ON ST. ROMANUS, CONFESSOR, VENERATED AT LE MANS,
AT AN UNCERTAIN TIME
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY
Romanus, confessor, venerated at Le Mans. (S.)
BY A. P.
[1] St. Romanus from the twelfth century St. Romanus, who outside the church of Le Mans has scarcely been named in one or another recent martyrology [Chastelain, Martyrologe universel (Paris, 1719), p. 566; Martyrologium Parisiense (Paris, 1727), p. 344], has long since obtained the honours of public cult in that church. For he is announced both in the calendar of the missal of Le Mans of the beginning of the twelfth century: On the seventh before the Ides of November. The birthday of St. Romanus, confessor, nephew of St. Julian, at Le Mans La Province du Maine, vol. IX (1901), p. 61, and in the martyrology of Le Mans written in the thirteenth century Codex of the public library of Le Mans 244: On the seventh before the Ides of November… On the same day, of St. Romanus, confessor, nephew of our holy father Julian [Cf. G. Busson and A. Ledru, Actus pontificum Cenomannis in urbe degentium (Le Mans, 1901), p. 38, note 2]; and on the same day his feast has generally been inscribed in the more recent breviaries and missals [For example in the breviary and in the missal of the fifteenth century (Paris codices, Bibliothèque Nationale lat. 1302 and 867; cf. Catalogus codicum hagiographicorum Latinorum Parisiensium, vol. III, pp. 588, 716). Of the others it will be enough to have brought forward this testimony: "Of St. Romanus … the canonical office is read under the semidouble rite in all the printed breviaries and missals of the church of Le Mans already cited many times, of the years 1489, 1494, 1507, 1517, 1645, 1663, 1693 etc., and also in the manuscript ordo of Le Mans of the year 1481" (Officia propria insignis ecclesiae Cenomanensis SS. DD. Pii PP. IX iudicio correctioni et sanctioni a RR. PP. Ioanne Baptista Bouvier ep. Cenomanensi proposita. Le Mans, 1854, note on the calendar, at the 7th day of November)].
[2] and probably already in the tenth century We also have testimonies about St. Romanus more ancient than these, and first indeed in the narrative which is read in the Deeds of bishop Aldric (BHL 260), ch. 44 Ed. Waitz, in MG., Scriptores vol. XV, p. 323: For the aforesaid Aldric … found certain bodies of six saints, which in deserted churches were greatly neglected as to divine offices and lights and the other divine services, venerated by the people of Le Mans, which, together with the counsel of his fellow priests, he placed fittingly and reasonably in the bosom of the church of his see and in the confession of the older altar of the same church, that is, the body of St. Julian … and of St. Turibius … and of St. Pavatius … and (that is, and) of St. Romanus, an outstanding priest and, as is reported, nephew of St. Julian and minister of the Roman church, whom some also testify to be the brother of St. Julia… In the aforementioned confession of the older altar of the same church he placed the aforesaid bodies of the saints, as has been set out before, solemnly, fittingly and orderly, namely on this principle, that there they should have in full the offices and lights and the other things pertaining to divine worship and to the honour of the saints… This passage was read and partly copied out by the one who committed to writing that translation of St. Julian (BHL 4547), which is to be found among the Deeds of the bishops of Le Mans; where these things are said about St. Romanus Actus, ed. Busson and Ledru, pp. 328 – 29: Next to whom (Pavatius) was found the body of a fourth, namely Romanus, an eminent priest and, as is reported, nephew of St. Julian and minister of the holy Roman church; whom some also testify to be the brother of St. Julia. If these passages had been written by the very authors both of the Deeds and of the Acts, we should now be made more certain that at least from the middle of the ninth century, at which time both the Deeds and the Acts were first composed, not only had St. Romanus begun to be venerated at Le Mans, but also that he was then held to be the nephew of St. Julian, the first bishop. But chapter 44 of the Deeds was afterwards added to the work, and indeed perhaps not before
the tenth century, it seems to have been added [Cf. Waitz, in the volume cited, pp. 322, 323; A. Ledru, in La Province du Maine, vol. IV (1896), pp. 99 – 100; vol. XIV (1906), pp. 89 – 90]; and the narrative of the translation of St. Julian inserted in the Acts, as the author himself clearly points out Actus, edition cited, p. 330; cf. A. Ledru, at the place cited, vol. IV, p. 105, was written long after the death of bishop Aldric († 856).
