ON BL. AMBROSE OF MASSA, CONFESSOR OF THE ORDER OF MINORS, AT ORVIETO IN UMBRIA,
IN THE YEAR 1240
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY
Ambrose of Massa, confessor, at Orvieto. (S.)
[1] Of Bl. Ambrose of Massa In the church of St. Francis at Orvieto, beneath the high altar, are kept laid up the bones of Bl. Ambrose of Massa, of the Order of Friars Minor. If you question the histories about the holy man, you will receive only this. Ambrose, unknown in birth and family, was clothed in the habit of the Friars Minor in the convent of Massa [That is, Massa Marittima (Massa di Maremma, province and district of Grosseto), the convent of which place is already listed in the Provinciale Ordinis Fratrum Minorum, ed. C. Eubel (Quaracchi, 1892), p. 61. That much about that most ancient convent is contained among the writings of Fr. Francesco Antonio Benoffi († c. 1782), at Pesaro in the Oliveriana library, is pointed out by Fr. Saturnino Mencherini, Croniche dei Frati Minori della Provincia di Toscana (Arezzo, 1913), p. 435, note 4. This learned man, questioned by us, most kindly wrote back that in the papers of Fr. Benoffi Bl. Ambrose is mentioned in these words: "Questo convento dicono fosse abitato dai Vallombrosani, e da questi passo a S. Francesco che opero quivi tre miracoli. Certo che il B. Ambrosio vi prese l'abito circa il 1220, visse nell' Ordine 15 anni, e mori nel 1236. Si tratto di canonizzarlo l'anno 1240." [They say this convent was inhabited by the Vallombrosans, and from them it passed to St. Francis, who worked three miracles here. Certainly Bl. Ambrose took the habit there about 1220, lived in the Order 15 years, and died in 1236. His canonisation was treated of in the year 1240.] And a little further down, treating of the high altar: "A lato destro v'e la cappella anticamente di S. Caterina, e presentemente vi sono dipinti li BB. Ambrosio, Iacopo e Bernardo de Massa." [On the right side is the chapel formerly of St. Catherine, and at present the Blesseds Ambrose, James and Bernard of Massa are painted there.]] . He spent about fifteen years in the Order, distinguished above all for austerity of life and for charity towards those of his household and outsiders, until by divine admonition he foretold that death was at hand for him and indicated the place from which he would pass to those above. He died at Orvieto in the year 1240, as is easily gathered from the documents which we are about to adduce. At his funeral many miracles took place and increased not a little the reputation for holiness for which he had been renowned while alive.
[2] in the very year of his death In the very year in which Bl. Ambrose departed from the living, "the Podestà, the council and the people of Orvieto" asked the supreme pontiff Gregory IX by a letter of supplication to enrol the new wonder-worker among the saints. On the 24th of May 1240, Gregory IX by a pontifical rescript commanded Rainerius, bishop of Orvieto [Elected on the 6th of the Ides of April 1228, † after the year 1247, Ughelli, Italia sacra, (1718), vol. I, p. 1470. On the 7th of October 1249 he was certainly not among the living. G. Cappelletti, Le Chiese d'Italia, vol. V (Venice, 1846), p. 484.] , Gualcherinus, bishop of Sovana [Elected in the year 1221, † after the year 1253, Ughelli, vol. III, pp. 736–38. On the 5th of July 1260 he is spoken of as "of good memory". Cappelletti, op. cit., vol. XVII (1862), pp. 741, 743.] , and Brother Cittadinus, prior of San Giovanni in Platea, of the Order of St. Augustine, that, having called in religious men fearing God, they should inquire into the works and miracles of the said brother Process, no. 2, below. . Therefore it was proclaimed in all the churches of the city that whoever knew of a miracle worked by the saint should betake himself to the inquisitors to bear testimony Process, no. 69, below. . The process of canonisation begun. From the 12th of June 1240, the witnesses began to be questioned. After, by the 16th of February of the year 1241, the testimonies of more than two hundred people had been collected, the inquiry seems to have been concluded. Not long afterwards, on the 22nd of August 1241, the supreme pontiff Gregory IX died, when he already had it in mind to enrol blessed Ambrose in the roll of the saints, if credence is to be given in this to Bartholomew of Pisa "But, being forestalled by the death of the pope [Gregory, he was not entered in the catalogue of the saints." Bartholomew of Pisa, De conformitate vitae beati Francisci ad vitam domini Iesu, ed. in the Analecta Franciscana, vol. IV, p. 250.] . About nine years later the people of Orvieto of their own accord resolved to renew the cause, and through Hugolinus son of Philip and Ildibrandrinus son of Rainerius, their envoys, transmitted to the supreme pontiff Innocent IV the "depositions of the witnesses" sealed in a public instrument. The supreme pontiff handed these over to be examined to the cardinals Richard of Sant'Angelo and John of San Nicola in Carcere. They judged that the form of law had not been accurately observed in all respects. Therefore the supreme pontiff, by a letter of the 2nd of December 1250, ordered Constantine [Of the Order of Friars Preachers, elected at the turn of the year 1249 or in the year 1250, died in the year 1257. Ughelli, Italia sacra, vol. I, p. 1470.] , bishop of Orvieto, who had succeeded Rainerius, and Gualcherinus, bishop of Sovana, and Cittadinus, prior of San Giovanni, to hear the witnesses summoned anew and, as circumstances required, to collect new testimonies as well The letter of Innocent IV in Sbaralea, Bullarium Franciscanum, vol. I, p. 561. . These seem to have discharged in good time, at Orvieto on the spot itself, the inquiry entrusted to them. But about the miracles which were reported to have taken place elsewhere, the delegates themselves, prevented by wars and the hardships of travel among other causes, could not make inquiry. And so, since the matter dragged on, Innocent IV on the 24th of March 1252 by apostolic letters gave the same men power to see to it that, either through the ordinaries of the places or through abbots of the Cistercian Order and priors of the Friars Preachers, an inquiry should be instituted in those places to which the delegates themselves could not go Sbaralea, same vol., p. 599. . Whether this was done is not clear from the documents. For no testimony has reached us which seems to have been obtained in this way.
[3] That his cult was sanctioned Nor do we know for certain from the documents themselves whether the delegates brought to the supreme pontiff the testimonies they had reviewed or collected anew. It seems, however, that the scruple of the Holy See was satisfied by this inquiry. And in very truth, on the 14th of June 1257 Pope Alexander IV gave a letter to Constantine, bishop of Orvieto, in these words:
"Alexander, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to our venerable brother .., bishop of Orvieto, the elevation of his relics greeting and apostolic benediction. We have understood that the body of Brother Ambrose of good memory, of the Order of Friars Minor, rests at Orvieto in the place of the brothers of the same Order in an unfitting spot. Desiring therefore that, for reverence of God and for his own merits, it should be laid up in a more fitting spot in the place of those brothers, we command your fraternity by apostolic writing that, going with your clergy to the place of the aforesaid brothers, you translate the body of the above-said brother, with due reverence and honour, to the spot in the aforesaid place which shall seem to your discretion, on the advice of the brothers themselves, more fitting. We also grant by special favour that on the day of that translation only the divine office may be solemnly celebrated in the place of the said brothers, the excommunicated being excluded, notwithstanding the interdict to which that land is subjected [Alexander IV, by a letter given on the 14th of May 1257, had imposed excommunication and a fine of 1000 marks on the people of Narni and of Orvieto unless they ceased from their incursions against the people of Todi. The same pontiff relaxed that sentence on the 29th of September of the same year. L. Fumi, Codice diplomatico della citta d'Orvieto (Florence, 1884), pp. 213, 217.] . Given at Viterbo, on the 18th of the Kalends of July, in the third year of our pontificate [In Sbaralea, Bullarium, vol. II, p. 223, "from the autograph of our convent of St. Francis at Orvieto".] ." About the translation itself nothing has been handed down to memory. But from the testimonies of all the hagiographers and historians it is established that the relics of Bl. Ambrose were kept with honour in that church.
[4] this alone shows. This being so, some judgement of the supreme pontiff about the holiness of Bl. Ambrose must have intervened. But no written record has reached us either of that judgement or of the repeated inquiry instituted in the year 1250. Certainly in the eighteenth century, in the convent of the Friars Minor at Orvieto, no documents concerning Brother Ambrose were listed by Guglielmo Della Valle except the following: "Cinque bolle per l'ordinazione de' processi del B. Ambrogio da Massa, incominciati l'anno 1240, cioe una di Gregorio IX, tre d' Innocenzo IV, e una di Alessandro IV. E' dei detti processi un competente rotolo di pergamene contenenti i miracoli del servo di Dio, e tra questi la guarigione di un infermo de male [Five bulls for the ordering of the processes of Bl. Ambrose of Massa, begun in the year 1240, namely one of Gregory IX, three of Innocent IV, and one of Alexander IV. Of the said processes there is a sizeable roll of parchments containing the miracles of the servant of God, and among these the healing of a sick man of the disease]
detto della lupa [G. Della Valle, Storia del duomo d'Orvieto (Rome, 1791), p. 81.] ." called the wolf.
[5] In the instrument of the inquiry, A "roll" of this kind is now kept in the archive of the city of Orvieto. By the kindness of the most distinguished Alceste Moretti, priest, archivist of the city, it fell to us to be able to inspect and copy this remarkable volume in person. It consists of 13 parchment leaves sewn together, about 0.29 m or 0.33 m wide, of which the longest reaches 0.78 m, the shortest 0.37 m. The length of the unrolled volume is not less than 8.25 m. It is written in an even script, and a fairly dense one. The lines are about 0.23 m or 0.25 m long, and about fourteen are counted in 0.10 m. At the left corner of the first leaf a parchment label is tied by a cord, on which a more recent hand wrote this: 1240 7bre 22 – 8bre 31, 1241 Febbraio 16. That is, by these figures were believed to be marked the two days on which the first and last witnesses were heard. Both, however, must be corrected from the volume itself. Still more gravely mistaken was the man who in the fourteenth century wrote on the back of the first leaf: "Miracles of Brother Ambrose of the Order of Minors 1242." For he erred not by a day but by a whole year. On the same leaf at the lower edge is read, written in a hand of the seventeenth century: Esame de' testimonij e processo fabricato per la canonizazione delli BB. Ambroggio e Morico dell' ordine di San Francesco, li corpi de' quali stanno nella chiesa di do San Francesco in questa citta d'Orvieto. [Examination of the testimonies and process drawn up for the canonisation of the Blesseds Ambrose and Morico of the order of St. Francis, whose bodies lie in the church of the said St. Francis in this city of Orvieto.] Nor is this mention free from error; for no juridical inquiry seems ever to have been instituted concerning Bl. Morico. Perhaps the man who added this mention was deceived because Bl. Morico was the first questioned about Bl. Ambrose. On the same back of the leaf, nearer the outer margin, spots are seen which present the appearance of writing. That is, at that place the parchment soaked up the ink of four lines of the letter of Gregory IX, which in the text itself are almost washed out. On the back of the second leaf is read the heading: "Miracles of SS. Ambrose and Morico." In its lower part, in transverse lines, there was added in the seventeenth century: 444. Parechi estrati (?) di miracoli delli beati Morico et Ambrossio. Intrapresse (?) 1242. [444. Several extracts (?) of miracles of the Blesseds Morico and Ambrose. Undertaken (?) 1242.]
[6] of which an authentic copy As to the substance, each leaf, with the sole exception of the first, on which nothing is written but the preface of the inquisitors and the letter of Gregory IX, is concluded with a formula in which Rainerius son of Guido, notary, with his sign appended, testifies that what is written above was written "by mandate" of the inquisitors and in their presence. Almost every leaf contains all the testimonies taken on the day which is marked at the beginning of the leaf, unless the abundance of matter made a larger space necessary, as happened on the 15th of June and the 6th of August, in which the last testimonies run over somewhat into the following leaf. On the other hand, in the last leaf, in which the 6th of August is completed, a remaining small portion of the 14th of August being added, which in its place fills a whole leaf, the days of the 31st of October 1240 and the 16th of February 1241 are comprised entire. The order of the leaves does not square perfectly with the series of days: first occurs the 22nd of September of the year 1240, which is followed directly by the 14th of August, perhaps because on both these days, as on the 14th of June next following, testimonies were taken which concerned the life of the blessed man, while all the other testimonies deal almost entirely with miracles worked after his death. The remaining days follow one another in this order: in the year 1240, June 14, 15, 16, July 18, June 12, July 14, 19, 23, August 6, 14, October 31; in the year 1241, February 16. From fol. 4 (14 June) onwards, at each miracle the name "Miracle" has been added in the margin, and at each witness the letter t on the outer edge of the leaf. The volume, although the writer's pen hesitated quite often, does not seem to have been corrected afterwards; words which are missing were not added by a later hand; erasures, not infrequent, were made in the very act of writing. The notary Rainerius uses a language by no means accurate and correct; he admits barbarous forms of speech which, as the learned Moretti advised us, are still today commonly used by the natives of Orvieto, such as: frabicare for fabricare, frebuarius for februarius, pungnum for pugnum, mangnus for magnus, stringnere for stringere; commedere, obbedire, reddire, for comedere, obedire, redire, etc.; Francisscus for Franciscus, pisscis for piscis, consumare for consummare, agustus for augustus, cadela for candela, ussor for uxor, flussus for fluxus, digneretur for dignaretur, aprelis for aprilis, aier for aer, quadrigesimus for quadragesimus, inmago for imago, sonnus for somnus, abstantes for adstantes, admittere for amittere; impartu for in partu, impectine for in pectine, impiga for in piga. These and similar things we have corrected in editing the text, for the most part silently; each original spelling we have indicated only once at the foot of the page, where it first occurred.
[7] only one survives, There is scarcely any room for doubting that the manuscript of the archive of Orvieto is the very "roll" which Guglielmo Della Valle testified was kept in the convent of the Friars Minor. Besides this exemplar, others must have existed. Pope Gregory IX had ordered that the records of the inquiry be kept in two or three religious places Process, no. 2, below. . And in very truth in the year 1339 Iacobus son of Tutius, notary, who listed the books and instruments kept at Orvieto in the church of San Giovanni de Platea, mentions "a roll of charters in which are contained miracles worked by Bl. Ambrose." Of which he says: "it is indeed a very large roll of sheepskin charters in which appear many miracles worked by Bl. Ambrose of the Order of Friars Minor. And there are on it the seals of several bishops In Muratori, Rerum Italicarum scriptores, 2nd ed., vol. XV, part V, p. 117. ." But since the present volume of the archive of Orvieto bears no trace of the aforesaid seals, the learned Luigi Fumi, by appending the number of the years, hints that this other volume was the record of the second process held in the year 1252 Ibid. . With what right, let him see; we note one thing, that that volume is other than ours. Moreover, in the Dialogue on the Deeds of the holy Friars [The Dialogus de gestis sanctorum Fratrum Minorum by Fr. Thomas of Pavia was edited in full by Fr. Ferdinand M. Delorme, O.F.M., Quaracchi, 1923. The historical parts of the Dialogue had first been edited by Fr. Leonard Lemmens, Dialogus de vitis sanctorum Fratrum Minorum, Rome, 1902 (= Fragmenta Franciscana, I).] , which Fr. Ferdinand Delorme opines was composed by Thomas of Pavia about the year 1245, the elogium of Bl. Ambrose, which was certainly copied from the process of canonisation of the year 1240, mentions four miracles (nos. 4, 26, 35, 53) which are not read in the Orvieto volume. These, however, were drawn from the records of the inquisitors; for Thomas of Pavia, or whoever wrote the Dialogue, notes in express words at narratives 4, 26, 35 that these miracles were reported by sworn witnesses; and before the year 1250 certainly no inquiry was held except that whose record is contained in the Orvieto "roll".
[8] The Orvieto volume has hitherto been unedited. Its content was briefly set out in the Italian language by the learned L. Fumi in the Miscellanea Francescana Vol. I (1886), pp. 77–81, 129–36. . Nevertheless the manuscript itself seems not unworthy of the light, since it presents one of the most ancient processes of canonisation that have been printed. For in the order of time there occurs first, in the year 1220, the process of St. Hugh of Lincoln, of which Iacobus Dimock produced a few specimens from an unedited codex of the British Museum [James F. Dimock, Giraldi Cambrensis opera, vol. VII (London, 1877), pp. 188–192 (= Rerum Britannicarum medii aevi scriptores, no. 21).] ; then, in the year 1234, the process of St. Dominic, which has been edited in the Acta Sanctorum August vol. I, pp. 632–44. ; finally, in the year 1235, that of St. Elizabeth, queen of Hungary, edited in the year 1908 by Albert Huyskens [Quellenstudien zur Geschichte der hl. Elisabeth Landgräfin von Thüringen (Marburg, 1908), pp. 110–40.] . The fourth, then, seems to be the one we now edit.
[9] whatever is narrated about Bl. Ambrose flows back From this single source have flowed all the mentions of blessed Ambrose that occur in hagiographical literature. The fullest of all of them is the one read in the Dialogue on the Deeds of the holy Friars Minor Op. cit., pp. 132–88. Cf. above, no. 7. ; which, as is said in the preface of the work, in the Dialogue of the holy Friars Minor was composed by order of Brother Crescentius, Minister General of the Friars Minor (1244–1247). Although, then, the survey of the life of Bl. Ambrose which is inserted in the Dialogue was composed a short time after his death, the writer of the work does not seem himself to have known Bl. Ambrose by his own acquaintance and familiarity. Certainly in his narrative he nowhere openly indicates that he was an eyewitness. In one place only, after he has related the prophecy by which the blessed man foretold that death was at hand for him, the writer of the Dialogue adds: "All which things, just as they were foretold in order by the servant of God as to come, so, indeed, we know them fulfilled by the attestation of the following work, with eyewitness faith Op. cit., p. 137. ." So the event by which the blessed man's prophecy was confirmed happened before someone's eyes, but whether before his own or another's, the narrator in no way indicates. Nor in the preface of his work does the hagiographer promise that he will narrate what he himself had also seen. Rather, he openly professes that he will relate "chiefly those things which either, by mandate of the supreme pontiff, were deposited in faithful narrative before inquisitors delegated by the apostolic see, and likewise approved by diligent examination of witnesses and noted down by a public hand, or which were also learned by me from the truthful report of brothers of our Order still surviving Op. cit., p. 3. ." So the writer of the Dialogue. And in fact it will seem doubtful to no one that he set out the life of Bl. Ambrose from the testimonies of others, who will compare his narrative with the document which we are about to edit below [After he has touched briefly on the life of Bl. Ambrose (pp. 133–38) and copied the letter of Gregory IX (pp. 138–41), from the miracles contained in our document he lists these, and indeed in this order: 74, 89, 82, 38, 90, 91, 22, 51, 48, 73, 26, 59, 25, 92, 43, 28, 20, 67, 13, 49, 44, 32, 30, 31, 53, 45, 29, 60, 78, 41,
16, 85, 66, 15, 37, 64, 27, 80, 75, 46, 47, 39, 71, 40, 56, 17, 21, 23, 18, 62, 65.] . For the rest, the Dialogue met with adverse fortunes; its only exemplar was found twenty-five years ago in the Borgia Museum at Rome. Later hagiographers knew indeed that it had existed, but very few of them seem to have read it F. Delorme, Dialogus, pp. XVII–XXI. . and elsewhere. What had been narrated in it about Bl. Ambrose was brought into the light, a dim light indeed, by Bartholomew of Pisa, who in book VIII of the Conformities Same vol., pp. 249–50. partly copied, partly condensed the Dialogue's narrative about Bl. Ambrose, concealing the source. Some, however, are to be believed to have drawn certain passages omitted in Bartholomew's epitome from the Dialogue itself, of whom chiefly known to us are Rodolfo of Tossignano Historiarum seraphicae religionis book I (Venice, 1586), p. 73; cf. p. 259v. and Wadding Annals at the year 1236, nos. VI–VIII. , or rather Mariano of Florence, whom Wadding used as his authority.
[10] Bl. Ambrose And so from these little books, which in one way or another flow back entirely into a single document, nothing can be hammered out for informing the history of Bl. Ambrose. What we receive from the mouths of the witnesses about the blessed man's life is little and not very clear. In the Dialogue P. 133. indeed and in the Book of Conformities P. 249. it is read that he drew his origin from the parts of the city of Massa. why he is called of Massa. This was certainly said in no testimony. And so it may be asked whether Massa was believed to be the birthplace of Bl. Ambrose because he was commonly called Ambrose of Massa. Now the origin of this appellation may be this, that the blessed man was received into the Order of Minors at Massa. However the matter stands, it is established from the answers of the witnesses that for three years before he entered religion the blessed man lived at Cetona and there discharged the office of parish priest. Nor does the writer of the Dialogue report very accurately the words of Brother Morico and Brother Tobias, He turns himself to a better way of life, when he says that the blessed man from his youth led a pious life devoted to God Pp. 133–134. . For the aforesaid witnesses hint quite clearly that the young cleric's manner of life had to be brought back to the "ecclesiastical form" Process, nos. 4, 5, below, pp. 572–73. . This he did in the year 1222, after he heard Brother Morico preaching the word of God at Cetona. Three years later, when the same Brother Morico came again to Cetona, he offered himself to him with a most ready mind and was received by him into the Order. Of this return to a good way of life nothing is reported in the Dialogue, in which not even the name of Brother Morico is mentioned. This Morico, however, seems to be none other than the venerable Brother Morico who in the Order of Minors is held among the blessed and whose bones are kept in the convent of Orvieto together with the relics of blessed Ambrose. at the exhortation of Brother Morico. For in the Catalogue of the holy Friars Minor, which was published about the year 1335, this mention is found: "At Orvieto Brother Ambrose, a holy man, was renowned for many miracles. Brother Morico, the master of the aforesaid Brother Ambrose [Catalogus sanctorum Fratrum Minorum, which, written about 1335, was edited and illustrated with notes by Fr. Leonard Lemmens (Rome, 1903), p. 13 (= Fragmenta Franciscana, III).] ." Bartholomew of Pisa De conformitate, same vol., p. 250. and the Chronicle of the Twenty-four Generals In the Analecta Franciscana, vol. III (Quaracchi, 1897), p. 265. , here as very often elsewhere, report the Catalogue's mention. Whether the same Morico was that Morico the Little, who is listed among the first twelve disciples of St. Francis, is not established by any certain document. Bartholomew of Pisa, in the description of the provinces of the Order of Minors which he inserted into book XI of the Conformities, asserts this without hesitation: "The place of Orvieto, in which among other excellent preachers there preached Brother Ambrose, who raised several dead, and Brother Morico, one of the twelve companions of blessed Francis, by holy examples and wonderful Op. cit., p. 516. ." The same, yet somewhat more cautiously, in book VIII, in the Roman province: "At Orvieto lies Brother Morico, the master of the aforesaid Brother Ambrose, and a saint, and, as I think, one of the companions of blessed Francis Op. cit., p. 250. "; and again, in the same book, among the brothers who were of blessed Francis's province, of whom there is no mention or memory where they lie, he mentions Brother Morico, "except that it is believed that he is the one who lies at Orvieto; … who were all most renowned for holiness and the first companions of blessed Francis; where they lie is not known, unless we wish to say that they lie at Santa Maria degli Angeli or at Assisi P. 243. ." The Chronicle of the Twenty-four Generals, on the other hand, distinguishes this Morico from the other, since it affirms that the one rests at Orvieto, the other at Assisi Same vol., pp. 265, 252. . Much more obscure still is whether that Morico the Little is the same as "Morico, formerly of the Order of the Crutched Friars", who became a disciple of St. Francis after his health had been restored to him by him [Bartholomew of Pisa, same vol., pp. 19, 59, 250–51; Chronicle of the Twenty-four Generals, same vol., pp. 252, 253 with note 2. Cf. Arthur, Martyrologium Franciscanum, at the 30th of March, p. 138.] . To investigate this question more fully is not the business of this place; but it cannot be doubted that one and the same Morico brought blessed Ambrose back to the clerical office and after his death was questioned as the first witness in the process of the year 1240 at Orvieto.
