, after the middle of the fourteenth century [Who namely in the Chronicle of Saint-Bertin wrote these words (c. I, part VI, in Martène and Durand, Thes. nov. anecd., vol. III, p. 460) about Judicael, king of the Britons in the time of Dagobert I: This is Judicail, father of Sts. Judoc, Winnoc and their other brothers. And a little lower (ibid., part IX, in the work cited, p. 465): About the same time the blessed confessor of Christ Winoc, son of Judicail king of the Britons and brother of St. Judoc, … is made a monk in this monastery of Sithiu with his three brothers, namely Bradanoc, Ingenoc and Madoc.]; and on the other hand into those fables with which the more recent Lives of St. Judoc BHL. 4505, 4511, 4512. and the third Life of St. Winnoc were adorned or disfigured.

[16] To the commonly received chronology concerning the history of St. Winnoc From all these things, then, it seems that it is somewhat more probably to be concluded that St. Winnoc came from insular Britain. At what time he was born is not established with sufficient certainty. Yet one who admits, on the authority of John of Ypres and of the addition to Life II Compare below, no. 29., that the saint's year of death was the year of the Lord 716 or 717, and considers that he reached an advanced old age Life I, cc. 4, 5., is surely not to be judged to go far astray from the truth, if he determines that St. Winnoc was born about the year 640. Further, from the same John of Ypres's Chronicle we are taught that the township of Wormhout was given by the nobleman Heremar to St. Bertin on 1 November, in the first year of King Childebert III Compare annot. d on Life I, c. 2., that is, in the year 695, in which year, then, or the next, was founded the monastery whose first inhabitants were Winnoc and his companions. And since their mission there happened a short space of time after St. Bertin joined them to the multitude of the monks of Sithiu Life I, end of c. 1, beginning of c. 2., you might easily bind their arrival at this monastery to about the year 690.

[17] a double difficulty is opposed from the written Lives Yet that calculation seems to be obstructed by the fact that Winnoc is read Ibid., beginning of c. 3. to have been reared from boyhood by blessed Bertin and by his aforesaid holy countrymen under the yoke of the sacred rule, and to have been unequal in age to the aforesaid servants of God. Stilting too indicates [Preliminary Commentary on the Life of St. Bertin, n. 123 (Act. SS., Sept. vol. II, p. 576; Act. SS. Belgii, vol. V, p. 604).], and after him Ghesquière Act. SS. Belgii, vol. VI, p. 395, n. 17., that he was somewhat disturbed in mind because, while in Life I (c. 1) Heremar is said to have offered his township of Wormhout to St. Bertin, in Life II (c. 3) he is written to have given it to St. Winnoc. To untie that double knot Stilting devised a reasoning of this kind, and Ghesquière approved it. Namely: “The place was given first to St. Bertin, who sent there St. Winnoc with three companions … and with other monks … But the monastery being erected, and those three monks who had come from Britain with Winnoc having died after some years, he was set over the monastery by St. Bertin: and then at last Heremar could confirm the place to St. Winnoc by a written instrument of donation, St. Bertin consenting and so desiring … This reconciliation is at any rate required by the year of the giving of the letter of donation, if it is compared with the various things that are said about the age of St. Winnoc.”

[18] which is resolved by various conjectures; These things, I confess, seem to me proposed more ingeniously than probably. For the anonymous writer of the second Life did not treat the history of St. Winnoc so accurately that we should think that he, after comparing the documents with one another, namely the first Life and the charter of donation drawn up in Heremar's name, substituted in his narrative the name of Winnoc for the name of Bertin, and that the reason for this substitution is to be sought elsewhere than in the fact that he was wholly engaged in praising Winnoc and was thinking of him alone. But Stilting ought also to have noticed that the diploma of donation was drawn up in the monastery of Sithiu, which would certainly appear very strange if the donation had been made not to St. Bertin but to St. Winnoc, after many spaces of years had elapsed from the time when he had left the monastery of Sithiu and when he was already set over Wormhout.

[19] yet it must be admitted that that chronology rests on no such firm foundation. So I see no other way of reconciling with each other the things which the writer of the first Life reports in different places, than to suppose that this writer slipped either in memory or with his pen, either where he says that Winnoc with his three companions departed from the monastery of Sithiu a short space of time after they had been received in it Beginning of c. 2., or where he reports Beginning of c. 3. that he was instructed from boyhood by St. Bertin. But perhaps rather those words who from boyhood was reared by blessed Bertin and by his aforesaid holy countrymen under the yoke of the sacred rule may be interpreted thus, that Winnoc is understood to have been taught the norm of religious perfection first by those three companions with whom he came to St. Bertin, but afterwards with them by St. Bertin; although by a certain prolepsis, and perhaps out of reverence for the man, Bertin was named first. And finally, let it not slip from our memory that that whole calculation of ours rests on the authority of John of Ypres alone Praised below, no. 29., since he alone of the ancient writers has reported to us that the year of death of St. Winnoc was the year of the Lord 716 or 717.

§ IV. What rule St. Winnoc followed, and whether he stayed for some time at Bergues before the founding of the cell of Wormhout.

[20] [What the primitive rule of the monastery of Wormhout was remains somewhat uncertain.] A double question besides comes up for discussion concerning what is reported in the second Life. The first concerns the primitive rule of the monks of Sithiu, namely whether it is to be said to have been the rule of St. Benedict, as the author of the second Life affirms Middle of c. 2., or, as others think, that of St. Columban. That this latter opinion is truer is suggested by the fact that the first monks of Sithiu, I mean Sts. Mummolinus and Ebertramnus and Bertin, seem to have been sent out from the monastery of Luxeuil [Compare J. Stilting, Commentary on the Life of St. Bertin, nn. 33–34 (Act. SS. Belg., vol. V, p. 561).], founded not so long before by St. Columban, and it can hardly be doubted that they brought the rule of that place with them and prescribed it to the monastery of Sithiu. And the writer of the later Life of our saint, a Benedictine no doubt, could easily have been induced, as writers of the same order have generally been accustomed to do, to reckon all the monastic communities of that older age as belonging to this same order. Occasion was given me in another place to treat somewhat more fully a similar question, namely what, concerning monastic discipline,

custom prevailed before the ninth century Commentary on St. Florbert, nn. 45–47 (Act. SS., Nov. vol. I, p. 364).. Let me send the curious reader there.

[21] [That Winnoc with his three companions first settled in the place in which the monastery of Bergues was afterwards founded] The other question is whether St. Winnoc with his companions, before they moved to Wormhout by order of St. Bertin, inhabited for some time that place where afterwards was erected the monastery which took its name from him. This is expressly affirmed by the author of the second Life. And when, he says C. 2, after the middle., Bertin wondered that amid the very beginnings of their conversion they had reached the summit of perfection, he assigned them a place in which they might devote themselves to the Lord more singly, and commanded them to build there a cell fitted for sacred occupations. They obey the command, they apply themselves to building the edifice. Now this place lies in the region of the Morini, called up to the present day the Mount of St. Winnoc: where the men of God, placed for some time, crucified themselves to the world and the world to themselves. The Catalogue of the Reverend Abbots of the monastery of St. Winnoc Compare above, no. 2., Malbrancq De Morinis, book IV, c. 21. and the Annals of the abbey of St. Winnoc Compare above, no. 2. agree.

[22] the traditions of this monastery relate; These are the words of the Catalogue: Further, when St. Winnoc and his fellow soldiers in the school of Christ under the rule of St. Bertin grew and became more renowned daily, more and more, in virtues and especially in self-denial, it seemed well-advised to St. Bertin … to send them away from himself …, that they might live more fruitfully to God and themselves and raise up a new household for Christ… And so, after they had been subject for eighteen or twenty years to regular discipline, they are sent first to the mount which today is called by the inhabitants the Mount of St. Winnoc, where, placed for some time, with every effort they crucified themselves to the world and the world to themselves, and they also strove to confirm in the faith, by their example and word, the Flemings of Bergues, who had not so long before been converted to the faith Compare Al. Pruvost, the work cited, p. 5.. And Malbrancq (in the place cited): “In the year 685 … a wholesome thought occurred to Bertin of sending some of his men across to the coastal parts, who might cultivate the rude people there and also fix a monastic seat… And it seemed good to choose for this task the royal Britons Winnoc … When they had already begun to scatter the seeds of the divine word in that marshy territory with fruit not to be regretted, there pleased them a mount most delightful for its greenness and hence called Gruneberga, which up to these times has been called the Mount of St. Winnoc or Winnoci-Berga … There, then, about the higher ground they build small cells for themselves with their own hands, and those royal hands, and lead such a life as draws all the nobles and neighbours into admiration.” Finally the writer of the Annals of St. W.: They are sent first to the mount called Gronebergam, as Malbrancus says, where afterwards a distinguished abbey grew into a town, on the summit of which mount, namely, Baal was greatly worshipped by a stupid people of rustics,… Winnoc with three … and there they planted the signs of the living God on 30 December 685. This mount, most delightful for its greenness, hence called Groeneberga, up to these times is called the mount of St. Winnoc … Ibid., pp. 5–6..

[23] but which also in themselves seem quite suspect Relying on these authorities, Mabillon noted the stay of St. Winnoc on the mount which was afterwards distinguished by his name among the Annals of the Order of St. Benedict Book XVIII, c. 34 (vol. I, p. 603).. Others deny the matter. And certainly no ancient testimonies are brought forward to affirm it apart from the writer of the second Life. For Malbrancq and the writers of the Catalogue of Abbots and of the Annals of the abbey of St. Winnoc both belong to more recent times and have manifestly drawn what pertains to the history of St. Winnoc from one source, namely that second Life. Nor in this matter does the writer of this Life seem to be so very much to be trusted. For he himself too had no other source in hand apart from the first Life and perhaps also certain traditions current among the monks of the monastery of Bergues concerning their holy patron. And some tradition of this kind appears deservedly suspect in the present matter; for it may easily be believed that among the monks of Bergues, who gloried in their monastery as illustrious by the name of St. Winnoc, there arose spontaneously the opinion which made that same saint the first founder of the monastery [I should not wish, however, with some, to bring against the writer of the second Life the charge of a certain self-contradiction, because in c. 16 he narrates that the monastery of Bergues was first founded about the year 900 by Baldwin II, count of Flanders. For where in c. 2 he reports that St. Winnoc with his three companions inhabited for some time the place afterwards called the Mount of St. Winnoc, he does not affirm that a monastery was built by them on that spot, but says that they were sent there to lead a more solitary life, and were drawn away from there somewhat later to found the monastery of Wormhout.].

[24] [and, although the manifold negative argument brought against them does not appear very effective,] Besides this they bring against this opinion a manifold negative argument [Compare the abbé Sylvain Pruvost, Saint Winoc a-t-il demeuré à Bergues? in Annales du Comité flamand de France, vol. XXVI (1901–1902), pp. 58–63.]. The first is taken from the silence of the writer of the first Life. This however does not seem to be thought so very effective: for he omitted too many things which, if you consult the method of treating historical matters received in our age, should certainly have been reported, for any weight to be laid on such a silence. The force of the objections too is excessively exaggerated which are drawn from the silence either of Simon of Bergues, continuator of the Chronicle of Saint-Bertin, where he speaks of Benedictine monks substituted for canons in the monastery of Bergues [Deeds of the abbots of Saint-Bertin, book II, c. 72 (MG., Scr. vol. XIII, p. 650).], or of Baldwin V, count of Flanders, in the diploma given for the monastery of Bergues in the year 1067 Which, after many others, Al. Pruvost edited, the work cited, p. 57., or of others Compare Sylv. Pruvost, in the place cited.; especially since the second Life offers us express testimony, from which it is manifestly demonstrated that that tradition of the stay of St. Winnoc flourished in the monastery of Bergues about the middle of the eleventh century, the time, namely, at which that Life was composed.

[25] [yet they seem to conflict too plainly with the narrative of the writer of the original Life.] But a stronger argument is brought forward from the fact that in the writer of the first Life the withdrawal of St. Winnoc and his companions from the monastery of Sithiu is clearly connected with the building of the cell of Wormhout. For after that writer had reported [C. 2; from which the writer of the second Life manifestly took the beginning of c. 2 of his composition.] that St. Bertin, having perceived their outstanding progress in the religious virtues, commanded them to set about building a cell in the district of Thérouanne, he at once subjoins the reason for this mission in these words: For a certain rich man, Heremar by name, offered to blessed Bertin his fruitful inheritance in the aforesaid district, which is called Wormholt … Whence it is clear that on the occasion of Heremar's donation Winnoc and his companions were first removed from the monastery of Sithiu to found the monastery or priory of Wormhout, and accordingly it seems to be gathered that they never had a seat at Bergues. They may indeed be believed to have visited the place in passing, but no solid argument is brought forward for this conjecture.

§ V. Whether St. Winnoc is properly to be said to have been abbot of the monastery of Wormhout.

[26] [The monastery of Wormhout, established by St. Bertin, seems rather to be called a priory than an abbey,] More recent writers, after James Meyer Annal. Flandriae, at the years 703 and 706. and James Malbrancq De Morinis, end of book IV, c. 53., call Winnoc abbot of Wormhout and accordingly would have the monastery of Wormhout distinguished by the title of abbey. But neither in the original Life nor in the second nor in Drogo does there anywhere appear any indication on which those designations rest. Nowhere, that is, is either Winnoc himself called abbot, or anyone else who after him was adorned with that title. Nor, if I am not mistaken, does any mention of that kind occur in any other document older than the Annals of Flanders compiled by Meyer. I should therefore believe that the cell Compare Life I, beginning and end of c. 2, beginning of c. 3. of Wormhout built by Winnoc and his companions by order of St. Bertin was not an abbey or a monastery not dependent on another, but, as it is customary to say, a certain priory established under the obedience of the monastery of Sithiu. Which is also not obscurely confirmed by the fact that after the death of the three companions of Winnoc he was set over them not by election of the little community of servants of God dwelling in the aforesaid cell but by designation of St. Bertin Life I, beginning of c. 3..

[27] increased by the munificence of certain noblemen, And the cell of Wormhout, while it was under the rule of St. Winnoc, was increased by certain other estates apart from the donation of Herimarus. For, on the testimony of Meyer, in the year DCCIII Vulferus, a nobleman, assigned to Winnoc, abbot of Woromholt, the district of Vulferisele, and in DCCVI Odo, an illustrious man, handed over to Winnoc, abbot of Woromholt, his township beside the sea, whose name is Westerholt, together with the dominicum, that is, the church [Ann. Flandr., book I, fol. 7v; thence Catal. Abbatum S. W. (compare above, no. 12) ms., p. 15 (in Al. Pruvost, pp. 14, 15).].

[28] [and about the middle of the ninth century destroyed by the Normans, yet not wholly.] The monastery of Wormhout was still in existence about the year 840, at which time Folquin, bishop of the Morini, was at Woromholt in Mempiscus, visiting his churches Annal. Flandr., at the year 843.. Of this visitation Folcuin, monk of Saint-Bertin, somewhat more fully: It happened meanwhile that the renowned Folquin, of the city of Thérouanne, in episcopal manner, was going round the parishes of the bishopric … and … in pious curiosity came as far as the cell called Woromhold Cartulary of Saint-Bertin, book IV, c. 7 (P. L., vol. CXXXVI, p. 1227).. But it did not remain long afterwards. For the writer of the Catalogue of the abbots of St. Bertin, reporting the donation of the township of Spirliacum, says: Gerard had built at Sperliacum an oratory in honour of the holy father Winnoc together with a monastery in the year 821, religious monks being called from Wormhout; which was similarly wholly overthrown by the Danes and Vandals in the 20th year from its foundation, at about the same time as that in Wormhout Ms. Catalogue, pp. 21–22; Al. Pruvost, p. 23.. Yet that the cell of Wormhout was not altogether wholly destroyed may be concluded from the fact that in the eleventh century there was to be seen there a church which the same confessor Winnoc had built in honour of

St. Martin Book of miracles by Drogo, c. 1 and c. 10 a little after the beginning., and that at least a certain grange was kept there by the monks of Saint-Bertin is shown by Life II, where it is related that a certain man of the household of Wormhout, after calling on St. Winnoc, was freed from prison Life II, c. 19.. Yet from that other passage praised earlier from the Book of miracles, where there is recorded a church built by Winnoc at Wormhout and there are displayed in it brothers standing in choir and singing aloud to God their vows of praise, as they were accustomed Book of miracles, c. 1., it is not to be affirmed for certain that some little community of brothers dwelt at Wormhout at that time; for these words can be understood (though perhaps in a less obvious sense) of brothers who had carried down the body of St. Winnoc from the monastery of Bergues and were keeping vigils beside it in the church of Wormhout (perhaps then a parish church) [In other places Wormhout is designated not as a dwelling of brothers, but as the place of the first resting of St. Winnoc (Life II, c. 17; Book of miracles, beginning of c. 10).].

§ VI. Of the year of the death of St. Winnoc and of his cult in the town of Bergues up to the end of the eighteenth century.

[29] [The death of St. Winnoc is probably to be bound to the year of Christ 716 or 717.] That the day of death of St. Winnoc was the eighth of the Ides, or the sixth day of November, is reported by the writer of the second Life C. 7.; but in what year he died is indicated neither in this nor in the original Life. We have, however, two testimonies by which this year is clearly indicated: one, of the anonymous corrector of the codex of Bergues, who in express words indicated that it was the year of the Lord 716 C. 7, var. lect. 9.; the other, of John of Ypres, who in his Chronicle of Saint-Bertin noted that St. Winnoc passed to the Lord in the same year in which the battle at Vinchy was fought [Chron. Bertin., c. III, part II (in Martène and Durand, Thes. nov. anecd., vol. III, p. 479.]. But it must not be concealed that both these testimonies are of nearly the same age, and proceed from the same source, namely the tradition received among the monks of Bergues at the end of the fourteenth century.

[30] [His soon celebrated cult is demonstrated both by the insertion of his name in liturgical documents from the eighth century onwards,] Further, not so very long after, or indeed perhaps immediately after his death, there followed the report of miracles, concourse to the place of burial, translations of the body, and other indications of public cult according to the manner of those times. Moreover of this ancient cult we have in hand a double liturgical or quasi-liturgical document. The one namely is the English martyrology of the ninth century praised above No. 5.; the other, the Sacramentary of Amiens, which the distinguished Léopold Delisle edited from a certain codex of the eleventh century [Mémoire sur d'anciens sacramentaires (Extract from the Mémoires de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-lettres, vol. XXXII, first part).]: namely in the calendar prefixed to it, at the VIII Ides (of November), there is marked the memory of Saint Vuinocus, confessor In the work cited, p. 342.. Yet in no one of the martyrologies which they have been accustomed to call classic is the name of Winnoc found inserted in the original writing, but only in auctaria of uncertain age of Bede, Ado and Usuard, and in the more recent ones, and finally in the Roman Martyrology, in which at this day, 6 November, he is announced in these words: At Bergues, the deposition of St. Winnoc, abbot, who, renowned for virtues and miracles, ministered for a long time to the brothers subject to him.

[31] [both, setting aside the too suspect legend of the three daughters of the king of the Mercians, slain at the sepulchre of Winnoc,] Besides these things there exist not a few indications of the outstanding veneration with which the pious inhabitants of that region followed St. Winnoc; which we now set about reviewing, distinguished under various headings. Among these, however, we have not thought fit to count, since the truth of the matter is not sufficiently clear to us, that tradition which Malbrancq reports De Morinis, vol. II (Tournai, 1647), p. 191. concerning the three daughters of Kenulf, king of the Mercians The years 796–819 or 822.. These are said to have undertaken a journey to Rome to visit the tombs of the apostles, on foot and procuring their food by begging; and when, having reached northern Gaul, they had turned aside from the road to venerate at Wormhout the body of St. Winnoc resting there, to have been cruelly slain by assassins set on by noblemen whose marriage the virgins had spurned. From where Malbrancq drew this we do not know; certainly in no ancient writer does a mention of those virgins occur [Compare R. Flahault, Notre-Dame de Grâce et les trois Vierges de Caestre, Dunkerque, 1895, 8°; again in Annales du Comité flamand de France, vol. XXVI (1901–1902), pp. 4–52.]. But more certain things can be brought forward, namely:

[32] [the foundation of the monastery of Bergues in the year 900 and the donations and privileges granted to it from the eleventh century onwards;] I. Donations made to the monastery of Bergues. Among the chief traces of the cult of St. Winnoc there must be indicated the many diplomas and charters by which, from about the middle of the eleventh century, the monastery of Bergues was enriched with a manifold kind of privileges and possessions by supreme pontiffs, counts of Flanders, kings of France and other noblemen, and which are indicated to have been conferred on it generally from a sense of piety towards St. Winnoc, in whose patronage and name the monastery gloried [The text of these, or a mention of them in the old writers, may be read in the often-praised work of Alexander Pruvost, Chronique et Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Bergues-St-Winoc, p. 57 and following.].

[33] translations of the body of St. Winnoc in the eighth and ninth centuries; II. Translations of the body of St. Winnoc. In the ancient Lives (I and II) three translations of the body of St. Winnoc are already reported. The first, by which after the burning of the church of the monastery of Wormhout, in which it had been buried immediately after the saint's death, it was laid down in a place next to this church Life I, c. 10; Life II, c. 9.. The second, by which they carried it from Wormhout to Saint-Omer for fear of the Normans Life II, c. 15.. The third, in the year 900, when it was brought from Saint-Omer to Bergues through the efforts of Baldwin II, surnamed the Bald Life II, c. 16..

[34] in the year 1022, To these is to be added the translation which was made in the year 1022, when Baldwin IV, surnamed the Bearded, on taking up the principality of the Flemings, wishing to enlarge the worship of the Lord, built a church of greater magnificence in the upper part of the burgh of Bergues, where he transported the most holy body of blessed Winnoc with the whole college of canons [Which, as is said a little above in the same document, Baldwin the Bald had founded in the year 900 in the lower parts of the burgh of Bergues.] [Diploma of Baldwin V or of Lille for the monastery of Bergues (Al. Pruvost, the work cited, p. 58); John of Ypres, Chronicle of Saint-Bertin, c. XXXVI, part II (in Martène and Durand, Thes. nov. anecd., vol. III, p. 572).]. And a little after this translation, when it was discovered that grave abuses had crept into that college, the same Count Baldwin the Bearded removed the aforesaid canons from the church and soon brought monks into that church, over whom he set Rumold (a monk of the monastery of Saint-Bertin at Saint-Omer) … as abbot Al. Pruvost, pp. 58–59..

[35] in the years 1030, 1063, 1070, 1133 From that time the body of St. Winnoc has been kept at Bergues up to our own age, nor was it moved from there except for a short time. Thus:

a) In the year 1030, the body of St. Winnoc with many other bodies of saints was brought to Oudenaarde to the public assembly at which Count Baldwin, who was called the Bearded… had peace sworn by all the people confirmed [Affligem auctarium of the Chronicle of Sigebert (MG., Scr. vol. VI, p. 399; P. L., vol. CLX, p. 281).].

b) In the year 1063 (or 1065 or 1066), at the dedication of the church of St. Peter at Lille, built by Count Baldwin V, surnamed the Pious or of Lille, there was present Abbot Rumold (of Bergues) with the most holy body of St. Winnoc Annales, etc., cited in Alex. Pruvost, the work cited, p. 54..

c) Among the bodies of Saints that were present at the dedication of the church of Hasnon (in the year 1070) there is reviewed the body of St. Winnoc of Flanders [Tomellus, History of the monastery of Hasnon, c. 17 (MG., Scr. vol. XIV, p. 157; P. L., vol. CLX, col. 355; Al. Pruvost, the work cited, p. 70).].

d) In the year 1131 (or 1133), the body of St. Winnoc was carried to Thérouanne for the consecration of the church of St. Mary Al. Pruvost, ibid., p. 103..

[36] and 1566, Thereafter for the whole time of the Middle Ages the holy body did not leave Bergues. In more recent times only one temporary translation is read as recorded. Namely in the year 1566, when the monastery of Bergues was laid waste by the heretics whom they called Geuzen, most of the monks fled to Saint-Omer, carrying with them the body of their holy patron; which was brought back to Bergues in the following year Catalogue of abbots, cited in Al. Pruvost, the work cited, pp. 425, 429..

[37] and its in new shrines III. The same laid up at various times in new shrines. The sacred body had at first been enclosed at Bergues in a double wooden shrine, one bound over with iron hoops and fortified with iron nails, so that it could be opened only with great difficulty, the other, in which the former was enclosed, adorned with silver Below, Miracles by Drogo, cc. 21, 22.. A new one was made under the rule of Abbot Rumold, decorated with gold and gems Ibid., beginning of c. 21.. And after the most precious bones of the confessor had been laid up in this new coffin with worthy honour, the first coffin is placed in the church on an altar, nor does it wholly lack its first honour, on account of the holy bones that were laid in it for many years Ibid., end of c. 22..

