ON ST. BAUDINUS OR BALDUS, BISHOP OF TOURS,
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIXTH CENTURY
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY
Baudinus or Baldus, bishop of Tours. (S.)
BY C. D. S.
[1] St. Baudinus, bishop of Tours The course of life of St. Baudinus or Baldus Commonly Bauld, Bault, Baud was thus briefly described by Gregory of Tours in the catalogue of the bishops of Tours with which he closed the last book of his History of the Franks Historia Francorum, bk. X, ch. 31: Sixteenth [Sixteenth, namely, if with Gregory you so join the two bishops who a little above in this catalogue are indicated under the number ten as having sat at the same time, Theodorus and Proculus, that they make up one pontificate. But if you count them as two distinct bishops, Baudinus will come to be noted as seventeenth in the order of the bishops of Tours, as he is in fact noted in some other old catalogues (in L. Duchesne, Fastes épiscopaux de l'ancienne Gaule, vol. II, 1900, pp. 286, 293, 294). But certainly Gregory spoke less accurately where (H. F., bk. IV, ch. 3) he says that Baudinus succeeded as the sixteenth bishop after the death of blessed Martin, since according to his own catalogue (and all the others) Martin is to be placed in the third place among the bishops of Tours, and so between him and Baudinus twelve (or at most thirteen) others are to be counted in between], Baudinus, from being referendary [Referendarius, "among the Frankish kings of the first line, the name of the one to whom was committed the care of the king's ring, and who subscribed the king's charters" (Du Cange, Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, ed. Henschel, vol. V, p. 651); those adorned with this office were afterwards called Chancellors] of king Chlothar The first, namely, of this name among the kings of the Franks, is ordained bishop, having also sons, endowed with many alms. The gold too which his predecessor had left, more than twenty thousand solidi, he distributed to the poor. In his time the second village of Noviliacus [Gregory had related a little above that a village of the same name was already founded by Iniuriosus, the predecessor of Baudinus: this second is indicated as built by bishop Baudinus. Three villages marked with this name in the ancient city of Tours are read in Gregory (besides the two already mentioned, a third is named, In gloria confessorum, ch. 7, which seems to be different from both). And today in the diocese of Tours and in the department which is named from the rivers Indre and Loire (department of Indre-et-Loire) there still exist three villages of that name, Neuillé-le-Lierre (arrondissement of Tours, canton of Vouvray), Neuillé-Saint-Pierre (arrondissement of Tours, chief town of canton) and Neuillé-le-Noble or le Brignon (arrondissement of Loches, canton of La Haye), but which of these is to be likened individually to each of those indicated in Gregory cannot be sufficiently defined (A. Longnon, Géographie de la Gaule au VIe siècle, p. 281)] was built. He instituted the table of the canons Or, as they say, the common life. And he sat five years, ten months, and died and was buried in the basilica of Saint Martin Cf. below, no. 5.
[2] Chlothar I being king of the Franks. This elogium, in the same or nearly the same words, with greater or lesser abridgement, but with no addition, was copied out in following times by the Chronicles of Tours of Peter son of Bechinus In A. Salmon, Recueil de chroniques de Touraine (1854), p. 23, the Great Chronicle of Tours Ibid., p. 81, the abridged Chronicle of Tours Ibid., p. 174, that of the archbishops of Tours Ibid., p. 209, and the little book on the commendation of the province of Tours Ibid., p. 296; and afterwards by the Gallican Martyrology of André du Saussay Part II (Paris, 1637), p. 839 and the Martyrology of Évreux Paris ed., 1752, p. 296.
[3] His more prolix Life, written not before the end of the eleventh century. A Life not a little more prolix — more prolix, I say, in words, but hardly more abundant in things narrated — was found by a certain colleague of ours Cf. Analecta Bollandiana, vol. XXIII (1904), pp. 229 – 32, nos. 2 – 4 in a codex of the sixteenth century which the public library of Rouen keeps, together with the history of the elevation of the body of St. Baldus, or of the first translation, and of another translation from Verneuil to Loches made in the year 1086, and of a miracle obtained through the intercession of SS. Hermeland and Baldus in the year 1331. This Life, written after the end of the eleventh century, since it records the translation of the year 1086, is quite manifestly the same as that which Jean Maan says he inspected in the most ancient codices of the church of Tours and from which he drew the brief compendium which he inserted in his work on the history of the church of Tours J. Maan, Sancta et metropolitana ecclesia Turonensis (1667), p. 36. But a copy of the codex of Verneuil, which Barthélemy Hauréau says was copied by Dom Étienne Housseau Gallia christiana, vol. XIV, p. 20 c, but does not testify that he saw himself, has not been found among the collections preserved under the name of that compiler in the National Library of Paris [On these collections see Bibliothèque de l'École des chartes, vol. XXXII (1871), p. 286 and following], although they were diligently inspected. And so from the single codex of Rouen we present at the end of this commentary that Life with the documents attached to it, accurately copied by our aforesaid colleague. In which, besides the things which are read in Gregory of Tours, a few local traditions pertaining to our saint are reported.
[4] He sat about the middle of the sixth century. From the computation of the spans of time which are assigned in Gregory to the rule of the individual bishops of Tours Historia Francorum, bk. X, ch. 31 it may be gathered that St. Baudinus sat about or a little before the middle of the sixth century, but not so in what certain years he sat, to define it more expressly. Maan indeed binds the beginning of the pastoral office undertaken by him to the year 539, which he says was the twenty-fourth of king Chlothar I At the place cited above, note 17: but we do not know whether he drew it from some old document, of which we no longer have a copy, or from his own computations and conjectures, and his opinion is refuted by manifold argument. For a) Iniuriosus, the predecessor of Baudinus, is read to have succeeded Francilio in the see of Tours in the second year of the emperor Justinian Great Chronicle of Tours (in A. Salmon, work cited, p. 80), which was the year of Christ 528 or 529; and since, according to Gregory of Tours Historia Francorum, bk. X, ch. 31, he sat almost seventeen years, we know that he prolonged his life thence to the year 544 or 545. b) The same Iniuriosus subscribed, present, to the second council of Orléans, in the year 533, and, in the year 541, to the fourth council of Orléans, and through his priest Campanus to the third council of Orléans, in the year 538 MG., Concilia vol. I, pp. 64, 98, 86. c) In his time queen Chrothild died Historia Francorum, at the place cited; but, as Henschen pointed out, in what year Chrothild died is not sufficiently established, certainly before the year 548 Cf. Acta Sanctorum, June vol. I, p. 297, note f. From these indications, then, we are wholly led to agree with the opinion of the most learned man Bruno Krusch, who concludes the episcopate of Baudinus within these bounds: He sat from about the year 546, December — 552, November MG., Scriptores rerum merovingicarum vol. I, p. 593, note 2. This opinion is supported by the distinguished Louis Duchesne Fastes épiscopaux de l'ancienne Gaule, vol. II, p. 283.