[3] but in the ninth century, as it seems, unknown to the same, Since, then, Romanus is named neither among the saints of Le Mans whose relics Aldric placed in the altars of the cathedral church in the year 835 [Gesta Aldrici, ch. 3 (ed. Waitz, in the volume cited, p. 312, l. 1 and following, l. 35 and following)], nor elsewhere, whether in the Deeds of Aldric or in the Acts of the bishops, nor even in the very Lives of St. Julian (BHL 4543 – 4546), it seems all but certain that in the ninth century itself that nephew of St. Julian was wholly unknown to the people of Le Mans [G. Busson, in La Province du Maine, vol. XII (1904), p. 236; A. Ledru, ibid., vol. XIV, p. 85]. And although it seems likely that in the year 835, or a little before, the bodies of St. Julian and of other saints of Le Mans were really found and translated, yet what was done then in regard to St. Romanus, by what sign his relics were recognized, for what reason it came about that he was called the nephew of St. Julian and the brother of St. Julia — who besides is wholly unknown and recurs nowhere else — these things and others of the kind we are wholly ignorant of.
[4] perhaps he is the same Recently some have seemed to explain the whole matter by a certain probable conjecture [Busson, ibid., vol. XII, p. 237; Ledru, ibid., vol. XIII, pp. 74 – 75; vol. XIV, p. 85. That conjecture was sketched not by Chastelain in his Martyrology (so wrongly Busson, at the place cited), but by a certain colleague of ours in the Catalogus codicum hagiographicorum Latinorum Parisiensium, vol. III, p. 716]: that from the castle of Blaye, near which was situated the villa of Blacciagus Plassac, department of Gironde, arrondissement and canton of Blaye, which bishop Bertichramnus (c. 586 – 626) had given to the church of Le Mans by his testament [Cf. Actus, edition cited, pp. 121 – 22; Ledru, in La Province du Maine, vol. XIV, p. 371; vol. XV, p. 100], St. Romanus, confessor of Blaye, there were brought at some time [Ledru thought they were brought in the sixth century itself by St. Bertichramnus, ibid., vol. XIII, p. 74] both the name and cult, and perhaps the relics, of St. Romanus, a priest not without renown, whose sepulchre adjoined the castle of Blaye [So Gregory of Tours, In gloria confessorum, ch. 45. See the Life of St. Romanus in Analecta Bollandiana, vol. XXVI, p. 52 and following; cf. vol. XXVII, p. 211]. Further, that with time the people of Le Mans forgot who that St. Romanus venerated by them really was; whence it came about that afterwards, perhaps when the relics of St. Romanus had been found, he was said by conjecture to be the nephew of the first bishop of Le Mans: as is reported, nephew of St. Julian. Nor, however, is it to be omitted that the saint of Blaye was customarily venerated on another day, that is, the 24th of November, while the feast of St. Romanus was celebrated by the people of Le Mans on another day, the 7th of November. If, then, Romanus of Blaye and Romanus of Le Mans are to be called the same, someone may ask why different days were assigned to the cult of each. whose relics were carried to Le Mans. The reason of which, which besides can be manifold, does not seem to be that the saint's translation was made on the 7th day of November; for at least some translation of his was recalled on another day, as the martyrology of Le Mans of the thirteenth century teaches Of which above, p. 359, note 3: On the ninth before the Kalends of April. The translation of the body of St. Romanus, an eminent priest Actus, ed. Busson and Ledru, p. 331, note 2.