[11] In what places he stayed, Besides the city of Massa, in which he devoted himself to the Order of St. Francis, we can learn from the narratives of the witnesses some other places in which he stayed, although at what time he lived or lodged in each of them is not seen. Brother Stephen enjoyed his company for four months at Gillum Process, no. 6, below, p. 574. , which place the learned A. Moretti thinks is the convent of Lilium near Bolsena; yet we have not read elsewhere that the convent of the Friars Minor at Bolsena was called by that name. At Tenninum (?) in the diocese of Orvieto, "where there is a church of the Friars Minor", Ambrose had Brother Pandulf as his confessor No. 7, p. 574. . For some months also he lived at Montedonico with Brother Fatius No. 10, p. 574. . But it is quite likely that of the 15 years during which he lived in the Order of Friars Minor, the greatest part was spent at Orvieto. For his memory does not seem to have clung to any other definite place. How long the convent of the Minors at Orvieto had already existed when Ambrose died in it is not certainly found in the histories. But before the year 1227 the Friars of St. Francis had already fixed their seat at Orvieto, since Bishop Rainerius, in a manuscript Chronicle which Fr. Angelo Fontanieri read in the archive of Orvieto [Della chiesa di S. Lorenzo in Vineis presso Orvieto, in the Miscellanea Francescana, vol. IV (1889), p. 176.] , testifies that the Friars Minor came to his episcopal city while his predecessor Capitaneus (1212–1227) governed the church. Their first house seems to have been situated at San Pietro in Vetere; but in the year 1240 or not long before they began to build the church and convent of St. Francis in the inner city "In the same year [1240 the church of St. Francis of Orvieto was founded." Annales Urbevetani, in Muratori, Rerum italicarum Scriptores, vol. XV, part V (Città di Castello, 1906), p. 150; cf. p. 131, note 2. On the 17th of March 1240 Gregory IX, "since… the Friars of the Order of Minors… have begun to build a church in the city of Orvieto and houses suited to their uses in honour of St. Francis", granted an indulgence of 40 days to the faithful who should contribute alms to this work, Sbaralea, vol. I, p. 274. In the month of May of the same year a certain Rainaldus son of Floremans, entreating Bl. Ambrose for his wife's health, vows that he will give "one kiln of lime for building his church." Another, one Benecasa son of Amideus, on the 12th of August "placed upon his tomb 10 solidi for making the walling of the said church." Process, nos. 29, 91, below, pp. 585, 607. The church was consecrated by Clement IV in the year 1266. Annales Urbevetani, same vol., p. 131.] . Bl. Ambrose knew by divine admonition that he would be sent to San Pietro in Vetere, would lie sick there, and, being moved from there to Orvieto, would die in that place "where the brothers hoped to build a church" Process, no. 5, below, p. 573. .
[12] in what year Most hagiographers refer the death of Bl. Ambrose to about the year 1236 [Mariano of Florence, Compendium chronicarum ordinis FF. Minorum, in the Archivum Franciscanum historicum, vol. II (1909), p. 103; Wadding, Annals, loc. cit.; Arthur, loc. cit.] ; one, Hueber, to the year 1251 Menologium, p. 2121. . But in both numbers the error is certain; for from the process of canonisation it is clearly established that Ambrose departed from life in the year 1240. About the day which was the last of his life, and on what day these indications can be gathered. Bl. Ambrose died on the third day of the week, as is established from the testimony of the lady Orvetana, whose son was healed "on the day following Ambrose's passing, on Wednesday" Process, no. 73, below, p. 601. . He died in the month of April; for Christophanus, a witness who was questioned in the year 1240 on the 23rd of July, asserts that he was healed of illness "in the month in which Bl. Ambrose passed away"; which another witness, speaking of the same miracle, indicates more distinctly took place "in the month of April just past" No. 74, p. 602. . And so the 3rd, or the 10th, or the 17th, or the 24th day of the month must be chosen. The last is excluded; for the lady Agnese made her vow "on the sixth day after the passing of the blessed man of good memory", and obtained health "before the third day after the vow was made … and this was in the month of April" No. 35, p. 589. . But since in other testimonies miracles are read to have taken place "in the month of May, at the time of the passing of him of good memory" Nos. 18, 19, 21, 32, 46. , it is more probable that the blessed man's death took place on the 17th of April, nearer the end than the beginning of the month of April. he died. How it came about that the venerable man, who died in the month of April, is commemorated in the menologies at the 10th of November Arthur, loc. cit., Hueber, loc. cit., Hagiologium Italicum, vol. II, p. 288. , hitherto
has not been explained. Perhaps on the 10th of November the relics of the blessed man were translated into the church of St. Francis, in accordance with the command of Alexander IV. And so the chronology of the life of Bl. Ambrose can be shaped roughly in this way. In the year 1222 Ambrose, already a cleric, had the age at which by the canons he could take up the care of a church. For three years he was parish priest of Cetona. In the year 1225, after he had been converted to a better life by the exhortation of Brother Morico, he entered the Order of St. Francis, in which he lived 15 years. He died on the 17th of April of the year 1240.
[13] The cult. Already before his death blessed Ambrose was held in great repute for holiness among the citizens of Orvieto. As soon as the news spread that he was gravely ill, they brought the sick to him to cure, and a throng of people filled the house. Eleven miracles took place "on the day on which he passed away" Nos. 14, 15, 28, 44, 60, 61, 69, 79, 84, 89, 92. , of which the first two before his last breath; three others on the next day Nos. 48, 73, 80. . In the church there was so great a multitude of the faithful that those who wished to reach his bier could open a way for themselves only with difficulty. Already then suppliants were vowing that they would bring little wax images to his tomb, which in fact at once began to be done. So certainly was his holiness established among the common people that the faithful who implored his help promised that every year "on his feast" they would perform a certain pious work Nos. 43, 51, 66, 70. ; and not a few others wished to bind themselves to his service for the rest of their life. Together with prayer there was already then customarily applied to the sick "a small piece of his cape" No. 25. , perhaps of that garment which is still today kept in the sacristy of the church of St. Francis. One of the sick, who had not been able to approach the saint's bier, recovered on receiving dust from the place where the sacred corpse had been washed No. 48. . In the process no fewer than 81 miracles are narrated, most of which happened to citizens of Orvieto, and indeed in the city itself; 10, however, are reported to have been worked in neighbouring places. Among the signs of devotion which were customarily shown to the saint, worthy of note are the pious vigils which were kept through the whole night at his tomb. The affection of the people of Orvieto for Bl. Ambrose seems never to have cooled. The church of St. Francis, in which his relics were kept, began to be called by some the church of SS. Francis and Ambrose, and even of St. Ambrose alone [Della Valle, Il Duomo d'Orvieto, p. 28; Fumi, in the Miscellanea Francescana, same vol., p. 77; cf. the Bull of Alexander IV, 18 July 1256, in Sbaralea, Bullarium, vol. II, p. 148; Muratori, Rer. ital. script., same vol., p. 131, note 2; Process, no. 34, below, p. 588.] . In the year 1308 the City of Orvieto decreed that every year on the feast of Bl. Ambrose a candle should be offered, which decree it renewed in the year 1316 Fumi, loc. cit. . Bl. Ambrose is named in the Catalogue of the holy Friars Minor written in the year 1335 Ed. Lemmens, p. 13. . In the sixteenth century Rodolfo of Tossignano, of the Order of Minors, who had often stayed in the houses of his order, testifies that Bl. Ambrose was held in great veneration at Orvieto in his time Historiarum Seraphicae religionis, book II, fol. 259v. . In the year 1773, when the church was restored by new construction, an inscription was placed over the door in which among the chief praises of this church it is recorded that it was made more august by the sacred remains of the Blesseds Ambrose, Morico, Seraphinus and Leonard [T. Piccolomini Adami, Guida storico-artistica della citta di Orvieto (Siena, 1883), p. 151.] . In our own age also, after the church was taken from the Friars Minor, the remains of Bl. Ambrose are religiously kept under the high altar, and his garment is sometimes solemnly displayed for the veneration of the faithful.
THE PROCESS OF CANONISATION OF BL. AMBROSE OF MASSA
Ambrose of Massa, confessor, at Orvieto. (S.)
From the parchment volume of the record office of the city of Orvieto (= R). Cf. Prel. Comm. nos. 5, 6.
[1] The preface of the inquisitors. In the name of the Lord. Amen. In the year of the same one thousand two hundred and forty quadrigesimo R always. , in the thirteenth indiction, in the time of the lord Pope Gregory IX. Since the loving-kindness of the eternal Father, to the honour of his name, works many glorious miracles at the tomb of Brother Ambrose of revered memory, of the Order of Friars Minor, in the city of Orvieto, we, Rainerius by divine mercy bishop of Orvieto and Gualkerinus bishop of Sovana, and Cittadinus, prior of San Giovanni de Platea Plathea R not seldom. of Orvieto On these bishops and the prior cf. Prel. Comm. no. 2, above, p. 567. , having received a letter recently sent to us by the lord pope concerning an inquiry to be made most diligently into the said miracles, have taken care to make that inquiry, having called religious men to us, according to the form given to us, examining with all diligence both the statements of those on whom the Lord conferred a benefit through the merits of Brother Ambrose and the statements of the witnesses produced on these matters for the fullest credence; we have caused them to be written and signed by the hand of Rainerius the notary, and have caused them to be kept under our seals, as was contained in the letter of the lord pope sent to us, the tenor of which letter is as follows.
[2] The letter of Gregory IX. "Gregory, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to our venerable brothers the bishops .. of Orvieto and of Sovana and to our beloved son the prior of San Giovanni de Platea of the order of St. Augustine Agustini R. at Orvieto, greeting and apostolic benediction. The wisdom corrected, at first sapientiam R. of God [illa (?) R; Dei the Dialogue, ed. Delorme, p. 139, and Sbaralea, Bullarium Franciscanum, vol. I, p. 280.] , which renews its Church with ineffable inefabilibus R. sacraments so as to manifest wonderfully the might of its power and mercifully to work the cause of our salvation, often honours on earth also its faithful whom it crowns in heaven, working at their memory signs and prodigies by which 〈heretical a faded word, supplied from the Dialogue and Sbaralea. 〉 depravity is confounded and the catholic faith confirmed. We therefore render referrimus R. what thanks we can to the Son of the eternal Father, that in our days, to the honour and glory of his name and to multiply the affection of devotion in those redeemed by his precious blood, he 〈renews a faded word, supplied from the Dialogue and Sbaralea. 〉 signs and mightily changes miracles, making those shine with miracles who held the catholic faith in heart, mouth and work. Ecclus. 36:6. As our should enim be read, as the Dialogue and Sbaralea have? beloved sons con adds, then deletes, R. the Council and people of Orvieto have informed us by their letter, the Lord of hosts has conferred so great glory on Brother Ambrose of pious memory, of the Order of Friars Minor, that he shines with so many and such great miracles that it is worthy dingnum R. that his suffrages be invoked sul adds, then deletes, R. among the other saints with humble and devout prayers. Wherefore they have humbly asked of us that we would cause testimonies to be received concerning the things which the divine loving-kindness works through him. But because in so holy a business one must proceed only with ripeness and gravity going before, we command by apostolic writing your discretion, in which we have full confidence written twice R. in the Lord, that, having called to you religious men fearing God, inquiring most diligently into the works and miracles of the said brother according to the form which we send you under our bull, you cause the depositions of the witnesses received to be kept enclosed under your seals in two or three religious lol adds, then deletes, R. places until the good pleasure of our will corrected, at first voluntatatis R. . Given at the Lateran, on the 6th of the Kalends of June [Wadding writes VI idus iunii, Annals, at the year 1240, no. IV, and after him Sbaralea, Bullarium, vol. I, p. 281. In the pontifical registers (L. Auvray, Les registres de Gregoire IX, Paris, 1910, vol. III, p. 239, note 2) the same day is read, but by correction. The Dialogue, ed. Lemmens, p. 55, has VI kal. iunii; ed. Delorme, p. 141, XI kal. iunii.] , in the fourteenth year of our pontificate.
[3] The form of examination. "The lawful legittimos R. witnesses whom you ought to receive concerning the life and conversation and miracles of Brother Ambrose of revered memory, an oath having first been taken by them, take care to examine diligently, and concerning all that they say question them: how they know, at what time, in what month, on what day, in whose presence, in what place, at whose invocation and with what words interposed; and concerning the names [omnibus R; nominibus the Dialogue, Sbaralea, Auvray, Registres de Gregoire IX, vol. III, p. 239.] of those on whom the miracles are said to have been done, and whether they knew them before, and for how many days viderunt adds, then deletes, R. before they saw them sick, and for how long they were sick, and for how long they have been seen healthy, and from what place they originate; and let them be questioned diligently about all the circumstances, and on each heading let the aforesaid questions be put as is expedient. Let the sequence of the testimony and the words of the witnesses be faithfully reduced to writing [A formula usual in most processes of that age. Cf. the process of Bl. Simon of Collazzone, Wadding, Annals, at the year 1240, no. VI, p. 35.] ."
[4] In the name of the Lord. Amen. And in the same year and aforesaid indiction, on the ninth day from the end of the month of September setembris R. , the brothers, witnesses who swore concerning the life and conversation and good works of blessed Ambrose Ambrossii R. of good memory.
The testimony of Brother Morico Brother Morico Cf. Prel. Comm. no. 10, above, p. 569. of the Order of Friars Minor, a sworn witness. He says on his oath that when on one occasion he had come to the castle which is called Cotone [As it seems, Cotone di Maremma, in Tuscany (province of Grosseto, district of Scansano).] , announcing the way of salvation there, blessed Ambrose, the man of God, was present at the preaching predicationis R. , listening with his whole heart. And when the sermon was finished, he came to Brother Morico with compunction of heart, seeking penance for his sins. on Ambrose's conversion, And he committed him to a certain priest, who was called Brother Rainerius, and after the penance was enjoined he returned reddiit R here and often. to Brother Morico, asking what he wished him to do for God's sake. And having received from him the counsel to return to the office of the clerical state, acquiring a church he began to lead his life according to the ecclesiastical form. And in the third year, when Brother Morico came back to those parts, as soon as the man of God heard of his coming, on his entry into the order of Minors, he flew to him with all speed, and so he received him into the order
in the city which is called Massa [Certainly Massa Marittima or Massa di Maremma, cf. Prel. Comm. no. 1, above, p. 566.] . And he said, before he was received by the brother, that he was ready for everything which the said brother might wish to command him, so that when he was received by him, he received a command from him 〈and〉 went to his own home with two brothers whom he had given him, and so whatever he had had, both his parish and everything, he most willingly abandoned, and afterwards was clothed in the above-written (d. et s.) dereliquid et infrascripta R. city. Brother Morico also says that he never 〈heard〉 anyone who bore a stained testimony about the man's life and conversation in the world, or defamed him of any criminal vice; after he received the habit of blessed Francis Francissci R here and quite often. , in the aforesaid predicto R. fourteen years and more, persevering to the end, he consecrated himself in virtues and good works with his whole heart to the Lord revelavit adds, then deletes, R. . obedience, And he says that he was of such great obedience obbedientie here and quite often R. that he never neglected his precepts in anything, but set R here and at times. day and night, through waters and snows, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness, he gathered himself ad adds, then deletes, R. inwardly and outwardly to obey; most devout in the office, especially that of the Blessed Virgin, devotion to the Blessed Virgin, performing it with genuflections, so that when he walked along the public road saying the office of the Blessed Virgin, he bent his knees to the ground. fasts, He most willingly kept the fasts of the rule; the vigils of the apostles and Fridays he very often fasted on bread and water; bearing the bowels of mercy misecordie R. and compassion, he was solicitous in the service of the sick, charity towards the sick most devoutly ministering everything he could. And he was so solicitous to serve the sick brothers that, frequently leaving Mass in order to relieve the needs of the brothers, going round the houses of seculars on his own feet, he most devoutly brought whatever he could find; yet he left Mass many times, and when he could he celebrated in the villages. Likewise he relieved the sick secular poor as he could, so that he went to them from his own place with his medicines to bind their wounds; and other brothers, he also ministered with all zeal to the healthy brothers, doing the brothers' cooking, washing the dishes parasides R. , going for alms ellemosina R here and at times. and acquiring whatever he could for the brothers' needs, so that his feet were many times split scindebatur R. because of the cold; which he sewed with needle and thread, and melted wax cera R. or tallow into those splits, so that he might in some measure be relieved. Pre-eminent in chastity, not able to bear those who had fallen into the vice of lust, chastity, evil things displeased him as much as possible; if it happened that he was vexed with any brother, humility. at once, with a cord round his neck, prostrate on the ground, he most devoutly asked pardon of the brother. He frequently persisted in prayer, deploring his own sins. In the common comunis R. life according to the rule of the brothers, mean in habit and other things, so that he furnished to others the pattern of good working. And thus, the Lord bringing it about, he consummated consumavit R almost always. the warfare of his life to the end.
[5] The testimony of Brother Tobias Brother Tobias, of the aforesaid order, sworn, said that once when he had gone with Brother Morico to the castle which is called Cotone, the said Brother Morico announced the word of God there, at which preaching the man of God was present. He says in all things the same as Brother Morico about the conversion and the taking of the habit. Item, he says that in all things he observed the rule in going barefoot, through snows and waters, on Ambrose's conversion, virtues in cold and thirst. Item, he says that he was of such great obedience that he never neglected any precepts given him. Asked how he knows the aforesaid, he answered that for fourteen years and more he has lived with him in the order. He says that in the office he was most devout, especially that of the Blessed Virgin, performing it with genuflections, so that when he walked along the public road saying the office of the Blessed Virgin, he bent his knees to the ground. And he says that he saw him a good man, honest, chaste, merciful and mean in clothing and bearing, patient, humble and charitable corrected, at first caratativum R. . He says also that if at any time he was vexed with any brother, immediately, with a cord round his neck, prostrate on the ground, he most devoutly asked pardon of the brother. He most willingly served the sick and healthy brothers, likewise frequently did faces adds, then deletes, R. the cooking, very often went from door to door for alms, and sought whatever he could for the brothers' needs, so that his feet were many times split because of the cold; which he sewed with needle and thread, and melted wax or tallow into those splits so that he might in some measure be relieved. All evil things displeased dissplicebant R. him as much as possible; he frequently persisted in prayer, deploring his own sins. and the charism of prophecy. Item, he says that when this year this witness and blessed Ambrose were going from the city de adds, then deletes, R. of Orvieto to the church of San Pietro in Metera San Pietro in Vetere, commune of Fabro. , blessed Ambrose then wished to say certain words to this brother. But, pressed presso R. by the labour of the journey and the conversation of those walking, he did not say them then. Whence on the second day on which blessed Ambrose began to suffer, this witness went to him, saying that he should tell him what he had wished to say while he was on the journey with him. He answered, saying: "My angel announced to me that I was to be placed under obedience at San Pietro, and that there sickness would seize me, and that I was to be transferred transerendo R. sick to the place of the city of Orvieto where the brothers hoped to build frabicare R. a church. And the angel showed me the pains of purgatory, horrible and to be feared, and said that of that same sickness I was to depart to the Lord a domino R. ." Item, he says that on the day on which he departed from this world his face became joyful perhaps written for exhilaratus. about the hour of Matins mattutini R here and quite often. , and the said brother asked whether he had seen St. Francis. He answered 〈and〉 said: "No." And whether he had seen any angel. He answered and said: "Brother, you ask too much." Item, he says that he then told the death of a certain man, William the dyer, saying: "William is dead," who often confessed his offences to him. And one of the brothers said: "Must you follow William?" He answered: "No, but he passes violently, and I shall follow him in the evening between None and Vespers." And so it was.
[6] The testimony of Brother Stephen, Brother Stephen of Vectona Bettona in Umbria (district and canton of Perugia). , sworn, said that he stayed with blessed Ambrose of good memory for four months and saw him keep well the rule of blessed Francis and obedience, serving God by fasting half of Lent quadragessime R. on bread and water. He willingly went to acquire alms for the needs of the healthy brothers fatrum R. and also of the sick. Asked in what place he stayed with him, he answered: at Gillum, in the presence of Brother Tobias, Brother Bonaionta and several others.
[7] of Brother Pandulf, Brother paddo adds, then deletes, R. Pandolfus, formerly bishop of Sessa [Pandulphus, bishop of Sessa (Sessa in lower Italy), is mentioned in the year 1224. Eubel, Hierarchia catholica medii aevi, 2nd ed., vol. I, p. 467.] , a sworn witness, said that it is now fifteen years since he came to the religion of the Friars Minor, and he was with Brother Ambrose of good memory at the place which is called Tenninus reading doubtful. , where there is a church of the Friars Minor, in the diocese of Orvieto, where he saw the said blessed Ambrose and stayed with him; who frequently confessed his sins to him. He told him that his flesh never saw corruption corructionem R. , either by himself or through another, after he obtained the habit of religion a adds, then deletes, R. . And he was in all things obedient to his superior circ adds, then deletes, R. , merciful towards penitents, so that he often asked his said confessor to deal mercifully with penitents and to relax the penance enjoined. Item, he says that he was so solicitous in acquiring alms for the brothers' needs that his feet had very great cracks fixuras R. in the heel from going barefoot and the hardship of the roads, so that frequently in the evening he poured drops gucta R. of candles into the cracks of his feet. And he willingly sang Mass and lingered in the divine offices. Asked how he knows the aforesaid, he answered that it is now fifteen years that he was with him at intervals, and for certain periods interstina R. lived with him familiarly. Asked in whose presence, he answered: Brother Blasius of Pisa, Brother Ysaya and several others.
[8] of Brother Bartholomew, Brother Bartholomew of Castrum Plebis Castello della Pieve (province of Pesaro). , a priest, questioned, said that it is now seven years and more that he 〈knew〉 blessed Ambrose, and saw him obedient without murmuring, and patient in tribulations, bearing the bowels of compassion towards the poor and the sick, devoutly celebrating the solemnities of Masses and the office, serving the sick brothers with diligence, solicitously acquiring alms and other things necessary for the brothers, observing the poverty of the rule in clothing and footwear caltiamentis R. and other things as was fitting. He says also that when at his end he made his confession to him, he said among other things that, as long as he lived in religion, he persevered in purity and chastity of his body until death. And he says that he said in confession near his end in the city of Orvieto, in the place where the Friars Minor began to build frabicare R. a church, that it had been divinely revealed to him that he was to be transferred tranferondus R. to the church of San Pietro in Metera, where the brothers were then staying, and was to suffer sickness infirmitate R. and of the same sickness depart to God a Deo R. , and to be transferred sick into the city of Orvieto to the place mentioned above. And he says that in the aforesaid revelation, caught up in the spirit, he saw the pains of purgatory and saw some souls of the dead known to him. And in the same sickness he wonderfully kept patience, and in joyfulness of soul. Item, he said
that in his lifetime he should reveal nothing to anyone about the aforesaid revelation.
[9] of Brother Uguccio, Brother Uguictio of Assisi Ascisio R. , a priest, questioned, said that it is now fifteen years that he knew and stayed with blessed Ambrose of good memory at intervals. He saw that he conducted himself well in his conversation among the brothers, observing the rule; and he solicitously rendered services to the healthy and the sick brothers; he was an obedient man; he willingly went for alms and other things for the brothers fratribus R. . He says also that he confessed to him several times, in which he recognised him to be of the greatest purity, flourishing especially in mercy, helping the poor with medicines. He celebrated his office excellently obtime R quite often. , especially that of the blessed Virgin, because he venerated her with great affection. He recognised him also to be chaste and patient in nakedness and cold. He saw him also lead his life in patience and good works until the end.
[10] of Brother Fatius. Brother frate R. Fatius, of Orvieto, questioned, said that per adds R. when he had stayed some months with blessed Ambrose at Montedonicum Motedonnicum R. Commune of Lamporecchio, province of Florence. , he saw him a good and spiritual man in obeying, solicitously fulfilling the precepts imposed on him. He says also that he celebrated his office with diligence, very frequently went from door to door for alms, served the sick brothers most affectionately, rendered help with his medicines to the secular sick poor, and several times did the cooking for the brothers. He was a man mean in clothing and footwear and food, as was fitting; he remained in the chastity of his body, and very often fasted on bread and water. He saw him also patient in his sicknesses, and so in penance and good works he consummated consumavit R quite often. the course of his life in the Lord.
[11] of Brother Apollinaris, Brother Appolinaris, questioned, said that it is now seven years and more that he knew blessed Ambrose, and saw him a good and honest man, obedient and chaste, merciful and mean in clothing and bearing, patient and humble and charitable. He says that if at any time he offended in anything, he bore substinebat R. correction with patience; he most willingly served the sick and healthy brothers; likewise he frequently did the cooking; he very often went from door to door for alms; he celebrated his office devoutly, especially that of the glorious Virgin. He was a devout man, full of spiritual zeal çelo R. ; for if he saw any doing wrong, kindled accessus R. with zeal çelo R. he rebuked them several times. Which Brother Appolinaris says 〈that〉 several times within the aforesaid time he was his custos, and so in penance and et written twice R. good works he consummated his course in the Lord.