[38] placings; Frequently afterwards such translations of the sacred body were made into more precious shrines, which we briefly review from the Catalogue of abbots [A copy of this Catalogue, as we said above (no. 12), is kept in our Bollandist library. It has not indeed yet been edited complete; but the often-praised Alexander Pruvost excerpted so many pages from it that it is read almost entire in him. To this edition, then, in this and the following numbers we send the reader who wishes to know more fully narrated what is indicated by us in summary.]. They are recorded, namely, in that place here and there, at the years 1138 In Pruvost, p. 105. Compare Malbrancq, De Morinis, book X, c. 4.,

1181 Ibid., p. 141., 1394 Ibid., pp. 284–85., 1507 [Ibid., pp. 363–64. In which translation the head was separated from the rest of the body and laid up in a shrine of its own.], 1597 or 1601 [Ibid., pp. 458, 461. A little later, in the year 1626, a recognition of the relics of St. Winnoc was instituted (ibid., p. 490).], 1646 Ibid., p. 514., 1677 Ibid., p. 570 (from the Annals).. These were followed by a recognition and the making of a new shrine in the year 1823 Compare below, no. 49..

[39] public supplications, IV. Public supplications, in which the body of St. Winnoc was carried. — Besides that in which already in the eleventh century the monks of Bergues every year carried the body of their holy patron to Wormhout with a great concourse of people Miracles by Drogo, c. 1., and another, likewise annual, instituted in memory of a certain outstanding wonder Compare below, nos. 40, 41., not a few supplications or public prayers celebrated in the town of Bergues itself, whether in thanksgiving for a benefit received from God, or to obtain something, but especially to obtain either rain wholesome for the fields or clear weather, not rarely at the request of the magistrate of the city, are noted here and there in the Catalogue of Abbots, individually at the years 1489 In Pruvost, p. 351, 1512 Ibid., p. 368., 1665 Ibid., p. 551., 1675 Ibid., p. 567., 1676 Ibid., p. 568., 1683 Ibid., p. 604., 1690 Ibid., p. 630., and in the Annals at the years 1712 Ibid., p. 680., 1713 Ibid., pp. 681, 684, 686., 1723 Ibid., pp. 700, 730., 1761–1772 Ibid., pp. 766–71..

[40] and in particular that annual one, on the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, It seems that something must be said particularly and somewhat at length about that solemn procession in which every year on the feast of the Most Holy Trinity the body of St. Winnoc was carried, to be immersed in the waters of the stream Colma, which flows past the town of Bergues. Malbrancq describes the rite itself in these words: “The people of Bergues and the monks of St. Winnoc every year, on the very feast day of the divine Triad, are accustomed to hold a most celebrated supplication, in which the bier of the holy and royal prelate is carried through the crossroads of the city, the whole people following. And as they go out of the gate a pile bridge meets them, under which a stream flows down, in whose waters the feretory is dipped. And soon several either immerse an ill-affected limb of the body in this same water, often with no small relief of the evil, or indeed draw from that water. Hence the name of bath was given to the place, in Flemish het badt, in French le bain. And this water, through the novena from the dipping of the bier, confers a wonderful protection against fevers and other sicknesses of the kind, and keeps the purity and goodness of its liquid for three and four years; indeed in the year 1640 there was offered to me by the prelate himself a flask full of this water, which they had drawn in the year 1632, and it seemed to me no less clearer and better (sic) than that which bore a label indicating three years. Indeed I have heard that it kept its goodness for more than 40 years [De Morinis, book x, c. 4, or vol. III (Tournai 1654), p. 193. Some more particular details concerning the rite of immersing children after the reliquary had been let down into the stream, see in the letter of the magistrate of Bergues praised below, no. 44.].”

[41] in memory of a certain renowned miracle, “Now it must be told from where this anniversary solemnity drew its origin” (so Malbrancq continues). “The little son of a certain wealthy man at Bergues, having gone out of the town by the gate by which the road goes to the district of Bierne, while he was incautiously playing on the bank of the river Colma, fell headlong into the deep and was choked by the waters. His parents, warned of this, spent much effort on finding the boy, and at last they approached the abbot of St. Winnoc, that he might deign to grant them the faculty of bringing the feretory of Saint Winnoc there, and they obtained it. It was carried by the monks, not without preceding prayer, and at the urgent entreaty of the parents, that he might be had whether alive or dead, it was let down into the river. Scarcely was the reliquary immersed when behold, the boy emerges and appears lively and brisk, and brings incredible joy to his father and stupor to the onlookers. And so strong was that single proof of the divine goodness and of Winnoc's favour that it has given occasion for thus renewing its memory in succeeding years up to now [At what time that miracle happened and when its memory began to be celebrated is nowhere indicated. Joseph Ghesquière thought (Act. SS. Belg., vol. VI, p. 429, n. 64) that Malbrancq drew the account of the miracle from a certain manuscript dissertation preserved in the Bollandist library, marked with this title: That the carrying round of Saint Winnoc and his immersion in water, which takes place on the feast day of the most holy Trinity, is not superstitious. From this writing, which they think is owed to Peter of Walloncapelle (compare Pruvost, pp. XXXII. 68), Ghesquière recited several things, in the place cited, pp. 429–31.].”

[42] [which, however, as suspect of some note of superstition, they tried to abolish in the sixteenth century,] This custom, however, “Lord Rictovius, bishop of Ypres, wished to abrogate in the last century About the year 1570., because the thing seemed somehow to smack of something near to superstition. But moved by the testimony of the abbot bringing forward more certain miracles, he gave instructions to Henry de Vijk, Lord of Northove, the burgomaster, that with witnesses employed he should make the matter better proved. He had water preserved, both that which had been drawn before the octave, and that within it, and that after it: there were present as witnesses Malinus Oosten, dean of christianity, and Dominic Waloncapel, prior of St. Winnoc's; and they testified that only that had remained pure and uncorrupted which a flask had received within that octave. Lord James, a jubilarian ascetic of St. Winnoc's, also testified to me that a certain matron of Bergues in his time, when she had lain for some time with a troublesome sickness, and that solemn supplication was passing before her doors, ordered herself to be carried to the door, and that as soon as she had greeted the most blessed feretory she was refreshed and on the next day came to the Saint's tomb sound and unharmed Malbrancq, in the place cited..”

[43] and in the seventeenth century the bishops of Ypres, Yet not long after, namely in the year 1698, about the encaenia [Or the feast of the dedication of a church, in French Kermesse. Compare the letter of the magistrate of Bergues, cited in the next number.] of Bergues, Lord Polycarp de Stuyndere, perpetual vicar of the church of St. Peter [Which belonged to the monastery of St. Winnoc and in which the holy body was kept.], was called to Ypres by the bishop in order that, if it could be done, the old custom by which the relics of St. Winnoc are immersed in the water of the bath should be forbidden. The magistrate, on learning this, had it proclaimed three times by the crier that anyone might carry his offspring, decently dressed, to the bath Catal. abb., cited in Al. Pruvost, p. 662..

[44] and they finally accomplished it in the middle of the eighteenth century. So it seems that at that time the civil magistrate forbade that account be taken of the bishop's prohibition, and only ordered that in immersing children provision should be made rather for the modesty of the water and public decency. But in the year 1746, after letters sent to and fro, by which William Delvaulx, bishop of Ypres, asked the magistrate of Bergues and was informed by him of the manner in which that rite was performed, he wholly forbade by a pastoral mandate that it should be observed thenceforth Al. Pruvost, pp. 706–10..

§ VII. Of the relics of St. Winnoc and of the feasts instituted in his honour.

[45] [Several small portions of the body of St. Winnoc granted in the seventeenth century to the people of Wormhout,] The body of St. Winnoc was preserved intact, first at Wormhout, then for the space of a few years at Saint-Omer, and finally from the year 900 in the monastery of Bergues Compare Life II, cc. 15–16., even when at the end of the sixteenth century (the years 1579–1583) the city and monastery of St. Winnoc were held by heretics Compare Al. Pruvost, pp. 447–49., nor were any small portions taken from it before the year 1633. In which year, as is noted in the Catalogue of abbots, the Reverend Lord abbot (of Bergues) transferred to Wormhout, to the chapel of St. Winnoc situated in the cemetery of the parish church of the same district, a notable part of the relics of St. Winnoc enclosed in a wooden repository [Cited ibid., p. 503. Yet from the mention of another donation of relics of St. Winnoc to the chapel of Wormhout (compare below, no. 48) it seems that it is to be gathered that a merely temporary translation is treated here.].

[46] to the archbishop of Cambrai and to a certain nobleman Several small portions besides were given in the following year to the archbishop of Cambrai, and other tiny portions of the relics of St. Winnoc the abbot, from the repository of the sacred skull itself, were obtained by the noble lord Ferdinand Ximenes of Aragon Ibid..

[47] and to a certain church at Brussels Then in the year 1677, on 3 March, the Most Reverend Lord abbot gave a small portion of the relics of our Most Holy Father Winnoc to the very Reverend Lord de Hont, ambassador, to be consigned to a church at Brussels Ms. Catal., p. 289; Pruvost, p. 570..

[48] and others afterwards again to the village of Wormhout. Afterwards, in the year 1711, on 14 May, with the written licence of the Most Illustrious Lord Martin de Ratabon, bishop of Ypres, the case of the body of our Holy Father Winnoc was opened, … that by the mandate of the Most Reverend Lord abbot some part of the bones of the said Holy Father might be taken, to be displayed in the chapel of Wormhout for the veneration of the inhabitants… Annales, cited in Pruvost, pp. 674–77.. And when the chapel which had been dedicated to St. Winnoc near the parish church of Wormhout was demolished about the year 1736, that part of the bones was laid up in this church itself and kept thereafter until the end of the eighteenth century Flahault, the work cited, p. 17.. This having been lost at that time, a few years ago another small portion (of the jawbone) of the holy body was given to the same church and enclosed in a wooden effigy of the head. And recently, in the year 1900, it was laid in a reliquary of greater price and more elegant, which is now displayed for the veneration of the faithful on a certain altar of the church Ibid., pp. 17, 31, 32..

[49] [The relics of St. Winnoc preserved at Bergues at the end of the eighteenth century by the industry of pious men and restored to public veneration in the nineteenth;] At Bergues in the year 1792, while there raged in France that fierce persecution by which the churches of this region were wholly disturbed and despoiled, the silver effigy of the head, in which was contained the head of St. Winnoc, and the chest, in which was the rest of the body, were carried off. But pious men were able to hide in the town hall the sacred remains themselves, previously taken out and enclosed in two wooden shrines, which they also secured with their seals, and there they remained until the year 1820. At which time the priest who was set over the parish of Bergues, having called together certain chief citizens of the town,

survivors from the number of those who in the year 1792 had taken part in the pious secret removal of the sacred relics, showed them those shrines, which they both easily recognized and affirmed on oath to be the same in which almost thirty years before they had enclosed the relics. And so, after a second examination diligently carried out, by an authentic writing on 27 May 1820 the Illustrious Louis Belmas, bishop of Cambrai, declared them genuine, and by an indulgence granted by him exhorted the faithful to flock to their solemn translation from the presbytery to the parish church of St. Martin [The church of St. Peter, in which they had been kept in earlier centuries, had already been wholly demolished by the impious.]; which translation took place on the following 8 June. The piety of the citizens towards their patron, stirred by this, moved them, having freely collected a great sum of money, to have made a double reliquary, excellent both in art and in material, the one to receive the head, the other the rest of the sacred bones. Each, with solemn rite, together with the sacred treasure which it was intended to receive, was laid up in the treasury of the church of St. Martin on 18 May 1823, and thenceforth every year it is displayed for public veneration in the same church on the feast of St. Winnoc, that is, 6 November, and through the whole octave [All this we have been taught by Rev. Fr. Paul Mury in his little work entitled Saint Winoc, patron de la ville de Bergues; sa vie, ses reliques et son culte (Lille, 1887), pp. 31–34, and by a letter of the venerable L. Rajou, rector of the college of St. Winnoc at Bergues, recently sent to us. See the authentic instrument of the translation of the head from a wooden statue into a silver one, transcribed in Al. Pruvost, the work cited, p. 386.].

[50] several given in the year 1900 to the churches of Wormhout and Plouhinec. Finally, it is to be added that very recently, that is, in the month of July of the year 1900, the chest in which the relics of St. Winnoc are contained was opened by mandate of the Illustrious Lord Sonnois, archbishop of Cambrai, and from it was extracted a small portion which was granted to the church of Wormhout and another given to the Illustrious Lord Dubillard, bishop of Quimper, to be laid up in the church of the village of Plouhinec, which they report to have been the saint's birthplace R. Flahault, Le culte de saint Winoc à Wormhout (Dunkerque, 1903), p. 15..

[51] Of the veneration Moreover there may perhaps also be found elsewhere of the stole of St. Winnoc. Stoles of St. Winnoc. For, besides the relics of his holy body, there was in particular veneration among the people of Bergues a stole which they reported to have once belonged to St. Winnoc, and they sewed tiny portions of it into common stoles, which, from piety towards the saint and in hope of obtaining his suffrage with God, they applied especially to pregnant women. A copy of a testimony to this custom, written out in the year 1694 and still preserved at Bergues, Fr. Alexander Pruvost was able to see, and he inserted it in his work [Here is the text of this testimony: We, Maurus de Vignacourt, by the grace of God abbot of St. Winnoc at Bergues, attest that this is the true stole of our Most Holy Father Winnoc as it was sewn into another stole of common material, into which we have just had sewn a notable small portion of the same true stole, to be conveyed for facilitating the childbirth of pregnant women who ask for it out of devotion. In certification of which we have secured it with our usual signature and seal; also the Reverend Lords the prior and subprior and treasurer of our abbatial church (in whose presence this stole was taken out) have corroborated this testimonial sheet with their manual signs. Done in our abbatial hall on the 7th of November 1664. And it was signed: M. Wignacourt, abbot of Bergues of St. — Winnoc, with a seal in white bread. And lower down: Placidus van Osch, prior, John Van Houcke, subprior and senior, of sixty-four years, and Bernard Palfaert, treasurer (Pruvost, the work cited, p. 548. Compare ibid., p. 641). And to the copy of the year 1694 this title had been prefixed: Copy of the attestation which rests in the silver coffin in which rests the true stole of our most holy father Winnoc (ibid., p. 637). In the Catalogue of abbots, p. 269 (and thence in Al. Pruvost, p. 559) there is cited a public instrument by authority of the magistrate of the city of Bergues, drawn up in Flemish on 16 June 1668, concerning the wonderful childbirth of a certain woman obtained by the stole of St. Winnoc applied to her.].

[52] A threefold feast instituted in honour of St. Winnoc. A threefold feast was formerly celebrated in honour of St. Winnoc among the people of Bergues. The chief indeed on 6 November, which was his birthday or day of death and was therefore assigned to the recalling of his memory in very many martyrologies, which the Roman Martyrology followed Compare above, no. 30.. The second on 18 September, instituted in commemoration of the translation of his body to Bergues in the year 900 Compare Life II, c. 16.. The third, which was called the Exaltation of St. Winnoc, on 23 March [Proper offices of the saints of the church of St. Winnoc (Ypres, 1732), cited in Pruvost, p. 704.]. This third has now been suppressed, but not the two earlier ones, namely the one, under the rite of double of the first class with octave, on 6 November, the other under the rite of double of the second class, on 18 September. For each a proper office has been approved by the Sacred Congregation of Rites by decree of 20 July 1887 Mury, the work cited, pp. 38–53 and p. 54 58.. There is also still celebrated on the feast of the Most Holy Trinity a solemn supplication Compare above, no. 40. in which the relics of St. Winnoc are carried through the city, but they are no longer immersed in the water. The same relics are carried in the processions which are customarily held on the solemnity of Corpus Christi and on 15 August, on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Letter of the Very Reverend L. Rajou..

[53] Of the confraternity of St. Winnoc. There was also restored by the Illustrious Louis Belmas the confraternity of St. Winnoc which, formerly established in the monastery of Bergues [Mention of this confraternity is made in the Catalogue of abbots at 1624, 1625, 1644, 1665 (in Al. Pruvost, pp. 477, 489, 510, 551).], had been approved by the Roman Pontiffs and enriched with indulgences, and which secular princes also adorned with certain privileges. To this confraternity more than five hundred, whether citizens or outsiders, gave their names in the course of the year 1870 Mury, the work cited, pp. 35–38..

I. FIRST LIFE OF ST. WINNOC

Winnoc, abbot or prior of Wormhout. (S.)

BHL Number: 8952, 8953

Edited from six codices, namely: A1. Boulogne (Boulogne-sur-Mer) 107, of the eleventh century; — A2. Saint-Omer 764, of the tenth century; — A3. Brussels 8518–20, of the tenth century; — B1. Cambridge, Corpus Christi College no. IX, of the eleventh century; — B2. London, Arundel 91, of the twelfth century; — C. Brussels 8934, of the seventeenth century. Compare Preliminary Commentary, no. 1. — It has not seemed good to note the variant readings of Ghesquière's edition and that of Louis Deschamps, since the codices themselves, from which they drew the text they edited, were at hand for us. — The chapters, which in the codices were not distinguished at all, we ourselves have distinguished by adding numbers.

Here begins the life or acts of St. Winnoc, confessor of Christ Incipit egregii Winnoci vita beati A; omits C..

[1] [St. Winnoc, received with three companions among the monks of Sithiu by St. Bertin,] When the holy confessor of Christ Bertin, adorned with signs and virtues, presided over a multitude of monks in the monastery of Sithiu, from many parts on every side, divine grace spurring them, religious men came to him, desiring also to persevere with him in the service of God under the yoke of the sacred rule. Among whom quas A 2. four religious men omits B 2. from the far-distant land of the Britons, who were called by these names, Quadanocus previously Quadonocus A 2. and Ingenocus, Madocus Madacus B 2. [That these three companions of St. Winnoc were his brothers is reported by John of Ypres (compare above, Preliminary Commentary, no. 15) and after him James Malbrancq (De Morinis, book IV, end of c. 4, vol. I, p. 432), who also brings forward a certain genealogy, in which they are reviewed with Winnoc among twenty children whom Iuthaelus begot; but where he found this genealogy he does not indicate, so that one may conjecture that it was composed by him. Certainly that that tradition had not yet arisen at the time at which the second Life of St. Winnoc was written is rightly gathered from the fact that the author of this second Life, while reporting Winnoc as sprung from royal stock (Life II, c. 1), says that Quadanocus and each of the other sharers of his pilgrimage were merely of notable family (ibid., at the end).] and St. Winnoc, leaving parents and country according to the Lord's precept, came to him with one accord, asking also that he should receive them in the name of God among the holy sanctum B. flock of monks established under his care. So blessed Bertin, seeing them burning with love of God, and recognizing that there was in them a perfect will of living well, receiving them kindly, joined them without delay to the holy multitude of monks.

[2] with the same he is sent to found a monastery After this, a short space of time having passed, the holy sanctus B. abbot Bertin, seeing that the aforesaid servants of God were shrewd (sagaces - fuisse) sect. et sag. f. sac. r. C. followers of the sacred rule (sagaces - fuisse) sect. et sag. f. sac. r. C., and also filled repletos B. with perfect charity and true humility, and observing that they gave effort to the labour of their hands with great diligence of obedience, in the township of Wormhout; ordered them to build in the name of God a certain cell in the district of Thérouanne Teruuanensi B 1; Tewanense B 2. quod etiam ipsi devotis animis strenue impleverunt adds C. Compare above, Preliminary Commentary, nos. 21–25.. For a certain rich man omits B 2., Heremar by name, offered to God and blessed Bertin his fruitful inheritance in the aforesaid district, which is called Woromholt Worumholt A 2; Wormholt B 1; Woromouth (previously Woromhout) C. [Wormhoudt is now a small town in northern France (dép. du Nord), 18 kilometres distant from the town of Dunkerque toward the south and somewhat to the east (S.-S.-E.). On the monastery of Wormhout see Preliminary Commentary, nos. 26–28.], and therefore the aforesaid cell is called by the same name [The first and last words of the charter of donation, which he was able to see in the archive of the monastery of Sithiu, are recited by John of Ypres (Chronicle of Saint-Bertin, c. I, part XIII MG., Scr. vol. XXV, end of p. 761): To all present and future who are counted in the Christian faith. — Done in

the monastery of Sithiu on the Kalends of November, in the first year of King Hildebert. Compare Preliminary Commentary, nos. 17–19.] to God and blessed Bertin.

So St. Bertin omits C., wishing to multiply (m. v.) v. m. A 1. dwellings for the servants famulus A 3. of God and to prepare cupiens adds C. hospices for the poor of Christ (h. p.) p. h. C., which at that time were rare in the aforesaid district, sent across misit B 2. to the aforesaid district the said praefati (previously praefatis) A 2. soldiers of Christ, with other brothers obedient to their eius C. command, to build constituerent A 3. in the said place a dwelling fitted for the servants of God. So the religious men, having one heart and one soul by the apostolic example, following spectantes B 2. the active ac talem B. [That is, perfect, occupied with pious acts. Compare Du Cange, Gloss. med. et inf. lat., ed. Henschel, under this word.] life, more anxious for the poor and for the guests of Christ than for themselves, according to the order of the holy abbot Bertin berhtini B 2. built in the aforesaid district, the Lord favouring (f. D.) Deo f. A 1., a convenient cell, and persevering in it through many spaces of years in the service of God, they reached their last day.

[3] [over which monastery, after the death of his three companions, he is set, and he presides in holiness.] After the death of the aforesaid three holy men, namely Quadanocus Quadonoci A 2. and Ingenocus and Madocus, blessed Bertin granted that St. Winnoc should preside over the little community of the servants of God dwelling commorantium B 2. in the aforesaid cell Compare Preliminary Commentary, nos. 26–28., who from boyhood had been reared by blessed Bertin and in so all the codices, except C, omits C, read a. his omits A 1. aforesaid holy countrymen under the yoke of the sacred rule [atque lacte sanctae Ecclesae viriliter educatus ad onus pastoralis curae erat dignissimus adds C.]. Who, although unequal iunior B 2. in age to the aforesaid omits A 1. servants of God, was yet a follower strenuissimus adds C. of them in perfect charity and obedience, and the Lord bestowed on him a great grace of humility (h. l. e. g.) l. e. h. g. et animi patientiam, ut C.. For he thought himself more worthless than all men, fulfilling (p. i.) putaret, implendo C. what is written: He who wishes to become greater among you, let him be your minister: for he who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Matth. 20, 26, Luke 14, 11. So the aforesaid servant of God Winnoc, keeping this nostri adds B 1. precept dictum animo corporeque C. of the Saviour, was accustomed to minister volebat, curamque prout potuerat impendere non desinebat C. to the brothers subject to him and to the guests of Christ (Chr. h.) hospitibusque B 2. who came to him, and omits A 1. whatever work seemed hard and heavy to the other brothers dwelling with him, he himself, the Lord favouring him, carried out with a serene atque gratuito adds C. mind. So the generous Rewarder of good works, who is no respecter of persons, who says: Upon whom else shall I rest but upon the humble and quiet quietem A 3. and him who trembles at my words? Is. 66, 2. seeing the perfect charity and humility of his servant Winnoc, exalted him with glorious miracles mirabiliterque signis decoravit adds C.. Of which omnibus multis et inenarrabilibus adds C., the Lord favouring, we shall narrate a few omits B. in the following discourse.

[4] [Worn out by old age, he applies himself to grinding wheat, in which labour he is divinely helped.] So when the holy sanctus B. confessor of Christ Winnoc iam adds C. had been weighed down by venerable old age, and deserted also by bodily strength, yet, strengthened, the Lord favouring him, by a tireless will of obedience, he thought with an anxious mind how he might serve God and the brothers subject to him by the labour of his hands in his old age, mindful also (m. e.) memorabat B. of the Lord nostri Iesu Christi adds B 1; Iesu Christi ita adds B 2. saying: He who perseveres perseveravit A 3. to the end, he shall be saved. Matth. 10, 22. So the venerable man, full of humility and obedience, the Lord inspiring him, found wholesome counsel, wishing also (v. e.) velle enim incidit ei B. to turn a mill with his sacred hands, so that, reducing rediens A 3. the grain to flour, he might serve daily by such labour laborare A 3. the brothers dwelling in that place and the poor of Christ, whom he often kindly received, mindful also omits B. of the apostolic precept quo ait adds C.: Let him not eat who does not work (N. m. q. n. l) q. n. l. n. m. B.. 2 Thess. 3, 10. So the merciful Lord, to whom all things are possible, in pity for his servant [(s. m. f.) suum mirando famulum A 2; suum m. famulum B 1; suum iuvando (so corrected) famulum B 2.], granted that the mill alone, turned rotatum A 3. by divine power, without any support of a human hand, should for many days reduce the grain to flour. And St. Winnoc, with hands raised to heaven, the door also shut according to the Lord's omits B 2. precept, singing sacred prayers alta trahens suspiria adds C. and standing secure beside the mill, gave immense thanks to the almighty Lord largitori omnium munerum adds C., who, pitying his old age, afforded him such a solace [Hence St. Winnoc is venerated as the patron of those who practise the miller's art (Cahier, Caractéristiques des saints, p. 557).].