[5] His body in the village of Verneuil Gregory of Tours wrote that St. Baudinus was buried at Tours in the church of Saint Martin Cf. above, no. 1. This tradition was contradicted by the writer of the saint's Life, who testifies Life, chs. 14 – 16 that he died at Verneuil, while he was conducting a pastoral visitation in that place, and was first buried there in the humble church of the village, but afterwards translated into a basilica built in his honour. This too is vehemently asserted by that monk of Saint-Julien who in the fourteenth century supplied some things to the abridged Chronicle of Tours, writing thus: This man whom Gregory calls Baudinus, the church of Tours and also the whole common people call Baldus or Baudus. He is held a saint in Touraine, and more certainly than certain he was buried not in the church of Saint Martin, but in the village of Noviliacus, which is now called Vinulium, Verneuil or Vernolium A. Salmon, Chroniques de Touraine, p. 209, note 4. But since the same writer at once adds: And these things are plain from the legend of the translation of the same saint, it must be said that that testimony adds nothing to the authority of the other. For this legend of the translation is either to be attributed to the writer of the Life himself or certainly was known to him Cf. the following number.
[6] was elevated The narrative of this translation, hitherto unpublished, we may now present, copied from that same codex of Rouen which has preserved for us the Life of St. Baudinus Cf. above, no. 3. At what time that narrative was made is established by no sufficiently certain indication. Expressly indeed
the writer of the Life indicates that it is older than the Life itself [Life, ch. 13 end. But someone could also judge that it was later than the translation of the year 1086 (of which below, no. 8) from its very title, in which the writing is called the History of the first Translation: for it would not be called first unless another had followed. But that title was perhaps prefixed to it not by the author himself, but by some copyist who copied out the document later], yet he does not deny that it was put together by himself. But the same writer seems to pursue elegance of speech more than the writer of the Translation; indeed, in his prologue, to affect a certain rhythmical number, of which no study appears in the account of the translation. And so I should judge the author of the Translation to be different from the writer of the Life. That he was a canon of the church of Verneuil is both very probable of itself, and becomes more probable from the fact that he seems to linger so gladly Chs. 4 – 6 in describing the prodigy by which that Sulpicius, lord of the castle of Amboise, was led to enrich the college of canons instituted at Verneuil with ample possessions and to rouse the tenants subject to his lordship to practise liberality of this kind toward them.
[7] before or about the middle of the eleventh century, But Barthélemy Hauréau pronounced that that legend teems with fables Gallia christiana, vol. XIV, p. 20. Yet he noted no other error in it except that it narrates that the translation was made by St. Arnulf, then archbishop of the church of Tours Chs. 3, 4, 5, "since St. Arnulf, whether false or true bishop of the people of Tours, lived before Blessed Baldus." An invincible argument indeed, if the writer of the legend is thought to have wished to indicate that St. Arnulf who is venerated as a martyr on the 18th day of July [On whom Acta Sanctorum, July vol. IV, p. 396 and following; cf. Hauréau, in the volume cited, p. 18]. But there was another archbishop of Tours named Arnulf, doubtful to no one, who lived in the eleventh century Cf. Hauréau, in the volume cited, pp. 58 – 61, after the course of very many years indeed Life, ch. 15 had elapsed since the burial of St. Baldus. And that he is here called saint can be judged to have been done either through some confusion with that Arnulf the martyr, who was reported to have presided over the church of Tours for a very short time in the sixth century, or rather because the writer used that word saint in the sense in which it was synonymous with the word venerable or another similar, which was not so rarely in use in the time of the Middle Ages. That Arnulf sat from the year 1023 to the year 1053 Hauréau, at the place cited; which times agree excellently with the times of Sulpicius Otherwise Supplicius, treasurer of Saint-Martin and lord of the castle of Amboise [Life, ch. 14; Translation, ch. 2. Cf. the Great Chronicle of Tours (in Andr. Salmon, Chroniques de Touraine [1854], pp. 118, 125); Chronica de gestis consulum Andegavorum (in Paul Marchegay and Andr. Salmon, Chroniques d'Anjou [1856], pp. 88, 89); Chronicon Vindocinense (in Paul Marchegay and Ém. Mabille, Chroniques des églises d'Anjou [1869], p. 165)], who was the principal author of that elevation. There is no reason, therefore, why we should hold suspect the narrative which is treated here. And hence it is further gathered that the elevation was held at Verneuil a little before the middle of the eleventh century. Indeed it seems it must be said that its account itself was written before the year 1086 Cf. the following number. For nowhere does the writer hint anything by which it is signified that the body of St. Baudinus is no longer kept at Verneuil; on the contrary, at the end of his lucubration he vehemently exhorts the citizens of Verneuil to venerate him diligently as their singular patron, present among them.
[8] and in the year 1086 translated to Loches. That first translation was soon followed by another, by which the holy relics were carried from Verneuil to Loches in the year 1086, Radulf I being archbishop of Tours. A brief record of this Jean Maan found in the cartulary of Loches and Barth. Hauréau borrowed it from him Gallia christiana, in the volume cited, p. 70. This too we present here from the codex of Rouen Below, p. 393 beginning, to complete the series of the documents pertaining to the life and cult of St. Baudinus.
[9] From the year 1331, with solemn pomp every year That series is finally closed by the address which a certain canon of Loches held to an assembly, I know not at what time, to celebrate the miracle obtained in the year 1331 by the invocation of SS. Hermeland and Baudinus, which, a public vow having been made on this occasion, the people of Loches and the villagers of the region lying nearest were thereafter accustomed to commemorate every year with solemn pomp. That document, attached in the codex of Rouen Cf. above, no. 3 to the Life of St. Baudinus and the Translations, and hitherto unpublished, we have thought should be brought forward here from the same codex Below, pp. 393 – 94.