[5] For whom the people of Le Mans Whatever it is, since the people of Le Mans had been taught very little about that saint whom they thought their own — that he was a priest, probably (as is reported) nephew of the very well-known St. Julian, perhaps (some testify) brother of St. Julia, otherwise wholly unknown, buried once in one of the sacred buildings of Le Mans — when the writing of a Life was considered, which would be read in the church office according to custom, it is likely that the hagiographer was in straits. they invented a Life out of the Lives of other saints He so provided for his poverty as to borrow from other Lives of saints not words only but also facts, with which to compose the history of St. Romanus. For not only, as the distinguished men G. Busson La Province du Maine, vol. XII, p. 236 and W. Levison [Neues Archiv der Gesellschaft für ältere deutsche Geschichtskunde, vol. XXX, p. 202] have already pointed out, did he copy out very many things from the Life and from the Virtues of St. Fursey (BHL 3209, 3213) [Of the Life he had a certain codex of Krusch's class C; cf. MG., Scriptores rerum merovingicarum vol. IV, pp. 430 – 31; Levison, at the place cited], but he also transferred to St. Romanus many things from the Life of St. Paternus written by Fortunatus (BHL 6477); from which he excerpted even the very preface to set before his work. If you take away these thefts, there remain in the Life of Romanus only a few sentences, and those of no importance; besides, I should believe that these too were drawn in a similar way from some third source, although, with much effort applied and very many Lives reread, it was not my lot to find what I seemed to have read elsewhere before. I do not think that that needy writer had before his eyes the passages cited above from the Deeds of Aldric and from the Acts of the bishops, since he called Romanus not the nephew of St. Julian, but only begotten of his progeny, and made no mention at all of St. Julia; about the family of St. Romanus, therefore, he must be said to have been informed not so much by written books as by common report. and under the false To win authority and credit for his theft, he did not hesitate to bring it forward under the false name of that great Gregory of Tours, whom the foolish forger incautiously called archbishop. they published it in the name of Gregory of Tours; Nor did he reveal his frauds by this alone, but also by his whole style, which differs widely in many places both from the rather rustic language of the excellent bishop of Tours and generally from the usage of the sixth century — except of course those passages which he transcribed from Fortunatus — and by very many other sentences which he drew from much more recent little books. For the Life of Fursey († 641/652) was written in the seventh century, and his Virtues in the ninth Cf. Krusch, in MG., Scriptores rerum merovingicarum vol. IV, pp. 425, 427. Whether the forger committed his little work to writing in the ninth century itself, after the relics of St. Romanus are said to have been found and translated, or rather in the tenth century, when St. Romanus, as it seems, began to be held as of Le Mans, or even after, and indeed long after, there is no means of defining. For the codices are of recent age, the matters narrated do not go beyond the very time of St. Romanus — otherwise uncertain [Those who make Romanus the nephew of St. Julian, just as some think Julian lived in the first century, others, and more truly, in the third, so they disagree in designating the time of the nephew] — and the style, as being composed almost wholly of the words of other writers, cannot be assigned to a certain century. One thing is placed beyond controversy, that that Life can by no means be counted among historical documents.
[6] which, the codices being among themselves It has been preserved for us by the codices:
1a) Brussels, Royal Library 11987, formerly of the monastery of Rouge-Cloître near Brussels. This is the fourth volume of the legendary written by Antonius Gentius († 1543), canon of Rouge-Cloître Cf. what we wrote about him in Analecta Bollandiana, vol. VI, pp. 31 – 34. The Life is in it on leaves formerly numbered CLXV-CLXVIv, but now 127 – 128v.
1a *) Brussels, Royal Library 8935, which comprises the "collectanea" of our predecessors for the 7th day of November. In it (fol. 118 – 120) is the Life copied "from the manuscript of Rouge-Cloître." This copy, and not accurate everywhere, is of codex 1a.
1b) Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Duchesne Collection 83. In it (fol. 186 – 188v) is the Life, copied at the beginning of the seventeenth century from I know not what codex.
2) Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, lat. 1302. This is a breviary of Le Mans written in the fifteenth century Cf. Catalogus codicum hagiographicorum Latinorum Parisiensium, vol. III, p. 601, in which (fol. 450v – 451v) are copied out, as lessons to be recited on the feast of St. Romanus, the prologue of the Life and chapters 1 – 3.
That our copies 1a, 1b were copied from a codex now lost, in a certain place of which (ch. 9 near the end) the letters had faded with time or at least were hard to read, is manifest. For at this place the scribe in 1a passed over forty words, leaving two lines empty on the page; and in 1b, of those words some were omitted, others not completely written out, the gaps being indicated in both. These we have been able happily to fill from the Virtues of Fursey, which the author of the Life plundered word for word in this whole chapter.
[7] and collated with the writer's sources, From these Virtues and other ancient little books, which the same man, as we have said, copied out, a means is supplied for restoring the genuine words of the writer where, as not rarely happens, the copies 1a, 1b disagree either among themselves or with copy 2. For that credit is not to be given everywhere to any one of the three, not even when codices 1a, 1b agree, can be clearly perceived even by comparing a few passages.