[5] [A monk, made a witness of the wonder by rash curiosity and punished by sudden blindness and paralysis,] So all the servants of God dwelling in the aforesaid cell, greatly wondering, said among themselves (i. i. se) int. se inv. A 1.: “How could an old man, deserted by bodily strength, work so great a quantity of flour daily by the mill with his hands, unless divine mercy were supporting him?” Then one of them, wishing to explore this marvellous sign, with bold spirit approached the same house in which St. Winnoc, helped by divine mercy, was accustomed to labour. From here the wretch, looking through a small opening with curious curiosius C. eyes, saw St. Winnoc with intent mind, his eyes manibus B 2, C; oculisque in altum arrectis adds C. raised to heaven, engaged in prayer oratione A 2., and the mill turned by divine power, and he perceived a great quantity of flour scattered around it. At this the mill, immediately after being looked at by the stupid man, ceasing from its accustomed course, suddenly stood motionless. And that bold man, who brought such an offence upon the servant of God, receiving deserved et sibi debitam adds C. punishment, suddenly falling prone protinus C. to the ground, lost the light of his eyes, and, carried by the hands of others, deprived of his eyes and trembling et rigidus adds C. in his whole body, he was brought back to his house.

[6] by the saint's prayer he recovers health. On the next day, trembling, telling all who dwelt in the aforesaid cell the aforesaid miracle that he had seen, and having confessed with weeping the fault of his boldness, he went to St. Dei adds B. Winnoc, and, cast down at the feet of the confessor of Christ himself, he begged pardon of him in the name of God. Then the holy sanctus B. confessor of Christ Winnoc, moved by the unhappy infelicis C. misfortune of the blinded man, his eyes que adds B. having been signed by him in the name of God, begged the clemency of the almighty Lord (s. o.) consignatis omnipotens C., who does not wish to return reddi C. evil for evil, that he might recover the former light of his eyes. So the generous helper auditor B. of his servants, who is near to all who call upon him in veritate adds B. and does faciet B. the will of those who fear him, through the devout prayers of his sanctissimi adds B. confessor Winnoc in that same hour filled with abundant light the eyes of the aforesaid man, blinded through the fault of boldness. Then the wretch, filled with immense joy (i. r. g.) r. g. i. B., and all who beheld this miracle gave due thanks to the almighty Lord and to St. Dei adds B1. Winnoc [adds C: O virum perfectum omnique laude dignissimum, qui iniuriam ab impio passus 〈non〉 solum ferre non distulit, sed etiam ultorem omnium se per suam misericordiam ulciscentem imploratus est quatenus caeco redderet visum sibique pro hoc aeternum redderet praemium. Exemplum namque David regis imitatus, qui persequentem se Saulem cum potuit non exstinxit, sed etiam reum se professus est quia oram clamidis eius inciderit. Ad laudem namque eius nullum linguae nostrae sufficit elogium. Ipse est enim decus gloriatioque eius et laus perennis, cuius laus numquam ab eius ore discessit. Redeat igitur impolitus sermo persequi quae coepta sunt prout potest, ne forte, dum prolixam vult tendere ratione seriem, in fastidium vertatur perito lectori.].

[7] Miracles following the death of St. Winnoc. So the merciful Lord not only through this gloriosum adds B. confessor of his, Winnoc, while he was in the presence of the flesh, did great et summas adds B. miracles, as we have said before (s. p.) p. s. B. [There follows in C: quae nunc oculis latent mortalium, quas ipse partim celando, partim pigritia scriptorum involverunt. Quae quamvis, ut diximus, nobis sint occulta, indubitanter tamen credendum est quod Deo sint notissima. Solent enim sancti viri magnanimiter opera quae per eos Dominus mirabiliter facit celare, quatinus ut dum mens in se ipso humiliata et occulti hostis valeant vitare nociva temptamina et postmodum a superno iudice pro abiectione humani favoris recipere gaudia sine fine manentia. Hic namque egregius pater Winnocus secundum Salvatoris testimonium verus et absque dolo Israhelita fuit, dispensatorque Christi fidelissimus existens, studebat iuxta normam beatissimi Benedicti plus amari quam timeri. Et quamvis regia stirpe foret progenitus, non tamen proponebat Note: read praeponebat. se ex servitio convertendi Note: read convertenti.. Erat enim semper hilaris animo, facie iocundus, spe robustissimus, charitate diffusus, quem non noverant prospera erigi nec adversa deici. Erat namque in consilio providus et in interventu strenuus, doctrinaque

sapientiae mirabiliter irradiatus. Sicut sol ardens in virtute sua fluenta desiderat fontium, ita ipse cupiebat relicta caduca corporis mole pertingere Christi felix ad regnum. Sine intermissione namque Domino, quatinus de hac convalle plorationum eriperet eum, Daviticum concinnebat eloquium: Educ, Domine, de carcere isto animam meam ad confitendum nomini tuo. Ps. 141, 8. Qui misericorditer eum exaudiens dignisque eius agonibus praemia rependere volens, accitum eum ad se transire fecit octavo idus novembris aetate plenum meritorumque perfectorum. Sepultus est autem in eodem loco in monasterio quod idem construxerat in honore sancti Martini.]; but after his happy death [Which is commonly thought to have happened in the year 716 or 717. Compare Preliminary Commentary, no. 29.] he wrought glorious miracles through him. Of which, the Lord favouring pauca adds A1., we shall narrate in the following discourse.

[8] A fire, by which the whole church is burned, does not touch his sepulchre. A long space of time having passed after the departure from this life of the holy man atque gloriosissimi viri Dei B. Winnoc, on a certain day it happened that, the brothers dwelling in the aforesaid place resting in sleep omits B2. after the noon hour of a summer's day, from a certain small house placed beside the church there rose surrexit B. an immense fire, and suddenly the swift rush of flames, after consuming the aforesaid small house, at once entered with a great noise into the church in which the body of blessed Winnoc rested pausat A1., and the whole church, the flames running through the dry timbers, was burned up by the immense fury of the fire, and the flame had suddenly consumed all the wooden buildings that were around it. But the fury of the fire did not touch the sepulchre of St. confessoris adds B. Winnoc, placed in that same church, with the ornaments attached to it, the divine power protecting it; but the flames, as if turned back by an immense force of wind (i. vi v.) immenso vento A2, B1., withdrew far from it. For the hand of the Lord was between the flames and the sepulchre of his confessor. And after the fury of the flames had ceased, all who dwelt in the aforesaid place, terrified by immense fear of the fire, ran together from every side to the sepulchre of blessed viri adds B1. Winnoc, thinking that it too had been reduced to ashes by the swift rush of flames. But after they saw that the sepulchre of the holy confessor of Christ was untouched by the flames, and that the roofs placed around it were reduced to ashes, they returned immense thanks to the almighty Lord, who not only frees liberet A2. the souls of his servants (s. f.) f. s. A1. from the flames of everlasting punishment, but also keeps their bodies unharmed from the rush [in the first syllable of this word (im) A3 ends, the following leaves of the codex having been cut away.] of the present fire.

[9] [Trying to transfer his sacred body elsewhere, they are prevented by power from above from moving it further from the ruined church.] After this, lifting the body of the blessed man Winnoc from its sepulchre they at once carried it from the burned church, wishing also to place it in a place remote from the church, until that basilica should have been restored in the name of God. A wonderful thing then happened, by the working of divine power. For after they had carried that body of the blessed man outside the church, they could not (n. i.) non B. move it any further, the divine hand resisting them. Then they, having taken counsel among themselves, said: “Perhaps Forsitan A2, B1. it has not been granted us by the Lord to carry this body of the blessed man to a place remote from the church. Wherefore let us entreat the clemency of the almighty Lord omits B2, C. that, if omits B. it pleases him (si s.) si sibi sit B1. that this little body be placed in this small garden adjoining this church (a. e.) e. a. A1. et adds B., he may now grant us to move it.” Then without delay, lifting the limbs of the blessed man, they placed them in the aforesaid small garden. For, terrified by the aforesaid sign, they did not dare carry it further.

[10] Not long after this, [A man, long harassed by a very troublesome infirmity, is suddenly healed at the sepulchre of St. Winnoc.] the Almighty Deus adds A2, B. wrought a wonderful miracle through the same holy confessor of his, Winnoc. For a certain lame man et adds B., deprived for a long time of the use of his feet and so worn by a ceaseless trembling tremore corrected B2. movement motus corrected B2. of head and hands that he could scarcely bring out a word with his shaken voice or hold anything in his trembling hands, came one day to the venerable sepulchre of the blessed man Winnoc. So when the brothers dwelling in that place, on the night of the Lord's resurrection, were celebrating cantarent A1. the nightly vigils, then he, led in the church ecclesiam B2, C. by the hands of others, begged with tears the clemency of the almighty Lord that through the glorious merits of his confessor Winnoc he might restore his limbs, worn by intolerable sickness, to their former use. So the merciful Lord, who has not forgotten the prayers orationis A2, C. of the poor, who is present as a helper in due time, in tribulation, heard the poor wretch entreating him through the merits of blessed Winnoc confessoris sui B2.. For when the reading of the sancti adds B1. Gospel was recited in that same church that same night after the nightly nocturnos C. vigils omits C. in the accustomed manner, then the aforesaid man, surrounded by immense light, saw two fiery arrows directed from either side at his ears; and at once, one entering through his right ear, and the other through the left, suddenly through the openings of his head there flowed a great abundance of blood, and, freed from omits B1. the intolerable weariness of the aforesaid sickness, by the gift of divine grace he received sudden health. Then the wretch, filled with immense joy, going this way and that on his feet, running and leaping through the spacious church, gave due thanks to the almighty Lord and to St. Winnoc, and he also told (f. q.) fratribusque A2, B. in order to the brothers standing around him how, after the rush of the aforesaid praedictorum A2. arrows at his ears and after the coming of the aforesaid light to him, the sickness suddenly left him. Then with the crowd of people standing around, praising the Lord and wondering at the merits in the sight of the Lord of the glorious holy confessor of Christ Winnoc, he went out of the church healthy and glad, by the gift of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honour and glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit for eternal saeculorum adds B. ages. Amen [Explicit vita sancti Winnoci confessoris adds B; (largiente-Amen) omits A1, and in the margin is written this note in a hand of the seventeenth century: Here ends a certain other life of St. Winnoc which is bound with the life of Sts. Wandrille and Ansbert.].

[11] Other miracles that followed afterwards. There remain still certain things concerning the said holy man, done in our times, which we think should not be passed over in silence, lest we be judged too sluggish, though we may seem more rustic than the early writers [The chapters 11–15 read here we have said above are more probably owed to a later writer, Preliminary Commentary, no. 6.].

[12] [A servant, falling headlong from the top of the church building, suffers no injury of body.] It happened at a certain time, when Count Gerard Who this Count Gerard was I have not been able to define more distinctly. had begun at his own charge to build half of the church of the often-mentioned holy man, that a certain servant, serving in that work, fell from the top of the wall, so that, levelled with the ground, he seemed dead. But after a brief moment of an hour, as we believe by the merits of the holy man on whose church's work he was engaged, he rose so healthy and strong that he at once worked as before. And the man was of such size and weight that it must be doubtful to no one that he retained his life by the merits of St. Winnoc.

[13] A sacred glass chalice, broken, is wondrously restored to wholeness. After this it pleased the same venerable man Count Gerard to build a church in his benefice in the place which is called Spirliacus [Esperlec, about 10 kilometres to the north-west, distant from Saint-Omer. On the time of the donation compare Preliminary Commentary, nos. 6, 28.], in honour of St. Winnoc. To direct this work there were also invited brothers of good testimony from the monastery of the holy man, so that the temple built for God for love of him might also be completed with the support of his brothers. There on a certain Sunday, when the said brothers lacked a chalice for confecting the Lord's body, which on such a day it is unlawful to omit, there was found a certain glass vessel prepared at some time for that use, but, as the brothers declared who were present and assisted at the office of the Mass, it was so shattered that part scarcely adhered to part. Yet one of the brothers, gently taking it and cleansing it with water, the more he rubbed it the more it became solid, so that it is held fit for this ministry up to now. Seeing this they gave thanks to God and reckoned it to the merits of St. Winnoc.

[14] [A small portion of the relics of St. Winnoc, lost through some negligence, is found in a wonderful manner.] Besides, at a certain time of the Rogation, while we were making a procession with the people in the accustomed manner, it happened on a certain occasion that we made for the monastery later than was due. There too was carried the body of the holy man, and among the crosses a crozier with relics. But as this was being treated less carefully, a small piece of gold with those same relics fell from its head, and yet that very night the loss of so great a treasure was wholly unknown to any of ours. When morning came, the keeper of the church, standing by and looking, and finding nothing of these things, was struck with great fear. And so, trembling, he called the whole congregation, and also the man who carried the said crozier, in case it might be in the knowledge of any of them what he dreaded that he had lost. And when no one was found to know of it, a search is sent along the whole way by which they had come, and it is not found. A wonderful thing: when the same keeper of the church incautiously put his hand in the hood of his cowl, which we canons also then used, he found the relics of the holy man with the gold, which he despaired of ever finding. Questioned about the matter, he attested on oath that it had never been in his knowledge how the said thing had happened, especially since he had taken off that cowl of his that same night and put it on in the morning. We too, repenting of the carelessness, gave thanks to God, who permitted such things to be done by the merits of St. Winnoc.

[15] [A glass lamp hanging before the saint's sepulchre, falling to the ground, is found whole on the pavement, the oil not spilled.] I wish further to report what happened in these recent days of ours among the miracles of the venerable man. For in the season of Lent, at the sixth hour, while the brothers, performing the office of that hour, were engaged in prayer

with a multitude of the people standing by, a lamp with a basin full of oil, which hung before the tomb codex bustam. of the body of the holy man, falling from on high when its rope broke, gave such a crash in its fall that all who were present thought that an arch of the wall had fallen. Rising from prayer they approached to see what it might be. And behold, the veil that hung behind the altar being lifted, they found that the glass cup had leapt out of the basin and was thus standing whole, so that scarcely a drop of oil had been spilled from it. At once, the people going out, the brothers gave themselves to prayer, giving thanks to God, who often shines forth in his saints with miracles, and who lives and reigns, the Father with the Son and the Holy Spirit, for infinite ages of ages. Amen.

II. SECOND LIFE OF ST. WINNOC

Winnoc, abbot or prior of Wormhout. (S.)

BHL Number: 8954, 8955

For editing it eight codices were employed, marked with these numbers in public libraries, namely: A1. Bergues, formerly 19 (by which number it is still marked in the catalogue recently edited in the series Catalogue général des manuscrits des bibliothèques publiques des départements de France, vol. XXVI, p. 662), now 65, written in the thirteenth century; — A2. Brussels 8934, which contains a seventeenth-century copy manifestly written out from the Bergues codex; — B1. Douai 838, of the thirteenth century; — B2. Saint-Omer 716, vol. VIII, of the thirteenth century; — C1. Brussels 9120, of the twelfth century. That codex, the most ancient indeed of all that we have been able to see, teems with very many errors. Thus in the prologue, a little before the middle (after the words Haec … scribenti mihi) there is read cognoscatur for ignoscatur; somewhat lower (after the words et tunc demum) accusat for accuset; in the Book of miracles annexed to Life II, middle of c. 3, ianitorem for genitorem, and not a few other silly things of that kind. We have thought that these should not be noted among the variant readings, just as neither the many individual omissions and inversions of words that occur throughout that codex; — C2. Arras 462, of the thirteenth century; — D1. Brussels 7461, of the thirteenth century; — D2. Cambrai, formerly 721, now 816, of the fifteenth century. — Besides these we have added variant readings from the edition of Mabillon, which we have marked with the letter M. Compare above, Preliminary Commentary, no. 8.

Here begins Whole prologue omits D2. the prologue to (p. in) omits B1. the life of St. Winnoc, abbot [omits C1, confessoris D1, et confessoris Christi adds B1, cuius festum colitur octavo ydus (so corrected, previously kalendas) novembris adds C2; (Inc-ab.) Prologus A2, Prologus auctoris M.].

Since the eloquence of speaking once did honour to the titles of ancestors and transmitted the mighty deeds of the men of old to those who came after with no little glory, by that example too very many whom our age has, aspiring affecti M., have striven visi B2, C1. by speaking or writing to equal to the sky the deeds of holy men. So Severus wrote of Martin, Fortunatus of Hilary, so others of others, and they gave these for the ornament of the church; and although in speaking nothing less was accomplished by great orators, yet in no way, as I might say without detriment to their majesty, have they been able voluerunt D1. to equal the virtues of the saints in writing, and, lest I be accused of disparagement against such renowned orators of the Church of God, they themselves feel the same with me, that whatever they have said is less than the merits of the saints. Nor is it a wonder; for it is little that the tongue of orators should have succumbed in the praises of those at whose nod creation, the Creator disposing, sometimes ignored nature and the elements were bidden visa B2, C, D, M. to suffer force. We have said this that I, in writing, may be pardoned so much the more as my talent is less than that of great orators, and before whom, so to say, our speech grows mean. But lest anyone whoever he is accuse me of rashness in writing, let him first learn the causes for writing, and then tum A2, B2. finally either accuse or pardon. For from the brothers of the monastery of St. Winnoc, by whose charity I was not a little pleasantly refreshed, I received the suggestion, not, I confess, without my confusion, that I should hammer out the life and acts (v. et a.) a. et v. M. of the memorable father of whom I have spoken in a new style, taken from the old, they seeking the tongue of Cicero in a rustic mouth. For what? I greatly feared lest I should not obey the fathers and should not make return to those to whom I owed much; and what was I to do, I who owed much, when asked for what I did not have? Considering on this side their charity, on that their command, placed between the two, I owed to charity a return, to command obedience; and when, pulled in these different directions, I drew breath with difficulty, and tried to be able to do what I did not have the ability to do, there came to my mind the mouth of the prophet cleansed by a coal taken from the fire of the altar and, what is more wonderful, the mouth of the she-ass articulated into words. Accordingly this saint, whom I am compelled to praise, can easily be made glorious in the opening of my mouth, who, when he wished, had it in his power to loose the tongues of the dumb multorum C, D1, M.; and although it is little glorious that divine things be praised by human, yet holy devotion has the reward of its praise, negligence peril. For it belongs to devotion to praise piously, to negligence not to praise; and although praise is not beautiful in the mouth of a sinner, yet he will be judged for negligence, if he does not try in some way to deserve to praise. So, trusting in the prayers of the fathers, I shall undertake so A1, the other codices and M aggredior. the work which they enjoin, namely with the devotion of obeying, not with the presumption of writing. And when I shall have given the last hand to the work and handed back so A1, the other codices and M resignavero. the task of the work to the fathers, if our hand has erred erraverit C2., the reader will have to impute it to those who gave the command rather than to the one obeying, because they could easily have admitted a better writer than me to this work. Since then they were not reluctant to command great things, neither shall I be ashamed to obey great men, although I am far unequal in strength to the work to come.

Here ends the prologue (E. p.) omits B, M..

Genealogy [Whole omits B, C1, D, M reports it before the prologue, with the inscription Genealogia S. Winnoci abbatis prefixed.] of St. Winnoc, abbot (W. a.) patris W. A2. [Of this genealogy, compiled by a wholly unknown author, the codices of Bergues and Arras furnish the most ancient records: whence it is established that it was already put forward in the thirteenth century. That it is worthy of no credence seems sufficiently gathered from the fact that the writer of the original Life of St. Winnoc was wholly silent on the very noble lineage of the saint, the mention of which a hagiographer of the eighth or ninth century would certainly never have brought himself to pass over in silence.].

Riwalus, duke of Britain, was the son of Derochus, son of Guitolus Witholi A2, B2, M., son of Urbienus, son of Catovus Catoni B2., son of Gerento. This Riwalus, coming from the transmarine Britains with a multitude of ships, possessed all Lesser Britain in the time of Clothar, king of the Franks, who was the son of King Clovis. This Riwalus begot a son by name Derochus, and Derochus begot Riatham. Riatham so A1, Riatha A2, B2, M. begot Jonas, and Jonas begot Iudwalus, and Iudwalus begot Iuthaelus, and Iuthaelus genuit adds A2, B2, M. St. Iudichaelus the king and St. Judoc and St. Winnoch, Eocus, Eumahelus, Dohetwalus, Gorhelus Gozelum A2, M., Largelus Larzelum A2., Riwas, Riwaldus, Iudgoretus Iudgozethum M., Helom, Guenmaelus Gu. (the other letters omitted) B2, Quenmaelum M.. The same Iuthaelus also begot daughters, whose names are these: St. Euriala Curiola A2, Curiela B2, M., Onnenna, Brede, Guen Cruen A2; (B. G.) Bredequen M., Cleor, Prust (C. P.) Cleopust A2.. On the XVI Kalends of January the passing of St. Iudichaelus, confessor, king of Britain, who (qui-Chr.) omits B2, M., made a monk in the monastery of Gwadel under Abbot Meguennus, gave back his soul to Christ (qui-Chr.) omits B2, M.. This Iudichaelus autem A2, B2, M. ruled Britain in the time of Dagobert, son of Clothar.

Here begins the life of St. Winnoc, abbot confessoris Christi C; (s. W. a.) eiusdem D1. and confessor [(et c.) omits B, C, D; cuius festum est VIII idus novembris adds A2, B2, C2, D2; (Inc.-conf.) omits M. — In the text of the Life, which now follows, the titles of the chapters are prefixed to each, except in C2, in which all are omitted, and in B1, in which after Explicit prologus and before the title of the Life there is read an index of twenty-one titles distinguished by their numbers, with the rubric Incipiunt capitula prefixed and Expliciunt capitula following. The numbers by which the order of the chapters is indicated are written in A1 only at the first eight, but in A2 at all (in what they call Arabic ciphers, Cap. 1m, Cap. 2m, etc.); also at all (the titles themselves omitted) in B1; but they are wholly omitted in C; and finally in B2 and D they are noted only at chapters II and III.].

I. Of the blessed man's birth and pilgrimage for Christ [(De-per.) De n. b. v. et per. (eius adds B1) pro Christo B, C1, D1 (omits pro Christo), omits D2, Winnocus e Britannia patria sua migrat M.] Compare Life I, first part of c. 1..

So blessed Winnoc took the beginnings of his birth in the borders of Britain from a royal lineage Compare Preliminary Commentary, nos. 13–16., but adorned the title of nobility with a character of uprightness. He, while from his earliest age, as if always beginning, with new novus A1, B. virtues, yet amid the very beginnings appeared as one who had finished, and placed in the world he was outside the world, and under the dress of the age he bore himself as a soldier of Christ (g. m. Chr.) Chr. m. g. B, D, M.. Meanwhile Britain was stupefied that a citizen of hers was a pilgrim in her bosom and an exile within his own borders by daily new deeds. And he who already in mind (i. m.) so A, the other codices and M m. i. had gone into exile exularet D2, M. from his country gladly gave effort to go into exile in body too, and, like another Abraham, he turned over in continual meditation going out from his land and kindred. But his desires succeeding in full, the thing long conceived found its plan. Accordingly he had in the fellowship of undertaking the pilgrimage recruits sworn to the mysteries of Christ, namely Quadanocus, Ingenocus and Madocus [These three men, whom John of Ypres in the fourteenth century says were brothers of St. Winnoc (compare Preliminary Commentary, no. 15), are not known from elsewhere.], of notable family indeed and approved in life. These together with blessed Winnoc, freed from the burden of their affairs, stripped of native soil and the wealth of their parents, to run the way of the commandments

of God, were led by the steps of faith, proclaiming with the voices of their works that apostolic word: We have here no abiding city, but we seek one to come. Hebr. 13, 14. So after long spaces of road they reached at last the region of the Morini, where they had learned, report spreading it abroad, that the religion of the saints was then flourishing.

II. That they sought out blessed Bertin expetierint B, D, M, expetierit C1. and submitted subdiderit C1. themselves to his rule regimini B, C1, D; (se r.) regimini se B1. Compare Life I, last part of c. 1..

There was at that time in the aforesaid region of the Morini or of Thérouanne Tarwanensium C2. blessed Bertin, a precious stone in the adornment of the Church of God, in the monastery of Sithiu abbot et abba C1, abba C2. in merit and in office. He had breathed the spices of his holiness far and wide and had drawn very many by his example into the army of Christ; and whoever wishes to know his praiseworthy deeds will have them plainly from the booklet fully inscribed with his acts. So to the rule of so great a father the aforesaid men submitted themselves with devout debito C, D, M. compliance and deemed it altogether excellent ingenium adds D2. to hang with watchful mind (a. p.) p. a. C2. on the saint's teaching. Rejoicing in their praiseworthy devotion, the said man of God taught them to bear the yoke of Christ under the norm of the pious father Benedict, and instructed them by words and deeds to serve the monastic ordinances. And when he wondered that amid the very beginnings of their conversion conversationis A2. they had reached the summit of perfection, he assigned them a place in which they might devote themselves to the Lord more singly and commanded them to build there a cell fitted for sacred occupations. They obey the command, they apply themselves to building the edifice. Now this place lies in the region of the Morini, called up to the present day the Mount of St. Winnoc Compare Preliminary Commentary, nos. 21–25., where the men of God, placed for some time, crucified themselves to the world and the world to themselves.