[10] he was carried through the surrounding region. At what time that sermon was delivered is established by no indication. But the rite of the annual procession persisted at Loches until the end of the eighteenth century. Some of its turns are thus described by the learned man Carré de Busserolle [Dictionnaire géographique, historique et biographique d'Indre-et-Loire et de l'ancienne province de Touraine, vol. III (= Mém. de la Soc. archéol. de Touraine, vol. XXIX), p. 65]: "Ce vœu fut renouvelé le 13 juin 1727 et recut l'approbation de l'archevêque de Tours. — Les curés des trente paroisses suivantes étaient tenus de prendre part à la procession Azay-sur-Indre, Aubigny, Saint-Bauld de Verneuil, … — Plusieurs curés ayant négligé de satisfaire à l'obligation qui leur était imposée, le lieutenant du bailli de Touraine, à la date du 26 mai 1597, rendit une ordonnance portant que tout ecclésiastique qui, sans cause valable, s'abstiendrait de venir à la cérémonie, serait passible d'une amende. Au jour fixé, les curés devaient se trouver réunis pour le départ, à huit heures du matin, devant l'église Saint-Ours. — Par un mandement du 28 mai 1777, l'archevêque de Tours décida que la procession, au lieu d'aller jusqu'à l'église de Ferrières, se rendrait désormais jusqu'à l'abbaye de Beaulieu. Les curés des paroisses autres que celles de Saint-Ours de Loches et de Beaulieu cessèrent, à la même époque, d'être contraints d'y assister." ["This vow was renewed on the 13th of June 1727 and received the approval of the archbishop of Tours. — The curés of the following thirty parishes were bound to take part in the procession: Azay-sur-Indre, Aubigny, Saint-Bauld of Verneuil, … — Several curés having neglected to satisfy the obligation imposed on them, the lieutenant of the bailiff of Touraine, on the date of the 26th of May 1597, issued an ordinance providing that any ecclesiastic who, without valid cause, should abstain from coming to the ceremony would be liable to a fine. On the fixed day, the curés were to be found assembled for the departure, at eight o'clock in the morning, before the church of Saint-Ours. — By a mandate of the 28th of May 1777, the archbishop of Tours decided that the procession, instead of going as far as the church of Ferrières, would henceforth go as far as the abbey of Beaulieu. The curés of the parishes other than those of Saint-Ours of Loches and of Beaulieu ceased, at the same period, to be obliged to attend it."]
[11] The veneration of St. Baudinus at Tours. In the city itself and in the rest of the diocese of Tours no other indication of the veneration of the holy bishop has become known to us besides the indication of the office to be celebrated on the day of his festival, in the breviaries and ordos of Tours which are kept in our library. Namely: a) In the seventeenth century, the Breviary of Tours … arranged after the manner of the Roman, in the summer part, published in the year 1612, marks the feast of St. Baldus on the 7th day of November, under the semidouble rite: in whose office all things to be said are indicated from the common, except the fourth lesson; and this is taken from Gregory of Tours, book 10 of the history Namely at the place cited above, no. 1; and the Breviary of the distinguished church of Saint-Martin of Tours, in the summer part, published in the year 1635, likewise at the 7th day of November: Of St. Baldus, confessor bishop, of three lessons. All from the common of a confessor pontiff, except the prayer and the third lesson (likewise taken from Gregory of Tours, at the place cited).
b) In the nineteenth century, the Ordo of the divine office to be recited according to the use of the holy church and the rite of the breviary of Tours for the year of the Lord 1830 announces at the 10th day of November the feast of St. Baldus, bishop of Tours, semidouble. But in the appendix to this Ordo there is noted, in the chapter which has the title Index of patronal feasts [Where it seems to be signified that the solemnities of particular patrons in the individual churches are celebrated on the Sunday following (or preceding) the proper day of their festival], at the 7th day of November: The 23rd Sunday after Pentecost, of St. Baldus, anticipated from the 10th. And in the Ordos for the year 1839 and for the year 1844, at the 10th day of November: The Sunday (the 25th for the year 1839, the 24th for the year 1844) after Pentecost. Of it. Lesson IX of St. Balbus and the commemoration of the same. Finally the Ordo of the divine office to be recited … according to the rite of the holy Roman church, for the use of the clergy of Tours … for the year 1871, at the 7th day of November: Of St. Baldus, bishop of Tours, confessor. Double.
I. LIFE OF ST. BAUDINUS
From the Rouen codex Montbret 189. Cf. the preliminary commentary, no. 3.
Baudinus or Baldus, bishop of Tours. (S.)
ProloguePrologue to the life of the most blessed Baldus, archbishop of Tours and confessor, whose body rests in the collegiate church of Blessed Mary of Loches, shining with many miracles.
[1] To cultivate the vineyard of the Lord of Sabaoth, to spread the shoots of the same vineyard, that supreme householder, especially about the eleventh hour, appointed workers, namely the apostles, so that by the sound of their preaching, the winter now departing, the voice of the turtle-dove might be heard in our land, the fig tree might put forth its green figs, the flowering vines might give forth their fragrance and the flowers might surely bring forth fruits. These are the firmest columns and bases of the temple of the Lord, on which are depicted in sculptured work the oxen of meekness, the lions of ferocity and the cherubim of the fullness of knowledge, upon which columns the whole establishment of this vineyard is sustained. And again he sent other workers too, namely the martyrs, who clung as true branches to the true vine, that is, to Christ, and rendered the same vineyard, that is, the Church, white from the confession of the true faith and purpled by the shedding of their own blood. These are the incorruptible gilded bars put into the golden rings, on which the ark of God is carried. And most recently he directed other workers too, namely venerable bishops and eminent confessors, who, sweating with manifold labour in the cultivation of the same vineyard, deserved to be rewarded with the denarius of eternal retribution. These would certainly have seized the palm of martyrdom willingly, if the reckoning of the time and the bitterness of persecution could have afforded them martyrdom. For already in their time the rhinoceros let loose to strike the worshippers of Christ, now bound with the thongs of faith, and now tied to the manger of the Lord, had subjected its horn to the yoke of the Christian faith; and now the bride, in secret quiet giving her breasts to the bridegroom and leaning codex innexaque upon her beloved, was now cherished on the way with his left hand under her head, desiring to embrace his right hand in the homeland.
[2] Standing out, then, from the fellowship of these bishops, the most blessed Baldus, once archbishop of the people of Tours, whom the holy Gregory of Tours calls blessed Baldenus, appointed by the Lord as an untiring worker of this vineyard, laboured so long untiringly in the same vineyard, until, the time of his sojourn being finished, he should happily come to the wage of eternal reward. Indeed, since the revolving of the year has brought back to us the day on which the same most blessed bishop, rejoicing among the sacred companies of the dwellers of heaven, happily
was taken up, it befits us to rejoice together in his happiness and to magnify his merits to the praise of God, from whose gift they are, and to narrate to posterity something of the praises of his life, as possibility suggests. We ought to rejoice together in his true happiness if we implore his intercessions with devout and sincere minds. And although we can by no means be equal to his virtues, yet we ought to follow his faith and devotion and to imitate his life as far as we can. For it is ours to praise the saints; it is of the divine gift to bestow the charisms of the virtues on whom he himself wills. Because, then, the most blessed Baldus fulfilled the rule of the divine precepts, he was made an obtainer of eternal rewards. For him whom he loved with his whole heart on earth he now beholds with spiritual eyes as friendly to him in heaven; he possesses the eternal gifts of the heavenly life, because, girding himself with divine warfare, he fought most constantly against the phantoms of the world, the invisible hostile onsets and the allurements of the flesh, and, trampling on the head of all malice, he wonderfully triumphed over the onsets of the invisible enemies. On earth the saint humbled himself, and behold, God wonderfully exalted him in heaven. He despised the world, and behold, he possesses heaven. What more useful? What more happy? So are they crowned who so serve the Lord.
〈Life〉.