Not to codex 2 alone:
Prol. iniungere nobis non distulisti] Fortunatus, 1a; i. nobis non distulistis 1b; i. vobis non distuli 2.
Ch. 1 sacris quibusdam miraculorum praesagiis] Life of Fursey, 1a, 1b; s. quidem m. p. 2.
crescente vero aetate] Life of Fursey, 1a, 1b; c. ergo ae. 2.
Ch. 2 sacri verbi semina] Life of Fursey, 1a, 1b; sicut v. s. 2.
Not to codices 1a and 1b alone:
Prol. Magnae caritatis … testimonium] Fortunatus, 2; testimonium omits 1a, 1b.
Ch. 1 miraculorum praesagiis apparentibus] Life of Fursey; m. p. a parentibus some codices of the Life of Fursey, 2; m. p. presentibus 1a, 1b.
Ch. 3 ut ab omnibus … exspectaret] Fortunatus, 2; ut ab hominibus … spectaret 1a, 1b.
Not to codices 1b and 2 alone:
Ch. 2 aliquot vacabat annis] Life of Fursey, 1a; aliquibus v. a. 1b, 2.
Ch. 3 nox succederet] Fortunatus, 1a; mox s.
1b. 2.
Not to codex 1a alone:
Ch. 1 gratia providentiae] Life of Fursey; gratiae divinae providentia 1a; gratiae providentia 1b, 2.
Ch. 4 se virtutibus honorabat] Fortunatus, 1b; se v. ornabat 1a.
Ch. 7 nullus … alio loquebatur] Virtues of Fursey, 1b; n. … alii l. 1a.
Not to codex 1b alone:
Ch. 1 corpore castus, mente devotus, affabilis conloquio (eloquio 1a), amabilis aspectu] Life of Fursey, 1a, 2; (omits castus mente and amabilis) 1b.
Ch. 2 Hac ex causa] Life of Fursey, 1a, 2; Hac de causa 1b.
Ch. 13 potentissimo operi] Virtues of Fursey, 1a; potentissime o. 1b.
we publish again, And these things, which I could easily pursue at greater length, I should think will be enough. Indeed I should not have wished to linger so long on a Life of so little moment, had it not seemed to the purpose to show by a clear example that it is by no means at once to be counted a fault in philologists when, preparing a little book for print from a few copies, they do not follow this or that codex or codices everywhere, but admit readings selected from the individual copies according to the matter and the occasion.
[8] after its epitome often, The Life was read in I know not what codex and contracted into a brief epitome by the man who wrote the liturgical lessons on St. Romanus in the breviary of Le Mans published in the years 1693, 1748 and 1823 [They were reprinted in the year 1854 among the Officia propria ecclesiae Cenomannensis, pp. 130 – 31. Cf. above, p. 359, note 5].
[9] once it appeared itself complete. The Life itself was published in the Analecta Bollandiana, vol. XXIII, pp. 309 – 314, by the distinguished René Poupardin, using codices 1b, 2. He at the beginning followed codex 2 almost everywhere, neglecting the better readings of codex 1b; and in the whole Life, since he had not recognized its sources, he accomplished little.
LIFE OF ST. ROMANUS, CONFESSOR
Romanus, confessor, venerated at Le Mans. (S.)
From the codices Brussels 11987 (= [On the seventh before the Ides of the same (that is, of November). Prologue of St. Gregory, bishop of Tours, to the Life of St. Romanus, priest and confessor;]) and Paris, Duchesne Collection 83 (= Here begins the Life of St. Romanus, priest;) and lat. 1302 (= On St. Romanus, confessor.). Cf. the preliminary commentary, no. 6.
Life of Paternus (ed. Krusch), prologue.