III. Of the illustrious man Heremar aliquod adds B1, aliquando adds C1, D, M. bestowing an estate on St. so A, the other codices and M beato. Winnoc, and of the building of a cell (ac c.) so A, cellaeque B1, the other codices and M ecclesiaeque. in the possession of the other codices (except A) and M add eiusdem. the estate Compare Life I, c. 2..

Holy mother Church at that time had indeed an excellent member of her body, namely omits C2. an illustrious man by name Heremar, renowned as much for wealth as for character. He, to obtain a portion in the land of the living, offered to God and St. et sancto D2. Winnoc a certain estate of his own right, which, called by the inhabitants Woromholt Woromohlt C1, Wormhoudt A2., keeps up to our time that most familiar name. This possession lies on the small river which is called the Peene, on the border of Thérouanne and Flanders so A1, B2, C1, Flandriarumque A2, B1, D, M., a quite rich soil and fertile in crops. There [(Ubi-dest.) so A, Igitur (Ibi ergo C2) sanctus Winnocus cum coadiunctis (coadunatis C2) the other codices and M.] the often-mentioned abbot, with the appointed [(Ubi-dest.) so A, Igitur (Ibi ergo C2) sanctus Winnocus cum coadiunctis (coadunatis C2) the other codices and M.] servants of God (D. f.) f. D. B1, D, M., gives effort to building constituendis M. dwellings of the servants of God, in which both Christ might be more dearly received in the poor and the monastic order might be carried on more secretly, or rather more devoutly. So the men of God, girding the loins of their mind for the army of Christ, obey the command [(imp.-ini.) so A (but for the last two words iubentis iniunctumque A2), the other codices and M et divina fortitudine adiuti inchoatum.] and hasten to complete mature C2. the work enjoined [(imp.-ini.) so A (but for the last two words iubentis iniunctumque A2), the other codices and M et divina fortitudine adiuti inchoatum.] by the one commanding. The work is hot, the buildings rise, hospices zenodochia B1. are fitted up, so that the house of God, finished in a short time, could easily earn honour from the inhabitants. For the holy men in the labour of their hands were so full of graces that, seeking not solum adds B, C1, M. their own things but the things of Jesus Christ, they held (p. f.) plurifacerent D1, M, plurificarent D2. the salvation of others of more worth than their own salvation, and thus omits the other codices (except A) and M. they made it their gain to make up the losses of others. For they had nothing more pleasant in all their life than to look to the comfort of guests hospitium C, D, M., the poor and pilgrims. They had one heart and one soul, and according to that saying each was to the other half of his soul. By these instruments, then, building in themselves a temple of the Holy Spirit, up to the end of their life they did not fall short of the rigour of their purpose.

IV. That [(Quod-mon.) so A, the other codices and M Qualiter Dei famulus et laudabilis (gloriosus adds B1, gloriosius adds B2, vitae adds D2) pater (pariter M) Winnocus gregi praeordinatur monachorum.] St. Bertin after the death of the three men set blessed Winnoc over the flock of monks [(Quod-mon.) so A, the other codices and M Qualiter Dei famulus ct laudabilis (gloriosus adds B1, gloriosius adds B2, vitae adds D2) pater (pariter M) Winnocus gregi praeordinatur monachorum.] Compare Life I, c. 3..

Meanwhile it happened that after the departure decessum corrected D1, D2. of the three holy men St. Winnoc survived. He, thoroughly imbued with regular disciplines, had indeed advanced in all the teachings of the faith, bringing forth from the treasure of his heart things new and old. And when the often-mentioned three men closed their last day, carried over into everlasting rest, St. Bertin granted elegit the other codices (except A) and M. that the man of God should preside over the flock of monks, since he had already learned that he was humbly subject. For, younger indeed in age than the aforesaid three men, but not inferior in holiness, he made himself such a follower of the saints going before that the Church marvelled at him as last in no virtue. For, as they say, he did not run as the hinder wheel, but soon reached all those going before in good deeds, both turning over in his mind and fulfilling in his work that apostolic word: Forgetting the things that are behind, stretching myself to those that are before, I pursue toward ad adds D2. the appointed prize of the heavenly reward. Philip. 3, 15, 14. Shall I proclaim Nam quid M. outstandingly his humility and patience? Whatever I may say of them will be found less than what the man of God deserves in them. For he learned to be meek and humble from him who says: Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; Matth. 11, 29. and again: He who is greater among you shall be your minister; and: He who humbles himself shall be exalted. Matth. 23, 12. He deemed it excellent to minister to the brothers subject to him, because he knew that Christ came not to be ministered to, but to minister. Hospitality was ready in him, because his charity was unfeigned, so much so that he thought that day outstandingly happy when he had deserved to receive a guest, or rather Christ in a guest. Whatever work the hands of others shrank from as arduous and heavy, he did not fear to seize tirelessly and without hesitation. Besides, in proof of such great virtues there came to him from the Lord the grace of signs, and he who made himself little in his own eyes was made glorious through him who says: Upon whom else shall I rest but upon the humble and him who trembles at my words? Is. 66, 2.

V. Of (De-rot.) omits D2. the mill divinely turned at the prayer of the man of God (De-rot) omits D2. Compare Life I, c. 4..

So the man of God, worn out by extreme old age, but not pleading his failing years, still bore the warfare of Christ in his veteran limbs; in which, though tired, he fixed his foot the more strongly, and with what strength he could, as a faithful steward, he applied himself to dispensing to the household of Christ their measure of wheat. For often turning over in his mind that apostolic word: He who does not work, let him not eat, II Thess. 3, 10. and that word of the psalmist: Because you shall eat the labours of your hands, blessed are you and it shall be well with you, Ps. 127, 2. he obeyed those same precepts not only in disposition but in effect, and by the labour of his hands provided for his own needs as much as for those of others. For he fitted a mill for himself ad adds M., a work in which there is customarily a certain place of indignity; and turning this now with his hands, now praying, he made it a servant for his own uses and those of the poor, and in a wonderful manner, as prayer succeeded work in turn, on prayer followed divine divinam M. glorification subsecuta C1.. For the Lord, wishing to spare the labour of his tired old man, wonderful to say, ordered the mill to turn of itself, looking to both the wearied age and the need of his servant. O God wonderful in his saints, who in the ministry of creatures so ministers to his ministers that he orders even natures to go beyond their law. So the man of the Lord, now free from care over his labours, as one who had discerned prospexerat C2, D2. God as his helper, believed that labour would be vain where the hand of the Lord was working, who gives food to the hungry and fills every living thing with blessing. For with eyes and hands always intent on heaven, he rejoices exsultabat corrected A1 above the line, A2. with sacrifices of heart and lips for the benefits conferred on him by the Lord. And the brothers, who were pleasantly refreshed by the labour of the hands of the man of God, wondered both at the abundance of food and at the efficacy of the work in the old man serie M.; nor was there an uncertain suspicion that the old man, in whom both age was greatly advanced and strength was declining towards its setting, was being helped by divine solace.

VI. Of the curious brother divinely blinded but given light through the prayer of the man of God Compare Life I, c. 5..

So while the brothers wondered among themselves, on this side at the abundance of bread, on that at the feeble limbs of the old man, one of them armed his curiosity with presumption, and tried to explore the whole order of the matter with the witness of his eyes. So approaching the house where the man of God was applying himself both to the labour of his hands and to prayer, with curious eyes he perceived through an opening that the mill was divinely turned at the prayer of the man of God and had poured out an abundance of flour. At his look it soon, checked from its accustomed course (m. c.) c. m. C2., remained motionless; but divine vengeance followed this presumption, which both laid the presumptuous man flat on the ground and condemned him to just blindness. Let every superfluous searcher of majesty greatly fear this punishment and at least recover from more than just curiosity: for what is being wiser than it behoves to be wise other than being foolish? For thus Hic M. certain men have languished concerning the truth, receiving in themselves the just reward of their presumption. But let us return to our purpose. So the aforesaid presumptuous man, condemned as much in sight as in step, was (m. e.) e. m. C2. carried back by the hands of others; and he who in what was not his own was more curious than he ought to have been, in what was his own was made less attentive than was fitting: less attentive, I say,

because he lost the use both of eyes and of strength (o. et v.) v. et o. B, D, M.. On the next day he made plain to those who were present what he had seen, what he had suffered; and, brought to the man of God, he casts himself at his feet, he laments conqueritur D2. not without tears that he is presumptuous, that he is guilty; nor did the matter come into doubt, when blindness and terror were there in testimony. But the servant of God, by the example of the patient Lord, grieved with the one guilty against him and opened to him a fountain of mercy. And first illi adds C2 he forgives the injury to himself, he signs the eyes of the guilty man, then he prepares the antidote of prayer and restores sight to the blinded man; and just as he easily could habuit C2. forgive the injury to himself, so he could also easily repair restituere B, D (or restaurare D2 above the line), M. the losses of blindness. The sorrow of the restored brother is changed into joy, confusion into jubilation, and he held it as gladdening to have earned pardon for his crime as to have escaped the punishment of blindness. Behold the man of God, how ready to forgive, how kind to show mercy, forgetful of injuries against himself but mindful of mercies towards his adversaries. Let prelates, I pray, attend to this example, those namely who are exalted by the occasion of the power received, who, if ever they are slightly offended by those subject to them, are kindled to their punishment with all the torches faucibus B1, D1. of madness, ready to forgive what is against God but hard to omits M. pardon injuries against themselves. These things being so, let us run through the rest of the virtues of the man of God.

VII. Of the manifold devotion of the man of God and his et usque B2, et D, M. falling asleep in Christ Compare Life I, c. 6..

The man of God was, according to the evangelical testimony, truly an Israelite without guile; for already in mind he saw God, from whom he grieved that he was on pilgrimage in the body. A faithful steward in the house of the Lord, he was eager stupebat D1. rather to be loved than to be feared, rather to minister than to be ministered to; nor, by reason of the royal nobility in which he gloriously excelled, did he put himself before one turning from servitude. Cheerful in mind and face, strong in faith, long-suffering in hope, expansive in charity, he advanced on the right and on the left through the arms of justice, neither lifted up by prosperity nor cast down by adversity, provident in counsel, vigorous in intervention, seasoned with the salt of wisdom, fortified with the arms of virtues against the spiritual things of wickedness. By these and such huiuscemodi B, M. instruments of virtues he carried through the wars of the Lord daemoniaca D2, M. and like a strong armed man subdued subiecit D2. the prince of this world. Nor were miracles lacking to attest so great a man, although he covered many of them, as holy men are accustomed to do [(s. v. f. s.) so corrected A1, A2, sanctis viris facile solet the other codices and M.], with the cloud of silence; for he sought the glory of God rather than his own. In this valley of weeping he groaned at his sojourn, because his soul thirsted for the living God, desiring also to be dissolved and be with Christ: Bring forth, he said, O Lord, my soul from prison to confess your name. Ps. 141, 8. Assenting to his desires, the Lord did not fail his petition, but soon, summoned by angelic spirits, called him forth to himself; called him forth, I say, and paid to his soldier the bounty which eye has not seen, nor ear (a. n.) nec a. C2. heard, nor has it gone up into the heart of man. He died indeed [erased in A1, autem A2; anno Domini 716 adds another more recent hand in the margin A1, anno Domini septingentesimo decimo sexto adds A2.] on the eighth of the Ides of November Compare Preliminary Commentary, no. 29., ripe in merits and in years, and in the monastery which he himself had built in honour of St. Martin on the aforesaid estate of Woromholt Compare c. III, var. lect. 7. he received a tomb; where not without the glory of God there was to be seen the glory of a glorified man, a glory which distilled upon sick bodies the grace of healings, which stirred up force upon natures, a spectacle for peoples.

VIII. Of the saint's so A, viri Dei flammis the other codices and M. oratory burned but his sepulchre untouched by heaven's doing so A, eius divinitus the other codices and M. Compare Life I, c. 8..

Not much time passed after the departure of the holy man, and a thing unheard of for ages happened. One day when the sun was already added above the line C1, omits C2. cooling from its noon heat and the band of brothers in the aforesaid place was yielding a little to sleep, a fire from a neighbouring small house poured out flame flammas B2., which, burning, swallowed all the nearest buildings. For in the church ecclesiam B1, C. too, keeper servatricem B1, C2. of the limbs of the man of God, it reigned with reins wholly loose, nor did it check the rush of its fury until it came to the tomb of the blessed man; where, by the power of God and the merits of the saint, the fire forgot its nature, and in that same place, not without the wonder of the onlookers, it fled far off. And thus it happened that the matter turned out after the example of the three boys; for just as then in them, so also now at the sepulchre of the saint the flame lost its strength. Thereafter, everything having been consumed by fire, when the fuel for the fire failed, the flame, conquered in itself, settled down. Then those who were present, terrified by the strangeness of the thing, ran together to the tomb of the man of God, of which they believed nothing other than that it was nearly burned. But the matter was turned into the wonder admiratione C2. of the onlookers, because they saw the sepulchre of the saint, together with the ornaments adjoining it, untouched amid the fires What follows (Quod-fecere) omits C2.. When they saw this, they received consolation for the other losses, because in the limbs of the saint the fires, which left nothing in the adjoining materials [(r. f.) reliquerunt corrected A1 (but with the last letters erunt written over an erasure), A2.], had no power.

IX. That the most holy body remained immovable in the hands of the bearers (i. m. c. s.) so A, c. beati viri i. m. the other codices and M. Compare Life I, c. 9..

It pleased the faithful to lift the body of the holy father from its proper sepulchre and to transfer it further from the now burned oratory, until they should repair reparentur A2. the losses that the fire had brought and restore it likewise to its former place. But divine power forbade the disposition of so pious an intention to pass into effect. For when the coffin of the sacred limbs was lifted, it was to be seen becoming immovable in the hands of the bearers. But while they anxiously anxiare corrected C1, D1. asked requirerent B2. what was to be done, they at last understood that it was not the divine judgment that the most holy body should be transferred transferre A2, D2. further, and, taking counsel, they thought it worthwhile to obtain by prayers from God what they could not by human strength. For when they proposed to transfer it to a garden that happened to adjoin the church, they soon (e. m.) m. e. C. found swift effect in moving it, and lifting it they placed imposuere D2. it in the aforesaid garden. In which place, in further omits C2. proof of his holiness, signs were not lacking, which drew peoples far and wide by their fragrance.

X. Of a certain lame man restored so A1, sanato the other codices and M. by the merits of the saint Compare Life I. c. 10..

Since I have begun, I will speak of the great works of God (Quia-Dei) omits C2.. A certain man, deprived of the use of his feet, condemned moreover to a trembling of head and hands, came to the sepulchre of the saint by the hands of others, and during the nightly vigils of the night of the Lord's resurrection, giving himself to prayers and tears for his recovery, he awaited the merit of the saint. Nor was the hope of the shattered man mocked; for (nam-remedium) omits C2. during the reading of the Gospel after the nightly vigils, heavenly remedy was at hand for him idem M.. For, surrounded by immense light, he felt as it were two fiery arrows hurled from either side, one in each ear. It was to be seen that an abundance of blood flowed from each ear, and that the man recovered the use of his limbs; and thus the remedy of the saint did not disappoint the man's faith, which came with unlooked-for healing, and that word of the prophet propheticum C2. was fulfilled: Then shall the lame man leap as a hart. Is. 35, 6. Soon for the remedy divinely conferred on him he exulted with immense joy, and for his recovery he proclaims the glory of the saint, he discloses the order of the matter to those who were present and spends night and que omits D2. day in the praises laudem C2. of God. Weigh, I beg you, in this miracle how celebrated this saint is among the people, how mighty in miracles, how effective in healings. How much more glorious do you think he is in heaven who is thus glorious on earth? Surely we in no way excuse our shame, if, having such a physician, we are sick Tu autem adds A1..

XI. Of a man who, by the power of the saint, suffered no harm after a fall [(De-perpesso) so A, the other codices and M De quodam viro meritis beati viri post ruinam illaeso.] Compare Life I, c. 12..

Virtue accompanies virtue, and God is still glorified in his saint; nor (neque-faciat) omits C2. must there be passed over in silence whatever is pleasant in the saint of God suo C1., although the age of the men of old in aeternum D2, M. grudges us (p. n.) n. p. D2. much and makes few things out of many clear for the age to come (neque-faciat) omits C2.. A certain Gerard, holding a countship, was so devoted to God and St. Winnoc that he furnished the expenses in great part from his own contribution for the restoring of the holy man's oratory. But the enemy of the human race saw this good man's diligence and envied it with his friendly jealousy, and by the devices of his fraud he prepares to hinder the work begun, which, being envious, he could not but envy. For he gave a headlong fall from on high to a certain man who was serving in completing the work; whom the very fall made one to suspect had ended his life. But the power of the saint mocked elisit B1, previously (before correction) C1, illusit D2. the enemy's fraud. For after an hour, by the merits of the saint, he rose so unharmed that not only did he feel no losses from the headlong fall, but he went back more readily than he was accustomed to the work begun; and thus from this miracle stupor together with joy grew among the people.

XII. Of the donation of the aforesaid omits B1. illustrious man Gerard and of the restoring of the shattered glass chalice Compare Life I, c. 13..

After the report of so great a miracle reached the aforesaid illustrious Gerard, it kindled him more and more to love of the saint, so much so that, out of the devotion he had, he presented him with a bounty from his patrimony. For he gave him the township of Spirliacum in all its entirety, and also added an abundance of expenses for building in that place an oratory in honour of the holy man. For finishing this work more honourably, brothers are called from the monastery of the holy man, and through their diligence everything was fully formed The rest of the chapter omits C2.. For their life was outstanding in teaching and virtues, and therefore at their judgment

every work had readily gone forward. In that place on a certain Sunday it happened that a chalice was lacking for confecting the Lord's body and blood. And when they were moved with no small anxiety over this, lest perhaps on this most holy day they should be deprived of the Lord's sacraments, by chance a glass vessel was placed there, but broken. When one of the brothers gently cleansed it with water, in the washing it was little by little made solid again and thus in a wonderful way was fitted for the divine ministry, so much so that even up to our times it has been kept for like uses.

XIII Whole chapter omits C2.. Of the relics of the holy man lost through carelessness and wonderfully found by his grace (g. e.) so A, the other codices and M sed meritis eiusdem mirabiliter inventis. Compare Life I, c. 14..

The days of the rogations had arrived; the people, with crosses cereis adds D2. and omits A1. relics and the saint's crozier cambuta B2. [Cambuta or cambuca: by which word was designated a curved staff or pastoral crook, which is an insignia of episcopal or abbatial dignity. Compare Du Cange, under this word.], had gone in procession rather far, but had come back to the monastery ad mon. B1. later than usual. But since matters were dealt with more negligently around the saint's relics than was fitting, negligence rightly earns loss. For from the head of the crozier cambuta B2. a small piece of gold fell with the relics and left no traces for finding itself, and the loss of so great a treasure lay hidden until morning. When morning came, the capicerius [Capicerius or capitiarius: a dignity and office in churches and monasteries; in French chevecier, on whom devolved the care of the capitium (in French chevet) or choir of the church, in which place the chief ornaments were kept. Compare the same, under Capitium, 2.] of the church, first perceiving the loss to the common property, grew stiff with incredible fear and reported the matter to the brothers, in case perhaps someone's knowledge might be able to come to the aid of a loss of this kind. But when nothing in this matter was clear in their knowledge, and when too the bearer of those relics could not satisfy those who questioned him, they go back repedantur D2. by the way they had come in order to search, but the labour of the searchers is in vain. By a wonderful thing Res A2, B2, C1, D2, M. the divine piety came to the aid of so great magnae D2. a desolation, and made plain the glory of the saint in its own glory. For the capicerius, by chance putting his hand manu B2. to his hood [That is, the covering of the head, which goes round the neck of the tunic and, when it is not used to cover the head, is thrown over the shoulders, in French capuchon. Compare the same, under Capitium, 1.], was satisfied satisfactum B, D, M. in his desire of finding what was sought, because in that same hood caputio D. he came upon the relics that he had sought, and thus it happened beyond hope; for he was already wholly despairing so A, the other codices and M diffidit. of finding them. He asserted also enim D, M. openly that the thing had happened outside his knowledge, because he had not been conscious that either he or any mortal had put the thing in question into his hood caputio D., and that he had taken off that same garment at night and put it on again in the morning; whence there was no uncertain suspicion that the thing was done by divine command for the merit of the saint. And the brothers, led to repentance over the fault of carelessness, and made more careful for the future, extolled with praises God in his saint facto D2 M., whom they understood to be thus glorious both in him and in all the saints.

XIV Whole chapter omits C2.. Of the glass flask olei adds the codices (except A) and M. at the tomb of the saint omits D2., unharmed after a fall Compare Life I, c 15..

The material surpasses pen and time, and speech is unequal to the miracles. For

Evening will lay day to rest with Olympus closed Before the power and deeds of the saint could be told.

Yet the account of the telling shall be made equal to the time and to my talent. At the memorial of the saint there was perpetuated oil with a light, which a glass flask hanging on a boss preserved. It happened in the days of Lent at the sixth hour of the day that this fell and cast into the ears of those standing around circumstantium D2 M. such a sound that it was the estimate of all that an arch of the wall had fallen. The brothers, then prostrate in prayer, run together; the trace of the fall is sought; for one was to reckon that the thing had not happened without loss. But the thing turned out otherwise than was thought; for no one found so much as nec A2, B1. traces of the fall, because the power of God in his saint gave this mark of the deed, the glass flask after the fall as much without its own shattering as without spilling of oil. For the vessel of oil knew no injury amid the fall, because this saint had preserved it as a vessel of honour. It pleases me here to look in this omits D2, M. deed upon the power of God in his beloved. Since this saint, as long as he lived, had oil (h. o.) o. h. D2, M. in his vessel, that is, a good work in his conscience, a material vessel with equally material oil was omits M. a testimony, a vessel, I say, not broken after the fall, with the oil wonderfully preserved without loss to it. Thus, thus every just man is daily preserved amid the fall; for the just man falls seven times and rises again, Prov. 24, 16. and when he has fallen, he shall not be bruised, because the Lord puts his hand beneath him. Is. 36, 24.

XV. Of the irruption of pirates within the borders of Flanders so A1, the other codices and M Flandriae. and of the translation of the sacred body eius adds the codices (except A1) and M..

Charles, surnamed the Bald, held sway in the sceptre of the Franks; Baldwin so A1, C2, Balduinus A2, B, C1, D2, Baldewinus D1, M., his son-in-law, gloriously held the monarchy monarchia A2, C1. of Flanders [so A, B2 C (but in C2 a certain corrector added i above the line). D, Flandriarum B1, D2, M.], a man than whose talent and soldiership Flanders never omits D. had anything more precious pretiosus D2, gloriosius M. among its most renowned men; to whom qui A2, cuius C2., by reason of his most mighty spirit, the surname Iron was added accepit A2.; for he was not a little vigorous in triumphing over enemies with many a soldier and with soldiership. In these days the sword of divine punishment, drawn (s. e.) e. s. B1. from its sui A2, B, C. scabbard, loosed the reins of vengeance so A1, C1, the other codices and M ulciscenda. especially around the coastal places; for the people of the land deserved it by the merit of their error. For the kingdom so A, B1, D, regio B2, M. regina C1. of the Danes vomited forth from its bosom a deadly henchman, who swallowed everything round about with sword et adds B1. and fire, and especially on the border of Flanders [so A, B2, C (but in C2 a certain corrector added i above the line). D, Flandriarum B1, D2, M.] and the Mempisci Mempiscorum B2, D, M. On the district of Mempiscus or Menapiscus see Act. SS., Oct. vol. VI, p. 514 B. it raged with incredible destruction. Whence it happened that the most holy body of the blessed man was carried out auferri D2, offerri C1, D1. from the place of its own rest, Woromholt Woromohlt C1, Wormhoudt A2., and transferred to Sithiu to the church of blessed Audomarus; for it seemed convenient to go there to avoid the inconvenience of this plague. In which place, for a vast age [Since the invasion of the Normans, by whom the monastery of Wormhout was destroyed, is read to have taken place soon after the year 840 (compare Preliminary Commentary, no. 28), and our writer (next chapter) affirms that the holy body was translated from Saint-Omer to Bergues in the year 900, it is established that this vast age comprises a space of about sixty years, or more strictly fifty-four, if you bind that calamity to the year 846 (compare the same, no. 4).], it was of no slight honour to the dwellers at Saint-Omer, until the aforesaid plague, lulled by the mercy of God, was quiet.

XVI. Of the building of the fortress of Bergues and of the translation there of the sacred body beati viri adds the other codices (except A) and M..

Meanwhile in the course of time there arose in Flanders, the best head among thousands, Baldwin Compare c. XV, var. lect. 3., surnamed the Bald,

To whom very great virtue brought forth fame along with deeds.