[12] of Brother Bonaiuto. Brother Bonaionta, questioned about blessed Ambrose beati Amb. R. , quod said on his oath, and he says that, since he lived with him for a year and more, he saw him of good life and good conversation and very solicitous and devout in the office. He saw him also an obedient man, chaste, and bearing the bowels of piety towards the sick. Likewise, if at any time he was vexed with anyone, saying his fault he most willingly 〈fulfilled〉 the penance enjoined; he went solicitously and attentively actente R. for alms, bringing to the brothers what he could find. He willingly celebrated the solemnities of Masses sollepnia R. , and after the consecration he several times did the cooking for his brothers. Item, he was 〈solicitous〉 to apply the remedy of penance to sinners, so that sometimes, leaving his eating and drinking, he ran accurebat R. solicitously at their request. He took the greatest pains to bring the remedy of health to the secular sick, so that he went from his own place to their houses with medicines. Item, he says that he saw him in two Lents quatragesimis R. fasting on bread and water on the second, fourth and sixth day of the week, and sometimes in that fast he ate commedebat R quite often. raw herbs, and so, living in virtues, he consummated the course of his life in the Lord.
I, Rainerius son of Guido, by mandate of the aforesaid lords R. of Orvieto and G. of Sovana, bishops, and C., prior of San Giovanni de Platea, and in their presence, wrote and signed all the aforesaid, in the year of the Lord one thousand two hundred and forty, in the thirteenth indiction, in the time of the lord Pope Gregory IX.
The sign singnum R often. of the said (L. S.) Rainerius, notary.
[13] A woman tormented by demons for four years On the fourteenth day, August having begun agusto R. . Ventura, son of Ildribandus Crassus, of San Giovanni di Montorio Commune of Sorano, province of Grosseto. in the diocese of Orvieto, a sworn witness, said that when Gratia, daughter of Rainaldus, of the aforesaid place, for four years was so violently tormented by demons that she could not be held back from the torment of the demons by the strength of four men, and she had gone to several oratories and the demons were by no means corrected, at first nullatenus R. driven from her, at length, when blessed Ambrose was staying in the church of Santa Vittoria of the same terre adds, then deletes, R. castle, Ambrose, while still living, the aforesaid woman was brought to that same place by others. And when he had commanded the demons to go out eseuntes R. of her and leave her released without any hurt, at once they were extiternt R. obedient to his orders, so that the aforesaid woman afterwards suffered no hurt from them. sets her free. But before they were driven from her, fearing him they said: "He is in such a place, and on such a day he will come." Which was so. Asked how much time it is since this happened, he answered that it is a year before his death. And this he says he knows because he saw it.
Bonagratia of the same place, kinsman of the said lady, sworn, said that when the aforesaid Gratia for four years was so violently tormented by demons that she could not be held back from the torment of the demons by the strength of four men, and had gone to several oratories and the demons were by no means driven from her; whence, when one day blessed Ambrose was staying in the church of Santa Vittoria of the same place, the aforesaid woman was brought to him by others; and when he had commanded the demons to go out of her 〈and〉 leave her released without any hurt, at once, obedient to his orders, they did so, so that the aforesaid woman afterwards suffered no hurt from them. Before ante quam R almost always. the demons were driven out, fearing him they said: "In such a place and on such a day he will come." Which was so. And he says that this was, it is now a year, before the blessed man's death.
The lady Senuta, wife of the aforesaid Bonagratia, a sworn witness, says the same as the said Bonagratia.
[14] A boy suffering in his eyes The lady Sclaraldie ["Sclarandie" Fumi reads, Processo della canonizzazione del B. Ambrogio da Massa, in the Miscellanea Francescana, vol. I, p. 77.] , daughter-in-law of the lady Tedora, of the quarter of the Holy Apostles [For the quarters or districts of the city of Orvieto described, see G. Pardi, Il catasto d' Orvieto dell' anno 1292, in the Bollettino della Societa Umbra di storia patria, vol. II (1896), pp. 225–320.] , sworn, said that she had a son of hers named Barthuctius who so shrank from light that he could in no way look at fire or the sun or the air aierem R always. or any other light; whence, when blessed Ambrose was labouring in his last moments, she went to the place where he lay and asked of him the favour that he should place his hand over the eyes of the aforesaid boy, whom she had carried with her. Whence blessed Ambrose said that he placed his hand over the boy's eyes and made the sign of the cross; dying, he heals by the sign of the cross; at whose touch the boy was immediately set free. Asked for how long a time he had had that defect, she answered: "For the time of a year and a half." Asked when this was, she answered: "On the day on which he of good memory departed from the world."
The lady Tedora, sister of Bartholomew the physician, of the quarter of the Holy 〈Apostles〉, a sworn witness, said that she had a grandson, Barthuctius, son of the said lady Sclaraldie, who so shrank from light that he could in no way look at fire or the air or any light; whence, on the day on which blessed Ambrose of good memory departed from the world, the said lady Sclaraldie carried her son to the place where he lay before he had passed away, and had the hands of the man of God drawn over the eyes of the named boy and had the sign of the cross made, and immediately the boy was most fully cured of the said defect by the merits of the blessed man.
The lady Cicilia corrected, at first Ciciva R. , mother of Brother Fatius, of the same quarter, kinswoman of the said lady Tedora, a sworn witness, says the same as the aforesaid lady Tedora.
[15] likewise a girl suffering from swollen glands in the throat and jaws. The lady Matthaliona, wife of Ranuctius the merchant, of the quarter of the Holy Apostles, sworn, said that when blessed Ambrose was labouring in his last moments, this lady went to the place where he lay and brought a certain daughter of hers named Massaria ["Massaia" Fumi, op. cit., p. 80; "Massanam" the Dialogus de gestis Sanctorum Fratrum Minorum, ed. Delorme, p. 171, no. 37.] , who had swollen glands in her throat and gullet which looked very horrible, and she besought him and asked ab eo adds, then deletes, R. of him the favour that he should place his hand 〈on〉 the said girl's gullet and make the sign of the cross. Which most holy man placed his hand on the said girl's gullet and made the sign of the cross; at whose favour and touch the girl was set free on the day following the touch. Asked for how long a time the said girl had had the said glands, she answered: "For the time of four years." And when she was set free: "On the day on which he passed away." Asked in whose presence, she answered that almost the whole house where he lay was full. Asked whether the said girl had the said glands again afterwards, she answered: "No, on the contrary she was set free." And she showed her before the aforesaid lords bishops and prior and me the notary, excellently set free.
[16] He frees another from a tumour on the head. The lady Iacoba, wife of John the smith frabi corrected, at first frabri R. , of the quarter of Sant'Andrea, sworn, said that she had a daughter of hers named Claruvisus having on her head the disease which is called the wolf; whence, when this lady was standing in front of her house one 〈day〉 after the hour of Vespers, blessed Ambrose of good memory passed in front of her house, and the lady herself called him to give her counsel and help concerning her daughter's sickness; and the blessed man looked at the disease and placed his hand and made the sign of the cross; and on the following morning, when the said lady rose surexit R. , there was split open
the disease, and she found there the mark of the cross, and on the next day following the girl was most fully cured of the said disease. Questioned about the time, she answered ante adds, then deletes, R. : on the eighth day before the blessed man of good memory departed at first migravit R. from the world. Asked in whose presence, she answered that her aforesaid husband was there and saw the aforesaid; and she says that the girl had suffered that sickness for the time of one year.
John the smith, of the quarter of Sant'Andrea, a sworn witness, said that he had a certain daughter of his named Claruvisus, having on her head the disease which is called the wolf; whence, when he was standing in his house one evening after the hour of Vespers, blessed Ambrose then passed by, and his wife called to him, asking him to give counsel about the said girl's sickness. He touched the said girl's head and with his written twice, but once deleted, R. hands made the sign of the cross; and on the following morning, when his wife looked at the said girl's head, she saw there the mark of the cross, and on the next day following the girl was most fully set free from the aforesaid sickness.
I, Rainerius son of Guido, by mandate of the aforesaid lords R. of Orvieto and G. of Sovana, bishops, and C., prior of San Giovanni de Platea, and in their presence, signed all the aforesaid, in the year of the Lord one thousand two hundred and forty, in the 13th indiction, in the time of the lord Pope Gregory IX.
The sign of the said (L. S.) Rainerius, notary.
[17] In the name of the Lord. On the fourteenth day, the month of June having begun.
On invoking the help of Bl. Ambrose there revive Miracle. Legerius the key-maker, a citizen of Orvieto, who lives beside the house of the lord Sinebaldus son of Ranucçalus Hermanni ["Synibaldus Ranucci Hermanni" often appears as a witness in the acts of the years 1234–1239. Fumi, Codice diplomatico, pp. 140, 144, 157, 158, 160.] , sworn, said on his oath that when he had gone with Bemmenutus "Benevenutus", the Dialogue, p. 179, no. 49. his son in the month of June, and with several others, on the feast of St. Barnabas 11 June. , to the river Palea The river Palea (Paglia), which washes Orvieto and flows into the Tiber. in order to bathe, the boy, having put off his clothes, was bathing in the shallow water, as he had been warned by his father not to cross over into the deep water; but the same Legerius, since there was no sandbank [For "arenario"; cf. a little below: "rena" for "arena" and "subrenatus".] near where his son was bathing, went further longnius R. off to the sandbank; a boy choked by the waves, but Bemmenutus his son, not obeying his father's precepts, then left reliquid R. the place of shallow water and went to the place where there was deep water and an eddy of it; and since the boy did not know how to swim, he was submerged and sank under the sand. And a certain boy who had gone with his said son 〈and〉 saw this called this Legerius, his father, to et R. come and help his son, now submerged; and he, when he heard him crying out thus, went to the place in the water where his aforementioned son was submerged, and when he went through the water to find his son with the bystanders abstantibus R here and thereafter. there, who had come at the noise and his weeping, and he and the bystanders could not find him, he began to cry out, weeping: "St. Ambrose, give back reddere R. my son to me." And a certain man, who is called by name Gualterius, entered the water and dived, and drew out the aforementioned boy dead from the depth of the deep. Asked how he knew that he was dead, he answered because he had both his mouth and his eyes full of earth, and these rolled back in his head. Whence, when he had been drawn out and placed on the ground, this Legerius, weeping, together with the bystanders, began to call out for the help of blessed Ambrose, the man of God, that by his glorious merits he would deign digneretur R and thereafter. to give back the boy to his father. At whose invocation, by the merits of the man of God, the boy immediately revived, and the first word which the boy uttered corrected, at first p. q. e. v. was this: "St. Ambrose, help me." Asked in whose presence, he answered: Ranuctius son of Ardictio, chamberlain of the commune of Orvieto, his shield-bearer, Andrea Barberius, and several others. Asked how long the boy could have stayed in the water, he answered: a long while, because he was distant from him for a time, and afterwards men went a long while through the water seeking him, and he could not be found, so deep was it. Asked how old the boy is, he answered: he is not yet ten years old.
John son of Soldana, of the quarter of Sant'Andrea, a sworn witness, said that when in the month of June in which we are, on the day of the feast corrected R. of St. Barnabas, he had gone to the river Palea in order to bathe, the son of Legerius the key-maker was submerged and choked in the deep water, so that his face had been disfigured deturbatus R. with mud or clay and sand, and he had mud both in his mouth and in his eyes, and his eyes rolled back in his head; whence, an outcry being raised, all the bystanders were called and went through the water to find the boy, whom they could not find. A certain man named Gualterius, entering the water and diving, then drew extrassit R. the boy himself out dead from the depth of the deep, and all reckoned him dead and wept for him as dead, and the father and all the bystanders prayed God and blessed Ambrose that he would deign to give him back whole to his father. And the vow being made, immediately the boy moved and by the merits of the blessed man received health most fully. Asked in whose presence, he answered: Ranuctius son of Ardictio, chamberlain of the commune of Orvieto, his shield-bearer Andrea Barberius, the boy's father and many others.
Andrea Barberius, of the quarter of Vallis Placta Today Valle Piatta. , sworn, said that when, in the month of June which is now, he had gone to the river Palea in order to bathe, on the day of St. Barnabas, with Legerius the key-maker and several others, Legerius's son was bathing in the shallow water as he had been warned by his father at first matre R. ; then he went to the place where there was deep water and an eddy of it, so that he was submerged and sank under the sand, since he did not know how to swim. Whence, when a certain boy who had gone with him had seen Legerius's son enter the water, he called Legerius, his father, to come to his son, now submerged. At whose cries several men came, and when they went through the water, they could not find the said Legerius's son. Whence a certain man who is called Gualterius entered the water and dived, and then drew the aforementioned boy out dead from the depth of the deep. Asked how he knew that he was dead, he answered: because he did not move in any way, nor had he any pulse, and he had both his mouth and his eyes full of earth, and these rolled back in his head. Asked in whose presence, he answered: Ranuctius son of Ardictio, chamberlain of the commune of Orvieto, his shield-bearer and many others. Asked how long the boy could have stayed in the water, he answered: for a long hour, because his father was distant from him, and afterwards the bystanders searched through the water for him and could not find him. Whence the father and all a adds, then deletes, R. the bystanders there, weeping, began to call out for the help of blessed Ambrose, that he would deign to give back the said boy to his father, the father saying that if he did so, he would remain in his service the whole time of his life and would give of his own for love of him. At whose invocation, by the merits of blessed Ambrose, the boy immediately revived. And he said that the first word which the boy uttered was this: "St. Ambrose, help me."
Ranuctius son of Ardictio [He appears in charters of the years 1240–1248, Fumi, Codice diplomatico, pp. 166, 170, 173, 180, 181.] , chamberlain of the commune of Orvieto, sworn, said that when in the month of June which is now he had gone to the river Palea in order to bathe, with his shield-bearer and several others, and while he was bathing, he heard voices raised that the son of Legerius the key-maker had been submerged and choked subfucatus R. in the water. At which cries he went there and found Legerius and several others who were going through the water to find the son of the named Legerius, whom they could not find, so deep was the water there where the boy lay. And when he had gone about for a long mangnam R. hour to find the boy, a certain man named Gualterius, a key-maker, entered the water and dived, and then drew the boy out dead from the depth of the deep, whom the father and the bystanders reckoned dead and wept for. Whence the father, weeping, and all the bystanders began to call out for the help of blessed Ambrose and for the favour that he would deign to give back the aforementioned boy whole to his father. At whose invocation the boy immediately revived revisit R. , and the first word which he at once uttered was this: "St. Ambrose, help me." Asked how he knew that he was dead, he answered that he was certainly dead, because he had his mouth full of earth and his eyes the same, and these rolled back in his head. Asked what words the father used in the invocation, he answered that he prayed blessed Ambrose that he would deign to give his son back to him, and that he, as long as he lived, would remain in his service and, as long as vid adds, then deletes, R. he lived, would give of his own for love of him. Asked in whose presence, he answered: the boy's father, the shield-bearer of the chamberlain himself, Andrea Barberius and several others. Asked how old the boy is, he answered that he is not ten years old.
John, shield-bearer of the aforesaid chamberlain, sworn, said that when one day this month he had gone to the river Palea with the aforesaid chamberlain, and while the same Ranuctius was bathing, they heard cries that the son of the aforesaid Legerius had been choked in the water and had sunk under the sand; whence they went to the place where the outcry was and found the aforesaid Legerius and many others who were going through the water to find the boy, the son of Legerius, whom they could not find because they said dicebat R. that the water where the boy lay was very deep. Questioned about everything, he spoke as the aforesaid chamberlain.
[18] another who fell from a window. Miracle. Leonardus of Montepulciano, who lives in the house of Ugulinus son of John son of Uguictio Cf. Pardi, same vol., pp. 275, 279. , sworn, said that he had a certain son of his named John, one year old, and while the boy was walking about the palace of the aforesaid Ugulinus, the boy, going to the window, fell to the ground from the palace, and the boy died at once. Whence the father, 〈who〉 was present there, picked up his dead son from the ground; whence, while he was holding him
dead in his arms and was weeping for him as dead, at length he began to call out for the help of blessed Ambrose, the man of God, and vowed him to blessed Ambrose, that he by his glorious merits would deign to give his son back to him whole, saying and using these words: that if he gave his son back to him whole, he would carry a wax image inmaginem R and thereafter. to his tomb and would remain permaret R. in his service the whole time of his life. This vow being made, immediately, by the merits of blessed Ambrose and at his invocation, the boy revived without any hurt to his flesh, except that a little whitish matter came out through his ear auricolam R. , which people said was brain. And so all the bystanders were saying: "He is certainly dead, because the brain has come out of his head." Asked how far from the ground is the height from which the boy fell, he answered that the height from which the boy fell is five paces passum R. and four feet. Asked onto what the boy fell, he answered: "Into the public road, between the palace of the aforesaid Ugulinus and the palace of Simeon son of Gualfreductius." Asked when this was, he answered: in the month of May just past, after the passing of blessed Ambrose of good memory. Asked in whose presence: Peter the smith frabo R and thereafter. , Bemmenutus the hatter, the wife of Grillus and several others who had gone to the lamentation plantum R. . Asked how the infant was, he showed him whole before the lord Rainerius, bishop of Orvieto, the bishop of Sovana, the prior of San Giovanni, the prior of Santa Croce and me, the undersigned notary.
Peter the smith, of the quarter of San Leonardo, a citizen of Orvieto, a sworn witness, said that when the son of the aforesaid Leonardus, a certain little boy, was going about the palace of Ugulinus, the boy, going to the window of the aforesaid palace, fell to the ground and was at once dead, and he saw him dead in his father's arms, and the father and the mother and others of the bystanders were weeping for him as dead. Asked how he knows that he was dead, he answered because the boy did not move in any way, nor could any pulse be found in him at all; and he also says that brain had come out of the boy's head through his ear. Whence, while the father was holding him dead in his arms, weeping he began to call out for the help of blessed Ambrose, the man of God, vowing him to blessed Ambrose, saying: "St. Ambrose, I vow my son to you, that by your glorious merits you would deign to give him back to me; and if you do, I will remain in your service at all times and will carry a wax image to your tomb." This vow being made, by the merits of the blessed man and at his invocation, the boy immediately revived without any hurt, except that there came out of his ear auricola R. , as has been said above. Asked in whose presence, he answered: many who had come to the lamentation. Questioned about the time, he answered: in the month of May just past, at the time of the passing of the man of God. And he says here also that the height from which he fell is far distant from the ground, so that once a certain maidservant of the lord Ugulinus, Greca, fell from the aforesaid place, and she was at once dead and both her eyes burst.
Bemmenutus the hatter, of the same quarter, a sworn witness, said that when he was standing in front of the shops of the sons of Peter son of Cittadinus near the palace of the aforesaid Ugulinus, a certain little boy, son of Leonardus of Montepulciano montepulcano R. , who lives in the palace of the said Ugulinus, fell from the aforesaid palace to the ground; and when he had heard the sound of the boy when he fell, and the boy's father and mother weeping, he went there; whom the father was holding, his son, dead in his arms, and they were weeping for him as dead; and a vow being uttered, by the merits of blessed Ambrose the boy was immediately most fully healed without any hurt to his flesh, except that a little whitish matter came out through his ear auricolam R. , which the bystanders said was wholly brain. Asked how he knew that he was dead, he answered because he did not move in any way, nor was any pulse found in him; and he says that he held tent (?) R. the boy, who was certainly dead. And he says that the height from which he fell is far distant from the ground. Questioned about the time, he answered: "At the time of the passing of the blessed man, in the month of May just past." Asked in whose presence, he answered: "Peter the smith, the lady Viscontessa Viscotessa R. , the aforesaid Ugulinus, and another multitude both of men and women, which had come to the dead child." Asked what words the father used in the vow or invocation, he answered that he said: "St. Ambrose, I vow my son above the line to you and I call for the favour that by your glorious merits you would deign to give him back to me whole, and I will carry a wax image to your tomb and will remain in your service the whole time of my life."
The lady Viscontessa, wife of Grillus the paper-maker, a sworn witness, said that when the son of Leonardus of Montepulciano, her neighbour, was going about the palace of Ugulinus son of John son of Uguictio, the boy went to the window of the palace and fell to the ground; and he was at once dead. Asked how she knows that he was dead, she answered that she saw and touched him dead, and the father was holding him dead in his arms. Whence, weeping, he at once vowed him to blessed Ambrose, calling for the favour and help of the man 〈of God〉, that by his glorious merits he would deign to give his son back to him; and if he did, he would remain in his service the whole corrected, at first totot R. time of his life and would carry a wax image before his tomb. And the vow being made, by the merits of the blessed man Ambrose the boy immediately revived without any hurt. Asked when this was, she answered: in the month of May, at the time of the passing of the blessed man of good memory. Questioned about the day, she answered that she does not remember. Asked in whose presence, she answered that there was a great multitude of men and women which had come to the dead child. And she says that the height from which the boy fell is so high that no one could escape dying moriretur R. at once if he fell from there. Asked how old the boy himself is, she answered that he is one year old.
Iemma son of Ugulinus of Castello, a citizen of Orvieto, a sworn witness, said that he saw corrected, at first viderat R. the son of Leonardus of Montepulciano, who had fallen from the palace of the aforesaid Ugulinus, dead on that occasion; whom the father, when he fell from the palace, picked up dead and was holding dead in his arms. Asked how he knew that he was dead, he answered because he saw and touched him dead, and both the father and others of the bystanders were weeping for the boy as dead. Whence the father, weeping, began to call out for the help of blessed Ambrose, the man of God, that he by his glorious merits would deign to give his son back to him whole. This vow being made, at the invocation of the blessed man and by his glorious merits he was at once most fully plenissie R. healed without any hurt to his flesh, except that a little white filth came out through his ear auricolam R. , which the bystanders said was wholly brain. Questioned about the time when it was, he answered: in the month of May written twice R. just past, at the time of the passing bone adds, then deletes, R. of blessed Ambrose.
[19] An infant's clenched jaws are opened. Miracle et testis adds R. . Master Peter the smith, of the quarter of San Leonardo, a citizen of Orvieto, a sworn witness, said that when the lady Clara his wife pp adds, then deletes, R. had borne a male child and had had him healthy for thirty days, the boy began to be gravely ill, so that he would not suck, and to close his mouth in such a way that it could by no means be opened, nor could any pulse be found in him at all, so that he had stayed thus for one day and one night, and he held him wholly for dead, because all his limbs were growing cold refrigesscebant R. like those of a dying man. Whence, when that night, at about the hour of Matins mattutinali R here and thereafter. , he was watching over the dead child with his wife, at length he vowed corrected, at first b. i. d. A. him to blessed Ambrose, that God by the merits of blessed Ambrose would deign to give his son back to him whole, saying that if he did, he would remain in his service the whole time of his life and, for love of him, as long as he lived, would give of his own. At whose invocation, by the merits of the blessed man, the vow being made, immediately, before he himself moved, the boy opened his mouth and began to suck and received health most fully. Questioned about the time when this was, he answered: in the month of May just past, at the time of the passing of the blessed man of good memory. Asked in whose presence, he answered: himself being present and his aforesaid wife. Asked in what place, he answered: in his house; and he said that on the following morning, when this happened, he firmly believed he would bury sepellire R. the boy.
The lady Clara, wife of the aforesaid Master Peter, sworn, said that when she had borne a male child and had had him healthy for thirty days, he was so seized by a most grievous sickness that he would not suck the breast, and he had begun to close his mouth in such a way that it could by no means be opened, nor was any pulse found in him, and all his limbs were growing cold pp adds, then deletes, R. like those of a dying man, and he had stayed thus for one day and one night; and he appeared to her wholly dead. Whence, when in the night she was watching over the dead child with her aforesaid husband, at length her husband vowed him to blessed Ambrose, that God by the glorious merits of the man of God would deign to give his son back to him whole, saying that if he did, he would remain in his service the whole time of his life, and as long as he lived would give of his own for love of him. Which boy immediately, the vow being made, opened his mouth and began to suck and received health most fully. Questioned about the time when it was, she answered: in the month of May just past, at the time of the passing of blessed Ambrose of good memory; and this was in her house by night at the hour of Matins, she and her husband being present.