Prologue. To the most beloved father fratri 1b, 2 in Christ, venerable for his merits and to be embraced with the whole bosom of the heart, and et corrected in E 1b; omits 2 abbot et adds 2 of the church of the Holy Apostles [The same which was called that of Saint-Victeur, and was situated beyond the river Sarthe. It is to be distinguished from the neighbouring church of Saint-Julien, in which St. Julian had been buried and which was afterwards called Saint-Julien-du-Pré. Both, at least in the ninth century, were joined with a monastery of men. Cf. A. Ledru, in La Province du Maine, vol. IV (1896), pp. 65 – 73; vol. XIV (1906), p. 57], Gregory, though acsi 1b; omits 2 unworthy archbishop episcopus 1b after correction of the holy church of Tours Turonicae ecclesiae omits 1a; (T. e.) e. T. 2. I bring forth a testimony testimonium omits 1a, 1b of great charity and sweetness, you who with anxious desire did not delay distulistis 1b; distuli 2 to enjoin on us vobis 2 the so celebrated repute of blessed Romanus, an eminent priest (s. e.) e. s. 2, that you might suggest that he (ut e.) ut cum 1a; omits 2 be made known pro vulgari 2 by some speaking page, who surely is absent neither among you by oblivion (a. v. o.) o. a. v. 1a, 1b nor among us in power, since he contended in this world rather by struggling in sacred acts, and now possesses aeternam adds 2 life Vita eiusdem adds 1a.
Life of Paternus 9.
Life of Fursey (ed. Krusch), 1.
[1] Romanus, a noble newcomer, For the aforesaid saint sanctus omits 1a Romanus was, as we have learned didiscimus 2 from the little page sent by you and from your envoys apocrisiariis 1b, and as we have heard from many good and true men, as the report grew, venerable in virtue and endowed with prudence, a newcomer indeed, but living nobly, and according to the order of the world sprung from well-born parents, of the family of St. Julian, begotten of the progeny of St. beati 1b, 2 Julian, first bishop of the city of Le Mans (Ce. ci. e. p.) Ce. urbis e. p. 1b; p. Ce. urbis e. 2, noble indeed by birth, but nobler by faith, illustrious among his own by worldly dignity, but pre-eminent by the grace of divine gifts. The infancy of this man (i. v.) v. i. 2 shone with certain quidem 2 sacred presages of miracles appearing aparentibus 2, presentibus 1a, 1b. Entrusted also by divine providence to high priests, he was instructed in sacred letters and pontifical disciplines. And as his age grew ergo 2, by the providence of grace divinae adds 1a the affection of all good men toward him grew daily. For he was predictus beatus Romanus adds 2 outstanding in form, chaste castus omits 1b in body, devout in mind mente omits 1b, affable in speech, lovable amabilis omits 1b in aspect.
Ibid. 2
[2] Full, then, of the grace (p. g.) gratie p. 2 of good works, leaving homeland and parents, he gave himself for some aliquibus 1b, 2 years to the study of sacred Scripture. Instructed indeed and wisely taught, monasteries founded among the people of Le Mans, he now desired to build monasteries in various places, wherever he found inveniebat 1b, 2 a suitable place. Whence it came about that the citizens of Le Mans who feared God loved him greatly and, for accomplishing these things, offered prebebant 2 him great help as best they could; and so it came about that, God granting, the places which he himself had begun to build (i. ae. c.) ae. c. i. 1b; ae. i. c. 2 were greatly increased, and bands of those serving God flowed together to them and in them soldiered for the Lord with all their strength, and, many religious men flowing together from every side, he took care to call some of his kinsmen too with pious solicitude. For this de 1b reason, while he was hastening to visit his homeland and kinsmen, so that among them he might sow the seeds of the sacred sicut 2 word with spiritual discourses, an angel of the Lord stood by him et 2 in via adds 2 and said to him: "Contend in what you have begun, that you may be able to present very many sheaves to the Lord."
Life of Paternus 27.
Ibid. 28.
[3] he leads a life Strengthened by his exhortation, he took care to fulfil the aforesaid tasks more ardently (a. p.) ardentia plurima 1a, 1b, and he is said to have led so ad illa tam 2 holy and arduous a life that besides bread and water or vegetables seasoned with salt he took no food, in thrift and hardship. unless perhaps the love ei 1a or solemnity of a festal festi 1a day compelled him to taste more. And he removed from his presence the sight not only of women but also of men, so that, withdrawn from all hominibus 1a, 1b, he might anxiously await spectaret 1a, 1b the comings of angels and grow in divinity in what was lacking in the man; never having a bed, knowing no bedding lectuaria 1a, never reclining his head (n. c.) c. n. 1a on a feather, but content at night with the garment only which he had used by day et adds 1a, another hand. In place of enim adds 1a, 1b soft wool clothing himself induebatur 1a, 1b in a rough hair shirt, so that among the hours of sleep there might be no rest for the body, and, the order changed, still after the day was done night mox 1b, 2 might follow in labour Here 2 ends.