He, having obtained the monarchy of Flanders from his forebears [And, on the testimony of the Catalogue of abbots (cited in Al. Pruvost, p. 23), he held the abbey of Saint-Bertin in commendam by royal donation, in the order of abbots the 21st.], had it readily within reach obviam C2. both to look to the interests of himself and his men and to balance divine and human laws equally by talent and arms. He, led by suspicion of an irruption of the hostile party, which after long fury had now scarcely quieted down, had fortified with camps the borders of Flanders, up to that time easily accessible and open to the enemy, and had shut them against every future attack. Then too it pleased him to fortify with a garrison the place called Bergues, because it would be a fortification for the whole country round about; where he also had a church built, which he completed decrevit B1; (i. p.) insigniri fecit D, M., distinguished by the titles of the confessors of Christ Martin and Winnoc. He conceived in mind moreover something honourably (honeste-tam) omits A2. useful and usefully honourable, which he as (honeste-tam) omits A2. honourably as usefully completed in deed omits C2., namely to transfer there the most holy body of blessed Winnoc, so that Flanders, thenceforth free from care over labours, might rejoice in so great a protector. At that time King Charles held the sceptre of the Franks, whom Heribert had taken captive by guile. The aforesaid monarch of Flanders Compare c. XV, var. lect. 5., going to him, for he had very great influence with him, strengthened the plan of his mind by the king's counsel and magnified it with a privilege. For as soon as he had met the king's mind on the mention mentionem C1. of the aforesaid place, he found himself master of his own wish; because he easily obtained a royal privilege over that same place, and earned the effect of his desire by royal authority. Then at last he proceeded to go to Sithiu, to which, as we have said, hostile fear (t. h.) timore hostili B, D, M. had already compelled contigit B, D, M. the limbs of the most holy Winnoc to be transferred, and although the dwellers at Saint-Omer resisted obtinentibus M. by what art they could (a. q.) q. a. D, M., he took away the most holy body and transferred it to the place of Bergues to which he had destined it; which, as we have said, he had by then so enriched with both royal privilege and munificence that (ut-habeat) omits A2. Flanders today holds it an honourable part of itself (ut-habeat) omits A2.. This translation was carried out by Baldwin Compare c. XV, var. lect. 3., surnamed omits C2. the Bald, in the nine hundredth [DCCCC (corrected by a more recent hand to nongentesimo)… VIII (corrected by a more recent hand to octavo)… III. A1.] year of the Word made man, of King Charles by Heribert of the Vermandois

afterwards captured, in the eighth year [DCCCC (corrected by a more recent hand to nongentesimo)… VIII (corrected by a more recent hand to octavo)… III. A1.], in the third indiction [DCCCC (corrected by a more recent hand to nongentesimo)… VIII (corrected by a more recent hand to octavo)… III. A1.] [On this translation and on the founded college of canons, afterwards transformed into a Benedictine monastery, see also the diploma given by Baldwin V or of Lille in the year 1067 (cited in Al. Pruvost, p. 58; compare above, Preliminary Commentary, no. 34).].

XVII [This and the remaining chapters of this second Life are not read in C2, because namely at that place, as in other parts of the same codex and in not a few codices of Arras, leaves have been cut out (here one, according to the old numbering [C]LXXVII). Then on the following leaf [C]LXXVIII are read the last words of c. 22 of the book of miracles written by Drogo and cc. 23, 3 and 11 of the same book.]. Of sancto adds C1. the most holy body carried to Woromholt (s. W.) eius ad locum pristinae quietis C1, D, M. and de adds B, C1, D, M. of a blind man given light.

Now it was agreed by the faithful devoted to God and St. Winnoc that the most holy body of the saint should be carried every year to the place of its former rest, Woromholt As in c. XV, var. lect. 16, and so onward., when the annual course announces the celebration of the birthday of the forerunner of the Lord; although our age keeps the custom of carrying it when the Church solemnly celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit. The day dawned for carrying the sacred body to that place of which we have spoken, a people not small flocked together from every side at the invitation of the saint's merit, to see the glory of God in the glory of his saint. For in the great throng of people flocking there, a certain Adelbert, with his brother by the same mother Tanchradus Tanchardo A2, Tranchrado B., was part of the people, with his brother, I say, blind from his first cradle; for the blindness, almost of the same age, had by now equalled sixteen years in the man. He, raised by faith to the hope of recovering health through the saint, was drawing out the watches of the night before the coffin of the sacred body in long vigils, and, tirelessly wakeful, he sought requirebat D2. the light that he did not have. And behold, as the brothers were loosing their mouths in the night nocturnales A2. praises, he had fallen asleep, dozing; for he had grown weary from vigils long continued. And soon, at the moment at which the Lord's Prayer had come before the proclamation of the Gospel, he saw an old man pleasantly sprinkled with white hairs, splendidly splendidissime D2. clothed, leaning innixum B1. on a staff, and he heard him crying out in these words: “Why, sleeper sopitus M., are you weighed down by slumber and sloth?” Moreover with his little finger he went on to strike the eyelids of the half-wakeful blind man and to command him to awake from sleep. This vision was soon followed by the disordered cry of the man awakened, and then with panting words he complains that he has been struck. Those standing around circumstantibus B2. run up, the reason for the disordered cry is inquired into. But those for whom the thing itself per B2, D, M. speaks have no need to be taught. For it was possible to see a thing new to behold omits B, D, M. and worthy of praise, that the eyes of one blind a little before were wet with blood and gore, that the blind man saw those seeing him. The minds of the peoples are shaken with stupor, raised up with joy, and nothing was to be heard but jubilation in praise of God. The next day dawned; the people hastened their return together with the sacred limbs; the young man given light on the previous day bore a cross before the coffin of the saint and for the restoration of his light had no little reason to exult exultationis D; (e. h.) h. e. B, D, M. to God and the saint.

XVIII. Of a blind woman given light.

Another thing not unlike this miracle was a spectacle to those beholding it not unlike. A certain woman, native of the market town of Veurne, very poor in goods, was bereft of the light of both eyes; and when cum D2, M. the blindness had grown old for three years in her, and the hands of physicians had exhausted her by those very goods that the poor woman had, but had brought no remedy, she made up her mind to travel through the places of the saints and to await health from far better a added by the corrector A1, A2. physicians. And having travelled in every direction through the most holy resting-places of the saints, she came at last to visit the place which St. Winnoc chose as the rest of his limbs. She brought a small so A, the other codices and M parvo. light, worked at what expense she could, and, with a guide for the road travelling with her, she came to the altar of the saint; she gave her body to the ground, her mind to heaven, and from this most effective physician of souls and bodies she seeks a remedy. Scarcely, prostrate on the ground, had she finished the Lord's Prayer, and behold, she felt that her desires were anticipated by the divine piety; she sprang up from the ground, she opened her eyes, which a three-year blindness had shut to the light luminis B, D, M.. The evening synaxis was then being held by the brothers; the thing, done openly before the people, was held in no little stupor. And the woman gave no small thanks to the author of her health; and she who came with a guide alio adds B1. does not seek requirit A2. a guide as she returns, coming with another as guide, returning with herself as guide.

XIX. Of a guilty man meritis suis adds B. taken captive but omits A. freed by the merits of the saint (De-lib.) Aliud miraculum C1..

A certain man of the household of Woromholt, which belonged to the holy man, the prefect of the state had taken captive and bound with thongs; there, when he held all hope of safety exhausted, he believed that this one remedy remained, to continue continuare M. days and nights in the invocation of this saint and to await his rescue from him. And behold, in the first watch of the night

He sees an old man at hand, shining with great brightness. The one shines, the other is stupefied; both wholly silent.

And when for some time there had been in the one light, in the other stupor, in both silence,

With the old man the light departed; rescue came to the captive.

For, freed from the bonds of hands and feet, having gained est added by the corrector A 1. the liberty of going where he wished, he goes out through the opened bars, he takes the road that leads to Woromholt (W. d.) d. W. D 2, M.. Without delay and without rest, he hastened to the aforesaid place, gave thanks to his rescuer, made plain to all the order of his rescue. He testified also that as a fugitive prosperous success had smiled on his omits A. wish, and that he had met neither wild beast nor man, which is wont to be easily a cause of fear to fugitives by night.

XX. Likewise of a certain captive rescued by the power so A, the other codices and M meritis. of the saint (De-er.) omits C1..

Let the coming age have made plain from writings another miracle done at another time, not unlike, by this author. There was a certain Adalard, no slight head from the household of the aforesaid confessor. He had his dwelling at the township called Suivesela Zwevezeele, which is a village of Flanders between Thourout and Thielt., and, himself a servant, he possessed many servants (f. i. f.) so A, famulus ipse famulos the other codices and M.; of whom a great many prepare to take flight by night and to make for Boulogne. There was at that time in those same parts of Boulogne a certain Mirolfus, powerful in wrong and powerless in right, poor in goods, greedy for another's. He makes the said fugitives his captives, himself too captured by avarice, keeping them to be sold to traders on this side of the sea. Adalard, of whom we have written above, follows closely on the track of his fugitives, he finds them captives at the house of Mirolfus; he meets the man, he demands his own back by the public laws. But he in adds B. rages, he takes Adalard captive likewise famulis adds the other codices (except A) and M., he condemns him to chains and shackles, and finally brings against him (i. i.) omits D2. all that belongs to the guilty.

But he was more guilty than the one who was wronged without crime.

The harmful man redoubles chains, the innocent man prayers: prayers, I say, in which he had kept repeating the name of blessed Winnoc by day and by night. Nor could it be [non adds the other codices (except A) and M; it seems also to have been written previously in A1, but then erased.] that at the invocation of his name the piety of the saint should fail, who many times is accustomed to be at hand before he is invoked.

Midnight had come; deep sleep held men.

The chained man too had fallen asleep, but in his sleep he had perceived that deliverance was at this moment coming to him. For he had seen an old man, his head sprinkled with pleasant white hair, bearing a rod virga C1. in his hand, whom to have seen was the deliverance and joy of the one seeing. For, awakened from sleep, he sees both that the iron bonds of his neck, with the manacles and fetters likewise of iron, have fallen to his lap, and that the bars of his custody stand open. And thus, free of chains, free from care for himself, ceasing to be a captive, he begins to be a fugitive, giving the rest of the night to flight and through the marshy places of the way looking to his life. For, entering marshy places continuous for almost eight miles, he had such happy success in getting away that the water, which is not wont to fail in marshes, failed at the soles of him entering the marsh. And thus the thing was done after the example of the people of Israel; for just as the seas gave way to them as they fled, so the marshes gave way to this man likewise fleeing. Weigh, prudent reader, in one and the same man a double miracle: on this side bonds loosed without hands from the hands and feet et pedibus B, D, M. of a captive, on that marshy places made solid under the feet of a fugitive. So the man, escaping the peril of his captivity, after many wanderings enters the oratory of the saint, cries out that he has been rescued by this author, redoubling thanks to God and a spectacle for the people.

XXI. Of (De-ill.) omits C1. a woman blind from birth given light before the remains of the saint (De-ill.) omits C1..

There are many further proofs that this saint lives in his dead limbs, although, for brevity's sake, our discourse hastens sustinet B2. to its end. The annual Annus B1, D. recurrence had announced induxit A2, M. that the most holy body of the saint (c. s.) s. c. D2 , M. should be carried to Woromholt, when the coming of the Holy Spirit is customarily solemnly celebrated.

The people run up, the nameless crowd hastens.

For it held it supremely solemne A2. festive to go in the train of the saint's patronage. A woman blind from birth (c. a. n.) a. n. c. B2. had mingled with the people, and at length she reached the appointed place borne along by the people rather than led, and, the noise of the people showing the way, she came near the remains of the saint. Her inborn blindness then stirred in those present as much spectacle as compassion, and for her recovery they pour forth on this side prayers, on that vows, promising both her annual anni D2. return and annual sancto adds A2, B, C1, D, M. gifts as well (d. e.) e. d. M..

Then Inter B, D, M. they repeat intrant D, M. their prayers, they multiply their cries and vows,

so that they overcame the voices of the brothers singing psalms at the synaxis. But (Sed-effect.) omits A1. the blind woman too gives herself to tears and prayers, soon to be gladdened by the effects (Sed-effect.) omits A1. of her prayers. What more? The orbs of her eyes poured out blood, no less than an abundance of milk when pressed. You might see that the blind woman etiam D2., until then deformed by blindness, had received the clear form of seeing, and in the visible miracle one could marvel at the invisible physician. But at first the woman, shaken by the strangeness of the thing, was laid level with the ground; then, as much strengthened as enlightened, she stood on her feet, and vowed perpetual service to the saint as long as she should live; and which she vowed

she so fulfilled that she grew old in the service of the holy man in contrition of flesh and spirit, and did not turn deflecteret A2. the course of her life from this intention up to its end.

Let these things said of the holy man suffice, although the material of his signs surpasses every pen and all speech is inferior to his miracles. Nor must it be disbelieved that he still lives in his dead limbs [Here C1 ends: what follows (cui olim-legentem) was added by another hand in the space that had been left empty for the title of the following document], for whom once, living on earth, Christ was life.

May he pray for us, under which father Flanders flourishes, And may he look on me who write, and you who read.

Here ends the first book on the life and miracles of St. Winnoc, abbot and confessor [(Explicit etc.) omits B, M; Explicit vita sancti Winnoci confessoris et abbatis D.].

III. BOOK OF MIRACLES BY DROGO

Winnoc, abbot or prior of Wormhout. (S.)

BHL Number: 8956

BY DROGO

Edited from the same codices (compare above, p. 267), noted by the same sigla (except only that of Cambrai, in which the book of miracles is not copied; whence by the sign D the Brussels codex 7461 alone is indicated) and from the edition of Mabillon. Compare Preliminary Commentary, no. 10. — In all these exemplars it is read after the second Life. But the Arras codex (C2) displays only a small part of the book, namely after the lacuna at the end of the second Life (compare above, p. 273, at c. XVII, var. lect. 1), the last words of c. XXII and then, in order, cc. XXIII, III and XI, from which alone accordingly we have noted the variant readings of this codex.

Likewise on the miracles of the same most blessed confessor. Prologue of the venerable man Dom Drogo [(item-Dragonis) Prologus venerabilis viri domni Drogonis in miracula eiusdem beatissimi confessoris A2, Prologus domni Drogonis venerabilis sacerdotis et (omits B1) monachi in miraculis sancti Winnoci (abbatis adds B2) B. No title is prefixed to the book in C1, in which the prologue is not copied either, but the series of miracles continues as if these were part of the preceding booklet (the second Life). On C2 see above, at the head of this page, Incipit prologus domni Drogonis (previously Dragonis) monachi in miraculis eiusdem D, Prologus auctoris M.].

Often and much every mortal ought to give himself to some exercise or study, so that in some measure, by fleeing something evil and striving que omits A2. after something else useful, vice may be left behind (p. v. h.) v. posthabeatur B2. and the sum of bright virtue or good may follow. For idleness is joined to vices, while all zeal for duty belongs to virtue, especially in frequently writing or reading things that are useful, from which the virtue of the mind grows bright, shines, flourishes. This indeed which we put forward is clear to one given to the exercise of this duty, since both things come of it, that vice is shunned and the virtue of the mind, the report of good, the brightness of writing now grows, now flourishes, and by lasting is spread abroad. This reasoning of worth, and that speech of approved value, at last compelled me, though unlearned, to write, both that I might leave to those who come after, as I was able, things worthy of relation to be read, and that I might provide the benefit of some usefulness first for myself, then for many. Nor let any prudent reader ascribe this (id q.) q. id A2, D, M. undertaking to my rashness or boldness, since each one seeks the advantage of his own usefulness. For it is put down to folly and negligence if anyone neglects his own salvation. But also the charity and love of my brothers by frequent exhortation compelled me to come to writing, so that I might commit to the office of the pen things partly seen, partly heard, and leave the rest up to the end of the prologue omits M. to those who come after things wonderful to tell, worthy of relation, most worthy to be prayed. Finally, before I begin so A1, ordiatur the other codices the beginning of my discourse, I wish the reader to be warned not to believe, not to say, nor by tearing and ac A2, D. detracting to put forward against me, that I have written so A, descripsisse the other codices false things, since I affirm that I have set down nothing else but, as I have said, things partly seen, partly heard from most approved men worthy of memory. But if anything deviates from the rule of the grammatical art, if anything goes astray exorbitat B2. from art, which may be said otherwise than the rule of it ought to have it, let him grant pardon, I beg, and let him remember the common frailty, and that a mortal never remains in the same state. But so much for that. May almighty God, parent of things, founder of all, I pray, rule the mind of the writer, who governs everything by his wisdom. The providence of almighty omnipotens D. God does nothing on earth which is wonderful to see without a reason, thus I say, when something unaccustomed happens. But it is most difficult to dispute of his most profound mind; it is done at peril to scrutinize or inquire into the highest things beyond what the deficiency of mortal nature bears. Wherefore, when something unaccustomed happens which seems to mortals to be for a portent or sign, let each one be amended by reproving his life, chastising himself, repenting of error; for perhaps he is being accused of crime, and God wishes him to be corrected by repenting. Let the Almighty be praised by his visible signs, let him be proclaimed wonderful in his saints. If there is any error, let it be corrected as far as it is in us; what is least of all its own, let mortal frailty not inquire into (Si quid-inquirat) so all the codices.. I have brought this forward only for this reason, because some mortals, imprudent of things, ignorant of the disposition of God, take little notice when unaccustomed things happen visibly at this time. Now now let these things, hidden from us but best known to God, be left aside, and let the beginning of our discourse, for the sake of which we have come, be set in order.

Here ends the prologue. Here begins the second book [(I. l. s.) so A, the other codices omit. In B, after Explicit prologus, there follows as at the head of the second Life an index of titles, which are prefixed to the several chapters in most codices; which titles are then not repeated before each, but only the numbers. In C1, however, neither titles nor numbers are written at the chapters, but in A1, in B2 and in D the titles alone, not the numbers.] [From this announcement of the beginning of the following book, which indeed is read in one codex of Bergues, but certainly the most excellent of all, and in its Brussels copy, it is gathered that the book (or books; compare also the closing clause at the end of c. VI) of miracles written by Drogo was held in the monastery of Bergues in place of a continuation of the second Life.].

I. Of a girl born blind, given light by the merits of the most blessed confessor.

Not many years before I came as a little boy to the purpose of holy religion, there happened that which I shall tell first, and which the Almighty Deus adds C1. willed to work by the power of his goodness and the merits of the most blessed confessor Winnoc. As the high solemnity of Pentecost arrived, in the accustomed manner many mortals came together at the place called Woromholt Wormholt B1, Woromoholt C1, Wormhoudt A2., among whom came a girl by name Malguera, led by the help of others; for, born blind, she needed external guidance and support. Yet, led before the church which the same confessor Winnoc had built in honour of St. Martin, she is left there; and there, now standing, now lying, she entreated God, the King of all piety who holds all things and sees all things, that through the merits of the blessed confessor he would come to the aid of her misery. And when certain people saw her now praying, now uttering deep sighs and weeping, beating her breast with her fists, moved with mercy for her they lift her with their hands, raise her in their arms, and lead ducunt B1. her, afflicted with such misery, into the church. At that same hour the brothers, standing in choir, were singing psalms and, singing aloud to God, paying their vows of praise, as they were accustomed. But truly omits M. she is placed before the choir in the middle of the church, an enormous cry is raised toward heaven, so that scarcely or in no way could the multitude of brothers, singing aloud ante B, D, M., be heard, when suddenly the girl's eyes first pour forth blood. Not (Ne tenue-sibi erant) omits M. thinly indeed or slowly do they drip, but as a beast, when iron is put to its throat, sends out streams of blood. Then she falls to the ground; she is believed dead. But after a little, a short delay having passed, she is raised up from the ground by the hands of those standing by, or of those who had brought her into the church, she is lifted, and, lifted, she is held supported, lest she fall again. Now blood, now a certain gore had flowed down her cheeks in streams; the lights of the eyes (o. l.) l. o. B1, D. were seen clear, were perceived by the onlookers, between whose lids a little before, as not cut through, the skin seemed to have an even, continuous tenor. And she wondered at her state, at the church, at the boys, young men, old men, those standing around, whom she had never seen, and in perceiving these and all things they were a marvel to her (Ne tenue-sibi erant) omits M.. At length she is led to the coffin of her helper. Why (ut-deduc.) omits M. indeed do we say is led (ut-deduc.) omits M.? She goes alone, she draws near to the coffin of the saint, she approaches humble, cheerful, glad and exulting, she kisses it. Then Tum A2, B2. in that place she pledges, she promises to God and St. Winnoc the service of pious devotion. And in that same promise of devotion she remained steadfastly as long as she lived.

II. Of a boy born blind, given light at the touch loculi adds B1. of the man of God.

A certain boy of the township of Bergues, scarcely of one year of age, when I myself was a boy, on the third day of the week of Pentecost, is carried by his mother, born blind as she affirmed, to the monastery of Bergues with a candle. I am going to tell wonderful things which I myself saw. The mother held the hand of the blind boy with the candle, she told him to put it down. When it was put down, with her right hand pressed on his head, she made him kiss the coffin three times. And he soon touched it with his right hand, as if it were something wonderful and a delight iocundum B2. to him hoc B, D, M.; and turning se B, D, M. to his mother and smiling at her, he struck it with his left. Then the mother first of all praised God, and gave thanks to his saint, by whose merits her little one at that hour first had light. The neighbours praise God and glorify him as wonderful in his saint.

III. Of a blind girl puellula A2, nata M. given light before the saint's altar (s. a.) sanctum sancti a. B; (a. s. a.) ad tactum viri Dei D, M..

A certain man, an inhabitant of the same Bergensis C2 (compare above, Life II, c. XVII, var. lect. 1.). township, in the Easter week, on the fourth day, carried a child of the female femini C2. sex, four years of age, blind, with a candle; whom he also had placed on the holy altar. After this he persuaded her to lie on the bare ground before the altar, and, as was necessary for so small an age, ordered her with threats to lie there. She lay at length, fearing her father's threats, but not long indeed.

For suddenly she rose swiftly, ran to her father standing far off, embracing his knees. The father received his daughter rejoicing, and at once asked her whether she saw. “I see,” the little one answered. He (Ille-monstrabat) omits C2., wishing to test whether this was true, showed her certain things. And the names that nature gave to things she openly uttered to those standing by. And wonderful to relate, she gave names to things which she had never seen before, she pointed out each by name separately (Ille-monstrabat) omits C2.. At that same hour Athela Adhela M., countess of Flanders omits C2., was present in the church, devoting herself to prayers. She heard people praising over this miracle; wishing to know what it was, she sent to inquire. The messenger reports the sign done by the power of God. She flies there in haste festino C2., she sees the miracle, inquires into the truth, praises the Almighty. Besides, she presents the saint with a pall of no small price, she goes back rejoicing, she proclaims the merits of the saint to all.

IV. Of a girl born blind, given light at the carrying of the sacred body.

It is the custom of the mortals of the district of Bergues that on the octave of Pentecost, the day namely on which the commemoration of the holy Trinity, one and true God, is celebrated in recollection omits M. by recalling, or recalled by celebrating, the bones of the venerable father Winnoc are carried, a multitude (s. m.) m. s. B1. of both sexes following, and that que omits A2, et ferri B2. votive gifts dominorum M. are brought which those oppressed by any sickness have promised [This solemn supplication (compare Preliminary Commentary, no. 40) was thus already in use in the time of Drogo. Whence several more recent writers thought that the miracle reported to have been the occasion for instituting it (compare the same, no. 41) happened before this time. But since Drogo makes no mention of the miracle and seems to be wholly ignorant of it, it is rather to be concluded from this that that origin was not rightly assigned by Malbrancq.]. The relics of this saint were carried in the accustomed manner with the greatest rejoicing; there went before and followed a very great multitude praising the Lord. These gave praises, skilled in paying the canticles of the law and of grace; those, crying out, said songs according to what seemed good or according to their knowledge. Among men of this kind there was one who, mournful and sad, carried in his arms a daughter born blind, and desired in haste to hurry or propinquare added above the line by the corrector D, propinquare M. to the coffin of the saint. But he was held back, he was driven back by the force of the multitude. He did not know what he could do; yet, having thought it over, he wished to wait a little for those passing, to stay and bide his time, when behold, good fortune was at hand. As the crowds were now thinning he comes through, he runs from the side, he gets ahead, with a vow he offers his daughter to the saint of God. At once the girl born blind receives light, she wonders at those standing around, she looks on what she had never seen, everything is a marvel to her. It can scarcely be believed with what joy the father exulted, with what praises God, wonderful in his saints, is glorified, with what words too the saint of God is deservedly and que omits M. worthily praised.