[1] Baldus, lord of Amboise, The most blessed Baldus, then, was adorned with an appearance of immense comeliness, bearing codex perferens an angelic countenance and, as is read of holy Job, simple, upright and fearing God and departing from evil. From his earliest age indeed intent on wholesome acts and given to works of piety, distinguished in morals and graceful in family. For the allodium of his generations, as the account of some had it, was the castle which Julius Caesar, establishing it on the river Loire, named Ambaquium [Some more recent writers assign a similar origin to the name of that castle (cf. Hadr. de Valois, Notitia Galliarum, p. 14). Cf. A. Holder, Alt-celtischer Sprachschatz, col. 113. And Amboise (commonly Amboise) is about 23 kilometres distant from the city of Tours to the east], once called from the two waters.
[2] as a youth he flourishes in holiness, So, passing through the age of adolescence with modesty, he did not practise youthful vanities, as most are accustomed to do. For, forestalled by heavenly grace, in a youthful body he showed beforehand the maturity of an old man's mind. That he would be adorned within with all virtues, manifold indications of virtues showed without. For measured in gait and voice, he brought forth well-ordered words; he strove to say little but to understand much. He was not rash in word, he did not abound in speeches; he was not easy to laughter, he was adorned with modesty, he spurned the company of insolent men, having his sight downward, his soul upward. He fled evil conditions so the codex, not the magisterial so the codex dignity, and he reckoned all the honours of the world as nothing. Serenity shone forth in him especially, clemency flourished in him. Avoiding human praise, he studied skilfully to please God. And of the goods too which he could receive from the wealthy paternal house in a just mean so the codex, refreshing the hungry, covering the naked, helping those oppressed by creditors and visiting the sick familiarly and in person, like a fruitful tree he praiseworthily paid to the Lord the multiplied fruit of good working.
[3] as also in the married state; The blessed man, then, being strong in such virtues, while he was still a youth and was in the power of his parents and friends, who are to be obeyed, as the apostle says: Children, obey your parents Eph. 6:1, Col. 3:20, he is bound by them to the marriage tie, although he refused much. Going in, then, to his wife for the sake of begetting offspring, a son is begotten to him by her. Having, then, a wife as though not having one, he so performed the things that belong to the conjugal union that the most blessed man did not omit to seek the things that are God's. He so pleased his spouse that he never displeased the Creator, he so served a moderate union that he did not turn the moment of propagation to the use of pleasure.
[4] For it came about that, the report of his goodness having been heard, he discharges the office of referendary with king Chlothar. Chlothar, king of the Franks, summoned him to himself and promoted him in his palace to referendary Cf. above, p. 386, note 4. But for this the blessed man was not lifted up to human glory; but the more honour he had, the more humbly, empty of vainglory, he cast himself down. He so exercised the dignity of referendary that he always interceded with the king either for churches or for the poor. He so obeyed the wishes of the earthly prince that, for the love of the heavenly prince, he did not depart from the path of rectitude for rewards or prayers.
[5] Famous by the fame of his virtues, And it came about that by the debt of nature he was deprived of the companionship of his wife. Then the blessed man began especially to be strong in chastity, to multiply alms, to subdue his body with abstinence and to apply himself with the highest diligence to works of piety. Then most of all his door lay open to the traveller and the pilgrim did not remain outside. He did not eat his morsel alone, but the orphan ate of it. He broke his bread to the hungry and brought the needy and the wanderers into his house, and did not leave the poor man without covering. So the most blessed man, exercising himself for long times in fasts, prayers, alms and other works of piety, like a young hart climbed the mountain of spices, so that he might the more easily pass over to the mountain which is Christ.
[6] He is elected bishop of Tours And it came about in those days that the archbishop of Tours, Iniuriosus by name, was loosed from the prison of the flesh. Then all, both clergy and people, unanimous in the Holy Spirit, elected as archbishop of Tours the most blessed Baldus, whose irreproachable life they knew. But the most blessed man, although he had refused long and much, yet, wholly subject to the divine disposition and a stranger to the vice of obstinacy, since he had already been forestalled with heavenly gifts by which he could profit others, both fled the pontifical summit from his heart and obeyed unwillingly. He was elected, then, archbishop of the city of Tours, ordained from being referendary of king Chlothar, as blessed Gregory of Tours wrote of him in this manner: The seventeenth archbishop of Tours was St. Bauldenus. He, ordained bishop from being referendary of king Chlothar, having also a son, endowed with many alms Cf. the preliminary commentary, no. 1.
[7] and in the pontificate too in every kind of virtue Having taken up the episcopate, then, with what great perfection and what great humility and what great mercy the most blessed man performed works among the people, the slender eloquence of speech does not suffice to narrate. For advancing to higher things with continual efforts, he strove to acquire the perfection of holiness by daily progress. For he was clean by the study of chastity, strong by the vigour of abstinence, filled with the dishes of doctrine, humble by the long-suffering of patience, erect by the strength of authority, kind by the grace of piety, strict by the severity of justice, shining in thought, pre-eminent in action, near to each by compassion, suspended above all in contemplation, a companion through humility to those who do well, erect through the zeal of justice against the vices of offenders, dead beforehand to all vices, full of the nectar of virtues; and so great a virtue of frugality had grown up in him that, because of the excessive abstinence from food, he seemed to waste away as if by some sting of pain. So, his loins girded, always carrying burning lamps of good works in his hands, he denied himself, and taking up his cross daily, crucified to the world and the world to him, he stood manfully against the wiles of the devil and followed Christ unweariedly.
[8] he shows himself distinguished, Before the episcopate indeed humble and lowly, after the episcopate he became more humble and more lowly. Whatever he had from his treasury, whatever from the stipends of his church, keeping a very sparing living and the necessaries of his own so the codex, whatever remained thence he dispensed wholly for the use of the poor. Despising also from his affection all worldly things and putting all things after the love of Christ, he desired only the inward heavenly things. And committing nothing unlawful, he bewailed the things committed by others as if his own. From the affection of the heart, compassionate to the infirmity of others so the codex, he rejoiced in the goods of his neighbours as if in his own progress. Shining in the perpetual continuance of vigils, as much as humanity can take, he strove anxiously to fulfil all the precepts of God. No idle word went out of his mouth, but the praise of God resounded continually in his mouth. Living to the world in body only, in heart and mind he gaped after and dwelt in heaven. The blandishments of the world, considering the inner terror, he despised; and the terrors of the world, considering the blandishment of the inner sweetness, he looked down on. And against adversity and prosperity he was always fortified as if by a certain shield of virtues, and, according to the voice of the apostle, walking through the arms of justice on the right and on the left, he was in no way bent to the side so the codex of lowest delight. O blessed bishop, whom neither the glory of birth had made lifted up, nor the abundance of temporal things proud, nor the episcopal dignity swollen, nor prosperity elated, nor adversity troubled in any way!