Ibid. 31.
Ibid. 32.
Ibid. 41.
Ibid. 42.
Ibid. 43.
[4] Made a priest, Hence, report running before procurante 1b, the man of God Romanus is ordained deacon and priest by divine prayers. For as much as dignity had grown in him, so much did he honour ornabat 1a himself with virtues. And the place where he used to dwell was fragrant with the odour of flowers, and all who came to him went out exiebant 1b from him filled as much with divine teachings as with good odours. by virtues Finally, as his virtues grew clarescentibus 1a, miracles grew too. In a certain villa named Mantula [The miracle which Fortunatus had narrated in the Life of St. Paternus as done in the village of Mantela (Maule, department of Seine-et-Oise, arrondissement of Versailles, canton of Meulan), our forger transferred to a little village of the same name which he found near Le Mans. On the Mantula of Le Mans (Maule, department of Sarthe, arrondissement and canton of Le Mans, commune of Saint-Saturnin) cf. Actus pontificum, edition cited, p. 570] a certain boy was struck by a serpent. And the holy man of God, the priest Romanus, at the nod of God, came there as he was returning from a certain errand of obedience. And so, having made the sign of the cross over him, and poured over him the liquid of consecrated oil, he cured the one penetrated by poison with such an antidote, nor did the disease prevail there where such a physician brought out his ointments.
[5] and by miracles Finally, when on a certain occasion he was going properaret 1a to the church of the Apostles beyond the river Sarthe Sarre 1a to pray, and came to the place of the cemetery of the Christians, situated not far from the aforesaid church of the Apostles, a certain man came to meet him in the same place, who had been dumb for a long time. St. Romanus asks him whether he could enter the church; he answered him nothing, because he was deprived of the use of his tongue. Again he asks him why he did not answer respondit 1a him or why he was troublesome; he, making a sign, indicated that he was dumb and could not speak. At once St. Romanus, taking him by the hand, led him with him, and in the church of the Apostles, his prayer being finished, healed him, and by God's help restored to him the former use of his tongue. He earnestly charged him to tell this to no one, but always to give thanks to God in all things.
Life of Paternus 49.
Ibid. 48.
Ibid. 43.
[6] The merit of this sign too is not defrauded fraudetur 1a of memory. For the aforesaid holy priest Romanus was so ita omits 1a practised in the restoration of churches or in adds 1b the building of new ones that it was never enough for him to have laboured sufficiently in these things, while after the manner of the saints he built up recovery, arranged the usefulness of cultivation, and wonderfully procured without delay the ministration of the poor, so that he was wonderful in each and singular in all. At his coming to Le Mans unclean spirits were turned to flight from the possessed bodies, and likewise those who, possessed by demons, were tormented with chills, as soon as the aforesaid saint of God came there illic 1b, deserved to be made whole.
[7] Virtues of Fursey (Krusch), 8. Then coming into the territory of Anjou, into
a village whose name is Crovius Cronto 1a [It is in reality a village of the territory of Anjou named more than once by Gregory of Tours (Virtues of St. Martin, IV, 17, 23; In gloria confessorum, 94), whose site learned men have sought in vain. Cf. Longnon, Géographie de la Gaule au VIe siècle, pp. 304 – 6. But whether the writer of the Life of St. Romanus took the name from Gregory or otherwise, he certainly meant by it to designate the village which is today called Cré-sur-Loir (department of Sarthe, arrondissement and canton of La Flèche). Which contradicts, at least to some extent, those who denied that Cré could be derived from Crovius. Cf. Longnon, p. 305] on the river Lith The stream Le Loir, otherwise called Lidus, Liddus, Ledus, there met him a malicious man, who mocked him and said that he was not a servant of God but of mammon mammonem 1b Matt. 6:24, and stripping him of his cloak, and threatening him and his disciples with cudgels, and going on to his house, he carried with him the cape of the aforesaid man of God St. Romanus. And when he had thrown it to his wife, a malignant spirit leaping upon in 1a him and upon in 1a his wife eius 1a and upon in 1a his only daughter, crushed conticuit 1b their tongues, and the daughter was made deaf and blind, and none of them spoke with another alii 1a; and the man of the Lord followed him to his house, seeking hospitality. And finding no answer, moved by mercy he made a prayer for them, that they might receive perciperent 1a pardon. And by the merits of the holy predicti 1b man they believed, and at the same time deserved to receive health.