I, Rainerius son of Guido, notary, by mandate of the aforesaid lords R. of Orvieto and G. of Sovana, bishops, and C., prior of San Giovanni de Platea, and in their presence, wrote and signed all the aforesaid in the year of the Lord one thousand two hundred and forty, in the thirteenth indiction, in the time of the lord Pope Gregory IX.
The sign of the said (L. S.) Rainerius, notary.
[20] A demoniac is freed of the falling sickness at the tomb of Ambrose. On the fifteenth corrected, at first quartodecimo R. day, the month of June having begun.
Miracle. Pelle, of the quarter of Santa Mustiola, who lives beside the house of Barthus Rapiçella Fumi, op. cit., p. 162. , a sworn witness, said that when his brother Lombardus
"Leonardus" the Dialogue, no. 18, p. 154. was suffering morbum adds, then deletes, R. and labouring laborraret R. with the falling sickness and seemed possessed by a demon, he says that he fell forty times minimum adds, then deletes, R. between day and night, and because of this disease he twisted his mouth and his eyes and all his other limbs like a tormented man, sometimes making very great cries. And the same Lombardus with difficulty said this word: "Carry me to St. Ambrose." Whence this Pelle at once vowed his brother to blessed Ambrose, that he by his glorious merits would deign mercifully to free his brother. And so he carried his same brother with six men on a certain mattress to the tomb of blessed Ambrose; and this, he said, was one evening in his house when he made the vow. At whose vow and invocation, by the merits of the blessed man, on the following morning he was most fully cured and returned to his own house healthy and unharmed, so that after the vow was made he suffered no hurt. Asked what words he used in the vow, he answered that he said: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow my brother to you, that if you free him by your glorious merits, I will carry a wax image to your tomb and will remain in your service as long as I live." Questioned about the time when it was, he answered: in the month of April, at the time of the passing of blessed Ambrose of good memory. Asked in whose presence, he answered: Peter Cariscia, the lady Riccamotagna Riccamotangna R and quite often. , wife of the lord Ildrebandinus Ild. R. Ruffavella, the lady Clara, wife of the aforesaid Lombardus, Rubinus, Peter son of Barthus Rapiçella and several others. Asked for how long he had suffered thus, he answered: for two months before he of good memory departed from the world; and he says that that sickness never left him during the time above-said, nor could he perceive anything.
Peter Carisia, of the same quarter, a sworn witness, said that 〈when〉 Lombardus, brother of Pelle, was suffering and so labouring with the falling sickness that twenty times a day he was most grievously tormented by the said disease, and he sent foam out through his mouth and clenched his fists pungnos stringnebat R. and twisted his mouth, his eyes and all his limbs like a tormented man, yet he was always out of his mind, so that he could perceive nothing; which sickness he had suffered for two months now past. Whence, when this witness was standing one evening in the sufferer's house and there were very many there, the same with difficulty said this word: "Carry me to St. Ambrose." And Pelle, his brother, at once vowed him to blessed Ambrose, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow my brother to you, that if you free him by your glorious merits, I will carry a wax image to your tomb and will remain in your service the whole time of my life." Questioned about the time, he answered: at the time of the passing of the blessed man of good memory. At whose vow and by his glorious merits, on the following morning he was most fully cured, so that he returned to his own house healthy and unharmed. Asked whether that disease tormented him afterwards, he answered no. Item, he says that he saw when the aforesaid Pelle corrected, at first Pellem R. with certain others carried him, so ill, on a certain mattress to the blessed man's tomb.
The lady Riccamotagna, wife of the lord Ildrebandinus Ruffavella, a sworn witness, said that when Lombardus, brother of Pelle, was suffering and so labouring with the falling sickness that twenty times a day he was tormented, and twisted his mouth, his eyes and all his limbs like a tormented man, and sent most foul foam out through his mouth, and was always out of his mind, so that he could perceive nothing, and he had suffered that sickness thus for two months now past. Whence, when this witness was standing one evening in the house of the aforesaid Pelle, the same sufferer with difficulty said this word: "Carry me to St. Ambrose." And the same Pelle then vowed to blessed Ambrose, saying: "Blessed Ambrose beato Amb. R. , I vow my brother to you, that by your glorious merits you would deign mercifully to free him; and if you do, I will carry a wax image before your tomb for your service and will remain in your service the whole time of my life." And so the said Pelle carried his brother, so ill, with certain men on a certain mattress to the blessed man's tomb, and on the following morning, by the merits of the blessed man and at his invocation, he was most fully healed and returned to his own house healthy and unharmed. Questioned about the time when it was, she answered: in the month of April, at the time of the passing of the blessed man of good memory. Asked in whose presence, she answered: Peter Cariscia, Peter son of Barthus Rapicella and Rubinus and several others, who carried him to the tomb of the man of God.
The lady Balseverina, wife of Barthus Rapicella, a sworn witness, said that when Pelle's brother was suffering and labouring with the falling sickness so violently and cruelly that forty times between day and night he was violently tormented and seemed possessed by a demon, he so twisted his mouth and all his limbs, sometimes making very great cries, yet he was always out of his mind; but with difficulty the same Lombardus, brother of Pelle, said this word: "Carry me to St. Ambrose." And this, she says, was one evening, at the time of the passing of the man of God, in the house of the said Pelle and Lombardus. Whence the said Pelle at once vowed his brother to blessed Ambrose, that he by his glorious merits would deign mercifully to free him d adds, then deletes, R. , saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow my brother to you; if you free him by your glorious merits, I will carry a wax image to your tomb and will remain in your service the whole time of my life." And so the same Pelle that evening, with Peter Rapicella, Rubinus and several others, carried his brother, so ill, on a certain mattress to the tomb of blessed Ambrose. At his vow and by his glorious merits on the following morning he was most fully freed and returned home healthy and unharmed. Asked for how long he had suffered thus, she answered: for two months before he of good memory departed from the world. Asked whether afterwards he was tormented by that sickness, she answered: "No." Asked how she knew the aforesaid, she answered because she was seeing it and saw and heard it, and she is a near neighbour of his.
Rubinus son of Legerius, of the aforesaid quarter, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid Lombardus was violently suffering and labouring with the falling sickness, so violently that forty times between day and night he was tormented and made foam through his mouth and clenched his fists and twisted his mouth and all his limbs like a tormented man, sometimes making very great cries, yet he says that he could perceive nothing, so out of his mind was he. Whence, when this witness was standing one evening in Pelle's house, the same, his brother Lombardus, with difficulty said this word: "Carry me to St. Ambrose." Not that Lombardus himself perceived anything. And the same Pelle then vowed to blessed Ambrose, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow my brother to you, that by your merits you would deign mercifully to free him; and if you free him, I will carry a wax image to your tomb and will remain in your service the whole time of 〈my〉 life." And so that evening this witness, Pelle himself and certain other citizens of ours carried Lombardus, so ill, on a certain mattress to the tomb of blessed Ambrose, and this witness watched over him before the tomb the whole night. And on the following morning, at the invocation of the blessed man, he was most fully freed, so that by himself he returned to his own house healthy and unharmed respondit de adds, then deletes, R. . Questioned about the time when it was, he answered: in the month of April aprelis R quite often. , at the time of the passing of the blessed man; item, he says that Lombardus himself was piercing his own tongue with his own teeth.
The lady Clara, wife of the aforesaid Lombardus, sworn, said on her oath that when her same husband was labouring with a very great sickness and had the falling sickness, so that forty times and more between day and night he was most grievously tormented (and this she says because she was watching over him (odiebat eumdem) on an erasure R. and watched over him for two months, so ill that he could perceive nothing, so out of his mind was he), at length Pelle, Lombardus's brother, humbly and devoutly vowed to blessed Ambrose one evening, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow my brother to you, that by your glorious merits you would deign mercifully to free him; and if you do, I will carry a wax image to your tomb and will be devoted to you the whole time of my life." And so the same Pelle with Peter, and the aforesaid Rubinus with them, and several others, that evening carried the aforesaid Lombardus, so ill, to the tomb of blessed Ambrose. At whose invocation and by his glorious merits on the following morning he was most fully freed and returned to his own house healthy and unharmed. On all other matters she spoke as the aforesaid Pelle.
[21] An infant born dead is given life. Miracle. The lady Montanaria "Montaria" the Dialogue, no. 50, p. 180. , wife of Ugulinus the saddler, of the quarter of San Cristofano ["Christophori" the Dialogue, ibid.; "San Cristoforo" Fumi, Processo, same vol., p. 129.] , a sworn witness, said that when this witness was in the house of the lady Clara Caldronis "Zaldonis" the Dialogue, ibid. , the lady Clara herself was in childbirth ipartu R and thereafter. , and the lady, as it pleased God, bore a dead son, and this witness took him up dead; whence reading doubtful. she said that the lady Dachia, wife of Iacobus Tertia ["Della Terza" Fumi, Processo, same vol., p. 129; cf. the same, Codice diplomatico, p. 192.] , and the lady Oglente, her sister-in-law, said: "Let us have some water and put the boy in it: if written twice he lives in any way, it will be seen at once." Which they did, and the boy in no way breathed, nor stirred 〈nor〉 moved, but was all livid like a man struck. Whence this lady thus took extrassit R. the boy out of the water, and both she and the aforesaid women began to call out for the help of blessed Ambrose, the man of God, saying: "St. Ambrose, we call on you for the favour that you should show a miracle upon this boy by your glorious merits, that you would give him breath until he could receive the baptism batismum R and thereafter. of Christ." At whose invocation the boy immediately lived, and so the aforesaid women at once had baptism given him, and after baptism the boy lived four hed adds, but deletes, R. weeks and died. Questioned about the time, she answered that it was on the fifth day of the beginning of the month of May.
The lady Dachia, wife of Iacobus Tertia, of the quarter of San Leonardo, sworn, said that when she was in the house of the lady Clara Caldronis and Clara herself was in childbirth, she then, as it pleased God, bore a dead son, whom the lady Montanaria took up dead from the ground. Asked how she knew that he was dead, she answered because the boy in no way breathed nor stirred, but was all livid, as if he were a man struck; and she says further that she herself, the witness, the lady Montanaria and the lady Oglente put the boy into water to test whether he was alive, which availed nothing. At length the aforesaid ladies began to call out for the help of blessed Ambrose, saying with one voice: "St. Ambrose, we call on you for the favour that you should show your miracle upon this boy, that you would give him breath by your glorious merits until he could receive the baptism of Christ." At whose invocation, immediately, before they moved, he gave him breath, and they had baptism given him; and after baptism the boy lived four weeks hedomatis R and thereafter. and died. And this, she says, was in the month of May, at the beginning of the aforesaid month.
The lady Oglente, wife of Blancus, of the aforesaid quarter, a sworn witness, said that when she, the witness, was in the house of the aforesaid lady Clara and Clara herself was in childbirth, as it pleased God she bore a dead son; whom, dead, the aforesaid lady Montanaria took up from the ground. Whence this lady and the aforesaid lady Montanaria and lady Dachia took water and put the boy in it thus, and he in no way stirred nor breathed, but looked as livid as if he had been struck. Whence they began to call out for the help of blessed Ambrose, that he would give him breath until he received the baptism of Christ. At whose invocation, immediately, by the merits of the blessed man, the boy lived and had baptism and lived afterwards h adds, then deletes, R. four weeks, and the infant died. And this, she says, was in the month of May at its beginning, at the time of the passing of the blessed man.
[22] The use of her limbs is restored to a woman contracted for ten years. Miracle. Pace, who now lives in the house of Guido son of Iacobinus, and who used to live in the quarter of Sant'Andrea, sworn, said that when for ten years past she was weighed down by such great pain of her body, and was so contracted in her legs that she could not raise or lift herself, and because of the very great sickness nothing remained of her but bones, at length certain men whom the aforesaid Guido sent carried her to the tomb of blessed Ambrose. And there before the tomb se pulchrum before correction R. she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose humbly and devoutly, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow myself to you and I call on you for the favour that by your glorious merits you would deign mercifully to free me from so grievous a sickness, which I have suffered for a long time; and I will be devoted to you the whole time of my life." And before his tomb, at his invocation, she had a wax image placed. At whose invocation she was so most fully freed that she returned to her own house healthy and unharmed, so that now she performs her work and does her other tasks vigorously. Questioned about the time of the vow, she answered: at the time of the passing of blessed Ambrose, on a certain Thursday in the month of April, and the church was then full of men and women. And on the day on which she was brought she was freed.
The lady Balseverina, wife of Barthus Rapicella Cf. above, no. 20, pp. 579–80. , sworn, said that when the woman who is called Pax was weighed down by such great pain of her body and was so contracted that she could in no way raise or lift herself by herself. Asked how she knows that she suffered thus, she answered that for the time of ten years she saw her so ill, and visited her very often because of the acquaintance notiaiam before correction R. which she had had with her when she was healthy; whom she knew, and she saw her healthy of body for the time of sixteen years before she fell ill. Whence, when this witness sta adds, then deletes, R. was standing one Thursday before the tomb of blessed Ambrose, certain men whom she did not know carried the said Pax to the blessed man's tomb, and then Pax ipax R. humbly vowed herself to blessed Ambrose and had a wax image placed before the tomb, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I call on you for the favour, and I vow myself to you, that you would deign mercifully to free me by your glorious merits from so very grievous a sickness." At whose invocation and by the merits of the man of God of good memory, on the day on which she was brought to the church, she was most fully freed; and she said that she sees her daily coctidie R and thereafter. doing her tasks. Questioned about the time of the vow and of the freeing, she answered: in April, at the time of the passing of blessed Ambrose.
The lady Riccamotagna, wife of the lord Ildrebandinus, of the quarter of Santa Mustiola, a sworn witness, said that for the time of ten years she saw the aforesaid Pax so weighed down and contracted by pain of her body that she could not raise or lift herself by herself unless she was helped by another; whence, when this witness was standing one Thursday in the month of April before the tomb of blessed Ambrose with the aforesaid lady Balseverina and several others, certain people whom she did not know carried the said Pax before the tomb, and she vowed herself se adds R. to blessed Ambrose humbly and devoutly and had a wax image placed before the tomb at the invocation of the man of God, she herself saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow myself to you and I call on you for the favour that by your glorious merits you would deign mercifully to free me from so grievous a sickness, which I have suffered for a long time." At whose invocation and by his glorious merits, she saw her on the same Thursday most fully freed, so that she returned by herself to her own house healthy and unharmed. And she says that she sees her daily doing her tasks [et] vigorously. Item, she says that before she fell ill she knew and saw her well and healthy of body for fifteen years and more.
Grapaldus, shield-bearer of the lord R., bishop of Orvieto, a sworn witness, said the same as the aforesaid lady Riccamotagna. In this, however, he differs corrected, at first differit R. , that he was not in the church when Pax was brought; but by the merits of the blessed man she was most fully healed.
The lady Bona, of the quarter of San Lorenzo, a sworn witness, said that for a time of ten years she saw the aforesaid Pax so contracted and weighed down by sickness of her body that she could in no way raise or lift herself by herself unless she was helped by someone; and before she was ill, for a time of fifteen years and more, she saw her well and healthy of body. Whence this witness says that when she was standing one day in the month of April, at the time of the passing of blessed Ambrose, before the tomb, and the whole church was full, the said Pax, ill as she was, was brought by certain men to the tomb. Which Pax vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, that he would 〈free〉 her by his merits. The vow being uttered, on that day before the hour of None she saw her most fully freed from the aforesaid sickness, so that she returned by herself to her house healthy and unharmed. And she says that she saw her afterwards doing her tasks well and going about her business wherever she wished.
[23] An infant who fell from the cradle is called back to life. Miracle. The lady Altagratia, wife of John son of Iacobinus, of the quarter of Santa Mustiola, sworn, said that when this lady 〈was lying〉 in her bed at night and had a certain son of hers named Francis whom she kept in a cradle, and she had fallen asleep, the infant fell from the cradle to the ground and struggled so long that he died. Whence this lady, roused from sleep sonno R. , touched the cradle and did not find her boy. Immediately she began to call John her husband, saying: "Where is our son?" And the lady rose weeping and found the boy on the ground dead, and he was all cold and had no pulse at all. Whence this witness and her same husband immediately began to call out for the help of blessed Ambrose, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, we call on you for the favour that by your glorious merits you would deign to give us back our son, and we will be in your service the whole time of our life and will carry a wax image inmagine R. to your tomb." At whose invocation the boy immediately recovered his former health; and this, she says, was in the month of May just past.
The sign of the said (L. S.) Rainerius, notary.
[24] John son of Iacobinus, of the quarter of Santa Mustiola, a sworn witness, said that when he was lying in his bed at night this year in the month of May, and had a certain son of his named Francis whom the mother kept in a cradle, the infant fell from the cradle to the ground and struggled so long that the boy died; and the lady herself was sleeping. Whence the lady herself, roused from sleep, touched the cradle and did not find her infant. Immediately she began to call this John, saying: "Where is our son?" And so the lady herself immediately rose weeping and found him on the ground dead; and he rose and found the infant, who was all cold and had no pulse at all; whom he held wholly for dead. Whence immediately both he and his wife with one voice began to call for the help of blessed Ambrose, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, we call on you for the favour that by your glorious merits you would deign to give our son back to us whole; and ad adds R. we will be devoted ddevoti R. to your service the whole time of our life and will carry a wax image to your tomb." At whose invocation the boy was immediately most fully healed.
[25] On the sixteenth day, the month of June having begun.
A woman paralysed for seven years is freed. Miracle. The lady Viatricis "Beatrix" the Dialogue, no. 14, p. 149; Fumi, Processo, p. 130. , wife of Simon, of the quarter of San Salvatore, sworn, said that when she was paralysed and had so lost admissum R and thereafter. her whole right side, front and back,
that she could in no way raise or lift herself from her bed by herself, which sickness she had suffered thus for a space of six years now past; whence she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose humbly and devoutly, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow myself to you, that by your glorious merits you would deign mercifully to free me, and I will carry a wax image to your tomb and will be devoted to you the whole time of my life." At whose invocation, the vow being made, immediately, by the merits of the blessed man, she was most fully freed, and on the following morning by herself, on her own feet, with a wax image, she visited the tomb of blessed Ambrose. Asked when this was, she answered: in the month of April, at the time of the passing of the blessed man. Asked whether she had the said sickness again afterwards, she answered: no. Asked in whose presence she made the vow, she answered: the lady Amata, wife of Rainerius the smith frabi R here and below. , the lady Clara her sister-in-law, the husband of the said lady Viatricis, the lady Ildribandina Tolodita.
The lady Amata, wife of Rainerius the smith, of the quarter of San Salvatore, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid lady Viatricis, her fellow-godmother, was paralysed and had lost her whole right side, front and back, so that she could not raise or lift herself from her bed, which sickness she had suffered for a space of six years now past; whence, when this witness was in the house of the said lady Viatricis, a certain sister-in-law of hers named Clara brought the same Viatricis a small piece of the cape of blessed Ambrose, which she at once received devoutly and humbly, and then vowed herself to the blessed man that he would free her by his merits, saying that if he freed her, she would carry a wax image to his tomb. And so, the vow being made, immediately she was most fully cured, so that, rising at once from the bed, on the second day after the vow she visited the tomb of blessed Ambrose on her own feet. Asked when this was, she answered: in the month of April, at the time of his passing, in the presence of the said lady Clara, the husband of the lady Viatricis, Ildribandina Tolodita and several others.
The aforesaid lady Clara, sister-in-law of the said Viatricis, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid lady Viatricis was paralysed and had lost her whole right side, front and back, so that she could in no way raise or lift herself from her bed by herself, which sickness she had suffered for a space of six years now past and more; whence this witness, one day in the month of April, at the time of the passing of blessed Ambrose, a certain sister-in-law of hers, brought a small piece of his cape, which she devoutly and humbly received, and she 〈vowed〉 herself to the blessed man, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I call on you for the favour and I make a vow, that if you free me from this sickness by your glorious merits, I will carry a wax image to your tomb." And the vow being fulfilled, immediately she was most fully cured, so that, rising at once from the bed, she received her former health, and on the second day after the vow on her own feet she visited the threshold of blessed Ambrose. Questioned about those present when this happened, she answered: the husband of the said Viatricis; she herself, the witness, who quam R. saw her so ill in the time above-said; the lady Amata, wife of Rainerius the smith; Ildribandina Tolodita.
The lady Ildribandina Tolodita, of the same aforesaid quarter, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid Viatricis was labouring with a very great sickness and was paralysed, as the physicians said, and had lost her whole right side, front and back, so that she could not raise or lift herself from her bed, which sickness she had suffered thus for a space of six years now past. Asked how she knows the aforesaid, she answered: because she is her near neighbour and saw her continually lying in bed. Whence, when this witness was in her house, a certain sister-in-law of hers, who is named Clara, brought the same Viatricis a small piece of the cape of the blessed man, and at length she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, saying that if he freed her by his glorious merits, she would carry a wax image to his tomb. Questioned about the time when it was, she answered: at the time of the passing of the blessed man, in the presence of the husband of the said lady Viatricis, the lady Amata, the aforesaid Clara. At whose invocation and vow, the vow being fulfilled, immediately she recovered her former health, and on the next day following after the vow she visited the threshold of the blessed man on her own feet.
Simonus, husband of the aforesaid lady Viatricis, sworn, said that for a space of six years he saw his wife labouring with a very great sickness, and she was paralysed and had lost her whole left side, front and back, so that she could in no way raise or lift herself from her bed by herself, but set R quite often. lay so continually; whence one day in the month of April (of the day, however, he does not remember) a certain sister of this witness brought the same Viatricis a little piece of the cape of blessed Ambrose, and she then vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow myself to you and I call for the favour that by your glorious merits you would deign mercifully to free me from so grave a sickness, and I will carry a wax image to your tomb." And so, the vow being made, at the invocation of blessed Ambrose, immediately, the vow being made, she was most fully cured, so that, rising at once from the bed, she received health in every way, and so on the next day s adds, then deletes, R. following afterwards she visited the threshold of the blessed man on her own feet.
[26] Health is restored to a girl blind in one eye and bent with gout. Miracle. Ricca, daughter of Donadeus Venulus, of the quarter of San Giovenale, sworn, said that she had a certain daughter of hers named Iovanna, twelve years old, for a space of two years limping and continually bent towards her right side, so that she could scarcely raise and lift herself, and because of a certain gout which troubled her daily, so that she could not help herself nor walk straight, and she also had a white film in her right eye, so that she saw nothing at all with that eye, indeed the said girl's eye seemed to have burst, and various medicines being applied she could not be freed but se R. grew worse; she vowed her to blessed Ambrose, that he would free her by his merits, and she went to the blessed man's tomb, and by the merits of the blessed man, the vow being made, the same idem R. girl 〈was〉 most fully healed of the aforesaid sicknesses. Asked when this was, she answered: at the time of the passing of the blessed man, in the presence of Verdemora her sister, the lady Claratenuta her neighbour, and several others. Asked what words she used in the vow, she answered that she said: "I vow my daughter to God 〈and〉 to blessed Ambrose, that if he frees her from the aforesaid sicknesses, I will carry a wax image to his tomb ing adds, then deletes, R. ."
The lady Verdemora, full sister of the aforesaid Ricca, a sworn witness, said that when her said sister had a certain daughter of hers named Iovanna, twelve years old, for a space of two years limping corrected, at first claudiclantem R. and continually bent towards her right side, so that she could scarcely raise and lift herself, and because of a certain gout which troubled her daily she could not help herself nor walk straight, and she also had a white film in her right eye, so that she saw nothing at all with that eye, indeed the said girl's eye seemed to have burst, and various medicines being applied she could not be freed but grew worse, at length the girl's mother at once vowed her to blessed Ambrose, the man of God, saying: "I vow my daughter to God and to you (D. et t.) corrected, at first t. et D. , that if you free her from the aforesaid sicknesses, I will carry a wax image to your tomb." Questioned about the time when this was, she answered: in the month of April, at the time of the passing of the man of God. And this was in front of the house of the aforesaid Ricca, she herself, the witness, and the lady Claratenuta, wife of Recoverantia, being present.