V. Of a slave blinded by pain of the head, given light by the patronage of the saint.

The hand of the almighty Lord is always held to be of equal power for the sons of the poor and the slaves of the rich, nor can his will be turned aside in any direction, nor can quid D, M. his power be changed at any time. Whatever he will, says the psalmist, he works; Sap. 8, 5. the Almighty is always proclaimed in all his works. The vidame of the district of Bergues was a good man by comparison with those who today enjoy the air, use life, live, by name Erkanboldus Erkenboldus B 2, Eramboldus C 1, Erkalboldus A 2.; to whom a wife by name Alswidis Alswildis B, D, M., a woman of good memory, was joined in bed. They had finally a slave, by name Raingerus, who through a long infirmity of the head had lost the use of the light for his way. Nor let it seem strange that I sometimes set down the names of some for testimony, and am silent about those of others; because some occur to memory, while some fall from my mind and recollection. Now this Raingerus of whom we have spoken, when he had already been long without bodily light, often begged the Lord, who alone was able, to give him back the lost light of his eyes. And he also entreated the holy confessor Winnoc night and day to be a pious intercessor, so that by his merits he might receive the use of the lost light. He was diligent in pressing, frequent in praying, both for remission of sins from God, and for the saint's propitious and helping hand. Now the time had come at which the gift should be granted to one very often asking, the door of mercy be opened to one often knocking, so that both the mercy of the Lord should be at hand and the merits of the saint should help the wretch. For as the Nativity of the Saviour came, in which he deigned to be born from the womb of the Virgin, the wretch, having planned to enter the church, to hold a light in his hand in honour of the Lord, to pass that night fully awake and sleepless, begged his mistress to give him even a small quantity of light: “For perhaps,” he said, “the Lord will hear me, a wretch, and the holy confessor will come to my aid as I pray to him.” His mistress willingly assented to his prayers, and granted what he asked. And he gladly entered intravit B 1, intrat M. the church and remained fully awake through the whole night. In one place the slave stood praying, and beside him his mistress, her mind intent on heaven in caelo D, M., was keeping watch; when suddenly the darkness falls from his eyes, the shadows thin, he beholds the light that he was holding in his hand. “I see, I see, mistress; I see clearly,” he cries, and he points out the candle in his hand, “I praise the Lord Saviour, and I give thanks to my intercessor, his confessor.” Thus finally, as long as he lived, with each light, of mind and body, he showed himself every day quotquot D, M. [That is, on individual days. See Du Cange, under this word. So also below, beginning of c. VII, end of c. VIII, beginning of c. IX, middle of c. XVI, end of c. XXIII.], and he corrected que omits M. the morals of his life, and called back to his memory the sign of the miracle wrought.

VI. Of a poor little widow, restored to light in the saint's oratory.

Before the vigil of Pentecost, that is, on the sixth day that precedes the sabbath, many mortals of both sexes, seeking the suffrages of the holy tanti B, D, M. man, some aliquid M. for the remission or pardon of the burdens of crimes that they had committed, came together at the monastery often named above, others hastened to go because of the languors of various infirmities and que omits M. sicknesses, so that, the holy father helping, they might deserve to receive relief from them. Among those affected by a condition of such misery and sickness there had come a poor widow, who for the space of VIII viiito C 1, octo A 2, B, D, M. years had not seen the light of the sky. Led into the church, in the choir before the steps in the first watch of the night she lay with many, now praying to God, sometimes weeping, then beating her breast with her fists, she uttered a cry of grief from the depth of her heart (c. e.) e. c. B 2.. Wherefore she was troublesome to some, especially indeed omits M. to these or those most of all, who did not at all consider this woman's troubles. But while she was doing this frequently, lamenting, suddenly as if lulled by sleep she was silent for a little. But afterwards she seemed to cry out more loudly, to utter her voice, than she had done at first. Then a certain man who was called Leodulfus said: “Be quiet, woman, and do not mock us, lest you yourself be held in derision or as a jest by us.” But she said: “This mockery of mine will be salvation to me, joy to me, gladness henceforth, who for many years now have not seen the light that I see in this hour.” Saying this, she compelled all who were present to believe, and when morning came she went away rejoicing. Over these things (Super his, etc. up to the end of the chapter) omits M., then, it pleases me to exclaim: Thus, thus may it go, O happy father, thus may everyone who seeks you, entreats you, prays to you, feel your relief. Thus may the salvation of souls and bodies come, thus may pardon of sins be at hand, granted by your holy prayers. You have imitated the Son of God, who, though he was rich in his own, was made poor in ours, that by the example of his poverty he might make us abundantly rich in virtues (d. v.) so A, v. d. the other codices. For, sprung from royal stock, you sent away the glory of the world, country, parents, and showed yourself humble, a child, in mind, not in years. Wherefore goodness follows you, because humility first made you distinguished (i. te) so A, te i. the other codices. But now the course of the discourse must be closed, speech of this kind must be ended, and the end of the day itself wishes this, requires it, demands it, since at last night, coming on, warns us in our weariness of rest so the codices, read quietem?, that after rest it may make us (n. p.) p. n. B 1. readier and better prepared for a second labour.

Here ends the second book. Here begins the third [(Expl. tert.) so A (the other codices omit). And from there in A a new series of chapters begins, so that the following cc. VII, VIII, etc., are marked with the numbers 1, 2, and so onward.].

VII. Of a young man omits D, M. with contracted limbs healed by the merits of the most pious pii C1, D. father (p. m. p. p.) omits M..

A certain mortal, poor in substance, had a son (f. h.) h. f. A 2. whom, contracted contractis D. from the first years of infancy, in mourning and sadness he grieved over as he fed and nourished him every day. For that poor man lived by the support so A 1, sustentatione the other codices and M. of others, and what he seemed able to withdraw from his own bodily need he shared impertiebat C 1, M. with his wretched son. Now that boy of whom I have spoken, by now almost grown, had passed in growing the measure of boyhood; and although infirmity had bound him by holding him, held him by binding him, with loosened limbs, yet it could not take away the measure of nature, so that his whole body, members, limbs did not grow according to what was erant B 2; (i. e.) genuerat D. in his native bent ingenii M.. Wherefore his father did not at all believe that he was affected with the misery of so great a trouble, but affirmed that his son was feigning (f. f.) fingere filium D. infirmity infirmantem B 2.. Often the wretch would test the wretch in this way. He who was his father would put food and drink at the other side of his small cell; and he did this omits M. for the purpose of testing his sickness. But he would fast until evening; for he was not able to drag himself there even by creeping. Seeing this at last, the father would bring the food and drink, and finally he acknowledged his son's helplessness. Now to this youth affected by the sickness impossibilitate B 1. of such misery one night a holy and most beautiful old man appeared in vision, and warned him to go as quickly as possible to the monastery of Bergues. “I,” said he, “by what means can I do this, who cannot even rise from my bed, nor drag myself anywhere even a little?” “Your father,” he answered, “will help you, and you shall use his support to do it.” When morning came, he reports the vision to his father;

he declares adiecit A 2. the old man seen and the pact of his answer. A cart is prepared, they go to the place already named. The wretch is left before the door of the monastery. There he lay for not many days; a sacristan by name Letfridus sustained him with food. On the solemnity of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, on which their passion is recalled, he begged this same monk to carry him into the church. And he wished to carry him there, but was not at all able. The one was heavy, the other now weighed down by old age. At length, dragging him wretchedly, he left him before an altar. Now the mass was finished, now the hour of sext was being rung, when he, with loosened limbs, began to be raised up, began to be stretched, then to utter loud bellowings, which seemed, were heard, were believed to imitate rather than cries. Afterwards he began to be a little better day by day; whom afterwards we saw strong and vigorous que omits M. in the limbs of his whole body. Yet the same man, mindful of himself, who he had been, or who he then was, often told us.

VIII. Likewise of a man bedridden from his mother's womb, healed by the merits of the most pious father.

Another, still a boy, bedridden from his mother's womb and so contracted in limbs that his heels stuck to his buttocks, is carried by his father to the same place, and is carelessly left by him in that place. Leaning on two stools, with the greatest difficulty he dragged himself this way and that, wherein one could see the misery while he was dragged along, and while the lame part of the wretched (m. aeq.) miseriaeque M. body likewise followed, creeping over the ground. Many mortals, moved with mercy, supplied him with stipends; some of the brothers spent certain things on his need necessitati M.. There was one who was more moved with mercy than others, who was always present in his piety, who helped the more when the opportune time was at hand. For on the holy Saturday of Pentecost, when the bones membra M. of the blessed father Winnoc were being prepared to be carried, this contracted boy was lying beneath the altar, he was begging the saint for help, he was praying for his eius M. patronage. And while he was waiting for the propitious propriam M. hand of the Lord, the holy relics of the pious father had already gone far off; when suddenly the contracted limbs are stretched, the untied sinews give a sound, or rather a crackling, the patient utters a howling (ululatum etc. up to the end of the chapter) omits M., who, as if placed in an ecstasy of mind, did not know where he was, and now (et i.) etiam C1. the patient omits C1. did not know what was happening to him, what was being done with him. The report of the sign wrought runs about this way and that, the Almighty is praised, he is proclaimed wonderful in his saint. I am going to tell wonderful things. There he left behind the stools on which he had been supported, and he who had never gone before, then for the first time went on his own feet. Let there come here, here, the lame man healed by the blessed apostles Peter and John, who, already a veteran, pressed the ground and, while asking for silver, received recepit B1. health. That old man omits C1., lame from the womb; this boy, bedridden from the womb, is healed. O how diverse are held to be God's mercies, and how unsearchable his ways. The first, improved little by little and day by day, grew strong; the second suddenly earned health. So we saw these men, as long as they lived, serving God and the saint; who by their presence recalled every day the miracles done to the memory of mortals. O immeasurable God, how sweet to pray to is your piety, who thus very often glorify with heavenly signs the bones of one beloved to you.

IX [Of this chapter and the four following M did not edit the text, but only the titles, one of which (X) he also passed over, whence thereafter the numbers of the chapters in that edition no longer agree with the codices.]. Of an old man long blinded, given light at the nod of the man of God (v. D.) so A, sancti the other codices and M..

Another man of already advanced age, and now almost omits B2. an old man, having the beginnings of his birth, parents and offspring from the district of Bergues, by name Isquinus, had for a long time now been without the use of light, and had likewise lost very much of his share of substance. For it happens often that some mortals oppressed by misfortune of this kind fall into destitution, while their share of substance is daily turned to loss. There was already present to his sound breast the faith that by the merits of so omits C1, D, A2. pious a confessor he could be saved and by his prayers the lost light could be given back (l. s.) s. l. B1, C1, D. to him. Having planned to go, he set out for the place already named; and his own wife led deduxit B1. him there. On the octave of the Lord's resurrection he is brought into the church, where he awaits the help of the heavenly gift. So when, standing in that place (illo in l.) in l. illo B2, D., he was diligently passing the night, and while on the following Sunday the nightly praise was being chanted by the brothers, and, the reading of the Gospel being finished, the Te decet laus was beginning, he suddenly fell to the ground and in falling made a great sound; for he was of tall stature and, as has already been said, heavy with years. Immediately gore dripped from the orbs, which fouled his cheeks and beard. Some of the brothers ran up. For one could see a joy that drew tears from the eyes. For the sharpness of his sight looked clearly, although his face was partly disfigured. Yet he affirmed that he had not felt the fall, but that it had been such as if he were suffering an ecstasy of mind. So when morning came, healthy omits B, C1, D. and seeing clearly he returns home; who, as long as he lived, had perfectly the use of light given him.

X. Of a blind man offered to the saint Dei adds B, C 1, D. with a wether and given light quicker than a word.

It is held to be known to many who enjoy the fineness of this air that the coffin in which are contained the bones of the venerable father is carried to the place of his own rest with joy and gladness by exulting crowds of people Compare above, Life II, c. XVII (p. 273).. Many go before and follow, so that the excellence of this holiness may be the remedy of all and pardon may be made for crime committed. There is a place so dear to him, as it is said, while he lived (ut f. d. v.) omits D.; for there both (en. et.) etenim B2. he gave effort to the labour of his hands and, with his mind intent on heaven, devoted himself to prayer. Before it is carried into the church which he himself quidem A2. built, it is set in that place; for there very often by his merits the contracted are raised up, the blind are given light, and very many recover from their troubles, are improved, are freed. When here in the accustomed manner the holy relics were being placed on the return, a certain rustic came running and hurrying, carrying a wether with his left and his blind son with his right. He lifted both, here his son, there the wether, with the help of others who felt compassion for his burden; and while he lifted them, having placed both on the coffin, he spoke: “Receive, holy and pious father, the wether, and give light to my wretched and blind (i. p.) p. i. A2. offspring.” Wonderful was the faith of the man, praying to the piety of so great a saint. Scarcely had he brought forth the words and he saw the sign of enlightenment in his son. For he saw blood suddenly break out from the eyes, he saw that the blindness had already gone. What is chiefly to be wondered at, or what is more to be brought into the middle of the discourse, whether the faith of the rustic or the piety, goodness, clemency of the saint, it is proper to linger upon for some time. And his faith is first to be wondered at, which indeed did not stand alone, since quam A2. in the present case it showed work. By these two it is continually brought about perficitur B2, D. that something perfect of good is found in attaining. But the piety of the saint is held to be more to be admired than that anything is to be disputed about it. For the blessedness of that invisible state, the height of immortality, forbids disputing about it. Wherefore one must refrain, and invisible goodness is rather to be praised laudando D. with admiration than disputed about; indeed human frailty demands this.

XI X. M.. Of the contracted son of a rustic restored to entire health by the merits of the saint.

At another time another rustic, full of faith, likewise brought a ram to that place when the saint had been set down [(Alio-detulit) In place of this sentence there is read in C2 (compare above, Life II, c. XVII, var. lect. 1): Sanctum hunc in artubus suis defunctis vivere plura adhuc documenta sunt. Quamquam compendii gratia ad finem festinet oratio. Notum habetur (compare beginning of c. X) multis huius aeris subtilitate fruentibus deferri loculum quo continentur ossa venerabilis patris ad locum proprie quietionis gaudio leticiaque ab exultantibus populorum turbis. Dum hic (compare the same before the middle) solito more sancti pignora portarentur, quidam rusticus arietem sancto detulit.]; who first had placed his contracted son beneath it. So while he lifted the ram and while with his hands he pressed its eius A2. head against the coffin of the saint, he first prayed, then uttered these words: “My pious lord, deign to receive my gift (m. s. m.) s. mun. meum A2., and, as you do many times, give me back my son healthy.” All helped his prayer, crying out together: “St. Winnoc, give him back his son (f. r.) r. f. C2. healthy.” In that same hour (s. h.) h. s. A2. the contracted boy is raised up, the limbs of his body and his dead sinews are stretched. The Almighty is praised by all, the piety and power of the saint are proclaimed, who grieves with the miseries of his people, who mercifully hears those who call upon him [There follows in C2: Hec de viro sancto dicta sufficiant. Quamquam signorum ipsius materies omnem stilum exuperet miraculisque eius omnis sermo inferior sit. Explicit vita sancti Winnoci abbatis et confessoris Christi.].

XII XI. M.. Likewise omits D, M. of a contracted man healed in the oratory of the man of God.

A contracted man also, seeking stipends, on the fourth day before the Lord's Supper is carried by his people to the church of the same saint, so that he might receive alms from some, by which he could sustain his destitution, and likewise (s. m. ae.) suam ac A2. indeed sui B2, C1. the misery of his body by supporting it. But while he begs for silver, he receives another gift better and more useful for him. For when the deacon began to read the passion, the wretch, stretched on the ground in the church, suddenly uttered emittit B, C1, D. loud cries and wretched wailings. Those standing present wondered what was the matter with him, they marvelled, asking one another, when suddenly his contracted body and with it his contracted limbs are stretched. Wonderful speed, nay, wonderful invisible power. In that very hour and as it were in a moment he stood on his feet. He wonders that sudden walking has come to him, he strives, he is able to go, he rejoices. So this man too, healthy satis C1, D., strong, glad, taking the gift dear to him, went back to his own home.

XIII XII. M.. Of a contracted woman and omits D. of her healing by the merits of the saint [(De-san.) De contracta sanata eodem die, et alia paullo post sanata M, joining namely the title of the following chapter (the text of which he did not edit) with the title of this one.].

On the same day a contracted woman, wretchedly dragging herself along the ground on two stools, was lying in the church and asking from those entering sustenance for her life. So while she asked for human solace, of the divine condescension largitionis B2, C1, D.

a greater help was at hand. For while the passion was being read through and was now almost finished, the joints of her dead body and limbs are stretched, by divine power the crackings of the stretching sinews are heard. There were present several who beheld the sign of the heavenly power. God is praised, the power of the Almighty is proclaimed, by whose condescension the merits of so omits B2, C1, D, A2. renowned a confessor were made manifest.

XIV Compare c. XIII, var. lect. 3.. Likewise of a certain woman contracted in a wonderful manner (m. m.) omits D. cured so A1, sanata the other codices by the merits of the man of God.

At another time, on the day of holy Saturday of Easter, while the divine sacrament was being performed, a certain contracted woman, carried into the church by her people, prayed. She prayed with her eyes lifted up, her hands raised toward heaven; for the rest of her whole body was held balled up, and now for a long time ligata adds B, C1, D. had lost its nature through mighty infirmity. For her heels stuck to her buttocks; only her tongue, then her hands, did their duty. Unexpectedly the lame part is stretched; feet, shins and thighs receive their tenor of length. And she being healed, God is praised and venerated in his saint Winnoc. Different times of the year are brought in testimony, because signs of power are affirmed to have been wrought at different times. And therefore we do aguntur A1. this, that what we say may remain approved and more firm and that every faithful person may come to believe.

XV XIII. M.. Of a deaf matron cured by the saint of God.

Any quis M. mortal is accustomed, when he has no abundance of substance and his sickness or defect of body compels him, although he be high altius B1, C1, D. in blood, to change his place, lest he be held a disgrace to himself and his own. A certain one of the matrons, driven by a like need of substance, and also by a defect of her own, for she had been deaf for many years, left her place, her people suum M., her neighbourhood, seeking where she might pass her life. By chance she came to Athela, countess of Flanders. She, after she learned that she was such, kept her with herself and kindly bestowed the needs of the body. And because (et q.) omits M. she was held skilled in works, she was the more magis B, D, M. loved and cherished. She indeed, seeking to please her and all by her hands, carried out with skill and zeal the work enjoined on her; wherefore not undeservedly she pleased many. Perhaps the providence of God was at length at hand; the divine goodness helped the wretch affected by such a misfortune. For on the night of the Lord's birth, when the height of his nativity was being solemnly recalled, she was present passing the night with others in the church. She pressed on with prayers, she offered to the Lord the gift of a pious mind: which could be seen, when she seemed devoutly to pray with weeping. But when the response Te laudant Angeli was beginning, as ubi A2. she stood upright to adore the cross and to entreat St. Winnoc to come to her aid, she sought the ground prone. Then, bowed a little paullulum B1, D, M., held a little paullulum B1, D, M. from heaven, in rising she made as it were a short delay. Those standing around thought that she was delaying in rising for the sake of prayer, until they saw both ears dripping blood and that she was drawing deep sighs with lamentation. Immediately she is raised by their aliorum A 2. help, then she declares that she hears clearly, she answers questions, she for whom a little before signs had been made by nods in place of words. In that same hour God is blessed et adds A2., gloriously praised. And after some days she returns to her own home, now safe in herself, free from care over infamy and reproach [there follows in M: XIV. De matrona surda curata, but no text is subjoined to this title, nor is any other miracle of this kind read in the codices. Whence it seems that Mabillon must be judged, through a certain inadvertence, to have copied again the title of the preceding chapter.].

XVI XV. M.. Of the arm of a bound man loosed by the merits of the saint, the iron so A, ferreo B, D, M. ring being broken.

The limbs of certain mortals are bound for evil deeds with iron rings (f. c.) c. f. B, D, M., that this torment or this punishment of the present life may be a remedy for crime, may be omits M. the salvation of the soul, so that, while they are tortured for sins, they may be improved by humility or by recollection of themselves and the crimes committed may be blotted out. A certain man, thus bound by iron in his arm and carrying out the penance enjoined, had for many years now been travelling through the provinces of his country, devoutly seeking the patronage of the saints, that they might be a help to him (s. s.) suis sibi M. by their merits, that at length the Almighty (ei O.) so A, O. ei the other codices and M. might come to his aid and be moved with piety; who was now tortured daily tot A2. by a long-lasting and cruel torment, gripped by iron, anguished in mind. At length on one of the days, the sun being now sunk toward evening, he came to the monastery of Bergues, he entered, he prayed. The brothers, paying their evening hymns, were singing psalms in concord in the choir, rendering their vows and praises, when he, his prayer devoutly finished, rose, he raised both arms. Then, as he raised them, the iron ring is divinely broken, it gave a blow against the wall of the church. He cries out, freed from torment, streams of blood flow. He gives thanks to God, and offers his service to St. Winnoc.

XVII XVI. M.. Likewise omits A2. of the arm of an Aquitanian Aquitanici M. likewise omits A2, M. loosed, the most pious piissimi A 2. confessor of God being invoked.

Another man likewise, bound by iron for a crime committed, for he had committed fratricide, seeking the mercy of the Lord and the patronage of his saints, came to the same place. He asks the name of the saint from some who happened to be present. He is answered that he was called St. Winnoc, and that quam A2. he was of great merit; for he has compassion on the wretched, relieves languors, frees those oppressed by misfortunes, raises them up, helps them. And as he displayed his arm, they implore help for him, saying: “And may the pious saint bring you aid.” Strengthened by their words, pricked in mind, he enters the church, and long and -que omits A2. omits M. intently, now prone, now asking pardon, sometimes standing, he prays; raising his arm on high he lifted it, and as if he perceived him living or present, he displayed it. Meanwhile the wretch pours out prayers, adds sighs with tears, when suddenly the iron gave a crack, thrown far off it made a sound, so that ab adds A2. to those standing by that sign of sound was held in terror. On the next day, about to give thanks to almighty God, to the brothers questioning him he answered that he was an Aquitanian, of particularly noble family, he indicates his sin, he confesses that his brother had been killed nectum A2, enecatum D, M. by him with iron. Finally, bidding farewell to the brothers standing by, he went back to his country. Thus, thus may you do continually, renowned praeclare M. father, thus may the good of prosperity go, thus may your remedy come to us. You who loose iron rings, we pray you may loose the bonds of crime. As you grant the highest gifts to bodies, so et adds M. by your prayers and your merits may everlasting salvation come to souls.

XVIII XVII. M.. Of the abbot of Saint-Amand heard by the merits of the saint.

The ancient enemy drags to their fall whom he can (q. q.) quosque M. by unspeakable art, so as to make them like himself; those whom he has entrapped by his cunning, he ever engages each with greater evil deeds, so that a mortal may go to perdition most of all when he has provoked irritavit M. the Creator. For he knows that then his own is held by insoluble chains, when the Creator of things has deservedly withdrawn his hand. The Almighty withdraws help, when any wicked man contrives injustice against his servants, either by invading their inheritance, or entraps them with the business of wicked action. A certain powerful man had unjustly invaded the inheritance of Saint-Amand and had brought it under the dominion of his own right. The abbot of that place could not by his own force in B2, C1, D, M. resist his power; yet very often he went to him, spoke to him about it, urged him, exhorted him, not to do injustice iustitiam M. to God and his saint, warned him to desist from what he had begun, now by entreaty, now threatening the anger of the Lord. But he was moved neither by gentle words nor by harsh, nor was he bent by prayer or answer, nor made gentler by the admonition of this abbot or of any others, nor by persuasion, nor nec A2. even by exhortation. Wherefore the same abbot went to Count Baldwin Baldewinum M., crying out about the worthless man's injustice and injury. But the count, not wishing to offend a powerful soldier, at first drew out the business, then, so to say, nursed the abbot with sweet words. But finally, when he (is h.) h. is B. C1, ille h. D, M. often went to him, wearied him with words, he made him so importunate and angered towards himself that the count refused to admit further hearing on this; indeed, somewhat angered, he threatened him openly and secretly. And when he now almost despaired, and there was no room for counsel in him (c. ap. se) ap. se c. M., he said to his men: “It is better to trust in the Lord than in man, better est adds D, M. to hope in the Lord than sperare adds A2. in princes. For he turns the hearts of kings where he will. I will try one thing further; which being tried I will approach the count, and if I shall have attempted this in vain, or shall have been frustrated of all hope, I will be quiet even unwillingly. I have heard, and it is read, and it is held to be true, that St. Winnoc the confessor sprang from an illustrious stock of kings, indeed there is even a common report that he was the son of a king. Whether this is so, or that, or both, I will try his piety bonitatem M., trusting in the help of God and his eius M. prayers, I will go to the count. Yet I will wait for him as he comes to Bergues, where rests the same omits M. most precious confessor.” While he was confirming such things that he had thought over, there was one at hand who said: “If (Si n.) sic: Necdum M. the count has not yet come to Bergues (c. B.) B. c. C1, D, M., he will come with the coming light, and anyone seeking him (q. e.) e. q. A2. will find him there.” What more? The abbot came to Bergues, where the count had already been staying for three days; he continues that night, although weary, although worn by age, in prayer. When morning came he sought the ground before St. Winnoc, O God, give your judgment to the king and your justice to the king's son, Ps. 71, 2. he said, and to this verse he added addit A2.: The king's honour loves judgment. Ps. 98, 4. “But whether you are who you are said to be will appear to me today by your judgment.” Finally moving his lips in silence, he asked leave, and thus in haste he went to the count's court. As he came Advenienti A2. the doors are opened to him, before he, coming, could say Benedicite (B. d.) benediceret M.. For true is that saying of a certain wise man: The Lord holds the heart of the king in his hand, and turns it where he will. Prov. 21, 1. The count addresses the abbot as he checks his step, he restores the allod to the saint, he interdicts and forbids by the authority of his censure that anyone should do fecerit B2, C1, D, M. force any more, then he commands the abbot to hold his own. But after much was said in words, the count, repenting of what had been said and done, at last came out to this: “Whom of the saints,” he said, “to your help before

you came here to me did you invoke, to whom did you commit yourself and your affairs?” — “I prayed,” he said, “to St. Winnoc, that for the love of blessed Amand, to whom he is joined in heaven, he would succour me; him I entreated, he heard my prayers, and I know well so the codices and M, read sat cito? that he has brought them to effect.” — “So it is held,” he said. “For in no way could this be, unless he had by divine power moved me to this deed. For it was settled in my mind that my decision was nowhere to be bent even by an oath.” That these things were thus, thus true, that they so happened, Abbot Malbold related again with many standing by. Praise to you and omits M. glory, almighty God.