Life of Fursey (Krusch), 4.
Ibid. 5.
[8] he shines. Now there was in the said holy man an incomparable grace, seeking appetens 1a nothing earthly, but always giving himself wholly to the Almighty, subject to superiors and revered by subjects, to be feared by magnates and kings, to be imitated by the humble and the despisers of the world, lovable to all the good, terrible to the wicked and sinners, illustrious in divine virtues and always devoted to divine words; for he put demons to flight from possessed bodies, and refreshed the poor. Finally, when one night, seized by bodily affliction, He is taught by an angel about the time of his death life throbbed only in his little breast, he saw an angel of the Lord announcing to him the things that are fitting for the work of preaching, and foretelling that he would complete seven years annis 1a in the work opera 1b of preaching; which also so (et i.) i. et 1b came to pass.
Life of Fursey (Acta Sanctorum), 26.
[9] and admonitions Among other things, then, the angel of the Lord himself (ei a.) a. ei 1a urged him to do these: "Turn aside," he said, "from evil and do good Psalm 36:27. Keep your life by using the praise of God the creator tui 1a [ ]. Reject by denying everything that is evil. Be as a faithful steward, claiming nothing for yourself except food and clothing, and so tempered in loss afferendo 1a; offerendo 1b of gain as in increase; for he who receives a loss ita 1a corrected; donum 1a before correction; donum 1b as willingly as a gift he receives saving things, will be able to open the mouths of the dumb; begging nothing, retaining only clothing. It is hateful to God to covet competere 1b the things of others and to keep one's own; for it befits the poor and all who do not have to ask, et adds 1b and those who have, to dispense to the needy. Alms are to be dispensed to the poor with no one asking; good [(bona-insistant) omits 1a, two lines being left empty; what we have enclosed in the brackets 〈 〉 is missing also in 1b, the gaps being indicated: we have supplied it from the source itself, that is, from the Virtues of St. Fursey] things too 〈are to be worked toward all men〉, especially toward those of the household of the faith. 〈But the gifts〉 of the wicked 〈are to be imparted accepit | 1b〉 to the poor and to those destitute of all comfort. Let there therefore be no discord in the Church of God, 〈but let those who are among〉 the people apply themselves insistunt 1b to the apostolic order added in 1b above the line and to holy doctrine; and let those who live in monasteries, working with silence, eat their own bread."
Ibid. 27.
[10] "But there are some who excuse recusant 1b themselves semet 1a from the office of teaching and, for the care of the world, spring forth into public. Setting, then, the good which they do in secret, they hide the light of good example from their neighbours; and transacting the causes or actions sine… tiones 1b of the world in public, they pour the poison of deadly cupidity publicly into their hearts. Do not, then, determine yourself to be always withdrawn nor always in public. But when you wish to be withdrawn, keep yourself with all watchfulness, observing all the divine precepts. And when you go out into public, apply an intent mind to the salvation of souls, not gaping after the gains of this world; and if anyone has conferred gifts on you at the first hour of the day and repents before evening, as you received them willingly, so give them back to him cheerfully."
Ibid.
[11] "Apply also no diligence of an intent heart to the keeping of patrimony, and none to the care of this world, but with the indulgence of a pure breast toward all who oppose or are contrary, repaying good for evil, beseech precare 1a the most high God for your enemies. For he who keeps the gentleness of a peaceful heart unharmed illaesam omits 1a toward those contrary and resisting him will turn convertit 1b the ferocity of all wild beasts and animals into tameness. For no sacrifice of good work is so acceptable or approved to God (s. D.) D. s. 1a as the meekness of the gentleness of a most patient heart against all injuries, through which, joyful in the hope of future supernae 1a reward, with the Lord Deo 1b before correction helping, it receives all adversities and losses as gains and prosperity. For two enemies of the human soul (h. a.) humani generis 1a are proved to exist, the devil and the world, and each in turn insinuates the love of the other, so that by this, that the soul is laid under (i. s.) s. illicebris 1b the allurements of this world, it may be held bound and possessed by the adversary." These things and the rest which were heard from him, which he himself to others and many others which he had learned by divine inspiration and had read in in omits 1b catholic books, he preached to all.