Claratenuta, widow of Recoverantia Recovarantie R. , of the same quarter, a sworn witness, said that it is now two years and more that she saw Iovanna, daughter of the aforesaid Ricca, limping written twice and continually bent towards her right 〈side〉, so that she could scarcely raise herself and could not help herself nor walk straight in any way, and she saw her suffering in her eye in such a way that when she looked respiente R. the said girl's eye seemed to have burst. Whence the mother vowed her to blessed Ambrose and went to his tomb, and by the merits of the blessed man the aforesaid girl was immediately freely cured of the aforesaid sickness. Questioned about the time of the freeing, she answered: at the time of the passing of the blessed man; and in whose presence the vow was made: she herself, the witness, Verdemora, sister of the said Ricca, and several others. Asked what words she used in the vow, she answered that she said: "I vow my daughter to blessed Ambrose, that he may deign to free her by his merits; and if he does, I will carry a wax image to his tomb."
[27] An old woman recovers hearing lost for 14 years. Miracle. The lady Giugla, of the quarter of Camuctium "Gisla Devica Canutii" the Dialogue, no. 40, p. 172. , sworn, said on her oath that when she had been impeded in hearing, so that she had no understanding of anything, for a space of fourteen years now past, she went to the blessed man's tomb, and the vow being uttered she recovered corrected, at first recuperaverit; auditum adds R. the benefit of hearing and understanding by the merits of the blessed man, at once hearing the brothers celebrating the divine offices. Asked how old she herself is, she answered: seventy years and more. Asked when she recovered her hearing, she answered: in the month of May, in the presence of several of her neighbours, and she says that then the church where the blessed man lay was full. Asked what words she used in the vow, she answered that she said that she called on blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would mercifully free her by his glorious merits, and that she would carry a wax image to his tomb.
The lady Sopercla, a religious sister roror R. , of the aforesaid quarter, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid Giugla was so deaf that she could understand nothing except by a nod, even when roused by the loud shouts of her neighbours, now by the merits of the blessed man, whose tomb she visited with this witness seeing it, she recovered hearing and understanding and now hears well. Asked when this was, she answered: in the month of May, in the presence of people whom she does not remember. Asked how she knew that she was deaf, she answered: because she was her neighbour. Asked what words she used in the vow, she answered that she cried out to blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would give her back her hearing, and that she would carry a wax image to his tomb.
Benedacta, daughter of the said Giugla, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid Giugla had so lost the function of hearing and understanding that, even when roused by loud shouts by her very daughter standing near her,
quod she could neither hear nor inl adds, then deletes, R. understand, nor did she answer anything unless one always made a nod to her; and by the merits of the blessed man Ambrose, whose tomb she visited, the vow being uttered at her daughter's urging, she was at once restored to the health concupita R. she longed for. Asked for how long a time she had been deaf thus, she answered: for the time of fourteen years and more; and when she recovered hearing and understanding, she answered: in the month of May just past; and what words she used in the vow, she answered that she invoked the help of the blessed man, that he would give her back understanding and hearing, and she promised to carry an image to his tomb. Asked in whose presence, she answered: all her neighbours; and she said that the church was then full. And now she hears and understands well.
[28] A woman is healed of the falling sickness. Miracle. The lady Diamante, wife of Clusius, of the quarter of San Faustino, sworn, said that when for twelve years now past she had laboured most grievously with the falling sickness, so that sometimes she was tormented nine times a day, so that falling into the fire she could not feel it in any way; whence she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, that by his merits he would deign to free her, and she went to the tomb, and at his invocation she was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness, so that after the vow that disease did not torment her. Asked when she made the vow, she answered: on the day on which he of good memory departed at the death of Ambrose. from the world. Asked in whose presence she made the vow and in what place, she answered: in front of her house, in the presence of the lady Ricca, wife of Diomitidia, the lady Amata, wife of Diotallievus, her neighbours, and several others. Asked how the said disease tormented her, she answered: it tormented her every day.
The lady Amata, wife of Diotallievus, of the aforesaid quarter, a sworn witness, said that she saw the lady Diamante labouring so with the falling sickness that for a space of twelve years now past she had suffered the aforesaid sickness, and sometimes she was tormented nine times a day and sent foam out through her mouth; whence she vowed vout R. herself to blessed Ambrose that he would free her by his merits. And so the aforesaid lady Diamante went to the blessed man's tomb and by the blessed man's merits, on the day on which he of good memory departed from the world (mem.-migr.) corrected, at first a saec. migr. mem. R. , she was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness, so that that disease which she suffered daily did not torment her afterwards. Asked when she made the vow, she answered: on the day on which blessed Ambrose passed away, in front of the house of the aforesaid Diamante, in the presence of this witness, the lady Ricca, wife of Diomitidia diomittidieidi R. , and several other neighbours of hers; and this she said she knows because she saw and heard it and is her near neighbour in one house.
The lady Ricca, wife of Diomitidia diomitidiede R. , of the aforesaid quarter, a sworn witness, said that when the lady Diamante, her aforesaid fellow-godmother, was labouring most grievously (c. p.) on an erasure R. with the cruel falling sickness, so that for a space of ten years now past and more she saw her (v. e.) on an erasure R. suffer the aforesaid sickness, and sometimes it tormented her eight times a day and more, and she had had many remedies applied and they availed her nothing against the aforesaid sickness, she sent foam out through her mouth and gnawed her tongue with her own teeth; whence, on the day on which blessed Ambrose of good memory departed from the world, she vowed herself to the blessed man, that God through the merits of St. Ambrose would deign to free 〈her〉 from that disease, and she went to the blessed man's tomb, and on the same day, by the merits of St. Ambrose, she was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness, so that the said disease no longer tormented her after the vow was made. Asked in what place she made the vow, she answered: in front of her house, in the presence of several of her neighbours.
[29] A woman is healed of an ulcer. Miracle. The lady Iemma, wife of Rainaldus son of Floremans, of the quarter of San Cristofano, sworn, said that when she was labouring with a very great sickness and had an abscess in her breast impectore R and thereafter. , and suffered pain around the place of the abscess and had an acute fever frebem corrected, at first frebim R. , and was so out of her mind that she could scarcely perceive anything, which sickness she had suffered for more than a month, so that all who saw her despaired of her life in every way; whence her husband, in this witness's presence, vowed her to blessed Ambrose, that God by the blessed man's merits would free her corrected, at first aandem R. , saying that if he freed her, he would carry a wax image to his tomb and would give one kiln of lime for building his church. And the vow being made, immediately the abscess burst and she vomited corrected, at first eiuomuit R. blood through her mouth and much other putrid matter, and immediately she was freely released from the aforesaid sickness and acute fever frebe R and thereafter. , so that she rose from the bed, she who before could not raise or lift herself. Questioned about the time of the vow and of the freeing, she answered that it was in the month of May just past corrected, at first preferiti R. , 〈in the presence of〉 Meldina corrected, at first Mellina R. Ildribandina corrected, at first Ildribandina R. and the lady Iemma Gilia, who were watching over her. And on the day following after the vow she visited the threshold of the blessed man on her own feet, feeling herself most fully healthy.
Meldina Ildribandina, of the aforesaid quarter, a sworn witness, said that she saw the aforesaid lady labouring gravely with sickness, so that she seemed to be labouring wholly in her last moments, and she had an abscess, and suffered pain around the place of the abscess, as the physicians said, and had an acute fever, so that those who saw her despaired of her life in every way; whence her husband Rainaldus vowed her to blessed Ambrose humbly and devoutly, saying 〈that〉 if the blessed man freed her, he will carry a wax image to his tomb m adds, then deletes, R. and will give one kiln of lime for building his church. And the vow being made, immediately inconnenti R. the abscess burst and she discharged blood through her mouth and much other putrid matter, and she was at once most fully freed from the aforesaid sickness, so that she rose by herself from the bed, she who before could not raise or lift herself. And this, she said, was in the month of May just past in the house of the said Iemma (of the day, however, she does not remember), this witness being present 〈and〉 the lady Iemma Gilia, who were watching over her. And she says that before the third day she had a wax image made and went on her own feet to the blessed man's tomb. Asked for how long a time she had suffered, she answered: one month.
The lady Iemma Gilia, of the aforesaid quarter, a sworn witness, said that she saw the aforesaid lady labouring with a very great sickness, so that she seemed to be labouring wholly in her last moments, and she had an abscess in her breast and suffered pain around the place of the abscess, as the physicians said, and had an acute fever, so that those who saw her despaired of her life in every way; whence her husband vowed her to blessed Ambrose humbly and devoutly quod adds, then deletes, R. , saying that if blessed Ambrose freed her, he will bring a wax image to his tomb and will give one kiln of lime for building his church. And the vow being made, immediately the abscess burst and she discharged blood through her mouth and much other putrid matter, and she was at once most fully freed from the aforesaid sickness. And on all other matters she spoke as the aforesaid Meldina.
Rainaldus son of Floremans, a citizen of Orvieto, husband of the aforesaid lady, sworn, said the same as the said Meldina.
The sign of the said (L. S.) Rainerius, notary.
[30] On the fourteenth day from the end of the month of July.
Miracle. A ruptured boy is cured. Sentius son of Oddo "Cinchius Odonis" the Dialogue, no. 24, p. 161. , of the quarter of San Faustino, sworn, said that he had a son of his ruptured in the groin impiga R and thereafter. and had had remedies applied by several physicians, and the medicines applied brought conferret R. no remedy for the aforesaid rupture medine R. ; at length he vowed him, with his wife, to blessed Ambrose, that he would deign to free him by his merits. And at his invocation, the vow being made, since he made it in the evening, on the following morning he found the boy most fully freed. Asked when it was, he answered: in the month maii adds, then deletes, R. of June; and how long he had suffered, he answered: two months and more. Asked in whose presence he made the vow, he answered: several of his neighbours; and he said that he had brought a physician to cut him, and had made an agreement of 4 pounds with the physician and had kept him for three days, but out of pity and grief for the boy he had not had him touched, so greatly did he fear his death. Asked whether he wore bandages, he answered: yes; and whether he wears them now, he answered: no.
The lady Tedora, wife of Sentius, the boy's mother, sworn, said that when her son was ruptured in the groin and she had had several remedies applied by physicians of Orvieto and others, and the medicines applied had not helped in these things but had harmed, the vow being made, by the merits of the blessed man he was most fully healed. Asked when it was, she answered: in the month of June. Asked for how long a time he had suffered before, she answered: two months; and in whose presence, she answered: several of her neighbours; and she says that when he was to be cut in the evening, she vowed him then, and on the following morning she found him most fully freed, saying that if blessed Ambrose freed him, she would carry an image of wax to his tomb.
Ventura, daughter of Accus, of the quarter of San Faustino, a sworn witness, said that when the son of Sensius was suffering in the groin and was ruptured, and the father and mother had had many remedies applied by physicians and there was no hope of health, at last they took counsel that the boy's member should be cut; and 〈when〉 the parents were moved by very great pity about this, the father and mother vowed him to blessed Ambrose that he would free him. And the vow being made, by the merits of the blessed man he was most fully healed. Asked when he was freed, she answered: in the month of June. Asked whether she was present when they made the vow, she answered: yes, one evening when it had been proposed that he should be cut; and on the following morning he was found most fully freed. Asked in whose
words presentibus R. they used in the vow, she answered that they called on blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would give him back health, and that they would carry a wax image to his tomb. Asked in whose presence, she answered: many.
The lady Bemmegnate, wife of Dominicus, of the quarter of San Faustino, sworn, said that when the son of the aforesaid Tedora was ruptured in the groin, and she had had several remedies applied by physicians of Orvieto and others, and the medicines applied had not helped in these things but had harmed, the vow being made, by the merits of the blessed man he was most fully healed. Questioned about the time when it was, she answered: in the month of June. Asked for how long a time he had suffered before, she answered: two months; and in whose presence, she answered: several neighbours of the said Tedora and of herself. Asked whether she was present at the vow, she answered: yes. Asked what words they used (u. s.) sunt usu before correction R. in the vow, she answered that they called on blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would free him by his merits; and if he did, they would carry a wax image to his tomb.
[31] Another, carried before the tomb of Ambrose, is thoroughly healed. Miracle. The lady Margarita, daughter of Cittadinus Rocclus, of the quarter of San sancto R. Matteo, a sworn witness, said that when the son of the lady Allegrecta "Letitia" the Dialogue, no. 25, p. 162. was ruptured in the groin impectine R and thereafter. , and she would not hand him over to the help of the physicians because of the excessive inclemency intemperiam R here and below. of the weather aieris R and below. , at length both the witness and the boy's mother brought the boy, so ill, to the blessed man's tomb and vowed him to blessed Ambrose, that he would deign to free him by his merits, the mother saying that if he freed her son, she would make a wax image before his tomb. At whose invocation, there before the tomb, by the merits of the blessed man he was most fully cured, so that returning reddiens R. home healthy, [et] he threw away entirely the bandages which he had had before, feeling himself healthy in every way. Questioned about the time when they did it, she answered: in the month of July. Asked in whose presence, she answered: she herself, the witness, the boy's mother, the lady Ricca, wife of Gratianus, and several others. Asked for how long a time he had suffered, she answered: for three months and more she saw him suffer.
The lady Ricca, wife of Gratianus of the Abbey, of the same quarter, a sworn witness, said that when she had seen the aforesaid son of the lady Allegrecta ruptured in the groin and swollen in the groin and bladder viscica R and thereafter. , and the mother would not hand him over to the help of the physicians because of the excessive inclemency of the weather, with this witness seeing it, both the boy's mother puer R. and the aforesaid lady Margarita carried the boy, so ill, to the blessed man's tomb and vowed him to blessed Ambrose, that he would free him by his merits, the mother saying that if he freed him by his merits, she would make a wax image before his tomb and would remain in his service the whole time of her life. This vow being made, with this witness present, seeing and hearing, the boy was most fully freed there before the tomb of the man of God, so that he returned to his own house healthy and unharmed and threw away entirely the bandages ligamento R. which he had had before, feeling himself healthy in every way omnimodem R. . Questioned about the time when it was, she answered: in the month of July, in the presence of herself, the witness, the aforesaid lady Margarita, the boy's mother and several others. Asked for how long a time she had seen him suffer before, she answered that she does not remember.
Peter son of Diotaiutus, of the same quarter, a sworn witness, said that when the son of the aforesaid lady Allegrecta, his pupil, was ruptured in the groin, he, seeing him, prayed blessed Ambrose to free him by his glorious merits; and this was in the month of July (of the day he does not remember); and having been carried to the tomb of blessed Ambrose, by the merits of the same man he returned home healthy and unharmed; and he saw him, on the day on which he was carried there ill, most fully freed, so that he threw away entirely the bandages which he had worn before, feeling himself healthy in every way.
The aforesaid lady Allegrecta, sworn, said that she had a certain son of hers named Andrioctus, who was ruptured in the groin and swollen in the groin and bladder vissica R. , so that it looked very horrible, and she would not hand him over to the help of the physicians because of the excessive inclemency of the weather; at length both she and the aforesaid lady Margarita (and the aforesaid lady Ricca accompanied them) carried her said son, so ill, to the tomb of blessed Ambrose, and the vow being uttered, there before the tomb, by the merits of the blessed man he was most fully healed, so that he returned to his own house healthy and unharmed.
[32] A shepherd healed of a hernia of the bowel Miracle. Palmerius the shepherd, of the quarter of San Lorenzo, sworn, said that when, by reason of a certain weight which he had lifted, he had been ruptured ructis R. and broken in the groin, so that his intestines had descended into the groin, which was very grievous for him to bear, and the physician told him that if the larger intestines descended he could no longer be freed; whence he vowed himself to God and to blessed Ambrose, that God through the merits of St. Ambrose would free him. At his vow he was immediately most fully freed. Item, he said that when the brothers had told dississent R. him to come on a certain day to bear peribiturus R. testimony to the truth about the above-said miracle, when he kept silent about the miracle, he is seized again by the disease, which he did not do, nor did he come on the term given him, the said sickness relapsed more gravely than before. Whence he vowed himself again to blessed Ambrose, saying: "St. Ambrose, free me from so grievous a pain which I suffer, and on renewing the vow he is healed. and I will come to bear peribiturus R. testimony to the truth." At his vow he was at once freed and the intestines returned to their place. Asked for how long a time he had had the said sickness, he answered: for the time of eight years and more. Asked when he made the vow, he answered: in the month of May, at the time of the passing of St. Ambrose; and in whose presence, he answered: Massaria his wife, namely silicet R. in his house; and whether he wore portat R. a truss before he made the vow, he answered: yes; and whether he wears it now, he answered: no, on the contrary he is freed and healthy just as he was at any time.
The lady Massaria, wife of the aforesaid Palmerius, sworn, said that when her husband was ruptured in the groin, so that his inward parts had descended into the groin, and the physician said that if the larger intestines descended he could no longer be freed, and because of this he had several times been hung up by the feet so that the intestines might return reddirent R. to their place, and he had done many other things which availed him nothing against the aforesaid sickness, he vowed himself to St. Ambrose, that he would free him by his merits, and that he would carry an image of wax to his tomb. The vow being made, he was at once most fully freed from the aforesaid sickness. Item, she says that when he would not bear peribere R. testimony to the truth about the aforesaid miracle, the said sickness relapsed more gravely than before. Whence he vowed himself again to blessed Ambrose, saying that if he freed him, he would swear to tell the truth. And the vow being made, he was at once freed. Asked for how long a time he had had the said sickness, she answered: for the time of eight years and more; and when he made the vow, she answered: in the month of May just past, in her house.
[33] Pineria, from an incurable pain of the head, Miracle. The lady Pineria, wife of Borgo the paper-maker, sworn, said that when she was suffering gravely in her head with very great pain and a dangerous disease, so that she could scarcely eat commedere R. and could lie only badly and scarcely sleep, and because of the very great sickness she had an incision made feri R. in her head with a razor down to the skull, iron and fire having been applied in vain, and after the incision she had a burning “Cauterium” Ducange, under the word. made there with red-hot 〈iron〉; and when such medicines and many others which she had done and had had done availed her nothing, she had a certain image of wax made for herself and went to the tomb of St. Ambrose one evening, and that night she kept vigil before the tomb, and she said that the tomb trembled three times, and she was keeping vigil and praying, saying: "St. Ambrose, help me." At whose invocation that night she was most fully freed. spending the night before the tomb of Ambrose: she is relieved. Asked whether she suffered the said sickness continually, she answered yes. Asked for how long a time she had had that sickness, she answered: for a year and more; and when she was freed, she answered: in the month of April, at the time of the passing of St. Ambrose; and how she was, she answered that she was immediately freed that night. Asked in whose presence, she answered that the church was full. Asked what words she used in the vow, she answered that she called on blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would free her by his merits.
Borgese the paper-maker, husband of the said lady Pineria, a sworn witness, said that when his wife was suffering gravely in her head and labouring with very great and dangerous piculoso R. pain in her head, so that she could scarcely eat, and lay and slept badly, so much so, he ste R. says, that for five weeks, because of the aforesaid sickness of his wife, he lay down clothed, because he did not get into bed on her account, and 〈when〉 he had had many remedies applied by physicians and the said remedies availed nothing against the aforesaid sickness, at last he had the counsel of a certain physician, who cut her head with a razor down to the skull and made a burning there with red-hot iron. Whence, when such medicines and many others which she had done availed her nothing against the aforesaid sickness, she had a certain image of wax made for herself, and one corrected, at first quoddam R. evening she went to the tomb of St. Ambrose and kept vigil before the tomb that night, and when she went she called on St. Ambrose for the favour that he would free her. And as his wife herself reported to him, the tomb trembled three times that night, and in the morning she returned home excellently freed, so that nothing was seen in her head but the marks. Asked for how long a time she had had the said sickness infirmitate R. , he answered: for a year and more she had had that sickness continually. Asked when she was freed, he answered: in the month of April, at the time of the passing of St. Ambrose; and in whose presence she went and 〈called〉 on blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would free her: he himself, the witness, the lady Iemma d adds, then deletes, R. , wife of Davançatus.
The lady Iemma, wife of Davançatus the Florentine, a sworn witness, said that she saw the aforesaid lady Pineria labouring with a very great sickness in her head, so that she could scarcely lie down, and she had done many
remedies applied by physicians and they availed her nothing against the aforesaid sickness; at last she had the counsel of a certain physician, who cut her head down to the skull with a razor and made a burning there with red-hot iron; whence, when corrected, at first non R. such medicines availed her nothing against the aforesaid sickness, she had a certain image of wax made for herself, and one evening she went to the tomb of St. Ambrose and stood before the tomb the whole night, and when she went she called on St. Ambrose for the favour that he would free her. And in the morning she returned home most fully freed, so that nothing was seen in her head but the marks. Asked for how long a time she had been ill thus, she answered: for the time of one year and more; and when she was freed, she answered: in the month of April, at the time of the passing of the blessed man, and by his glorious merits.
[34] John, his son's son near death Miracle. Ianni son of Ranuctius son of Çentius, a citizen of Orvieto, sworn, said that when he did not give credence to the things which he heard from others about blessed Ambrose, at length his son's son fell most gravely ill, and when he was watching over him, near death, with men and women, the aforesaid Ianni, lying in bed, saw in a vision the aforesaid boy staying in the church of St. Ambrose, and when it seemed to him that the boy, taking fright, was fleeing and afraid, he, calling him, protected him with his help. And so, when day came, he directed the same boy, so ill, to the merits of the blessed man, sends him to the tomb of Ambrose telling his wife and the boy's mother to vow him to blessed Ambrose, that he might give back to the same boy by his glorious merits the health he had now lost. And so the said s adds, then deletes, R. ladies did immediately on hearing this from him. At whose invocation the boy was so freed that he was carried back to his own house healthy and unharmed. and receives him unharmed. Questioned about the time when it was, he answered: in the month of June just past (of the day he does not remember); and he says that before, his wife ussor R. with others was always watching over the boy with candles cadelis R and thereafter. lit Understand "accensis"; cf. below, no. 40, pp. 590, 591. before him for his death, which they expected; for eight days the boy had continually been so ill.
The lady Bona, wife of Çentius son of Ianni son of Ranuctius, sworn, said that when her son was labouring with a most grave sickness, so that he seemed to be labouring in his last moments and she despaired of his life in every way, so that, not sucking the breast, he was not able to take food either, but set R. she was always staying before him with candles lit for his death, which she expected; and one morning she carried the aforesaid boy, so ill, to the blessed man's tomb with an image of wax, praying God and blessed Ambrose that he would free him by his merits. And the vow being made, by the blessed man's merits the boy was immediately freed, so that he began to suck and to take the food he had lost admissum R. , and so by the blessed man's merits he immediately recovered his former health. Questioned about the time, she answered: in the month of June; and in whose presence, she answered: the lady Adelascia, wife of the aforesaid Ianni, who went with her to visit the tomb of the man of God. Asked what words she used in the vow, she answered that she said: "Blessed Ambrose, I call on you for the favour that you would deign to give me back my son whole"; saying that the said Ianni had commanded her and his wife to carry the same boy to St. Ambrose and to vow him to blessed Ambrose, that he might give him back health; which sickness he had suffered thus for a space of eight days now past.
The lady Adelascia, wife of the aforesaid Ianni, a sworn witness, said that when the son of Çentius her son (f. s.) corrected, at first s. f. was labouring with a most grave sickness, so that she despaired of his ipsi R. life in every way corrected, at first omnimodem R. , so that, not sucking the breast, he was not able to take non adds R. food either, but was always watched over with candles for his death, which they expected; at length the boy's mother one morning, as she had been enjoined corrected, at first eius R. by Ianni, carried him to the tomb of St. Ambrose and placed a wax image before the tomb, there and then praying God and blessed Ambrose that he would give back health to her same son, whom she had carried before the tomb so ill. And the vow being made, immediately by the merits of the blessed man he was freed and was carried back to his own house healthy and unharmed, so that, eating and drinking, he received his former health. And this she says she knows because she saw the aforesaid and heard it. And this, she says, was in the month of June just past.
[35] A woman, from an ulcer of the breast Miracle. The lady Agnese Angese R quite often. , wife of Cacçavolpe, of the quarter of Sarancium Saranci R. , sworn, said that when she was suffering gravely in im R. her breast, so that the physicians did not take care of her with their help, by whom it was said that she could not be freed, she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, that he would deign to give back to her her breast, as good as lost, saying that if he freed her, she would remain in his service the whole time of her life. And making a vow of wax, she took care to go to his tomb. At whose invocation, by the merits of the blessed man, before the third day the two holes which the sickness had made were dried up and she was most fully freed. on the sixth day after Ambrose's death she is restored to health. Asked for how long a time she had suffered that sickness, she answered: three months; and when she made the vow, she answered: on the sixth day after the passing of the blessed man of good memory. Asked in whose presence, she answered: the lady Çentina, wife of the lord Guido Porcarius, judge, the lady Sibilia, wife of John, her sister-in-law, and several others.