[9] and skilful in governing And the same holy bishop, bearing the care of inward things, did not lessen it in the occupation of outward things, not abandoning the provision of outward things in the solicitude of inward things. Nor, occupied with inward things, did he neglect outward ones, or, given to outward things, did he fall away from the inmost. For he himself both built several villages within the territory of Tours and raised churches, namely the second village, which is called Noviliacus Cf. above, p. 386, note 6, and the chapel which from his name continues to this day to be called by the inhabitants the chapel of Saint-Bauld [Today too it is a village about 19 kilometres distant from the town of Loches. Cf. J.-X. Carré de Busserolle, Dict. géogr., hist. et archéol. d'Indre-et-Loire, vol. I (1878), p. 158].
[10] and munificent toward the needy. Moreover the most blessed man, stretching out his hand to every work of piety, did not deny the works of mercy to any who asked. For, as the aforesaid blessed Gregory wrote Cf. above, the preliminary commentary, no. 1, the gold which his predecessor had left, namely twenty thousand solidi codex solidoq. and more, he distributed to the poor. And so that temporal stipends might not be lacking to those serving God, he instituted the table of the canons in the church of Blessed Maurice of the city of Tours, which blessed Martin had built [Cf. Acta Sanctorum, September vol. VI, p. 384, nos. 179 – 181; Lecoy de la Marche, Saint Martin, 2nd ed. (1890), pp. 219 – 22]. Rightly, then, and by merit he is proclaimed holy and blessed, who did not go after gold nor hope in treasures of money. But because he dispersed and gave it to the poor, therefore his justice remains for ever and ever, and his horn will be exalted in glory, and the whole church of the saints will declare his alms. And since avarice, the root of all evils, withered in him, ambition departed, but rather he laid hold of discipline, which is the ordered correction of morals, and mercy. Surely the Lord was not angry with him, nor did he perish from the just way. And therefore we believe that neither was his labour without reward, nor his contest without victory, nor his exercise without fruit, since he was held among the other sons of consolation and he too obtained a crown for ashes, joy for mourning, a mantle of praise for the spirit of grief Add consecutus sit?.
[11] From shipwreck, St. Martin intervening, Moreover so great an efficacy of virtue of his
prayer obtained, that by his prayer he cured diseases and expelled unclean spirits from possessed bodies, and deserved to obtain at once whatever the instancy of his prayer asked. For one day, when the same St. Baldus was in danger on the sea and invoked blessed Martin with poured-out prayers, at once blessed Martin was present to him; and soon all the roar of the sea and the storm ceased; as St. Gregory, in the first book of the miracles of St. Martin, relates the deed in these words: "When blessed Bauldenus, bishop of the city of Tours, was crossing to a villa, a ship carrying him, suddenly, a most foul storm-cloud coming on with violence of wind, the calm sea is stirred by the thrust of the blast codex fluminis. The ship is tossed by the mass of the waves; now its head is raised first into the billows, now it is lowered between the gaps of the waves. Some hang in the scene codex cena, that is, in the shade of a watery mountain; others, the 〈waves〉 omits codex opening, gape down into the depths of the shoal; nor does the yard remain, which bore the sign of the blessed cross. Then, their limbs loosened by fear and all, without hope of life, now ready to die, the holy old man is prostrated in prayer with tears and, stretching both palms to the stars, he begged the help of the most blessed Martin and cried out that he would deign to be quickly present to him. But one of the faithless said: 'That Martin whom you invoke has already forsaken you, nor will he help you in this necessity.' Truly I believe that this voice was uttered by the one who lies in wait, to disturb the blessed priest from prayer. But he, repelling this dart with the breastplate of faith, demanded more and more the protection of the holy man, and at the same time exhorted all to pray. And while these things were being done, suddenly a most sweet odour came over the ship like balsam, and as if someone were censing with a thurible, the odour of incense breathed forth. At the coming of this odour the savage violence of the winds gave way, and, the masses of the standing waters being broken, the sea is rendered calm. All, already given over to death, wonder at the peace of the billows, and at once, calm being given, they are restored to the shore. Let no one doubt that this storm was calmed by the coming of the most blessed Martin and the prayer of the most blessed bishop Bauldenus." These things St. Gregory of Tours [De virtutibus S. Martini, bk. I, ch. 9 (MG., Scriptores rerum merovingicarum vol. I, p. 593)].
[12] he is prodigiously preserved. We ask you, then, most blessed Baldus, eminent confessor of Christ, to call the most holy Martin to our help, and, us your unworthy servants, now submerged in vices and lying in the whirlpool and wrapped in the billows of this sea, mercifully to raise up by your sacred prayers, powerfully to draw out and happily to lead to the harbour of eternal tranquillity. Amen.
[13] He dies piously at Verneuil; And after the most holy Baldus had presided for many years over the church of Tours and had ordered all things, both spiritually and temporally, in ecclesiastical affairs holily and manfully and usefully, the Lord wishing to crown him with the diadem of battles, while he was visiting his diocese, it happened that he came to the village which has the name Vernullium [Verneuil-sur-Indre (department of Indre-et-Loire, canton of Loches), a village about 49 kilometres distant to the south and east of Tours, and 9 kilometres from the town of Loches, to which town, as will presently be indicated (no. 15), the body of St. Baudinus was afterwards translated. Cf. Carré de Busserolle, work cited, vol. VI, p. 387], which village is recognized as being of the fief of the castle of Amboise, and there, touched by a slight ailment, called into the heavenly kingdoms, he happily departed to the Lord, to enjoy the sweetnesses of eternal happiness.
[14] there his body was afterwards elevated with honour. And lest his holy body should be held at any time for reverence, he ordered himself to be buried in the little basilica of the same village. At his tomb afterwards great and manifold signs of miracles were wrought by the Lord and charisms of powers shown to the people at various times. For there the blind received sight, the lame their walk, and the feverish often the joys of health, and many other kinds of diseases were cured there. And also a boy, left incautiously by his mother in a bath and the same submerged and dead, was restored to his former life by the merits of blessed Baldus. In which village afterwards Sulpicius, lord of the castle of Amboise, built a more honourable basilica; into which he had the holy body of the most blessed Baldus translated Cf. below, pp. 391 – 92; at which translation very great miracles were wrought there by the Lord, as the reader may read and see in the history of the same translation.
[15] and then translated to Loches. And after the course of many years the holy body of the blessed bishop was translated from that village of Verneuil to the church of Blessed Mary of the castle which is called Loches, which castle indeed is about four miles distant from the aforesaid village, and was venerably buried beside the body of the most blessed Hermeland, confessor and abbot Cf. below, p. 393 beginning. Where too, as often as the faith of those who ask requires, he shows himself shining with many miracles, our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God, through all the ages of ages. Amen.
II. ELEVATION OF THE BODY OF ST. BAUDINUS IN THE VILLAGE OF VERNEUIL
From the same Rouen codex. Cf. the preliminary commentary, nos. 6, 7.