Virtues of Fursey (Krusch), 3.
Ibid. 4.
Ibid. 6.
[12] hands on. These things having been duly done, the aforesaid St. Romanus, made nobler than the others, preached to all the remedy of repentance, and saved many and et 1b innumerable people from errors errore 1b before correction. At last, an angel admonishing him, he asked his bishop that leave be given him sibi omits 1b to cross over into Romania, where with pious prayers he might devote himself at the thresholds of Saints Peter and Paul and ac 1a of the other saints to prayers orationibus omits 1a. From the Roman journey He answered to this, saying that he would not let him go unless he vowed with this vow to return again. Hearing this, the athlete of the Lord, as was fitting, obedient to his bishop, vowed, saying d. 1a that, with the Lord's help, he would return; and asking his blessing he was sent on his way by him with peace. But it is long for us to narrate how many miracles the Lord deigned to work through him, both in going and in staying there illuc 1b and in returning.
Ibid.
[13] But to his most powerful potentissime 1b divine work a miracle must still be joined. returning through the territory of Vendôme Coming, on his return from Rome, into the territory of Vendôme, to the villa which is called Mauriacas Perhaps Morée, department of Loir-et-Cher, arrondissement of Vendôme. Poupardin, on the river Lith, he heard a great lamentation in the house domum 1b of a certain duke, because his son was very sick, so that there was no hope of his recovery. And St. Romanus, approaching the house of the aforesaid duke, the day now declining, asked that lodging be given him; and when it had been announced to the said duke that a certain pilgrim and servant of God, returning from Rome, had asked that lodging be given him, pricked by divine inspiration, because he was a good and just man, he went out to meet him, and received him with great joy and showed himself ready (se p.) p. se 1b esse omits 1b for all that he should command imperabat 1b. And when he came to him, he humbled himself before him eo 1b and, having asked his blessing, led him eum omits 1a into his house, and showed him his only son, now half-alive and now despaired of as to his recovery resurrectione 1b. To whom the holy man, answering, said: "This sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God, that God may be glorified through him" John 11:4. And having made a prayer, he heals the duke's son. St. Romanus, touching tetigit 1a him over against the heart with the liquid (s. l.) l. s. 1b of sanctified oil ungenti et 1a, by the help of God healed the boy eum 1a, and made him, as if dead, rise surgere 1a from his bed, and restored him to his former health. The aforementioned prince offered him many gifts; but the holy man, as he was accustomed, accepted nothing from him, but persuaded him to do penance and to fulfil good works in the days of his life.
Virtues of Fursey 3.
Life of Fursey (Krusch), 7.
Ibid. 9.
Ibid. 10.
[14] At last at Le Mans And returning to the aforesaid territory of Le Mans, the infirm and the lame, the blind and lepers, or also those who had various infirmities, who met him and came to him, he healed all and freed them from their infirmities, and gave necessaries to all who asked him. And when the seven years were completed, which the angel had foretold he would complete, as was recorded above, the saint, seized by a certain infirmity, enjoys an angelic vision and, his spirit sent forth, is received by the heavenly hosts of angels, and so, leaving the present things, he departed together to the eternal kingdoms. For (O. e. p. s. R.) omits 1a the aforesaid St. Romanus died on the seventh before the Ides of November, and lives with Christ for everlasting ages. And his body, by the holy bishop of Le Mans omits 1b. … priests and by many illustrious men, is buried with great psalmody in the cemetery of the Christians, and he is buried. beyond the river Sarthe Sarten 1a on in 1b the western side of the city of Le Mans, and is honourably buried 〈not added in 1a by the first hand in the margin; omits 1b〉 far from the sepulchre of St. Julian, first bishop of the same city (e. c.) Cenommanicae urbis 1b. Where, by his merit, many miracles are done for those who ask with right faith, and divine powers shine forth, with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit
lives and reigns for ages of ages. Amen Here ends the Life of St. Romanus, priest adds 1b.