The lady Çentina, wife of Guido Porcarius, judge, a sworn witness, said that when she had seen the aforesaid lady Agnese grievously tormented by sickness in her breast, so that she could not be freed by the help of the physicians, but rather it looked withered and lost, so that the sickness had made two holes, and she herself, the witness, applying medicines to the breast with her own hands, saw it so diseased. At length the lady Agnese herself vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, she herself hearing it; and when she went to the blessed man's tomb with her, as this witness with her own hands had made the vow of wax, at her invocation she was freed, so that the two holes began at once to dry up, and before the third day after the vow was made she was most fully freed. And this was in the month of April, at the time of the passing of the blessed man, in the presence of the lady Sibilia, wife of John, sister-in-law of the said lady Agnese Angese R. , when she made the vow; who quam R. had suffered for three months now past.
The lady Sibilia, wife of John Nobilis, sister-in-law of the said lady Agnese, a sworn witness, said that when she had seen the aforesaid lady Agnese Angnesem R. grievously tormented in her breast, so that she could not be freed by the help of the physicians, but rather it looked withered and lost, so that the sickness had made two holes, and she herself, the witness, applying medicines with her own hands, saw the breast so diseased, and for three months she saw her suffer thus. At length tamen R. the said lady Agnese Angnese R. vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, that he would deign to free her by his merits, saying that if he freed her, she would carry an image of wax to his tomb and would remain in his service the whole time of her life. And making a vow of wax, she took care to go to his tomb; and the lady Çentina made the image with her own hands. At whose invocation she began to be so vigorously freed that before the third day the two holes which the sickness had made were dried up and the breast was most fully cured. Questioned about the time, she answered: at the time of the passing of blessed Ambrose, the man of God, in the presence of the aforesaid lady Çentina, she herself, the witness, and very many others.
[36] Clara, a matron, from an abscess in the head and in the neck, Miracle. The lady Clara, wife of the lord Isforterra Bericus should Benci be read? "Sforzaterra Benci" Fumi, Processo, p. 132. , sworn, said that when for eight days she was suffering a grave sickness in her head, which was said by others to be an abscess, so that she had her head and neck horribly swollen, so that she could not lie down nor keep her head on the bed, and she had had many remedies applied by physicians and they availed her nothing against the same sickness; at length she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, that he would free her by his merits, saying that if he freed her, she would carry a wax image to his tomb and would do good for love of him. This vow being made, immediately, lifting ellevans R. the plaster implaustrum R and thereafter. which she had, she found the sickness rooted out; and so by the merits of the blessed man before the third day she was healed in every way. Questioned about the time, she answered: in the month of May; and in whose presence she made the vow, she answered: the lady Odolina, her daughter-in-law, in her house, and several others.
The lady Odolina, wife of the lord Ildribanductius Forçaterra, a sworn witness, said that when the lady Clara, her mother-in-law, was suffering a grave sickness in her head, which was said by all to be an abscess appostema R. , so that she could not lie down nor keep her head capud R. on the bed, which illness she had suffered for eight days, and she could not be freed by the help of the physicians, at length she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, she herself hearing it and urging her to it. And written twice R. the vow being made, by the merits of the blessed man she was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness.
The sign of the said (L. S.) Rainerius nota adds, then deletes, R. , notary.
[37] On the 12th day, the month of June having begun.
Miracle. Tornabene the butcher, from a heart disease, Tornabene the butcher, a citizen of Orvieto, sworn, said that when for four years past he was weighed down by such great pain of his body and had the defect which is called cardiac, so that during the time above-said he could do no work, but lying long in bed he could not raise himself by his own strength nor leave the house, so violently was he seized by the most grievous sickness; whence, when he was lying in bed so ill, so that both the physicians and others coming to him had wholly despaired of his life, at length a certain man who is called Çeco, formerly of Camerino,
told him to vow himself to blessed Ambrose. And he, at his insistence se adds, then deletes, R. , vowed himself to blessed Ambrose, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow to you that by your glorious merits you would deign mercifully to free me; and if you do, I will carry a wax image to your tomb and will give of my own for love of you." And the vow being made and fulfilled, immediately he rose from the bed and by the blessed man's merits was at once most fully freed from the aforesaid sickness infirmitatem R. . And he said that it is now twelve years that he had laboured with the defect of asthma, and by the merits of the blessed man he was at once freed, so that he has never afterwards suffered any hurt lisionem R. from the aforesaid sicknesses. Asked when this was, he answered: in the month of June, Çeco himself being present.
Çeco, formerly of Camerino, sworn, said that it is now four years and more that he saw the aforesaid Tornabene, his neighbour, labouring with a very great sickness and having the defect which is called cardiac, as he heard from the physicians, so that, lying long in bed, he could not relieve his helplessness. Whence, when he was lying so ill in bed, and had lain there for a long time without raising himself, at length at the insistence of this witness Tornabene himself vowed himself to blessed Ambrose, and he could scarcely speak, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow myself to you, that you would deign mercifully to free me, and I will carry a wax image to your tomb." Which witness said duxit R. that, the vow being made, before this witness moved, he rose by himself from the bed and was freed from the aforesaid sickness by the blessed man's merits, so that he has never afterwards suffered any hurt from the aforesaid sickness, indeed inmo R. he daily does his tasks vigorously. And this, he says, was in the month of June just past, in the house of the said Tornabene.
[38] Gregorius son of Pineria is healed of a contraction of the leg and an abscess. Miracle. Gregorius son of Pineria, of Civitella [Perhaps the castle of Civitella Agliani (canton of Bagnoregio, province of Rome), Pardi, op. cit., pp. 289, 307; or the Villa di Civitella (today Civitella de' Pazzi, commune of Baschi, canton of Todi), Pardi, op. cit., pp. 289, 293.] in the diocese of Orvieto, sworn, said that when he had a contracted leg and laboured with the sickness of an abscess, so that for the time of two years he could not raise himself from the bed by himself, at length he vowed himself to blessed Ambrose, that he by his glorious merits would mercifully free libaret R. him from the aforesaid sickness; and if he did, he would carry a wax image to his house. At whose invocation he was at once most fully freed from the contraction and the pain of the abscess. Asked when it was, he answered: in the month of April. Asked in whose presence, he answered: the lady Pineria his mother, the lady Ianella his sister-in-law, Guido son of Peter Carabo and several others. And with the aforesaid persons, healthy and unharmed by himself, in the said month of April, he visited the threshold of the blessed man with a wax image.
Guido on an erasure R. son of Peter Carabo, of the same castle, a sworn witness, said that he had seen the aforesaid Gregorius lying long in bed held by a most grave sickness, saying that he was contracted and laboured with the sickness of an abscess, so that he could not raise erige R. or lift himself from the bed unless supported by the help of others, saying also that the aforesaid Gregorius vowed himself to blessed Ambrose, and he heard it, and by the blessed man's merits he saw him, on the day on which he made the vow, most fully freed. And the aforesaid Gregorius with the aforesaid Guido and his mother visited the threshold of the blessed man on his own feet.
The lady Pineria, mother of the said Gregorius, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid Gregorius for the time of two years had had a contracted leg, so that he could not raise or ne adds, then deletes, R. lift himself from the bed by himself unless he was helped by another, and laboured with the sickness of an abscess, at length he vowed himself to blessed Ambrose, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow myself to you, that by your glorious merits you would deign mercifully to free me, and I will carry a wax image to your tomb, if you free me from the aforesaid sickness." And the vow being made, by the blessed man's merits he was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness, so that he has never afterwards suffered any hurt. Questioned about the time when this was, she answered: in the month of April just past; and she says that in the same month the same Gregorius visited the threshold of the blessed man on his own feet.
[39] A woman, when she mocked the blessed man's miracles, struck blind, Miracle. The lady Giulgla, wife of the lord Frankus Çanpo ["Guilgla, wife of Franculus" the Dialogue, no. 45, p. 177; "Guiglia del Sign. Francesco Zampone" Fumi, Processo, p. 130.] , of the quarter of the Holy Apostles, sworn, said that when she had no faith in the things which she heard from others about blessed Ambrose and mocked the miracles of the man of God, at length, when she returned home, she so lost her sight that she could not see anything in any way. Whence she began to call out for the help of the man of God, saying: repenting of the deed "St. Ambrose, give me back reddere R. my sight, so that I may be able to see as before, because I spoke ill, I repent of having said dississe R. it, and I will bear testimony to the above-said miracle." At whose invocation she at once had again her former health. recovers her sight. Asked when it was, she answered: in the month of May just past.
[40] A boy shut off from sight, hearing and speech Miracle. The lady Godevile, wife of Peter of Santa Croce de Rasi "Renzi" Fumi, Processo, p. 130. , who now lives in the quarter of Sant'Egidio, sworn, said that she had a son of hers named Angelus, being corrected, at first habentes R. four years old, and she had left him at home healthy and had gone to the stream to wash the linen of her house; she came back afterwards and found that her son had lost sight, hearing and speech, and he was twisting all his limbs like a tormented man, and all the black of his eyes had turned into the white of the eyes. Asked how long he had stayed thus, she answered: from the hour of None until the hour of Matins of the following night. And so she says that she vowed him to blessed Ambrose and carried him to his tomb and placed him upon the tomb, and when she was staying in the night near his tomb at the hour of Matins with her son, spending the night at the tomb of Ambrose. calling on St. Ambrose for the favour that he would free him, at his invocation the boy immediately saw, he is restored to health. spoke and heard. Asked how she knew that he did not see, she answered that she put a lit candle to the eyelid palpebrem R and below. of his eyes and he saw nothing. Asked in whose presence, she answered: the lady Bemmenuta, wife of Martinus, the lady Giugla, wife of Accorinbonus, and several others.
The lady Giugla, wife of Accorinbonus, of the same quarter, a witness, sworn, said that when the lady Godevile had left her son at home and had gone to the stream ruum R. to wash the linen of her house, and when the boy had slept at midday, so grave a sickness gravem infirmitatem R and below. fell upon him that, roused from sleep, he had lost his sight and was twisting his eyes and all his limbs like a tormented man. Whence the mother afterwards returned, saw her son having so grave a sickness, began to weep and to tear corrected, at first dilianiare R herself all over, since she had left him healthy, and vowed him to the blessed man and carried him to his tomb and lay there the whole night; and on the following morning the boy was most fully freed by the merits of the blessed man. And this, she says, was in the month of May just past.
The lady Belmani, wife of Nicola, of the aforesaid quarter, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid lady Godevile had a certain son of hers four years old, and one 〈day〉 had gone to the stream to wash the linen of her house and had left her boy healthy, and when the boy had slept at midday, so grave a sickness fell upon him that, roused from sleep, he saw nothing at all and twisted himself like a tormented man. Asked how she knows that he did not see, she answered that she showed demostrabat R. him a rose and other things and he did not see, and a lit candle. Whence the mother afterwards returned, and when she had learned that her son had so grave a sickness, she began to tear herself all over and vowed him to blessed Ambrose and ad adds, then deletes, R. carried him to his tomb and lay there the whole night; and by the merits of the blessed man on the following morning the boy was most fully freed. And this she said she had seen and heard, and it was in the month of May.
The lady Altadonna, wife of Ianni son of Donatus, of the quarter of Sant'Egidio, a sworn witness, said that when the lady Godevile had her son Angelus, and one day she had gone to the stream to wash the linen of her house and had left her son at home, she came back afterwards at the hour of None, and found that he had lost his sight and was twisting his limbs like quiasi R. a tormented man. Whence she vowed him to blessed Ambrose, that he would free her son for her, and she went to his tomb and lay there the whole night; and on the following morning the boy was most fully healed by the merits of the blessed man. Asked how she knew that he did not see, she answered that she put a lit candle beside the eyelid of his eyes and he did not see.
[41] A fistula in the left foot is healed Miracle. Rainerius son of Christiana, of the quarter of San Giovenale, sworn, said that he had a certain illness in his left foot which was called a fistula, which he had had for the time of twelve years, and he had had many remedies applied by physicians and had gone to several places to receive health, and these availed him nothing; indeed he says that because of its stench people could scarcely bear him; whence, exhorted exortata R. by the lady Berta his sister, he vowed himself humbly and devoutly to the blessed man Ambrose, that by his glorious merits he would give him back health in the said foot, saying that if he did, he would carry a wax image to his tomb and would be devoted to him the whole time of his life. At whose invocation and by his glorious merits he began to be so vigorously freed on an erasure R. , on the third day after the vow was uttered. that on the third day after the vow he was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness, so that he has never afterwards suffered any hurt from the aforesaid, indeed he threw away entirely the bandages which he had always worn, feeling himself healthy in every way. Questioned about the time of the vow, he answered:
in the month of May, in his house, in the presence of the said lady Berta and the lady Sabbatina, his sisters.
The lady Berta, widow corrected, at first quamdam R. of Peter Tramandata, sister of the said Rainerius, a sworn witness, said that it is now twelve years and more that she saw the aforesaid Rainerius labouring with a sickness of the left foot which was called a fistula, and she said that he went to several places to receive health and did many other things which availed him nothing, and she says that she herself several times changed his dressings and because of its stench could scarcely bear it, and it made so much putrid matter. Whence this witness told him to vow himself to blessed Ambrose. And he vowed himself to blessed Ambrose in the month of May just past, that he would give him back health in his foot, saying that he would carry a wax image to his tomb. And the vow being made, on the third day after, by the merits of the man virii R. of God he was most fully healed, so that he threw away entirely the bandages which he had worn, feeling himself healthy in every way.
The lady Sabbatina, full sister of the aforesaid Rainerius, a sworn witness, said that it is now twelve years that she saw the aforesaid Rainerius labouring with the aforesaid sickness in his foot, and she said that he went to several places to receive health and had many remedies applied quod adds, then deletes, R. which availed him nothing against the same sickness; and the vow being uttered to the man of God, on the third day after, by the merits of the blessed man, he is most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness, so that he has never afterwards suffered any hurt from the aforesaid sickness.
[42] A boy a year old, falling from the upper floor of the house, Miracle. The lady Bemmegnate, wife of Bemmenutus Rainus "Benvegnate di Benvenuto di Ramo" Fumi, op. cit., p. 133. , of the quarter of San Giovenale, sworn, said that when her son was standing on the upper floor of the house of this same lady, and she was sitting with her neighbours in front of the house, she heard auduit R. the sound of a certain plank falling erruentis R and below. from the upper floor, and then the said lady, having heard the sound, immediately said: Ambrose being invoked by the mother, "St. Ambrose, I commend my son to you, because he is on the upper floor of the aforesaid house." And together with her neighbours she went and found the plank fallen down. And she went seeking her boy and looked up and saw the boy holding with his hand to a beam of her house and hanging below in the air. And then the aforesaid lady called on blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would hold him until she could climb up to him. And so she climbed to the upper floor and found the boy hanging thus. he remains hanging from the beam. Asked how old the boy himself is, she answered: one year and four months. And this was in the month of May just past, in the presence of the lady Santese, wife of John Freseria, Frabessa, daughter of John Porcellectus, the lady Ildrebandessca, wife of Leonardus the notary, and the lady Gratia, wife of Cittadinus, of the same quarter.
The lady Santese, wife of John Freseria, of the quarter of San Giovenale, sworn, said that when this lady was standing with the said Bemmegnate and the other above-said women, her neighbours, in front of the said Bemmegnate's house 〈and〉 they were sitting, they heard the sound of a certain plank falling from the house of the said lady Bemmegnate, and then the lady Bemmegnate said: "My son is on the upper floor of his house. St. Ambrose, I commend him to you." And so they all went and found the plank fallen down and looked respesserunt R. up at the upper floor and saw the boy hanging in the air, holding with his hand to a beam of the aforesaid house below; and then the lady Bemmegnate asked blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would hold him until she climbed to the upper floor to help him; and this lady with the others above-said stood below, lest corrected, at first nec R. the boy should fall, to catch him; and so the mother climbed to the upper floor and found the boy hanging thus. Questioned about all other matters, she spoke as the boy's mother.
The lady Frabessa, daughter of Guido Either the scribe erred here, or above where he calls the same man John. Porcellectus, sworn, said on her oath the same in everything and through everything as the aforesaid lady Bemmegnate.
Ildrebandessca, wife of Leonardus son of Peter, notary, sworn, said on her oath the same as the aforesaid women.
The lady Gratia, wife of Cittadinus, of the quarter of San Giovenale, sworn, said 〈the same〉 as the lady Bemmegnate.
The sign of the said (L. S.) Rainerius, notary.
[43] On the fourteenth day, the month of July having begun.
An infant of two years recovers from the falling sickness Miracle. Mercus Albasarius "Marcus Abbasarius" the Dialogue, no. 16, p. 153. , of the quarter of San Giovenale, sworn, said that when he had corrected, at first habereret R. a son of his named Mercutius "Mercuinus" the Dialogue, ibid. , twenty months old, labouring with the falling sickness, he vowed him to blessed Ambrose and called on him for the favour that he would free his son. At whose vow and invocation he was at once freed. Asked what 〈words〉 he used in the vow, he answered that he said: "St. Ambrose, free my son, and every year on your feast I will give four poor men to eat for love of you." Asked for how long a time the boy had had the said disease, he answered: for the time of one year; and how it touched him, he answered that every week at least three times he was tormented. Asked with what witnesses he vowed him, he answered: several; and this was in the month of May just past, at the beginning of the said month. Asked whether the said disease tormented him afterwards, he said no, on the contrary inmo R. by the merits of the blessed man he was at once most fully cured.
The lady Fatia, wife of the aforesaid Merkus Albasarius, sworn, said that she had a son of hers named Mercutius Mercuctium R. labouring with the falling sickness, so that every week corrected, at first hedomata R. he was tormented at least three times, which sickness he had suffered for a space of one year now past; and the vow being made to blessed Ambrose, by the merits of the blessed man he was at once freed from the aforesaid disease, so that that disease did not torment him after the vow.
[44] The hand of Ambrose, lately dead, applied to a boy, cures a hernia. Miracle. The lady Margarita, wife of Albonectus son of Peter Martinus, sworn, said that when she had a son of hers named Dainellus, two and a half years old, and he was ruptured and his member looked horrible, on the day on which blessed Ambrose of good memory departed from the world she herself took the hand of blessed Ambrose and made the sign of the cross on the same boy's member, and at once he was freed. Asked for how long a time the said boy had suffered, she answered: since she perceived it, it is seven months. Asked how the boy was, the aforesaid lady brought him before the lord R., bishop of Orvieto, the bishop of Sovana, the prior of Santa Croce, the prior of San Giovanni, the bishop of the Friars Minor Pandolfus, of whom above, no. 7, p. 574? and me the notary, and he was well freed. Item, she said that she had shown demostraverat corrected R. him to several physicians and all told her to have his member made lax That is, if I understand it, relaxed, made loose. , because otherwise he was incurable. And she says that she frequently believed he would die of that disease. Asked whether the same boy kept on bandages, she answered: yes (i. p. r. s.) on an erasure R. ; and whether he wears them now, she answered: no, on the contrary inmo R. by the merits of the blessed man on the aforesaid day he was most fully healed.
Guido, son of Peter Martinus, a sworn witness, said that when Dainellus, son of the aforesaid lady Margarita, his sister-in-law, was ruptured in the groin and his member looked horrible, so that the physicians said of him 〈that〉 he could no longer be freed unless she had his member made lax; whence his mother, on the day on which blessed Ambrose departed from the world, went to his body with the above-said boy, when blessed Ambrose was lying on the bier. And, as the boy's mother reported to him, she said that she drew the blessed man's hand over the boy's member and made the sign of the cross. And when she returned home, the boy was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness; whom he had seen sick before and on her return healthy. Which sickness he says he had suffered a little less than one year, and he threw away entirely the bandages which he had worn before, feeling himself healthy in every way.
[45] An incurable abscess, Miracle. The lady Altamilia, wife of Arruvinus ["Seramia, wife of Arvinus" the Dialogue, no. 28, p. 163; "Altamilia… Arcuvino" Fumi, Processo, p. 133.] , of the quarter of Sant'Angelo de Pusterula of the city of Orvieto, sworn, said that when Arruvinus her husband was ill and at the point of death and had an abscess, and suffered pain around the place of the abscess, so that his limbs were growing cold refrigesscebant R and below. like those of a dying man, and all the physicians said that he was dying of that illness and was incurable; whence, when the aforesaid lady was watching over him one night and the lady Fatia, wife of Guilielmus Ianfortis, was staying with her, she asked the help of blessed Ambrose and vowed him to blessed Ambrose, that he would free libaret R. him, saying: "St. Ambrose, free my husband and give him back to me, for I hold him for dead; and I, as long as I live, will give of my own for love of you." At whose vow and invocation the abscess immediately burst and he was at once freed. Asked how she knew that he had had an abscess, she answered because she saw him discharge blood saguinem R. through his mouth and much other putrid matter. Asked when this was, she answered: in the month of April, at the time of his passing (of the day she does not remember), in her house. Item, she says that the physicians had given him up and said that he was incurable; and so, when day came, he rose from the bed and recovered his former health; for before the vow he could perceive nothing.
The lady Fatia, wife of Guilielmus Ianfortis, of the aforesaid quarter, a sworn witness, said that this lady, at the request of the aforesaid lady Altamilia, had gone one night to watch over Arruvinus, her husband, who was suffering a very great sickness, and he had an abscess and suffered pain around the place of the abscess, so that his limbs were growing cold like those of a dying man, and she says that the physicians said he was incurable. Asked how she knows, she answered: because she is his neighbour and stayed every
day with her. Whence, when she was there in the middle of the night and Arruvinus himself was at the point of death, the said lady began to ask for help and to call on blessed Ambrose for the favour, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, free my husband and give him back to me, and I will always give of my goods for love of you." At whose invocation the abscess immediately burst and he discharged blood saguinem R. through his mouth and much other putrid matter. Asked how she knew that he had had an abscess, she answered: because of the blood saguinem R. which she saw him discharge through his mouth and much other putrid matter. Asked when it was, she answered: in the month of April, at the time of the passing of the blessed man, in the house of the said Arruvinus. And so immediately he was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness by the blessed man's merits, and on the following morning, rising from the bed, he received his former health.
[46] A flux of the belly, Miracle. Glorius on an erasure R. "Gilius" the Dialogue, no. 43, p. 174. , of the quarter of the Holy Apostles of the aforesaid city, sworn, said that when he was labouring with the dysenteric disease and had a very great sickness, so that because of its flux he befouled ita R. his bed and bedding with a sudden flux of the belly, so that every day it was necessary that all su adds, then deletes, R. the cloths of his bed be washed twice, which people could not bear. Whence he says that he invoked the help of blessed Ambrose, that he would free him by his merits. At whose invocation he was immediately freed; and so now he says that he performs his work well. Asked for how long a time he had had that sickness, he answered: for a space of six years and more. Asked what words he used in the vow, he answered that he called on blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would free him by his merits. Asked in whose presence, he answered that he was a poor man, there was no one always in his house to hear him. Indeed he said that many times he could not have any person to give him some water. Asked when this was, he answered: at the beginning of the month of May, and many knew that he had that sickness; and he says that several of his women neighbours heard him saying so when they were standing in front of the door of his house.
The lady Bellafante, widow of Master Carbo, a sworn witness, said that it is now six years and more that she saw the aforesaid Glorius, her neighbour, labouring so with the dysenteric disease that people could not bear his stench because of the flux fuxu R. of the belly, and lying in bed he was rotting in his own stench in the manner of a brute bructi R. animal. He vowed himself to blessed Ambrose and, the vow being made, he was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness. Asked when he made the vow, she answered: in the month of May, at the time of the passing of the blessed man, when she was standing in front of his house; and at once by the merits of the blessed man he was freed.
The lady Sibilia, wife of John, of the same quarter, a neighbour of the aforementioned Glorius, 〈said〉 that it is now six years and more that she saw the aforesaid Glorius labouring so with the dysenteric disease that people could not bear his stench because of the flux fuxu R. of his belly, and so he was rotting in his own stench. At length he vowed himself to blessed Ambrose and, the vow being made, he was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness. And this was in the month of May just past, and she was standing in front of the house of Glorius himself when he said thus: "I call on blessed Ambrose for the favour that he may deign to free me by his merits." And at once by the merits of the blessed man he was freed.