XIX XVIII. M.. Of a girl born blind given light by the suffrage of the saint.

On the day of the Lord's Ascension, on which he bore into heaven the banners of ample triumph, a certain man, poor, rich in faith, brought his daughter omits A2., born blind, with a candle, and placed her on the holy omits C1, D, M. altar. Then both lay, not et M. long indeed, stretched on the ground. And the father poured forth tears, with tears prayer, when suddenly the shut orbs are opened, streams of blood flow over her cheeks. Seeing this, the father lifts his daughter with his hands from the ground, raising her up he puts her in his arms, he hastens to those standing in the choir. There was Drogo, bishop of Thérouanne Tervanensis B1, Tarvennensis M., and several abbots, among whom was present Adelard Alardus B, D, M., at that time abbot of Saint-Vaast. Wonderful to say, wonderful to see. The sign wrought stood before all; whence the almighty Lord was praised, was glorified.

XX XIX. M.. Of the iron hammer caelitus adds B, D, M. leaping apart, no sign of the blows appearing on the coffin of the saint.

What almighty God Dominus M. showed concerning the coffins of the saint, in which his bones were laid, must be inserted on the page and committed to the memory of the pen stilo M.. A new coffin in honour of the saint sancto A2. was being put together, of what seemed a more suitable height and length, but it was said (verum-dic.) omits A2. by some to exceed the measure (verum-dic.) omits A2.. As soon as the common opinion came to the fore that it should be made shorter, a craftsman came with an adze dolabra C1, A2.. When once and twice he struck the wood, and gave blows with his accustomed strength, no signs of the blows appeared on the coffin. But when a third time, as if angered, he brought down the adze dolabra C1, A2. like a thunderbolt, the iron leapt apart dissiliit B, D, M. into small pieces. Then, casting away the piece of wood that he was holding in his hand, crying out, he said: “Can you not potuistis A2. see that omits B, A2. what you are attempting displeases the saint? In proof of what I say or do, the blow on the wood does not appear at all, the adze dolabra C1, A2. has leapt apart dissiliit B, D, M. into pieces, as you see. I must cease from what I have begun, and you who drove me to it, repent.” These things said, it is left at its omits M. length as it was, nor is it made shorter by cutting again, as at first the opinion stood.

XXI XX. M.. Of the brothers divinely falling to the ground before the sacred body.

After the new coffin had been adorned with gold and gems, as became the bones of so most precious a confessor, the venerable abbot Rumold, as (q. a. m.) omits A2. a prudent man and skilled in counsel, thought it right that inquiry should be made as to what lay hidden within the old coffin, what and how it was laid up, whether all was stored there, or whether anything of the body was lacking. When it was opened, he found another bound above and below with hard iron rings, likewise firm with iron nails, which human force so A1, vi A2, B, C1, D, M. could not easily remove auferri A2, B, D, M.. When this was seen, it was not reckoned right (non-der.) opportuna fuit derepente ratio hunc C1. that it should at once be opened, but that first by a three days' fast the providence of almighty God and the piety of the holy patron should be entreated. So this three days' period is continued in fasts and prayers. Afterwards, this having passed, the abbot and some brothers of good testimony are present, and also a goldsmith comes with his tools. He fits his hands, holding an iron in his left, with his right he strikes the iron brought to the ring, he added blow to blow. But when a third time with all the force of his body and all his effort he gave a blow, all standing by and singing the litanies fell together to the ground. The iron hammer, which the goldsmith artifex B, C1, D, M. was holding in his hand, gave a blow against the wall toward versus M. the north, and struck the other wall toward the south. And after a short delay they rose, recognizing that a thing of divine power had been done toward them. This sign of heavenly power could not be concealed, although these men together affirmed that it should be covered in silence. For a certain brother, looking in through an opening beside the door adjoining the altar, saw the iron tools striking this way and that, the abbot and brothers falling and lying; all which, surviving for many years, he affirmed even with tears.

XXII XXI. M.. Of the first coffin of the sacred body, that it did not lack fitting honour.

Many and more wonderful things follow these, of which, passing over others, we shall touch on a few and commit them to the memory of those who come after as we are able. Above we showed in writing two coffins, one bound within with iron, the other outside adorned with silver. A third, newly adorned with gold and gems, we have mentioned, providing for those less capable so A, capaces the other codices and M. of the sense, that those who pay less attention may see it plainly, lest by these, little indeed, but by those skilled in things (q. r.) r. q. B, C1., we be accused of obscurity or shortness of matter. Therefore on this account the middle matter of the discourse is to be held, lest non adds A1, B, C1, D. it be obscure to these readers. After the most precious bones of the confessor had been laid up in the new coffin with worthy honour, the first coffin is placed in the church on an altar, nor does it wholly lack its first honour on account of the holy bones that were laid in it for many years.

XXIII XXII. M.. Of a person cleansed liberata M. of a demon by a small piece of the wood of the sacred coffin being placed on him eius capiti imposita B, C2 (compare Life II, c. XVII, var. lect. 1), D, M..

At that time it happened that a certain bishop by name Bovo Bavo A2, C2. came from Saxony to Bergues, and stayed there, being detained for many days. He also complained many times that by the providence of God it had not been permitted him to be present at the holy translation. For the place had long been known to him, and, frequently making memory of the saint, he both, in rendering it, wished him as his helper, and, in wishing it, rendered it. As soon as it was permitted libuit D, M., and then it pleased habuit D, M. him to prepare his return to his own country, he met the abbot who at that time ruled the monastery of Bergues, humbly committing himself to the prayers of the saint and the brothers, and received leave. But he also took with him certain small pieces which quam C2. he was able to remove, of which he put one in his bosom for love of the holy confessor, and placed collocavit B, D, M. the others among his private things. “If,” he said, “I have not deserved to take with me anything of so great a confessor, at least these parts of the coffin, in which the bones were venerated for so many years, shall be relics to me in place of the bones.” Saying this, he sets out arripuit C. on the road, he hastens to his own country. Hamburg is a place situated on the Elbe, a mighty and broad river. There Illo B1. was his lodging, there he hastened. And now (Et i.) Etiam M. he had crossed the Elbe by ship, and he thought it right not to turn aside to his lodging before he should enter the church to pray. A wonderful and exceedingly astonishing thing then happened. A demoniac bound with thongs was being held in the church, for whom the fellow-citizens had first kept a three days' fast in common, that he might be loosed from the power of the devil. Priests were present, they were singing the litanies, the clergy stood praying, the people were chanting Kyrie eleyson. Placed in exorcized water, as is the custom, he was being held. The priest adjured the devil to leave the invaded man, when through the mouth of the demoniac he answered: “You labour in vain, you strive for nothing. For I will not go out on your account, by no means will I let go the invaded man on your account.” From morning until in B. the ninth hour they laboured by adjurations, psalmodies, litanies, that he might go out. When autem adds C2. Bishop Bovo Bavo A2, omits C2. was in intrat B1, D, M. the church templum B, C1, D, M, in templum C2., the demon coepit adds C2. began to cry out through the mouth of the possessed man coepit adds A2., repeating many times: “Winnoc, Winnoc, Winnoc casts me out.” The bishop, coming in, understood the voice of one confessing the truth; he approached, he addressed all: “Give place to us; you will see this robber go out without delay by the power of God (D. s. m.) s. m. D, M. C2..” Saying this he brought out from his bosom the part of the wood that he had carried and placed it on the demoniac's head. And as he placed it, he asked what it was. And he in a clear voice confessed both the name of the saint, and that it was a part of wood, and that it was from his coffin. The bishop asked who that saint was, of what power he was held to be. “He came,” he said, “from an illustrious stock of kings of remote Britain, a man of great humility; scarcely any mortal has been like him omits B, C, D, M.. Wherefore none of us, nor our prince himself, can resist him. And now not the adjuration of these men, but the holiness and humility of this man casts me out.” These things said, conquered by divine force and heavenly power he went out, and left the dweller whom the wicked robber held. After that, small pieces of that wood are held in great veneration in that place and round about, and not only this alone does divine power do, but also through the same pieces it works many other things daily. It happened to me, who hammer out these things after a fashion, to go to Denmark Donamarcham B, C, D, M., and by chance to return through the town of Hamburg. The provost of that place asked us who we were and whence; for he recognized from the difference of language that we were inhabitants of another country. We answered that we were Flemings. He asked likewise from what place; we added: “The place is called Bergues, where rests the most precious confessor of Christ Winnoc.” — “For love of him you have come well,” he said; “in his honour I will kindly receive you (v. b. h.) b. v. h. B, C2, b. h. v. C1. in hospitality, and I will spend all things needful on you.” He received us kindly, bestowed things needful, and afterwards narrated in order all these things which have been touched on above

[“So far Drogo. From whose words Mabillon suspected (saec. Benedict. III, part I, p. 323, note a that that bishop, whom Drogo names Bovo, and who had a lodging at Hamburg, was the same who is called Umvanus, and who ruled the church of Hamburg from the year 1029; since, as Mabillon says there, no bishop whose name was Bovo exists among the prelates of Hamburg. This last point the learned man rightly asserted, but from the fact that this bishop had a lodging at Hamburg it by no means follows that he was prelate of Hamburg: whether by Drogo's words you understand that he was only temporarily lodged at Hamburg, or that he had a fixed lodging or, as they love to say in the common way, an episcopal refuge. For since the city of Hamburg was one of the chief cities of Germany and had a metropolitan church, without doubt several of the suffragan bishops had a lodging there, in which they might stay, when the business of their churches called them to Hamburg. But why do I linger on these things? since from that chapter it is wholly established that Bishop Bovo, of whom Drogo makes mention, was still among the living in the year 1058,” since in this year he was present at Bergues at the translation of St. Lewinna (BHL. 4902), “while Unwanus, on the contrary, as Mabillon himself admits, had died before the year 1030. I have turned over many ancient writers of Germany in order to dig out from them the see of Bishop Bovo, but in wholly vain effort. The only thing that I have found that in any way bears on this is that various bishops were ordained by Bezelinus, surnamed Alebrandus, prelate of Hamburg, about the year 1030, who were to be coadjutors of his preaching and to exercise with him the legation entrusted to him to the nations” (compare Adam of Bremen, book 2, Hist. eccl. MG., Scr. vol. VII, p. 332). “Of whose number I judge our Bovo to have been; who for that reason had a lodging at Hamburg when he returned to Hamburg from an apostolic excursion here and there. For the rest, if anyone should teach me better or more certain things about Bovo, he will have me freely agreeing with him.” So our Joseph Ghesquière (Act. SS. Belgii, vol. VI, p. 423); to whose opinion I do not see what I might add.]. We pray (Oramus, etc. up to the end of the chapter) omits C2., happy father, you who come to the aid of others living in far-off parts, that you may come to our aid too, your servants, that you may remove removeas B, D, M. the enemies lying in wait for the soul, may preserve us by your help, may protect us and keep us with the shield of your aid.

XXIV XXIII. M.. Of the flood of rain brought about at the carrying of the sacred body.

Drought, the blight of the wind, the heat of the sun, had gripped the whole land of Flanders; wherefore the fields, hardened by these, denied crops to men, grass to animals. Over these things men, providing for themselves, seeking counsel or help, resolved to seek petiere C 1, D, M. the presence of St. Winnoc, that is, that he should be carried through the churches of the country, if perhaps by his merits the lands might be watered with rains. As soon as there was common counsel, the holy relics are carried, divine help is entreated deprecantur A 2; (d. a. d.) omits M.. Wonderful to tell, and almost incredible, are the things that happened at that time. For to demonstrate the merits of the saint, and as if by whose prayer the rain was coming down descenderat M., when he entered intraret M. the boundaries of a township, all its lands round about were watered with immense rain-showers. A wonder indeed; for the rain did not come down anywhere, except when the pledge of so great a joy was present. You might see these farmers rejoice at his presence, you might see those contend and as it were use force, and some wish to run together to arms. For this miracle did not happen in one place or in two or sive M. in three, but at that time wherever ubicumque B, C 1, D, M. he was carried, at his presence, and then at the abundance of rain watering the land, the people exulted, praised, rejoiced. Finally, that you, reader, may wonder (l. m.) m. l. C 1, D, M. the more mirare M., carried from his own monastery, he at once mercifully heard the desires of the people, led the rains with him, and then, returning, led them back with him.

XXV XXIV. M.. Of brothers very gravely sick, suddenly omits B, C 1, D, M. recovering when the saint's body was brought.

At another time, when the relics of this saint were being carried for a like need, and while he was away for the whole time of autumn, a fever invaded some of the monastery of Bergues, followed by death sparing no one. One after another fell upon his bed, and without delay, drawn from the light, he was mourned. A messenger is sent, he flies, he reports that the whole congregation is soon perishing, unless the holy relics are brought back with haste to their own place. The brothers hastened Festinantes B 2, D, M., longed for the return, lamenting, so sorrowful over those who had died. A three days' journey is completed in one, the saint is carried into the house in which the sick brothers were lying. This one, close to death, had lost his speech; that one sounded hoarse in his throat and breast, nor did any hope of life now remain to them. O wonderful speed of health. Before it was brought back, before it was moved from the place, those who were being supported sustentabatur B, C 1, D, M. by the shoulders and hands of their friends open aperuit B, D, M. their eyes, and by a certain fine sweat granted from heaven they witnessed testabatur B, D, M. to their health. On the next day they sit up in bed, and on the third they are made so healthy that no signs of infirmity were shown in them. There indeed omits B. still survive several who saw these things.

XXVI XXV. M.. Of brothers having no injury after a headlong fall.

We have seen certain lay monks fall from the summit of his huius B, D, M, omits C 1. church, but suffer no peril of life in their fall. For a certain monk, called Eilbodo Filbodo A 2., when he had suffered a fall, at once stood on his feet.

XXVII XXVI. M.. Of a mason falling, and likewise laughing at his fall by the grace of the saint.

Another mason similarly, by name Rodgerus Rogerus B 1, D, M., on the day of Parasceve Parasceves M. fell from the height of the church, and immediately rising and wondering at himself, as we stood around, he gladly laughed at his fall. At that very hour Count Baldwin Baldewinus M., passing through the choir, terrified by the sound and crash of timbers, asked what it was. He is told that a man fell there cecidisset A 2, C 1, D., and had suffered no peril of life. In proof of the fact the one who had fallen is brought forward safe. “He who works these and such things,” he said, “must be believed to live in heaven, and to be able to intercede and supplicate God (D. q.) q. D. A 2. for our sins (n. p.) p. n. B, D, M..”

XXVIII XXVII. M.. Of a servant feeling no losses from a fall by the merits of the saint.

It is of importance Having copied the number and title of the chapter, M omits all its text. also to insert in this page the fall of certain others likewise. The brothers' cook, by name Squaboro, while he was working with others, suffered a fall from the top of the summit of the church, and after him a great heap of timbers fell. We came up, we saw, and behold, smiling at us he rose. It seemed a wonder to all of us seeing these things. This way and that one could see huge stones; beams fell from above, the whole heap of timbers followed, and there was no peril to him.

XXIX XXVIII. M.. Of the fall of a brother unharmed, repeating omits M. in his fall (i. c.) dum caderet A 2, B, C 1, D, M. the name of the most pious father invocantis adds C 1, M..

Fall differs from fall This whole opening (Casus-roboretur) omits M., and that truth of the page is held. The higher the fall, the heavier the descent casus B, C 1, A 2., unless the hand of the Almighty is at hand and the merit of the saint intercedes. The first men Prima B, C 1, D, A 2., bright in virtue, honoured their omits A 2. material with the charm of writing of eloquence, they ennobled a notable matter by the conception of the mind, and they were held the more bright outwardly in the light of knowledge the more they were distinguished inwardly the codices (except A 2) infra. by the same. But we, although we are by no means able to imitate the charms of their writing, yet as we are able we commit to the memory of mortals and to the office of the pen those things which we have partly seen, partly known as true by hearing audita C 1, D., so that an example for imitation may be held for those who come after, and the faith of the reader may be confirmed, may grow bright, may be strengthened This whole opening (Casus-roboretur) omits M.. One of the brothers, wearing the monk's habit, not very anxious either about himself or about useful things, for he was young, and was therefore carried along the more lightly, before the collation which precedes the hour of compline climbed the unfinished tower of the church, but one already raised to a great height. And while he was running about this way and that, his feet slip. Already then fearing the blow of impending fortune, and despairing of the safety of his life, he repeated the name of St. Winnoc two que adds B, C 1, D, M. and three times. What further plura B 2.? The fall gave the fall where there was a very great heap of stones and mortar, so that it should be proved by this indication that he was saved not by the relief of any accident, but by the help of the father alone, whose name he repeated as he fell. We should not seem to linger in vain neutiquam A 2. upon this place, to wonder at the height, at the peril of the fall, if the thing were not at hand as a wonder for those seeing it, a fear for those looking on. The same brother testified to us some days after his fall that he had not felt any losses from the fall, but that, as if in a light flight, while he was being carried headlong, he was sustained. He affirmed also that this peril, this fall, and this collapse he had suffered through his own carelessness, that this had come about through that insolence; who, while he knew that it would have been the best thing to do to have applied himself to reading: “Alas!” he said exclaiming, “I set aside my own usefulness, I followed the levity of heart which quod A 2. I by no means ought.” Let whoever sets aside serious things and delights in what is useless hear this, weigh it, and fear something of the kind for himself, remembering this, lest likewise, with the fall of the outer body, the soul marked with the light of God perish.

XXX XXIX. M.. Of a hired young man likewise unharmed after a fall.

The providence of almighty God is held to be incomprehensible, and therefore it is held approved that it should rather be praised with wonder than inquired into by any mortal, lest human frailty suffer loss from that from which the diligence of virtues can be gained for minds. Every statement and series of discourse rests on a certain firm step when statement is joined to statement in continuing and discourse is proved by discourse, when tum B, C 1, D, M. the beginning agrees with the middle, the middle with the end. This too he is able to notice as true, if anyone conceives it in his mind, who has also et iam A 2. drawn back his hand from the rod. A certain man the monk's

habit, as has been said above (d. e.) diximus M., bore off his safety, helped by the aid of the most precious confessor of Christ Winnoc, suffering neither non A 2. losses of life nor harm to his limbs; and would that after the fall of the body he had felt no collapse of the mind. But each one shall bear his own burden. Another, a hired man, climbed the church to carry out the work enjoined. Already the beams had been placed, the wall seemed to be adorned (o. v.) v. o. B, D, M. by these alone, nor were they yet covered tegebatur M. by their roof. By chance at midday nocte A 2. rain had fallen cecidit B 2., the beams were rained upon compleverat M. and thereby made slippery. While on one of the beams that hired man, by now a young man, stood as if cautious so the codices, incautus M., for constant practice had fed his boldness, he suddenly slips. His fall is held to be higher both to sight and in measurement than the collapse of the other mentioned above. Made lifeless, he lay as if dead, but not long indeed. For, recovering his powers of speaking and seeing, the first beginning that he made was of this kind huius mihi M.: “I pray that this fall, that this my misfortune be not reported to my wretched miser M. mother, lest she be affected with great grief over my misery.” O nature, parent of things, O love binding covenants, and O would that true love might bind the affairs of mortals, which alone binds the covenants of things! O would that friendship, cultivator of the virtues, were cultivated, that mortals might grow accustomed to good, set aside the byways of vices, lest by the false light of deception they be driven about everywhere by so great an error of vices. But to return to this man of whom I have spoken coepi B, C 1, D, M., restored after some days healthy and whole, he sweats at the same work; so great a fall he still both fears and laughs at. For the very height is a fear to one looking at it, not to speak of suffering the collapse. O wonderful to see, nay more, beyond what can be proved in writing scriptio A 2., wonderful to say. For who can sufficiently prove by words the providence of the Almighty? We believe that the humility of the holy father deserved (h. m.) promeruit h. C 1. this much, that anyone falling from on high is sustained by the wings of his protection, whoever, having hope in him, leans on his merits.

IV. THIRD LIFE OF ST. WINNOC

From the Brussels codex 8933–34. Compare above, Preliminary Commentary, no. 11. We have distinguished the series of chapters by prefixed numbers.

Winnoc, abbot or prior of Wormhout. (S.)

Life of St. Winnoc, abbot, a man of wonderful holiness, son of the king of Britain.

[1] Winnoc, son of the king of Britain, Winnoc took the beginning of his birth in the borders of Britain from a royal lineage, being son of the king of the Britons, adorned with a plurality of brothers and sisters Compare above, p. 267, Genealogy.. And although he excelled in the title of royal nobility, yet from his earliest age bearing nothing youthful but an aged spirit, an old man in virtues and growing in maturity of character, he was nobler in mind than in body; because, placed in the loftiness of the world, by holy manner of life he was outside the world and under the dress of the age he always bore himself as a soldier of Christ.

[2] his two brothers having slipped away in flight to become monks, When King Iuchael Previously Iuchale, corrected Iuchaele, in the margin Iudichaele., his father, had gone the way of all flesh, having ruled the kingdom honourably and praiseworthily with uprightness of character, the kingdom of Britain was destined to Iudichael Previously Iudichalem, corrected Iudichaelem, in the margin Iuthaelem. as to the first-born, as to the true successor of his father. But Iudichael, the first-born of the king, more, as was evident, by the humble precept of obedience than by a title of human praise or favour, ruled the kingdom of Britain, people and land, in all tranquillity in the time of Dagobert king of the Franks, virtuously and honourably. And when, kindled by the sweetness of the heavenly kingdom, he was not able to bear so great a burden, because when the spirit has been tasted all flesh is insipid, choosing rather to serve as a soldier to the King of heaven in poverty than to triumph in a perishable earthly kingdom, he presses with prayers and terrifies with threats Judoc, his second-born brother and after him the true successor of the kingdom, that he should by no shield of excuse refuse to accept the royal sceptres. But the man of God Judoc, spurning the honours of the world and counting the vanities of the age as dung, wholly refused to acquiesce in his brother's command. And since he anxiously dreaded his brother's power and dignity, secretly taking to flight, across the sea in the district of the Morini, that is, of Thérouanne, in the place called Ubalis, he led a hermit's life. When this was found out, and the king had been turned into wonderful stupor at the strangeness of the thing, but rejoicing with spiritual gladness in his brother's salvation, he blessed almighty God in his wonderful works. And King Iudichael himself, by the example of his brother Judoc, was now fired with the love of God more than before, and with the whole gaze of his mind he began to burn over how or by what effort he could wholly forsake royal pomps and the world. What more? Having found sane and wholesome counsel, at once fleeing secretly, he was made a most approved monk of Gwadel, and there, being perfectly a model of religiosity to all, he rested in peace by a holy end.

[3] when he too stubbornly refused to take up the kingdom, These things being seen and heard together, the chief men of the kingdom were disturbed and the people were broken with grief, beyond what can be believed, over the sorrowful loss of so renowned and virtuous and thankful a king and of his brother Judoc. And in anguish of heart, hesitating over what they ought to attempt concerning the provision for the kingdom, they entered with common concord on the following plan. “For we fear,” they say, as indeed happened, “that Winnoc, whom it befits by right to accept the kingdom, will wholly refuse to accept it after the manner of his brothers. But let us propose to him a most beautiful and high-born bride and bring to him the royal sceptres, and promise to give him in all things the obedience of due service, so that, enticed by the allurements of the flesh and by royal honour, he may more easily comply with our plans.” When they had done this with great zeal, soon Winnoc, full of God, empty of the vanities of the world, is said to have given them this answer: “I do not want a bride, I refuse the kingdoms of the world, and I desire to serve the kingdom of heaven Supply potius or magis? than the world. In vain you beat the air and carry on your labour wholly to no purpose.”