Baudinus or Baldus, bishop of Tours. (S.)
Here begins the history of the first translation of the most blessed Baldus, archbishop of Tours and confessor, made at Verneuil.
[1] The body of St. Baldus, from the humble church in which it had been buried, With what great devotion of the faithful this our celebration of the present day is to be honoured, and of what great honour it is worthy, in which we recall that the venerable body of the most blessed worshipper of God Baldus, once archbishop of the people of Tours, was first translated from the place where it lay first buried to the place in which it is now most reverently venerated by the faithful, since also, with the festival doubled, the dedication of his basilica is celebrated with joys and praises at Verneuil, the very exalted authority of the powers and miracles of the same father of ours declares. Wherefore, although unworthy and unequal in strength to so great a matter, yet being about to say things worthy to be heard and related, relating a few out of many, I shall try with the humble style of speech to enter the very exalted palace of the powers and miracles of the aforesaid father. But fearing the judgment of God and going over that saying of Solomon: The mouth that lies slays the soul Wisd. 1:11, I shall recite to those who do not know, the truth being wholly preserved, if I can, certain of the miracles of blessed Baldus which I learned from lawful and faithful men, and certain which I saw with my own eyes.
[2] Sulpicius, lord of Amboise, procuring it, into a more ample After the death, then, of blessed Baldus there was in the territory of Tours a most noble man named Sulpicius, treasurer of Saint-Martin and lord of the castle of Amboise Cf. above, the preliminary commentary, no. 7 end, fearing God and devoted to his commandments. He, having learned of the powers of blessed Bauldus so the codex at this place, because the place and the little church in which the relics of the holy man were kept belonged to the fief of this Sulpicius, divine grace inspiring him, resolved in his heart to build in honour of the divine Trinity and of the holy Mother of God and ever Virgin Mary a new basilica of Saint Baldus, more honourable than the former, into which the body of the most blessed man might be translated and honourably kept. To whose wishes divine grace supplied effect, as the church established in the aforesaid village proves.
[3] by archbishop Arnulf, What more? The fitting day was at hand on which almighty God had provided that the body of his servant should be translated, to the praise of his name and the benefit of his people. To accomplish this there had come together from the neighbouring places many religious men and peoples of both sexes. There was present there too St. Arnulf, then archbishop of the see of Tours Cf. ibid., in whose counsel the aforesaid work consisted, with a multitude of clergy, who had come together to dedicate and consecrate that aforesaid new church.
[4] not without a notable prodigy, The office of consecration being performed, St. Arnulf himself and his assistants, taking up the body of the saint and striving in vain to carry it, but by the judgment of God able to effect nothing, set down the blessed limbs in the middle of the square. All who were present being astounded at these prodigies, St. Arnulf addresses them thus: "Dearest brothers, sons of sinful Adam and sinners yourselves, see and understand what kind of retribution follows sin. Remember that by the pride and disobedience of the first man we were cast out of paradise, and to us who sin daily God many times either defers his good things or takes them away altogether. Now too we see how, our sins requiring it, we cannot even move the body of the saint. Wherefore from the inmost affection of the heart let us cry to God that he may forgive us our offences."
[5] it is translated. These and very many other words to the people being completed, all who stood there, fearing that this had happened on account of their guilt, knocked at the ears of the Thunderer with tears and prayers, saying: "Arise, O Lord, help us, save us for your holy name's sake, and show us in your ineffable goodness what is to be done about this work." This prayer being completed, the aforesaid Sulpicius, before all the people, gave by perpetual right to almighty God and to the most blessed Baldus the aforesaid villa with all its precinct and appurtenances, for obtaining pardon of his own offences and those of the whole people. This gift being confirmed by the letters of a charter, St. Arnulf and his assistants again take up the body of the saint, and in a wonderful manner, as if softened by this offering, the King of heaven allows them to go away absolved and to carry the body which before had remained immovable. St. Arnulf, carrying it on his own shoulders, with hymns and canticles placed it honourably beside the altar in that aforesaid new basilica, and on the same day ordained that this solemnity of the dedication and translation should be observed and most devoutly celebrated by the people.
[6] A college of canons established in this church. These things being done, the aforesaid Sulpicius, having seen the powers which divine goodness had effected that day to the praise of its servant, established in the same church which he had built servants to serve almighty God and blessed Baldus duly and fittingly, who should persevere there in performing the praises of God day and night, namely seven canons. For whose maintenance he assigned the necessary revenues, namely all the tithes of animals and crops belonging to the lordship of the same villa, and lands sufficient for ten ploughs, and six families of his coliberti with their heirs, and half of his own proper rents and of the woods which were possessed by him in that court, he granted for the use of the canons, no cause hindering. He also gave all the people of Verneuil this liberty, that without the favour of the lords, their revenues however being saved, each could give to the said church of his lands and moneys as much as he wished.
[7] Violators of the feast of St. Baldus punished by God. Since it is the time when the lamp which had long lain hidden under the bushel must be shown upon the lampstand, I shall take care to make known the light of the miracles of the most blessed Baldus. For there were some of the parishioners of the church of Verneuil who, deceived by the spirit of pride, despising today's solemnity, ordered their servants to work on the day of this festival; some of whom went to mow the meadows, others to reap the crops. But that God might show this day worthy of solemn veneration,
those who worked on that day received nothing at all of their labour. For those who had reaped found their sheaves burned by lightning and storm and scattered far; and those who had mown the meadows suffered similar things. For, the same day growing toward evening, a certain terrible storm arose and disturbed the neighbouring air with the flashing of lightnings, so that those who had cut the meadows, then dining, almost despaired of life for exceeding terror. But turning to God, leaving the table, they ran to the church. There, asking pardon, they vowed that from then on and thereafter they would most willingly keep this day solemnly every year.
[8] Other miracles obtained through the invocation of St. Baldus, With our own eyes we have seen very many sick asking for the mercy of God and the help of blessed Baldus, who, by drinking the water with which the sepulchre of the saint had been washed, at once received health. We saw also a husbandman, Rainauld by name, surnamed Bonellus, gripped so grievously by the sickness which physicians call migraine that he could enjoy neither sleep nor rest. His maternal aunt led him to the church of Saint Baldus, humbly asking the deacon of that church, Rainald by name, to draw out the venerable relics of St. Baldus, which he kept in a pyx, and to touch with them the eye so grievously weakened. This done, the sick man was soon made whole, and he who for three days had lacked rest and sleep began to rest in sleep.