The lady Rosa, wife of Magaloctus, of the aforesaid quarter, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid Glorius, her neighbour, was labouring with the dysenteric defect, so that people could not bear his stench because of the flux fussu R. of the belly, saying that every day it was necessary that the cloths of his bed be washed twice, he vowed himself to blessed Ambrose, and by his merits he was most fully freed. Asked for how long a time she saw him have the aforesaid sickness, she answered: for the time of eight years, as it seems to her. Asked when he made the vow and was freed, she answered: in the month of May just past; and in whose presence, she answered: his women neighbours who were standing in front of the door of the named Glorius when he said: "St. Ambrose, I call on you for the favour that by your glorious merits you would deign mercifully to free me." At whose invocation he was at once freed.
The lady Orvetana, wife of Salamon, of the aforesaid quarter, sworn, said the same as the aforesaid lady Rosa about the aforesaid sickness and cure.
[47] an eating sore on the tongue and in the mouth are healed. Miracle. Bonacursus son of Rainaldus, of the quarter of San Faustino outside the main gate of the city of Orvieto, sworn, said that when the mouth of his son Rainaldus stank and his tongue was much eaten away, very grave sores had arisen on his cheeks gravissa R. , so that the mouth looked very horrible and putrid. And he says that he could not find any physician who would cure him, and the boy, not yet three years old, of himself asked his father to take him to the tomb of St. Ambrose. Which boy the father took and vowed him to blessed Ambrose, and the vow being made, on that day the boy was freed. Asked for how long a time he had suffered that sickness, he answered: for one month ap adds, then deletes, R. before he made the vow, as he had perceived from the stench, for otherwise he did not know. Asked when he made the vow and he was freed, he answered: in the month of May just past, after his passing.
The lady Diamante, wife of the aforesaid Bonacursus, a sworn witness, said that when the mouth of her son Rainaldus stank greatly and his tongue was much eaten away and very grave sores had arisen on his cheeks, and she had had corrected, at first fecissent R. many remedies applied by physicians and they availed nothing against the aforesaid sickness, the boy, not yet three years old, of himself asked his father to take him to the tomb of blessed Ambrose. Which boy his own father carried and vowed him to blessed Ambrose. And the vow being made, on the day on which he carried him, the boy was most fully freed of the aforesaid sickness by the blessed man's merits. Which illness he had had more than one month, and in the month of May he was freed.
The lady Iemma, wife of Guido, sister-in-law of the said Bonacursus, a sworn witness, said corrected, at first quod R. that she saw Rainaldus, son of the said Bonacursus, labouring with a most grievous disease in his mouth and tongue and cheeks, so that that disease was horribly eating his tongue, and very grave sores had arisen on his cheeks; and the vow being uttered to blessed Ambrose, by the merits of the blessed man he was most fully cured.
[48] [Dust which had touched the dead body of Ambrose frees a boy from a malignant swelling.] Miracle. The lady Balseverina, daughter of Tedora of Siena, who lives in the quarter of San Domenico of the Friars Preachers, sworn, said on her oath that she had a certain son of hers named Nicholas "Nicoletus" the Dialogue, no. 10, p. 147. who had his left arm, with his neck and gullet, so weighed down with swelling and redness that all who saw him said that because of that sickness the boy would certainly die; she went to the church where blessed Ambrose lay, wishing to present him devoutly to blessed Ambrose's tomb; but since she could not, for the multitude corrected, at first multidtudine R. of people standing there, she asked humbly that some of the earth where his body had been washed be shown to her. And when on an erasure; previously written adp R. , at her request, a certain brother of the Order of Friars Minor named Thomas had given it to her and she herself had hung it on the boy's neck, at the invocation of St. Ambrose of good memory the boy was immediately freed. Asked when this was, she answered: on the day following his passing. Asked in whose presence, she answered: the lady Tedora her mother and Balvina her sister, who had come with her, and the lady Guidolocta her sister.
Guidolocta on an erasure R. , daughter of Tedora of Siena, a religious woman, a sworn witness, said that when the son of the lady Balseverina, her sister, had his arm and neck so swollen with redness and swelling, and so thick, and so far lost already, that he could not help himself with it, but continually carried it drawn back contracted, nor could he be freed (p. l.) corrected, at first l. p. R. by the medicine of a plaster implaustrum R, cf. §35. , roused by her aforesaid sister, she carried the sick son to the tomb of the blessed man Ambrose. And when, because of the multitude of people standing there, she could not approach the tomb of the man of God, her said sister asked a certain brother that some of the earth where the blessed man's body had been fuat R. washed be shown to her, and when at her request a certain brother named Thomas had given it to her, on the second day after the blessed man's passing, in the evening, she hung it on the boy's neck, and by the blessed man's merits the boy was immediately most fully freed, and at his invocation. And this she says she knows because she saw the aforesaid, that he had suffered thus for two months and more.
The lady Balvina, sister of the aforesaid Guidolocta, a religious woman, a sworn witness, said that when the son of the aforesaid lady Balseverina had his arm and neck so swollen with redness and swelling that he could not raise it in any way but continually carried it drawn back contracted; for he had been so ill infimus R. for two months and more, nor could he be freed by the medicine of a plaster implaustrum R, cf, §35. , roused by the aforesaid Guidolocta, this witness hearing it, the said Balseverina carried her son, so ill, to the tomb of blessed Ambrose, and this witness went with her. And when, because of the multitude multidudinem R. of people, the said Balseverina could not approach the tomb, she asked a certain brother that some of the earth where the body of the man of God had been washed be shown to her. At whose request a certain brother gave it to her, on the second day after the blessed man's passing; and in the evening she herself hung it on the boy's neck at his invocation. Which boy by the blessed man's merits was immediately freed from the aforesaid sickness.
[49] A demon adjured in vain Miracle. Palmeria, daughter a adds, then deletes, R. of the late Albasia of Viterbo, who now lives in the district of the Piano Scarlano of the same city, sworn, said on her oath that in the first year when the lord Pope Gregory came to Viterbo [Gregory IX was at Viterbo at least from the 8th of November 1235 to the 7th of May 1236. Cf. Auvray, Les registres de Gregoire IX, vol. II, pp. 192, 390.] she went to Santa Maria de Orçanese, which had been consecrated by the said lord pope on that same day, and
when she was thirsty, a certain boy was drawing auriebat R and below. water from the well putheo R and below. of that church, and she asked for water, and a certain woman got in ahead of her, wishing to drink first, saying: "Drink of the water, that a thousand demons may enter your body." And she drank of the water then, and she was pregnant, and after eight days she bore a male child, who was dead. And after the birth she began to lose the strength of her hands manum R, reading doubtful. and began to cry out violently, and she uttered very great cries. And priests read the words of God for her help. At last she had the roll read over her, and then the torment of the demons appeared, tormenting her more violently, and she says that she could never hear the Gospel nor any words of God. Asked who were the priests who read the exorcisms against the torment of the demons, she answered: the priest Biterbius, the priest Bentivengna of Sant' sancta R. Andrea of the Piano Scarlano. Asked in what place they read, she answered: in her house in her district. Asked in whose presence, she answered: the priests themselves, her sister Brunactia, her mother and several others. Asked whether the torment of the demons ceased for any interval, she answered that it ceased for one day; and sometimes she was tormented twelve times a day. And she says that before blessed Ambrose of good memory departed from the world, the demons cried out: "He is born and alive who is to drive extragere R. us out." And after his death the demons cried out: "Let us go to Ambrose, who is to drive extragere R. us out." And now she came with her husband to Orvieto to the tomb of blessed Ambrose in the month of July, in which we are, at the tomb of Ambrose he releases the possessed woman. on the twelfth day from its beginning. At whose invocation she was freed. Asked whether she perceived when the demons were put to flight, she answered that she was so out of her mind that she did 〈not〉 perceive it. Asked who were present when the demons were put to flight, she answered that she does not remember because of the alienation of her mind. Asked who her husband was, she answered: Blasius the shepherd. Asked for how long a time she had been with him, she answered: for the time of four years and more; and in the year in which she was married this befell her. Asked where she originated orriunda R. , she answered: from Viterbo.
Blasius Palmerius R, by a manifest confusion with the wife's name. the shepherd, of the Piano Scarlano of Viterbo, a sworn witness, said that in the year when the church of Santa Maria de Orçanese was consecrated, Palmeria his wife went to the said church against his will, and when she was there, a certain young man was drawing water from the well of that church. The said Palmeria asked him to give her a drink, and when he was about to give it, a certain harlot meretris R. wished to take the drinking vessel from her; and because she did not give it to her, she said to her: "Drink, that a thousand demons may enter your body." And Palmeria palp adds, then deletes, R. herself drank afterwards, and after the drink she made the sign of the cross on herself. She returned home and after eight 〈days〉 bore a son, who at once died. And then, after the birth, the torment of the demons appeared, and they began to infest her, and he says that one of those demons was a judge on an erasure R. and ante adds, then deletes, R. there was no one who could resist him in wisdom. Asked whether the torment of the demons ceased, he answered that it did per adds, then deletes, R. sometimes for a day; sometimes they tormented her twelve times a day; and he says that when the torment of the demons infested her, then all the neighbours came. Asked who were the persons who performed the exorcisms, he answered: the clerics of Sant'Andrea of Viterbo. Asked for how long a time she had suffered thus, he answered: for the time of four years; and so in the month of July which is now, on the twelfth day from its beginning, he came with her to the city of Orvieto to the tomb of blessed Ambrose, and at his invocation the demons were put to flight and she was immediately freed.
[50] The use of her arm is restored to a lowly woman. Miracle. The lady Bruna, wife of Bonacoltus, of the quarter of the Holy Apostles, sworn, said that she suffered very great pain in her right arm, so that she could not raise her arm or hand to her mouth nor do anything with it. Whence she says that she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, that he would free her by his merits. And on the day on which she made the vow she was freed, and she performs her work well. Asked what words she used when she vowed herself, she answered that she said: "Blessed Ambrose, free me from this pain which I suffer, and I will bring an arm of wax to your tomb." Asked for how long a time she had suffered that pain, she answered: for the time of two years. Asked whether she had the said pain continually, she answered yes. Questioned about the time of the vow, she answered: in the month of April just past, on a certain Wednesday after Easter Passca R. .
The sign of the said (L. S.) Rainerius, notary.
[51] On the thirteenth day from the end of the month of July.
A crushed foot is healed. Miracle. Bonagura Perosinus, of the quarter of San Faustino, sworn, said that when he was carrying with certain other men a certain vat belonging to Nicola Braimandus, a citizen civi R. of Orvieto, in order to move wine by the strength of his body through the city of Orvieto, his companions, too hard pressed by the above-said weight, let the whole weight down upon this man; which, falling on his foot, so ruined the foot that for ten months he could not walk. And since he could not go to the tomb of blessed Ambrose Ambrosi R. , he vowed himself in his house to blessed Ambrose, saying: "St. Ambrose, I am your servant; if you free me, I will always be at your service and every year on your feast I will give two poor men to eat." Moreover he says that he was so impeded that he could not raise himself to relieve himself. Asked when he made the vow, he answered that he does not remember corrected R. ; and in whose presence, he answered: several of his neighbours and his wife. And by the merits of the blessed man, the vow being made, he was immediately most fully healed.
The lady Bemmegnate, wife of Dominicus domini R. , of the aforesaid quarter, a witness, said that when the aforesaid Bonagura, from the injury of his feet, could not move himself from the bed, afterwards, compelled by poverty, crawling raperdo R and below. on his hands through the mud, he began to beg publicly pulice R. , and afterwards by the merits of the man 〈of God〉 Ambrose he was most fully freed; for he made the vow with this witness present and was immediately freed, saying that if he freed him by his merits, he would give two duo R. poor men to eat every 〈year〉 on his feast and would remain in his service the whole time of his life. And this was in his house, she herself being present, the wife of Bonagura and the lady Altaborga and several others.
The lady Altaborga, of the quarter of San Faustino, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid Bonagura, from the injury of his feet, could not move himself from the bed, afterwards, compelled cohactus R. by poverty, he began to beg publicly, crawling on his hands through the mud. And by the merits of blessed Ambrose, to whom he made a vow with this witness present, immediately, the vow being made, he was most fully freed, saying that if he freed him by his merits, he would remain in his service the whole time of his life and every year on his feast would give two poor men to eat. Asked in what place this was, she answered: in the house of the said Bonagura, in the presence of the lady Bemmegnate Bemegnate R. , wife of Dominicus, and several others.
[52] A matron crippled in the feet Miracle. The lady Iemma, widow of Gratianus, of the quarter of San Cristofano, sworn, said that when for a space of six years now past she could not walk without a stick, she visited the body of the blessed man Ambrose, that he would deign to free her by his merits. And afterwards she returned home. In the night blessed Ambrose, appearing to her, said to her: Bl. Ambrose, appearing by night, restores her strength. "Stretch yourself out." And she stretched herself out; and rising in the morning she walked without a stick and was most fully healed.
The lady Meglore, daughter of Peter son of Christofanus, of Arobavilla reading doubtful. , wife of Scagnus Cappanaria, a sworn witness, said that she saw the aforesaid lady weighed down by sickness, so that she could walk only a few paces without a stick, when she would cry out and utter sorrowful dolorosos R. cries; and now by the merits of the blessed man St. Ambrose she sees her walking publicly without a stick. Asked how she knows that she was freed by the merits of the blessed man, she answered that she saw her go to the tomb, and this witness went with her, and she saw her weep before the tomb, that God by the merits of the blessed man might give her back health. Asked for how long a time she saw her ill, she answered that it is now five years and more.
Nicolecta, daughter of Nicola de Panni, a sworn witness, said that she saw the aforesaid lady Iemma for a space of six years now past walking with a stick, and going to the body of the blessed man, by the blessed man's merits she was freed. Asked how she knew, she answered and said that she is her neighbour and knows everything well, and she sees her well freed who before could in no way walk without a stick.
[53] A religious woman is healed of an abscess in the head. Miracle. Bemmenuta, daughter of Bonfiglolus "Beneamata, daughter of Bonsignolus" the Dialogue, no. 27, p. 163. , of the quarter of San Giovenale, a religious woman, sworn, said that when she was suffering gravely in her head (as the physicians said, it was an abscess), so that she could not sleep nor keep her head capud R. on the bed, the vow being uttered to blessed Ambrose, the abscess apo adds, then deletes, R. immediately burst through her nostrils, and she was most fully freed by the merits of the blessed man. Asked when it was, she answered: at the time of the passing of the blessed man, in the presence of her sisters. Asked for how long a time she had suffered that sickness, she answered: fifteen days; and what words she used in the invocation, she answered that she said that if St. Ambrose freed her by his merits, she would always do good for love of him.
[54] Spoiled wine is restored whole. Miracle. Nicola de Montaso, a citizen of Orvieto, sworn, said that when he had bought clear wine and afterwards it had become so turbid that he wished to throw it away, he prayed blessed Ambrose to give him back the wine, now spoiled. And by his
merits, before he moved his feet, he received back the wine in its former degree, for which he had brought men to carry it away, and so he found it and had it again.
[55] A tumour in the throat is dispersed. Miracle. Buiactone of Catabulum "Catabio" Fumi, Processo, p. 134. , of the castle of the lord bishop of Sovana, sworn, said that when a certain sickness had arisen in his throat, so that because of its horribleness he could corrected, at first valebat R. neither eat nor drink anything nor do any work, and he was so tormented by the aforesaid sickness for seven days that he appeared to all to be near death, at length his wife vowed him to God and to blessed Ambrose, because he himself could not speak; 〈and〉 since he could not at all be freed of the aforesaid sickness by the help of a physician, he was freed by the merits of blessed Ambrose, so that, when she had made the vow on Sunday in the evening, on Monday morning, a purse having been placed on his neck so that he might go to the body of the blessed man, he was most fully healed, so that he could eat and work freely. Questioned about the time when he made the vow, he answered: on Sunday, the 15th day from the beginning of the month of July, in the presence of Berta, wife of Rusticuctius, and several others of his neighbours, saying that his wife said that if blessed Ambrose freed him corrected R. , she would send him to his tomb humbly and devoutly.
The lady Berta, wife of Rusticuctius, of the same castle, a sworn witness, said that when she had seen the aforesaid Buiactone labouring horribly with a most grievous sickness, so that, eating nothing and drinking nothing, he appeared to all to be near death, the vow being made to blessed Ambrose that he would deign mercifully to free him, on the second day by his merits he 〈was〉 most fully cured, so that, eating and drinking, he could do everything freely. Asked what sickness infirmitate R. he had, she answered that it was a certain sickness which had arisen in his throat, so that it looked very horrible and he could not speak in any way. Asked whether she was present at the vow, she answered that she was; and what quis R. the wife of Buiactone did and what words she used, she answered that she called on blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would free et adds, then deletes, R. her husband, and that she would send him to his tomb humbly and devoutly. And this witness visited the threshold of the blessed man with him.
The lady Iemma, wife of Donulus, of the same castle, a sworn witness, said the same as the aforesaid lady Berta Bertha R. about the aforesaid sickness and cure and vow; and she visited the threshold of the blessed man with him.
[56] A woman pilgrim, blind, receives light at the tomb of Ambrose. Miracle. The lady Franca, of the quarter of Santa Maria, sworn, said that when she was in the City for the sake of prayer this year at the beginning of the greater Lent quatragesima R. , she lost her sight, so that she could see nothing in any way. Whence she returned to the city of Orvieto, her son leading traientem R. her, blind, and bringing reducentem R. her back to her own home; and afterwards she visited the tomb of St. Ambrose, the lady Glacata and other neighbours suo R. of hers leading traientem R. her; and when in the middle of the night she was lying before the tomb of blessed Ambrose, at his invocation she recovered her sight. Asked when she recovered recupavit R. it and visited the tomb and made the vow, she answered: in the month of May just past. Asked in whose presence: that the church was full, and also some of her neighbours heard when she made fecerunt adds, then deletes, R. the vow.
The lady Bellavieni, of the aforesaid quarter, a sworn witness, said that, having previously seen the aforesaid lady Franca seeing well before she went to Rome, afterwards she beheld we have written this; munita R; q adds, then deletes, R. the same woman blind and stumbling with her feet; she says that when the said Franca was going along the road, because she was deprived of the use of her eyes, going off the road she pressed against walls and stones, and she herself, taking her by the hand, put her back on the road she had lost. And she says that she went to the tomb of St. Ambrose, and this witness went with her, and by the merits of the blessed man she recovered her sight on the night in which she made the vow, so that she sees well. Asked for how long a time she had seen her blind, she answered that she does not remember. Asked when she was freed, she answered: in the month of May. Asked whether she was present at the vow, she answered that she was.
The lady Glaçata, wife of Girardus, of the same quarter, a sworn witness, said that she saw the aforesaid lady Franca, her neighbour, after she returned corrected R. from the City, walking like a blind woman, so that she could see nothing nor walk along the road unless some person led her; and afterwards by the merits of blessed Ambrose she was freed, and she says that she was at the blessed man's tomb with her for the sake of receiving 〈health〉, and she says that she heard when she vowed herself to the blessed man. Asked when she was freed, she answered: in the month of May just past. Asked whether she now sees well, she answered that she does; and what words she used in the vow, she answered that she said: "Blessed Ambrose, I call on you for the favour that by your glorious merits you would deign to give me back my sight." Asked in whose presence, she answered: she ipse R. herself, the witness, the aforesaid lady Bellavieni and several others.
[57] A dying boy is restored to life. Miracle. The lady Bemmenuta, wife of Nicola on an erasure R. Sanebaldus "Benvenuta moglie di Nicola Donebaldi" Fumi, Processo, p. 134. , sworn, said that when she had a son of hers named John ill, so that she wholly despaired of his life, she vowed him to blessed Ambrose, saying that if he freed him, she would carry a wax image to his tomb and would remain in his service the whole time of her life. And so, the vow 〈being made〉, by the merits of blessed Ambrose he was immediately most fully freed. Asked for how long a time he had had the said sickness, she answered: six days. Asked when she made the vow, she answered: in the month of July which now is e R. ; and in whose presence: the lady Ingese, daughter of Peter Maglavacca, and others.
The lady Ingese, wife of Rainerius Sinebaldus, a sworn witness, said (t. i. d.) i. d. t. R. that when the son of the aforesaid lady Bemmenuta was violently weighed down by a very great sickness, so that he had lost his speech and she wholly despaired of his life; whence his aforesaid mother, in the presence of this witness and the lady Ligoria p adds, then deletes, R. , wife of Iosep, vowed him to blessed Ambrose, that he would deign to free him, saying that if he freed him, she would carry a wax image to his tomb and would remain in his service the whole time of her life. And so, the vow being made, by the merits of the blessed man the boy recovered health most fully. Asked when it was, she answered: in the month of July.
The lady Ligoria, wife of Iosep, a near neighbour of the said Bemmenuta, a sworn witness, said about the aforesaid sickness and health dixit the same as the aforesaid lady Ingese.
[58] An ear of grain stuck in a man's throat is drawn out. Miracle. Bondimmanus, of the quarter of San Leonardo, sworn, said that when he was threshing on the threshing-floor aria tritrularet R. , the wind blowing flanto R. , an ear of wheat then stuck horribly in his throat, and 〈when〉 for two days and two nights written twice R. he was tormented in his throat because of the ear arista R. , the vow being uttered, by the merits of blessed Ambrose the ear immediately flew out of his throat. Asked when it was, he answered: in the month of July. Asked in whose presence, he answered: in the presence of Bonacursus son of Laurentius, Ugulinus and several others. Asked what words he used in the vow, he answered that he called on blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would deign to free him by his merits, and that for love of him he would always give of his own.
[59] A mocker of Ambrose is struck by heaven Miracle. The lady Tramandata, wife of Bemmenutus Bemmenutti R. Montanarius, of the quarter of San Costanzo, sworn, said that 〈when〉 her husband mocked the merits of blessed Ambrose, calling him "St. Ambrolius", a great pain seized his right hand, so that he could do nothing with it nor bring food to his mouth. and, penitent, is healed. Whence, induced by his wife to vow himself to the blessed man, at her very great insistence he vowed himself, and the vow being uttered, he immediately received health in every way. Asked when this was, she answered: in the month of July; of the day she says she does not remember.
[60] A matron lying gravely ill Miracle. The lady Sopercla, wife of Accommandus, of the quarter of San Costanzo, sworn, said that when she was labouring with a very great sickness and was oppressed by many pains and had an abscess, and suffered pain around the place of the abscess, so that she could not raise or lift herself from the bed, which she had in her flank, so that she despaired of her life in every way; Ambrose having lately died whence, on the day on which blessed Ambrose of good memory departed from the world, in the evening, at about the first sleep (i. p. s.) imprimo sonno R and below. , while the body of blessed Ambrose was lying in the church, she vowed herself, saying that God through the merits of the same brother would deign to free her from that sickness, and that she would carry a wax image to his tomb and would remain in his service the whole time of her life. This vow being made, immediately she asked for her clothes to be given her and rose from the bed, she who for a space of one month now past could not raise eregere R. [se] herself before nor stretch out her legs clura R. in any way; and going to the body of blessed Ambrose on her own feet, being healed, she fulfils the vow. on the following morning she began to attend to everything about the house, and she was most fully cured of that sickness. Asked in whose presence, she answered: Divitia Perusina, her fellow-godmother, who was always watching over her, Bonus, son of the said Divitia, and Ildrebandinus her son.
The lady Divitia Perusina, mother of the said Sopercla, a sworn witness, said that when the lady Sopercla was labouring with a very great sickness and was oppressed by many pains, so that she had not stretched out her legs clara R. in any way, but set R. could not even lift herself from the bed, and had an abscess in her flank, as the physicians who came to her said, so that they despaired of her life in every way; whence, on the day on which blessed Ambrose of good memory departed from the world, in the evening at about the first sleep, the said lady Sopercla vowed herself to him, saying that God through the merits of St. Ambrose would free her. This vow being made, by the merits of the blessed man she immediately recovered health most fully and immediately visited the body of the blessed man on her own feet, and on the following morning began to attend to everything about her own house, she who before for one month and more had in no way lifted herself from the bed by herself. Asked in whose presence, she answered: Bonus her son,
Ildrebandinus, son of the said lady Sopercla; and this she says she knows because she was watching over her.