[4] by the angered nobles he is thrown into the sea, and wonderfully preserved. And when his spirit Supply viderent? was inviolable and invincible to obeying, the nobles with one accord were moved to anger and to frenzy. With his hands and feet bound they carried him to a ship, and casting the man of God Winnoc into the depth of the sea and thus leaving him, they went back with the ship to their own homes. Wonderful is the power and might of God, to be stood amazed at with fear. The sea divided itself into two parts, and there came about in the depth of the sea a meadow covered with green grass and flowering, and with no one knowing it the true athlete of Christ lies in the depth of the sea as if in a green garden, devoutly calling upon God his helper and the Mother of Christ, that they might deign to come mercifully to his aid in the moment of so great a need. But God, who never forsakes those hoping in him, at once by the nod of God a ship came through the deeps of the sea about that place So the copy.. And when those who were on the sea had heard from afar the voice of a man crying out, and seeing no one, they were turned to great wonder. At length approaching nearer and seeing the man of God lying as if in a green meadow amid the waves of the sea, turned to stupor and jubilation of mind at the strangeness of the thing, receiving him in the ship with gladness, they brought him unharmed to port [This fable, as it is read up to this point in c. 4, Malbrancq too reported, De Morinis, book X, end of c. 4; but he indicates that the port at which that ship landed was not of Greater Britain, as is manifestly indicated here in the next chapter, but of the region of the Morini. Then he also adds this: In the village of Warem in the territory of Bergues there is a glass window of the parish church which displays this history, written also by our Father Rosweyde in the Compendium of the Saints of Belgium.]. And as they thus rowed to port, it was quite wonderful what happened. For so great an abundance of small fish followed the ship as had never at any time been seen there, as if they seemed to offer an escort to their companion. These small fish, caught by the hands of many of that place in testimony of the truth, were displayed in various parts of the region to the praise of the man of God.

[5] Thereafter held in great veneration among his people, And when the report had resounded everywhere of the truly unhoped-for return So the copy. of so great a man, young and old, men and women ran with great joy to meet the saint of God, glorifying and blessing God, who deigned to work such wonders and so great among them. And the nobles and chief men of the kingdom, doers and at the same time abettors of so great a crime, seeing the man of God unharmed and cheerful, loosed in hands and feet, confessing their guilt with enormous shame and terror and publicly accusing their rash boldness, begged pardon from the man of God with humble and devout heart. And when he had raised them from the ground, they were kindly received by him and obtained mercy. And all, seeing the hand of the Lord upon him, none thereafter presumed with rash daring in any way to disturb him about taking up the kingdom.

[6] he fled with three companions to the monastery of Sithiu. And when Winnoc, the man of God, remained unmolested about taking up the kingdom, diligently turning over in his mind in what way [These names, written in various ways in different places in the copy, we have transcribed according to it here and below.] he might wholly renounce the world with all its pomps and more fittingly serve as a soldier to the sole King of the heavens, to three of the chief and nobler men of the kingdom, whose names are these, Madocus, Indevocus [These names, written in various ways in different places in the copy, we have transcribed according to it here and below.] and Quadanocus, knowing that by his example they had conceived the idea of serving God, he discloses the secret of his breast. They assent without delay, made glad that they should be worthy to be joined to the company of so great a man. But when they were hesitating as to a place where they could carry out so fitting a work, they turn together to the refuge of prayer, entreating God, who hears the contrite of heart and the desolate, that he might deign to direct them into the way of peace. At length, when the report resounded So the copy. far and wide of a certain St. Bertin, in the district of the Morini or of Thérouanne, in the place called Sithiu, a man of wonderful holiness and abbot of monks of the order of St. Benedict, by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, with one mind and equal reasoning they ardently desire to visit St. Bertin and to be joined to him. And at once they despised for love of our Lord Jesus Christ kingdoms, their own houses, parents and all noble offspring, all the adornment of the world, and content with little food and mean clothing, enduring valleys, mountains and the many perils of the sea, at length by divine nod and the breathing grace of the Holy Spirit they reached blessed Bertin with enormous joy. Whom when he had seen, and they had revealed the secret of their heart and their purpose, with unspeakable joy and thanks to God

rendering outstanding, he received them in friendly and gracious manner; and when they had lived devoutly there for a moderate time, devoutly receiving the monastic habit from the holy abbot, in a short interval of time, shining in all perfection of virtues and in all regular observances, they were made most approved monks Compare Life II, cc. 1, 2..

[7] Sent by St. Bertin to Bergues to found a monastery, And St. Bertin, when he saw with great gladness of mind these four men shining thus, in all the rigour of the order, in extreme poverty, most worthless in their own reckoning, in true patience, perfect obedience and fraternal charity most perfect, judged that they would be four solid and firm columns for building up the house of the Lord. He admonished them in the bowels of Christ with fatherly charity and asked them, because he felt that the voice of command was superfluous for hearers so perfect, to withdraw from the place of their profession to another place assigned to them by their abbot. They assent at once to the father's prayers as to the command of God and set out on the road for about five miles to the place called Bergis or rather Mons; which place or town was afterwards called the Mount of St. Winnoc Compare the same, end of c. 2.. And reaching the far part of that town, they built a cell to live in with their own hands and lived most devoutly under the discipline of the order of St. Benedict. And when the fragrance of the holiness of such men spread far and wide, many, kindled by their devotion and example, humbly asking for the habit, the number of monks was suddenly greatly increased.

[8] he soon established another in the village of Wormhoudt; But when the place was narrow for dwelling there on account of the number of monks, by the prompting of the Holy Spirit there came a certain noble and rich man, Heremar of Wormhout by name. He, vehemently kindled by their holiness and reputation, at Wormhoudt, distant a great mile from the aforesaid town of Bergues, possessing his possessions in the aforesaid village of Wormhoudt, for love of Christ gratuitously and gladly conferred them on them; from which he built a church and other buildings to serve them, and assigned the remaining possessions necessary for the use of life. The buildings being thus half-finished, and the very slender small possessions not being brought to extreme need for so great a multitude of the servants of God, the brothers, not caring for the scantiness of the gifts, came there with glad patience to live together. The brothers being thus gathered, there comes about there a paradise not earthly but heavenly, flowering with all virtues. They keep vigil, they pray, they subdue the flesh, knowing that flesh not well fed rarely wantons; all going before one another in honour, following fraternal charity, and they kept the other virtues in check under the censure of humility Compare the same, c. 3..

[9] over which, his three companions having died, And St. Winnoc, although young in age, yet shining among the others like the sun [These names, written in various ways in different places in the copy, we have transcribed according to it here and below.] in virtues, he himself [These names, written in various ways in different places in the copy, we have transcribed according to it here and below.] resisting with all the effort he could, they elected with one accord as abbot, as worthy of so great an office. And when they were suffering no small want in the need of building and in food and clothing, giving effort chiefly to the works of their hands, they built a very great cell with their own hands, mutually recalling that word of the apostle: II Thess. 3, 10. He who does not work, let him not eat. So while the brothers were thus leading a celibate life with all cheerfulness and quiet of mind, alas, for grief, by the not causeless disposition of divine providence, which knows how to turn all things to good, suddenly a plague is at hand, death arrives, and many of the brothers die. But what is more intolerable, there die those three Britons, sharers and companions of blessed Winnoc, namely Madocus, Indenocus and Quadenocus, who closed their last day in great holiness, giving their bodies to the earth and their souls happily seizing the sceptres of the heavens in return for contempt of the world and its adornment Compare the same, c. 4..

[10] he is set, and in it he excels especially in the virtue of humility. After this Winnoc Compare the same., although still young in age, yet, as befits a shepherd, surpassed and went before all his little sheep in renowned holiness and virtues, but especially in most perfect humility, not only reckoning himself most worthless and most unworthy of all pastoral dignity, but also showing it outwardly by servile works, as long as he lived, by example before the other monks. For if anything had to be done in the bakehouse or in any workshops, as far as a suitable time was at hand for him, he always strove to be present, so that he might offer his sheep not only the food of the soul but also, as far as he could, that of the body, saying: II Thess. 3, 10. Acts 20, 35. He who does not work, let him not eat, and: It is more wholesome to give than to receive.

[11] A monk, divinely punished for offending Winnoc, is healed by his intercession. One most glorious thing, however, which happened to the saint of God must in no way be passed over in silence. When, as has been said before, he was intent with great zeal on the works of his hands, so as to feed his flock, the Lord did not allow his so great humility and holiness of life to be hidden any longer under a bushel. For when with his own hands, as he had been accustomed, dwelling alone in a cell, he was turning a mill with great labour and from it was putting out flour to feed his sheep, the Lord mercifully looked on the sweat of his face and lightened his labour. For the mill without the application of hands turned of itself by the help of God alone and put out flour in an unlooked-for quantity, and he himself paid due thanks to God in prayers. All wonder in what way it could be, by what chance the man of God, dwelling alone in his secret place, could produce daily so great a quantity of flour from a handmill so small and from grain so small, knowing that without the help of God alone it would be impossible. When a certain man mocked this and did not believe, he resolved to explore more curiously. So he climbed the holy father's cell, and, some thatch being drawn out, through the opening he saw the man of God praying, and, perceiving the mill turned without hands, he almost lost his mind at the strangeness of the thing. So as he thus looked curiously for a longer time and presumed upon heavenly secrets, not only was he bereft of the light of both eyes, but he was also deprived of the use of all his limbs. The mill stands still. At once the man of God was vehemently disturbed, how or for what cause the mill is disturbed and goes no further. But that wretch, made blind and sick and destitute of every hope of life, carried to his bed, soon to die. He tells the brothers what he has seen and what has been done concerning him, and, pouring out a thousand tears and confessing his sin and asking pardon of the pious father, by the prayers of that man of God Winnoc as a remedy, giving thanks, he was restored to his former health Compare the same, cc. 5, 6..

[12] A new monastery founded at Bergues; And when the holy man saw the number of monks multiplying at Wormholt beyond what the place could hold, he built a monastery in honour of St. Martin in the middle of the town of Bergues, which is called Mons [Either the writer of this Life boldly lied in these things, or he very wrongly understood the second Life, in which it is not said (end of c. 2) that Winnoc founded a monastery at Bergues after he had settled at Wormhout (compare c. 3), but it is expressly affirmed (c. 16) that the monastery of Bergues was first founded in the year 900.]. And there, setting a holy and good man as abbot over the brothers, with equal and fervent desire they carried on the celibate life of Christ. If therefore the man of God Winnoc, while still placed in youthful age and in worldly dignity, began from so great and such perfection, as has been held earlier, that the sea gave way to his little body and prepared a flowery bed, in how great virtues do we think he advanced in his decrepit holy old age, who can estimate? If mention is made of frugality of food, no one, no one was more frugal; no one was humbler and more chaste, and in his frequent infirmities no one was more patient.

[13] in which Winnoc died and was buried. And when he had advanced in very many years and had become very old, desiring to be with Christ, entreating day and night the loosing of his body, at length heard by God he gave back his spirit on the eighth of the Ides of November, he died about the years of the Lord 716 This number seems to have been written by another hand, yet not on an erasure.. He was entombed and placed in a wooden tomb honourably in the monastery of St. Martin which he had built in the town of Bergues or Mons, which town was thereafter named the Mount of St. Winnoc. There frequent miracles take place to the honour of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[14] With what great virtues and miracles, then, blessed Winnoc was renowned, on account of the minds of unbelievers we have arranged to pass over in great part. A few however, and very few, we shall briefly relate to his honour.

Some little time after his death, His sepulchre is preserved from fire by a remarkable wonder. the sins of men demanding it and the providence of God disposing it, a fire so vast and devouring consumed about the half of the city of Bergues. And when the fire had devoured the monastery of St. Martin and the chapel in which the most holy body had been laid, and when the fire was drawing near to the wooden tomb of the blessed man, it is at once turned back, and the whole fire is suddenly extinguished. And there arises a cry of women, a grief of men, because they wept for that venerable body as burned. But when they came up to his tomb, and beheld the upper wooden tomb wholly whole and unharmed, and the body, the people's mourning was turned into exceedingly inestimable joy Compare the same, c. 8..

[15] [The monks of Wormhout vainly try to transfer his body from Bergues to their monastery,] So the brothers from Wormholt coming, desiring to transfer the body of their father there, where the holy father had been accustomed to dwell with them, could not move the tomb at all. Seeing this the citizens of Bergues, glad in mind, gave the brothers from Wormholt this answer: “The man of God does not wish to run about the countryside, but to remain with us.” And when the citizens had vowed Copy vovisset. to build a church and monastery in his honour in the far part of the town, where on his first arrival he had been accustomed to dwell for a little time, all difficulty being put aside, the holy body allowed itself to be moved Compare Life II, c. 9.. When they had built the church very honourably, as they had promised, that most sacred body was laid with great honour, as was fitting, in the middle of the choir. And when that body was being carried to the church, many sick, blind and lame, demoniacs and those vexed by various diseases, all received health by the merits of the saint; and up to the present day his benefits are recalled and are granted by his merits, to the honour of our Lord Jesus Christ. This church of Blessed Martin, having been burned, the count of Flanders rebuilt afterwards, as will be clear.

[16] [and the people of Bergues to move it from a wooden shrine into another more precious;] Many times having passed, the abbot at that time of the monastery of St. Winnoc, seeing that the outer tomb was wooden, decided that the body of the saint should be laid up in a new feretory adorned with gold and precious gems, and ordered the wooden tomb to be opened by a craftsman. When the craftsman had tried this twice, three times, and finally more often, with all the tools suited to this, and had struck with mighty blows to open the wooden feretory, not only could it 〈not〉 be broken, but no sign of injury appeared on the wood. Then the craftsman answered the abbot, saying that it was not the will of the man of God that his body should be placed in another feretory at this time. And the abbot and all the brothers with the whole affection of the heart, falling prone to the ground, prayed, saying: “O distinguished father, of your fatherly piety show yourself to us, as we love you with our whole heart, so that we may be able to lay up your body, with due honour as is fitting, in the case So corrected in the margin, in the text casam. prepared out of devotion.” And when they had prayed for a long time, the craftsman, as before, accomplished nothing, but broke a very strong hammer by his blows. And the abbot and brothers, seeing this, ceased from changing the wooden case Compare Book of miracles, cc. 20, 21..

[17] the saint himself reveals in what place he wishes to be buried. And Winnoc, confessor of God, condescending to their human infirmities, permitted it to be done in the manner that follows. And he revealed to a certain holy recluse, serving God in an anchorhold on the eastern side of the church, that behind the high altar in the choir, partly in the wall, in the place of his oratory, where at first on his first arrival there, when he had come with his three first companions to dwell there, in the place of his oratory, his body ought to be laid up. There is enormous gladness and jubilation of heart at so great a revelation for the abbot and all the brothers. At this rumour the citizens of Bergues run up with great joy, that the holy body should be laid up with due honour. And when the holy body in the wooden tomb was to be carried to the place miraculously shown, by the mere touch of hands with all ease the wooden tomb allowed itself to be opened, and to be placed in the new feretory prepared for it. And that wooden tomb they hung in the upper part of the choir behind the altar in testimony of the miracle Compare the same, c. 22.. In this wooden tomb it can be weighed how much in life the man of God always loved holy humility.

[18] [A demoniac is freed by the application of a fragment of the reliquary of St. Winnoc.] At this translation of the body there was present Bovo, a bishop of Saxony, who, seeing not without great wonder that the wooden tomb could not be broken, did not doubt that some divine work lay hidden in it. With great devotion and affection he asked and obtained two small pieces from the wooden tomb, to take with him to his country to the honour of blessed Winnoc. And when Bishop Bovo had crossed the seas and saw a certain man possessed and excessively vexed by a demon in the city of Hamburg Copy, at this place only, Halburgis. on the Elbe, who could not be cured by any conjurations or pilgrimages, the bishop, full of faith, approached him with the small pieces of blessed Winnoc. And as he drew near, the man, soon feeling the divine force of the small pieces of the wooden tomb, foaming and raging and crying out, said: “The coffin of Winnoc, friend of the Almighty, conquers me and casts me out.” And when the bishop placed the fragments on the head of the possessed man, the demon said: “These are fragments of the coffin of a man of God, of the great ones in the kingdom of God, a son of the king of Britain, who is called Winnoc.” And soon going out So the copy., the possessed man rises unharmed, giving thanks to God and his servant. After some time, when this miracle was held in solemn regard at Hamburg by all, it happened that certain Copy quidem. citizens of Bergues came to Hamburg. When the provost of the city of Hamburg heard that they were of a foreign tongue, he asked whence they were Copy esset.. And when they said that they were of Bergues, he kindly receives them in hospitality, and thus this miracle was spread abroad to the knowledge of all the citizens of Bergues Compare Book of miracles, c. 23..

[19] [The abbot of Saint-Amand, having invoked St. Winnoc, recovers the goods of his monastery.] A certain soldier much loved by the count of Flanders, at the time when Hainaut was annexed to Flanders and did not yet hold the countship, possessed certain goods of the monastery of Saint-Amand. The abbot often made complaint to the count of Flanders about the soldier, but because of the friendship of the soldier he always suffered rejection by the count. And when the abbot was thereafter frustrated of every good hope of recovering them, hearing of such frequent miracles of blessed Winnoc, with firm hope he goes to Bergues, where he learned that the count was arriving. And the abbot all that night, praying with all devotion and attention of mind before the tomb of the man of God and very frequently kissing the coffin, entreated the suffrage of blessed Winnoc. What more? Going to the count, he found all doors and gates open up to the count's presence. And the count, looking on the abbot, whom he could not even see, and being turned to wonder and stupor, without any petition of the abbot gave back to him all things whatsoever that the aforesaid soldier had unjustly taken away. And the count adjured the abbot by the living God to tell him the suffrage of what saint he had invoked. Hearing this, the abbot, greatly wondering and made glad, answered: “St. Winnoc, because I was destitute of all other hope, I invoked,” he said, “and I committed the whole business to him.” Then the count, considering what had been done, held St. Winnoc thereafter in singular devotion and to his honour adorned his monastery with many riches. St. Winnoc too was gloriously and wonderfully blessed by all at the monastery of Saint-Amand Compare Book of miracles, c. 18..

[20] [The body of Winnoc, in fear of enemies, carried to the monastery of Saint-Bertin and shortly afterwards brought back from there to Bergues.] And when in the time of Charles the Danish people had laid waste the whole land, the body of blessed Winnoc was carried to Sithiu, namely to the monastery of Saint-Bertin near the town of Saint-Omer, until the plague of the Danes ceased Compare Life II, c. 15.. And then Baldwin the Bald, count of Flanders, brought back that venerable body from Sithiu to Mons, otherwise called Bergues, with enormous honour and a fitting retinue. And that count strengthened the fortress of Bergues with fitting walls and gates, nor was it thereafter overcome by the Danes. And the count ordered that the fortress or town should be named by all the Mount of St. Winnoc. And the church of St. Martin, which St. Winnoc had built, and which had been burned in the fire, as has been said before, he rebuilt and endowed Compare the same, c. 16.. This translation from Sithiu to Mons was made in the year of the Lord one thousand one hundred and thirty-eight [The stupid writer did not notice that Baldwin the Bald died more than two centuries before this year.], on the fourteenth of the Kalends of October, as the honourable cloister testifies which is to be seen there.

[21] A man blind from birth healed by the invocation of St. Winnoc; On the second day of Pentecost the body of the holy man Winnoc is carried every year honourably to the village of Wormholt, where, while he lived, he had been accustomed to dwell for a long time. That monastery at Wormholt was afterwards changed into a parish church. A certain man, while the body of the saint was being thus carried there, Tandradus by name, blind from birth, with great faith ordered himself to be led to touch the feretory. And falling asleep at night before the feretory, he saw in his sleep a comely man, white-haired with age, clothed in white garments, addressing him thus: “Tell me, wretched and sluggish man, why are you dozing here?” Touching his eyelids quite hard with his hand, he went away. And he, trembling from the vision, cried out with a mighty cry: “O my St. Winnoc.” At his cry the brothers who were present are roused, and they found him restored to full light by the merits of that saint Compare Life II, c. 17..

[22] and likewise a woman blind from birth, A certain woman of the town of Veurne, blind from birth, when she had spent all her means in vain on physicians, came to the saint's tomb. And when she had implored his suffrage for a long time, she gladly received the light of her eyes Compare the same, c. 18..

[23] and another, In a like manner, when a certain poor little woman, 〈blind〉 from birth, had implored for a rather long time the patronage of the saint of God, passing the night before the tomb in grief of heart and falling asleep, blood flowing from her eyes, she was restored to health, giving thanks Compare Book of miracles, c. 1..

[24] and three children Two girls of eight years with a little one of one year, blind from birth, brought to the tomb of the man of God, after the flow of blood from their eyes in no small quantity, obtained entirely the benefit of sight Compare the same, cc. 3, 4, 2..

[25] and another woman, A certain poor little woman, blind from birth, on the day of the Lord's Ascension at mass, ever with devotion and fixed hope in the holy man, watering the pavement with tears and touching the coffin with her hand, was restored to the light of both eyes. And lest anyone think this vain, there were then present in the church the bishop of the Morini, that is, of Thérouanne, the abbot of St. Winnoc and the abbot of Saint-Vaast of Arras, who in honour of the man of God far and wide were bearing testimony, as true witnesses, to what they had seen Compare the same, c. 19..

[26] and five blind persons. Five blind persons more were healed, but not from birth, at different times; but on account of the length of the narrative, lest weariness be produced in the reader, I pass over the manners in which they were healed.

[27] A glass chalice, which had been broken, repaired by a wonder. At a certain time, when a monk was to celebrate, as was customary, with a glass chalice in the church of St. Winnoc, and saw that the glass chalice Copy vitrium. was cracked and could not hold water, by the merits of the man of God the glass vessel Copy vitrium. was made solid and restored whole Compare Life II, end of c. 12..

[28] A lamp falling from on high is preserved whole, not even the oil spilled. In the season of Lent, while the monks were entering the choir to sing sext, the lamp which continually shone before the sepulchre of the man of God, the rope breaking, giving a great sound the lamp fell on the pavement. The monks being astonished at so great a sound, the lamp is seen standing by itself whole and burning and full of oil and is perceived by all Compare the same, c. 14.. Which certainly could in no way have been done without the merits of the saint.

[29] A man falling from the top of the church suffers no injury; When, moreover, the church was being built, from the higher part of the building a certain fat man, by name Gerard, fell backwards down to the ground; and feeling no injury, he gave thanks to the man of God. When the count of Flanders, who was present,

saw the miracle, he was vehemently kindled to devotion to the saint of God. And conferring many things on the brothers, finally the village which is called Spirliacum, with all the right which the count had possessed in it, he conferred on them in possession to the honour of the saint of God with ready will [Compare Life II, cc. 11, 12 and Book of miracles, c. 27. But the writer mixes everything up wretchedly and erroneously, confusing Count Gerard, who gave the township of Spirliacum to the people of Wormhout, with Baldwin, count of Flanders, who long afterwards was present at a similar miracle (Book of miracles, in the place cited), and saying that the workman who fell from the top of the oratory was called Gerard.].

[30] A certain servant, while the church was being built, climbing incautiously from an upper beam onto the roof, as neither did another who experienced the same fall. fell from above. And he was so made lifeless and destitute of all use of his limbs that he was judged by all to have died and to be dead. He, opening his eyes after no long time, was restored to entire health. For he affirmed that when in the fall he invoked St. Winnoc, he had been sustained by him, and he gave thanks to the man of God Compare Book of miracles, c. 28..

[31] Rain wonderfully obtained by the invocation of the saint. When at a certain time there was such a drought before August around the neighbouring parts of the town of Bergues that there was no hope of the crops producing any fruit, placing full hope in the man of God, they carry round and bear the feretory of the saint's body, pressing with prayers, that he might deign to come to their aid in so great a need. Wonderful is the piety of the man of God: at once there is rain, and thereafter, as it was needful. Thus the saint by his merits opens the sky, which men had closed by the demand of their sins. As a sign of this miracle it has become customary that every year the feretory of the saint is carried for a little distance outside the town Compare the same, c. 24..

[32] Monks freed from grave disease. At a certain other time, when suddenly a slight fever vexed several of the monks, soon there follows a grave disease. And when all those sick were drawing near to death and two had paid the debt of death, they carried the feretory of St. Winnoc into the infirmary. Soon health returns in the remaining sick, and they blessed God and his saint Compare the same, c. 25..

[33] Three men falling from the roof of the church unharmed. Three together falling from the height of the church, while it was being built, and invoking the servant of God, feeling no injury, gave thanks to God and Corrected in the margin in. his saint.

[34] Other miracles. There were healed besides by the merits of blessed Winnoc, the man of God, seven persons wonderfully contracted at different times; four freed from captivity and chains, one from deafness; but on account of the length of the narratives I pass over the manner of the cures, although it was contained in the exemplar. And further five at different times too were healed These words (san. sunt) are written twice in our copy. of blindness, although they were not blind from birth, and they received light and rendered thanks to St. Winnoc.