[9] among which the raising of a dead boy. At about the same time a certain woman of Verneuil, compelled by necessity, leaving in a bath a certain little son whom she had, went to the house of a certain neighbour of hers, meaning to return as quickly as possible. But, her sins hindering, she delayed returning longer than she should. And at last, the business for which she had gone being finished, returning to her house, she found the little infant whom she had left alive dead, with his head submerged downward. Gripped by vehement grief, with great wailing she began to cry out that she was most wretched and guilty of slaying her son. The neighbours, coming together at her wonderful cry and desiring to comfort the mourner, could in no way soften her sadness. At length, a great part of the day being spent in lamentations, the neighbours again approach her as she weeps with these words: "Do not, woman, do not double the homicide, lest you kill yourself too with grieving. Go rather to the church and provide for the burial of the dead child." To whom she: "Truly I shall carry the dead child to the church, not for burial, but to ask him back from him to whom, going out of my house, I commended him to be kept." Then she carried the body of the dead child to the church and laid it before the altar of blessed Baldus. Invoking him thus, she said: "O dearest friend of God, most blessed Baldus, it seems just that you give back to me without delay my son, whom I had handed over to you to be kept as one of your household, since you can effect this. For I believe that if you but look upon the Creator for my son, God will give him at your holy prayers." This prayer being ended, the woman lifted the body of her son from the ground; and he, by the bounty of divine grace, his spirit reviving a little, began to breathe in the usual way. The people of Verneuil, vehemently astonished at this prodigy — for from the second hour of the day until evening he had lain cold and without breath, immovable and lifeless — run together rejoicing to the church, and for the notification of so great a miracle they had the bells and the great bells rung, and brought to almighty God, who thus made his saint wonderful and does not cease to make him wonderful every year, manifold thanks. Then the mother of the little boy, to the praise and memory of this divine benefit, offered in the same church her son's shirt, which, hanging from a certain little beam before the altar, is shown in testimony to natives and to strangers among the faithful.
[10] Exhortation to venerate St. Baldus. These and very many other benefits almighty God frequently bestows to the honour of his servant; whom, brothers, let us establish as our patron and love with the inmost affection of the heart, and, loving him, honour him, so that, honoured, we may call on him more confidently in necessities, and, called on, entreat him confidently, that he may make us who keep his feasts partakers of the heavenly goods, by the bounty of the Lord, to whom be praise, glory, power and honour through infinite ages of ages. Amen.
And in the year of the Lord one thousand one hundred [This word (centesimo) was thrust in here through some carelessness of the copyist. For the year 1086, not 1186, agrees with the times of Fulk Rechin, count of Anjou and Touraine] eighty-six the head and bones of the most blessed Baldus, The body of St. Baldus translated from Verneuil to Loches in the year 1086. once archbishop of Tours, were translated from Verneuil to the church of Blessed Mary of Loches [Loches (department of Indre-et-Loire), about 40 kilometres distant to the south and east of the city of Tours. Cf. Carré de Busserolle, vol. IV, p. 79] by Hermenarius, prior of the same collegiate church of Loches, then lord of Verneuil, Fulk Rechin, count of Anjou and duke of Touraine, consenting to this [Fulk Rechin in the year 1060, at seventeen years of age, was made count of Anjou, then in the year 1067 obtained the dominion of Tours (Chronica de gestis consulum Andegavensium, in Paul Marchegay and Andr. Salmon, Chroniques d'Anjou, vol. I, pp. 131, 139). He died about the year 1110 (in the volume cited, p. 195)], and also Radulf, surnamed Enemy-of-God, archbishop of Tours [Radulf I, archbishop of Tours from about the year 1070, had many quarrels with the canons of his cathedral church; whence out of hatred of him they dishonoured him with that shameful surname (cf. Gallia christiana, vol. XIV, p. 63)].
III. SERMON ON THE DROUGHT DRIVEN AWAY IN THE YEAR 1331 BY THE INVOCATION OF ST. BAUDINUS AND ON THE PUBLIC VOW MADE ON THAT OCCASION
From the same Rouen codex. Cf. the preliminary commentary, no. 9.
Baudinus or Baldus, bishop of Tours. (S.)
There follows the history of the principal miracle wrought by the Lord God through the intercession of the most glorious confessors Hermeland and Baldus, whose solemnity is celebrated every year in the collegiate church of Loches on the day after the solemn festival of the most holy Eucharist and is observed by solemn vow by some neighbouring parishes.
[1] Prologue Kindly mother Church has rightly judged that the illustrious merits of the catholic fathers, professors of the orthodox faith, are to be honoured with solicitous efforts and to be extolled with resounding praises, so that the praises of almighty God, who is rightly praised in his saints, may increase, and that thence the holy fathers may feel themselves honoured by the same Church the more readily, the more loftily they have raised it up by excellent acts and most holy doctrines. For the admirable life of these most blessed fathers, their praiseworthy way of living and their most bright and salutary teachings have illumined the aforesaid Church, adorned it with virtues and formed it manifoldly in morals. Through them moreover, as through luminous torches and burning lamps placed upon the lampstand in the house of the Lord, the darkness of errors being put to flight, the body of the whole Church shines like the morning star. These indeed are the most blessed men who, while still clothed in the robe of the flesh, not only radiant with the lamp of merits but also shining with the greatness of miracles, rendered the world splendid by the ray of their preaching and the proclamation of their holiness. Of whose number the most blessed confessors Hermeland and Baldus, by the presence of whose venerable bodies this collegiate church of Loches is ennobled, like two twinkling stars of heaven shone in their times for the world and, filled with the sweet-flowing odours of the virtues, shone out with manifold signs and prodigies. Indeed, although this church extols the feasts of each of the aforesaid saints every year individually with fitting praises, yet today it recalls the solemnity of both together. The institution of which solemnity is known without doubt to be not without such a cause.
[2] In the year 1331, a monstrous drought In the year, then, of the Lord one thousand three hundred and thirty-one, so great a drought from the Kalends of the month of February until the Kalends of the month of June so universally constricted this whole country afflicting the region of Loches, that the earth, gaping because of the excessive heat of the sun and the fervour of the summer, split with very many chasms and now opened with very frequent cracks, plainly showed the aridity of its thirst, and the crop clinging to the soil, moisture failing, did not sprout at all. For the very summer seed too, which the earth had received from the hand of the countryman, not yet put to death, it still held in its bosom unfruitfully and uselessly. The roses withered and vegetables were wholly denied to the eating of men. The vineyards and orchards dried up, and the vineyards themselves were not at all cultivated with the vine-dressers' spade. The meadows and marshes, because of the aridity of the season, had wholly dried up and supplied fodder to the beasts most sparingly.
[3] the bodies of Saints Hermeland and Baldus Whence the people, fearing that on this account a scarcity of foods would come, began to implore the intercessions of the saints through various churches and humbly to beseech that by their merits and prayers he who once supplied waters abundantly from the flint to a thirsty people would mercifully deign to bestow rain from heaven to water the surface of the dry earth. When the divine condescension, sins requiring it, had put off granting this rather long, at length the inhabitants of this town, animated by divine inspiration, as we piously believe, most earnestly asked the canons of this church of Loches to carry the bodies of the most blessed confessors Hermeland and Baldus in procession, so that by their merits and prayers they might deserve to obtain very much so the codex, perhaps read pluviam? from heaven from the Lord. For very many of them had received from their elders, as they themselves confessed, that, when there was a drought and the bodies of the aforesaid saints were carried, at once a copious abundance of rain was bestowed from heaven on the parched earth.
[4] they were carried through it in solemn supplication, Lest, then, a light assent should perhaps render the minds of the suppliants ungrateful and thence the authority of the saints grow cheap, the canons put off for some time favouring the petitioners. At length the aforesaid canons, seeing the faith of the people persevering in its petition, and considering that saying of the Saviour: If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain "Pass hence," and it will pass, and Nothing will be impossible to you Matt. 17:19, and looking at the necessity of the time, promised that on the day after the feast of the Eucharist they would carry the bodies of the saints in procession to the chapel of Blessed Mary which the common people call Ferrières [Ferrières-Larçon, 19 kilometres distant from Loches. Cf. Carré de Busserolle, vol. III, p. 56] above Beaulieu Beaulieu, 2 kilometres distant from Loches. Cf. ibid., vol. I, p. 165.
[5] and on that occasion a public vow was made, The priests, then, carrying the pledges of the saints with bare feet on the appointed day to the aforesaid chapel, with choirs of clerics and religious, there was present there then a very great multitude of the people of the surrounding parishes, venerating the patronage of the saints and awaiting the coming of God's mercy. And the masses being said, when the people had sat down to hear the preaching, the canon to whom the office of preaching had then been committed, at the nod and order of the canons, said to the people among other things: "Know, dearest ones, that we have promised by vow and irrefragable promise to God and the holy confessors that, in order that almighty God, the merits of the blessed confessors especially intervening, may forgive us the guilt of our misdeeds and may deign to bestow rain on us from heaven the more quickly, we will celebrate this day solemnly every year in perpetuity in honour of God and of the holy confessors Hermeland and Baldus, and that the reliquary of the most blessed Baldus, which is of wood, we will to the praise and glory of God make of silver
to be made." Gladdened very greatly, then, by this promise and rejoicing, the people began to render manifold thanks to God and to implore the intercessions of the saints more fervently and devoutly.
[6] and the thing that was asked being obtained, What more? The bodies of the saints being carried back to their place and their reliquaries most devoutly kissed by the people, suddenly a cloud covered the sky, and the fervour of the heat and the intemperance of the air is suddenly changed into a sweet-flowing breeze. For on that very day very many of the peoples who had come together to ask the intercessions of the saints deserved to have an abundance of rain, namely those who were firmer in faith, more long-suffering in hope and more solid in charity. And on the following day in these parts the clouds began to roar with thunders, the lightnings to flash, and to overshadow the air with various thicknesses. Then the showers rush from heaven, whence the dryness of the earth is moistened, the streams flow and the dusts are turned into mud. The countryman rejoices and casts the summer seeds again into the soil. The meadows grow green, so that hay and grass may minister to the service of men. The ample crop sprouts, so that, ripe at the fit time, it may be laid up in the barns for the sustenance of men; the grapes swell and are turned most fitly into clusters. The people wonder and rejoice, and, giving thanks to God, duly venerate the merits of the saints. For the faith of all was firm that such a bestowal of rain was rather of divine gift than of nature, through the prayers and merits of the aforesaid blessed ones. The canons moreover decide that this day is to be solemnly kept in the praise of the saints for all time to come. Behold, Elijah again by prayers unlocks the heaven and bestows rain on the parched earth that it may bud its fruit. O just comparison! For the just are most justly compared in this to the just, if the works of the just are known to be like the works of the just man. In this moreover blessed Hermeland is deservedly compared to Elijah, since, as is read in his history, as Elijah increased oil, so the most blessed Hermeland is reported many times to have increased wine Cf. Acta Sanctorum, March vol. III, pp. 580 – 82, nos. 19, 24, 27. These are your works, O Christ, who gloriously crown your saints in heaven and wonderfully enlarge them on earth with the summits of honours.
[7] [according to the vow a silver reliquary was made and in it the body of St. Baldus was laid up.] A silver reliquary, then, is made according to the vow for laying up the pledges of the blessed bishop Baldus. When it was finished, the bishop is summoned to celebrate the translation of the most blessed bishop Baldus. He, coming with abbots and a multitude of nobles and commoners, the locks of the wooden reliquary being broken, and opening it and looking within, found the limbs of the most blessed bishop wrapped in a silk member so the codex and a little schedule containing these words: Here are the head and bones of blessed Baldus, once archbishop of Tours. Then the aforesaid bishop, made glad, taking the venerable pledge into his hands and turning toward the people, knights supporting his arms, began the Te Deum laudamus and the choir sang it most devoutly to the end. The masses then being said and the relics of the most blessed bishop kissed by the people, the bishop, taking them up again, laid them up in that silver reliquary and ordained that the feast of this translation be celebrated on this day in perpetuity, so that this day, already holy and celebrated for us on account of the memory of the saints, might be held by us as more celebrated too, which without doubt, by the Lord's assent, becomes holier on account of the translation of the blessed bishop.
[8] That this may thereafter be kept with due honour, Let us celebrate, then, dearest ones, this day solemnly and humbly apply ourselves to the praises of the saints. Let us honour and venerate them with pious affections of our minds, lest as ungrateful ones we be deservedly deprived of the patronage of such great blessed ones. For we read that many were deprived by the Lord of the pledges of the saints on account of ingratitude or carelessness. For we read in the history of the Eleven Thousand virgins [Cf. Legenda aurea, ch. 158, §2 (ed. Graesse, pp. 704 – 705)] that a certain abbot obtained from the abbess of Cologne that the body of one virgin be given him, promising that he would place it in a silver reliquary in his church. But when he had put off doing this for a whole year, one night, while the same abbot with his community was singing matins, that virgin bodily came down from above the altar; after this, bowing reverently to the altar, through the middle of the choir, the monks seeing and being astounded, she withdrew from the monastery. The abbot, then, running to the reliquary and finding it empty, hastened to Cologne, whence he had carried away the body of the virgin, and when he had made known everything in order to the abbess, they went together to the place from which they had taken the body and found it there. Behold how the ungrateful abbot justly lost the body of the virgin, to whom he did not pay the debt of reverence which he ought to have shown and had promised.
[9] the author of the sermon exhorts. Let us pay, then, brothers, reverence to the saints entrusted to us, lest on account of our carelessness we should justly lose their presence. Let us imitate also their life, as far as we can, and let us continually recall their intercessions, so that we may call on them more confidently in our necessities. Let us ask them moreover to be continual intercessors for us, so that we, who cannot be made equal in merits to the reapers of the heavenly threshing-floor, may at least, helped by their intercessions, glean the ears behind the backs of the reapers on that heavenly floor, our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God, through all the ages of ages. Amen.