Bonus, son of the aforesaid Divitia, a sworn witness, said the same in everything as the aforesaid Divitia.
[61] A sick man recovers at the funeral bed of Ambrose. Miracle. Luca son of Tancredus corrected, at first Trancredi R. Branca, of the quarter of San Costanzo, sworn, a citizen of Orvieto, said that from his birth he had had one of his testicles much larger than the other, so that it looked very horrible, but for fifteen years past, by reason of it, at certain times pain seized him greatly and his thigh swelled inflambatur R, who adds, then deletes, et. greatly, so that he cried out so and uttered cries like a woman who has given birth, from excessive pain; and he said that he always received penance because he thought he would die, so violently did it hold him; and he said that he would rather die than have that illness; and he said that he had frequently asked counsel of blessed Ambrose in his lifetime; he said, however, that on the day on which blessed Ambrose departed from the world, he went to the place where he lay and took the hand of blessed Ambrose and placed the hand upon his thigh and member, making the sign of the cross, and called for the favour that he would free libaret R. him. At whose invocation and touch he was at once freed and the swelling went down. Asked how that disease touched him and how many times, he answered: once every month, but he says that the swelling remained. And now he is excellently freed, so that he has never afterwards suffered any hurt from the aforesaid sickness.
The lady Tedora, wife of the aforesaid Luca, a sworn witness, said that for fifteen years past her husband had had one of his testicles much larger than the other, by reason of which a certain pain seized him, so that his thigh swelled horribly, and he cried out and uttered cries like a woman who has given birth, from excessive pain, so was he tormented; by which illness every month for eight days he was so violently seized that he could [non] in no way sleep. Whence, on the day on which blessed Ambrose departed from the world, he went to the place where he lay and drew his hand over his thigh and member, making the sign of the cross, so that on that day the swelling went down, and he was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness by the blessed man's merits, so that he has never afterwards suffered any hurt from the aforesaid sickness.
Bartho, son of the said Luca, a sworn witness, said that when his father had one of his testicles much larger than the other, by reason of it a certain pain seized him, so that his thigh swelled infilabatur R. horribly; by which sickness every month he was violently seized, so that he cried out and uttered cries like a woman who has given birth, from excessive pain, so that day and night for eight days he could not rest nor sleep. Whence, on the day on which blessed Ambrose of good memory departed from the world, he went to the place where he lay and, as Luca himself reported to him, he said that he took the blessed man's hand and drew it over his thigh and member; and on that day he saw him most fully freed of the aforesaid sickness by the blessed man's merits, and the swelling tumorum R. had gone down, so that he has never afterwards suffered any hurt from the aforesaid sickness.
[62] Ambrose warns a sleeping mother of her little infant fallen from the cradle. Miracle. The lady Rosa, wife of Magaloctus, of the quarter of the Holy Apostles, sworn, said corrected, at first de reg. s. a. i. dix. ux. Mag. R. that when she was lying at night in her house in bed together with her aforesaid husband, and had a certain little son of hers named Leonardus, who was lying in a cradle near her, while she was sleeping blessed written twice R. Ambrose came in her sleep and roused her, saying to her: "Rise, because your son is lying between the chest corrected, at first carcam R. and the wall and will soon be suffocated." She, roused at his voice, rose and called her aforesaid husband, telling him how St. Ambrose had spoken to her. And so they rose and searched the cradle in which the boy should have been lying, and did not find him. Whence they went to the aforesaid place and found the boy there. Asked when it was, she answered: in the month of July which now is.
Magaloctus, husband of the aforesaid lady, a sworn witness, said that when one night in the month of July ilii corrected R, at first ilui. he was lying in his bed in his house and sleeping, the aforesaid woman, his wife, called him and told him how blessed Ambrose had spoken to her about the aforementioned boy. Having heard this, as has been said above, they rose at once and found him in the aforesaid place.
[63] [Women of Orvieto on pilgrimage at Venice, their little boat overturned, are kept safe.] Miracle. The lady Gisa, daughter of Tolosanus, a religious woman, a sworn witness, said that 〈when〉 with certain people of Orvieto she was in a certain boat at Rialto in Venice, when they were going to San Marco for the sake of prayer, and were returning reddirent R. from the church of Santa Lucia, the boat in which she was overturned, twenty-seven persons there present crying out: "St. Ambrose, help us." And they were plunged into the water and so went through the water, sometimes above and sometimes below "Cinque di sopra e cinque di sotto" Fumi, Processo, p. 134. , and the boat had drifted away from them. And at the noise women of Venice then came, who helped them wring out their clothes; and she says that they lost nothing of their belongings. And this, she says, was on Ascension Day Sensionis R. just past; and 〈at〉 the invocation of the blessed man and by his glorious merits they were freed from the danger of death.
The lady Amata, servant of the lord corrected, at first bnī R. Guilielmus son of Berardinus Montanarius [The same name in a certain charter of the years 1240–41 in Fumi, Codice diplomatico, p. 166.] , a religious woman, a sworn witness, said the same as the aforesaid lady Gisa.
The sign of the said (L. S.) Rainerius, notary.
[64] On the ninth day from the end of the month of July.
Diphtheria is healed. Miracle. The lady Iacoba, wife of Ildribandinus son of Martinus of Lubriano [Lubriano, canton of Bagnoregio, province of Rome. Pardi, op. cit., p. 292. "Aldobrandino Martini di Subiano" Fumi, Processo, p. 134.] , sworn, said that when for four days she was suffering a most grave sickness infirmitate R. in her throat, which was called the livid, so that she could neither eat commede R. nor drink anything, and because of that sickness she had almost lost her voice and speech, and since she could not at all be freed by the help of the physicians, but appeared to all near death, on Monday evening she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, if you free me from this sickness by morning, so that I may be able to eat and drink and go back to my own house, I will hasten proparabo R. as quickly as possible to your venerable merits, and making a wax image I will be devoted to you the whole time of my life." And rising in the morning, by the merits of blessed Ambrose she found herself restored to her former health; and she who had gone with pain to another town seeking the help of physicians, freed by the merits of blessed Ambrose, returned with joy and exultation to her own sa adds, then deletes, R. house, so that, eating and drinking freely, she was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness, and coming devoutly to his tomb she bought wax, from which an image was made up to the praise of blessed Ambrose. Questioned about the time, she answered: on Tuesday, the 15th day from the end of July; and in whose presence: before her kinsfolk and neighbours.
The lady Sinagrana, wife of Carsidonius of Lubriano, a sworn witness, said that, having first seen the aforesaid lady Iacoba labouring with a most grievous sickness in her throat, so that, compelled cohacta R. to seek the help of physicians, she took care to go to another town, afterwards by the merits of the blessed man St. Ambrose she saw her most fully freed of the aforesaid sickness. And with her she visited the threshold of the blessed man, coming to Orvieto. Questioned about the time, she answered that she does not remember the day, but of the month she says: July.
The lady Morvida, wife of Rubertius Rubertiitii R. of Lubriano, a sworn witness, said that when she had seen the aforesaid lady Iacoba weighed down by a very great sickness in her throat, and she touched it with her own hands to see the disease, at length, handling it, since she could not give counsel, she went to another town seeking the help of physicians. And when on Monday evening she had vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, on the following day by his merits she was most fully healed, so that she went back remehavit R. to her own house freed of the aforesaid sickness. And she accompanied commitata R. her as she came to Orvieto to visit the threshold of the blessed man.
[65] [Bl. Ambrose warns a sleepless father of his little infant fallen from the cradle.] Miracle. Guido son of Peter Bruna, notary Cf. Fumi, Codice diplomatico, pp. 166, 172. , sworn, said that when he was lying sick in bed and weighed down by sickness, and his wife was lying near him, she placed their infant written twice R. beside the bed in a cradle. And since he could not sleep for his sickness, the venerable man blessed Ambrose appeared in the habit of the Friars Minor, shining like a star. And he began to ask about his glory, and then the blessed man said to him: "Son filii R. , be blessed by God and by me; wake your wife and stay no longer, because your son is dying and lies bent between the bed and the wall." And he woke his wife and found the boy in the aforesaid place, who seemed almost lifeless and to be labouring in his last moments. Whence he vowed him to blessed Ambrose and at once he was freed, and he says that he was lying bent.
The lady Carabona, wife of the aforesaid Guido, sworn, said that when she was lying in bed with her own husband and kept the boy beside her in a cradle, in the silence of the night blessed Ambrose stood by her husband and, speaking with him, said this too: "Call your wife, because your son is dying and lies corrected, at first iaces R. bent;" which he did. And she, rising from sleep,
found her son again in the bed (in lec) on an erasure R. beside the wall, bent and almost dead, and she vowed him to blessed Ambrose. And by his merits he immediately recovered his former health. Questioned about the time, she answered: in the month of July which now is.
[66] Ichthyosis is healed 〈Miracle.〉 The lady Tedora on an erasure R. , wife of Manens the smith frabi R. , sworn, said that she had a certain daughter of hers named Morvida, from the greater Lent just past until the month of June, so most gravely stricken gravissima sociatam R. by a hard sickness that she could not rise from the bed without the help of others, which was called by all the horny gout, and she was horribly full of it as it were over her whole body, so that she could not rise unless she was helped by another; at length she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, that he would deign to free her by his glorious merits. At whose invocation she was at once most fully cured. But the husband, coming home, saw her freed of the aforesaid sickness, and, taking this ill, he began to curse the saint of God, hearing from his wife that blessed Ambrose had freed her by his merits. On account of which the aforesaid woman was so gravely shaken by the aforesaid sickness that the relapse seemed greater than the sickness had been before it was driven away. And when the aforesaid was lying sick in bed in her house, hearing that blessed Ambrose had healed a certain girl of Montepulciano motepulcano R. , she said: "St. Ambrose, you free strangers and abandon those of your own household. I beseech you, therefore, that you would deign to free me again by your glorious merits; and if you do, on your feast I will feed one poor man every year, or at least I will bestow two pence on the poor." At whose invocation she was at once so most fully cured that she has never afterwards suffered any hurt from the aforesaid sickness. Questioned about the time of the vow, she answered: in the month of June.
[67] A possessed boy is freed. Miracle. The lady Sibilia, widow of Addo son of the lord Ildribandus, sworn, said that she had a son of hers named Guido, and a sickness seized him and so tormented him that he seemed almost possessed by a demon and had lost all the sense he had. Whence, when the lord Tinactius, a knight of Orvieto, was in the house of the named lady, he urged her to vow the boy to blessed Ambrose; and the lady vowed him, saying that if God by the merits of the blessed man freed her son, she would carry a wax image to his tomb. This vow being made, the boy was immediately freely cured. Questioned about the time, she answered: in the month of June, on a certain Monday, in the presence of the lord Tinactius himself and the lady Prima, sister of John Barbetta.
The lord Tinactius, a knight of Orvieto, a sworn witness, said that when he was in the house of the said lady Sibilia, his sister, who had a son of hers named Guido, he saw that a sickness seized him violently and so tormented him that he seemed possessed by a demon and had lost all the sense he had. Whence he told his same sister to vow him to blessed Ambrose, that he might give him back the health he had lost. And the vow being made, visibly by the merits of the blessed man he was most fully cured.
[68] A dying man, his senses already lost, is called back to life. Miracle. The lady Bonadimane, widow of the lord Accentans, a sworn witness, said that she had a certain grandson of hers, son of Peter son of Leonardus, so weighed down by sickness infirmitatem R. that all the physicians despaired of his life in every way, and she had candles made for his death, which she expected would come fucturum R. . Whence this lady vowed him to blessed Ambrose, that he would free him. And the vow being made, by the merits of the blessed man his speech immediately returned reddiit R. to him, and he was at once freed from the aforesaid sickness. Questioned about the time when it was, she answered: in the month of May, in the presence of the lady Altagratia, wife of Florentinus, and several others.
The lady Veneria, wife of Dominicus, of the quarter of San Giovenale, a sworn witness, said that when the grandson of the said lady Bonadimane was weighed down by a very great sickness, so that he had lost the speech he had, so that the physicians despaired of his life in every way, and he seemed to be labouring wholly in his last moments, and candles had been made cadele erat R. for his death, which the parents expected; whence the aforesaid lady Bonadimane vowed him to blessed Ambrose, saying that if God by the merits of the blessed man gave her back her grandson whole, whom she held for dead, she would carry an image of wax to his tomb. This vow being made, the boy immediately spoke and was at once freed from the aforesaid sickness. Questioned about the time, she answered: in the month of May. Asked whether she was present at the vow, she answered that she was present and heard and saw the aforesaid.
The lady Altagratia, wife of Florentinus, of the same quarter, a sworn witness, said the same as the aforesaid lady Veneria, and she was present at the aforesaid.
[69] An ungrateful man pays the penalty. Miracle. Rainerius son of Rusticuctius, of the quarter of Santo Stefano, sworn, said that when, by reason of throwing stones, a certain pain attacked invaxit R. him in his right arm, so that he could not use its strength because of the great pain, and he had had it now three years and more. Whence, when blessed Ambrose on the day on which he passed away was lying on the bier, he went to his body and took the blessed man's hand and drew it over the arm of pain, and at once he was freed from that pain. Item, he said that when it had been enjoined o adds, then deletes, R. through all the churches of the city of Orvieto that all to whom God, by the merits of the blessed man, had shown the power of miracles should come to bear peribituri R. testimony to the truth, he delayed to come. Whence, because he did not come, that pain which he had had before attacked invaxit R. him in the above-said arm. Whence he vowed himself to the blessed man, saying that he would come to testify about the above-said miracle. This vow being made, he said that he was immediately freed.
[70] A little girl is snatched from death by her mother's vow. Miracle. The lady Gisa, wife of Marcellus "Tisa moglie di Martello" Fumi, Processo, p. 134. , of the quarter of Santa Mustiola, sworn, said that when she had a certain daughter of hers named Flandina, two years old and more, so greatly weighed down agravatam R. by sickness that she seemed wholly near to the danger of death, she vowed her eum R. to blessed Ambrose, saying thus: "St. Ambrose, I vow my daughter to you, that if you free her, every year on your feast I will carry to your tomb a candle of the size of my said 〈daughter〉 and will say twenty-five Our Fathers in reverence of the blessed man." These words being completed, the girl, who could not raise herself in any way, at once by herself sat up healthy in the bed and immediately went off playing with other girls. Asked for how long a time she had had the said sickness, she answered: eight days; and when she was freed, she answered that she does not remember.
The lady Dainecta perhaps Damecta should be read. , wife of Rubertus de Lipraga Cf. Fumi, Codice diplomatico, pp. 165, 800. , a sworn witness, said that when the daughter of the aforesaid lady Gisa was greatly weighed down by sickness, so that her mother despaired of her life in every way, she vowed her to blessed Ambrose, and by the merits beati adds, then deletes, R. of St. Ambrose she was most fully freed. Asked whether she was present when the mother made the vow, she answered: no, but when the girl rose from the bed by herself, the mother called her, which witness had left the same girl so weighed down just then; and the girl went out of the house and went playing with other girls.
[71] Diseased eyes, Miracle. The lady Francisca Francissca R here and thereafter. , wife of Compangnus, of the quarter of San Faustino, sworn, said that she had a certain son of hers named Francis having a white film in his right eye, so that all day the said boy rubbed conflicabat R. the said eye with his hands; she vowed him to blessed Ambrose and brought the same boy devoutly and humbly to the blessed man's tomb and placed him on the tomb, and at once the eye corrected, at first oculis R. was freed of the said white film, which before could not be freed by 〈the help〉 of many powders and physicians. Asked when it was, she answered: in the month of June; and in whose presence, she answered: the lady Ricca, who had gone with her then.
a swollen breast, Item, the witness said on her oath that when the said Ricca was suffering gravely in her breast, so that for fifteen days she had had a physician apply incantation and medicine, she then placed her breast on the blessed man's tomb, saying that God, by the merits of St. Ambrose, might give her back health in her breast. The vow being made, before she had returned home, she was most fully cured by the merits of the blessed man.
[72] Miracle. The lady Ricca, of the quarter of San Faustino, sworn, said that when she was suffering gravely in her breast, so that it was very horribly swollen, and for fifteen days she had had a physician apply incantation and medicine, which had by no means helped her, she went to the tomb of St. Ambrose and placed her breast on the tomb. The vow being uttered, before she had returned home, she was most fully healed. Asked in whose presence she went to the tomb, she answered: the lady Francisca, for they had gone to the tomb together, in the month of June.
Item, she said on her oath that when the son of the aforesaid lady Francisca had a white film in his eye, so that the said boy all manibus adds, then deletes, R. day rubbed confilicabat R. the said eye with his hands, the mother vowed him to St. Ambrose and then placed her boy on the tomb, and immediately the eye was freed of the said white film. Asked how she knew that the same boy had a white film, she answered: because she is his neighbour and saw it every day.
[73] Miracle. The lady Orvetana, widow of Peter "Pari" Fumi, Processo, p. 134. Gualdroctius, sworn, said that she had a son of hers named Belbrunus who had been and had remained contracted contrattus R and below. for the time of two (t. d.) on an erasure R. and a half years, contracted limbs, and he kept his knees fixed against his belly and breast, so that his groin could in no way be seen nor touched tangni R. , and he was all dried up, so that nothing remained but bones, and he could scarcely take any food with his own hands; whence she vowed him to blessed Ambrose and carried him to his tomb, and while the same boy was lying on the tomb, at his invocation he was freed. Asked when this was, she answered: on the day following his passing, in the presence of Scibana, a woman of penance, Bartho son of Bonsignore and several others, on Wednesday after the hour of None. Asked in what
words corrected above the line, at first presentibus R. she used in the vow written twice , she answered that she said: "I call on blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would free my son from so very great a sickness and pain which he suffers in his body."
The lady Castellana, natural daughter of the lord Ugulinus Greca Fumi, Codice diplomatico, pp. 69–144 passim. , of the quarter of San Faustino, sworn, said that it is now two years and more that she saw the son of the aforesaid lady Orvetana, named Belbrunus, so contracted contrattum R. in hands and feet that he kept his knees fixed against his belly, so that his groin could in no way be seen, and he could scarcely take any food with his own hands, and he was so dried up that nothing remained of him but bones. Whence, on the day following the passing of St. Ambrose of good memory, the mother vowed him to St. Ambrose, saying that God through the merits of the blessed man would deign to free her son, and she brought him to the blessed man's tomb, and on the same day she returned home, and by the blessed man's merits he was most fully healed. Asked in what place she made the vow, she answered: in front of the house of the said lady Orvetana, in the presence of this witness, the lady Clara, wife of Peter Vollarius, and several other neighbours of hers.
The lady Clara, wife of Peter Vollarius, a sworn witness, said about the aforesaid sickness and cure the same in everything and through everything as the aforesaid lady Castellana.
The lady Scibana, mother of Çambelloctus, a religious woman, a sworn witness, said that it is now two years and more that she saw Belbrunus, son of the aforesaid Orvetana, so contracted in hands and feet that he kept his knees fixed infissa R and below. against his belly, so that his groin could in no way be seen, and he could scarcely take any food with his own hands, and he was so dried up that nothing remained of him but bones. Whence, when this witness was standing, on the day following the passing of blessed Ambrose of good memory, before his tomb, the corrected, at first dicta R. aforesaid lady Orvetana then came and brought her son, whom she placed on the tomb, humbly and devoutly crying out to blessed Ambrose for the favour that he would free her son for her. And while the boy was lying on the tomb, she heard the boy's bones crack, and by the merits of the blessed man he was at once freed. Asked in whose presence, she answered that many were there; she does not remember 〈who〉 they were.
Altumare, daughter of Bonagura the carter, a sworn witness, said that when she was standing, on the day following the passing of St. Ambrose, before his tomb, the lady Orvetana, who lives in the quarter of San Faustino, then came and brought a certain contracted 〈son〉 of hers, whom she saw contracted in hands and feet, so that his groin could not be seen and he kept his knees fixed against his belly. And while the same boy was lying on the tomb, the mother mater /// R. was praying God and blessed Ambrose that he would free him. The vow also being made, the boy was immediately freed, and she heard the boy's bones crack.
[74] withered hands recover. Miracle. Cristofanus ["Christoforus" the Dialogue, no. 1, p. 143; "donna Cristofana" Fumi, Processo, p. 135.] , who stays in the hospital of Sant'Angelo de Pusterula at Orvieto, sworn, said that when he had his right hand contracted and withered, so that he could not raise or lift his hand and arm to his mouth, he went to the tomb of St. Ambrose, that he would free him by his merits. At whose invocation he was freed through his merits. Asked when it was, he answered: in the month in which he passed away. Asked in whose presence, he answered that the whole church was full, and he says that almost the greater part of the people of the city knew that he had that sickness. Asked for how long a time he had had his hand so contracted, he answered: for the time of ten years and more.
Imigla, daughter of Peter Benedectulus, of the quarter of Santa Maria, a religious woman, a sworn witness, said that it is now eight years and more that she saw the aforesaid Cristofanus having his right hand and arm contracted and the hand withered, so that he could not raise or lift it nor do any work with it, indeed con adds, then deletes, R. he continually carried it drawn back contracted, and now by the merits of the blessed man he is most fully freed.
The lady Scibana, of the quarter of San Lorenzo, a religious woman, a sworn witness, said that she saw the aforesaid Cristofanus having his right hand so contracted and lost that he could in no way raise or lift either his hand or his arm, but continually carried it drawn back contracted. Whence he went to the tomb of blessed Ambrose, that he would free him by his merits. And by the merits of the blessed man he was most fully freed. Asked when it was, she answered: in the month of April just past; and for how long a time he had been so contracted, she answered: for the time of ten years she saw him thus.
I, Rainerius son of Guido, notary, by mandate of the aforesaid lords R. of Orvieto and G. of Sovana, bishops, and C., prior of San Giovanni de Platea, wrote and signed all the aforesaid in the year of the Lord one thousand two hundred and forty, in the thirteenth indiction, in the time of the lord Pope Gregory IX.
The sign of the said (L. S.) Rainerius, notary.
[75] On the sixth day, the month of August having begun.
A woman is freed from a dangerous childbirth. Miracle. The lady Caradonna, wife of Giraldus, of the quarter of Vallis Placta, sworn, said that when she was in childbirth and the fruit of her womb was dead mortuus R. and she could not give birth, and the fruit was four months old, and she had stayed in so very great a pain for three nights and three days, so that she had already lost her speech; whence, when she was in so very great a pain, her aforesaid husband returned home on the fourth day and vowed bovit R. her to blessed Ambrose, saying that if he freed her, he would send her to the blessed man's tomb with an image of wax. This vow 〈being made〉, immediately the said woman gave birth and by the merits of the blessed man she was immediately freed. Questioned about the time, she answered i adds, then deletes, R. : in the month of June; and in whose presence, she answered: the lady Sclaraldie Sclaradie R. , wife of Gilius, her aforesaid husband, and several others whom she does not remember because of the pains (p. d.) on an erasure which she had. Asked whether she heard the vow when he made it, she answered: yes, but she herself could not speak.
The lady Sclaraldie, wife of Gilius Tardata, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid lady Caradonna was in childbirth and could not give birth, and for three days and three nights had stayed in so great a pain that she wholly despaired of her life, and she could not speak, on the fourth day Giraldus her husband vowed her to blessed Ambrose, in the presence of this witness and several others, that he would free libaret R. her. And the vow being made, immediately the said woman gave birth and was freely cured. Questioned about the time, she answered: in the time of the month of June; and in whose presence, she answered: the lady Iemma, wife of Andrea the miller, and several others. Asked what words he used usa R. in the vow, she answered that he said that if blessed Ambrose freed her, he would send her to his tomb with an image of wax.
The lady Iemma, wife of Andrea the miller, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid lady Caradonna was in childbirth and could not give birth, and for three days and three nights had stayed in so great a pain that she wholly despaired of her life, and she could not speak, on the fourth day Giraldus her husband vowed her to blessed Ambrose, this witness too and several others being present, that he would free her. And the vow being made, immediately the said woman gave birth and was freely cured. Questioned about the time, she answered that it was in the month of June; and in whose presence, she answered: she herself, the witness, the aforesaid lady Sclaraldie and several others. Asked what words he used usa R. in the vow, she answered that he said that if blessed Ambrose freed her, he would send her to his tomb with an image of wax.
[76] A fish-bone Miracle. Galganus, son of Ranuctius Magnanellus, sworn, said that when he was at Rome and had eaten fish pisscem R here and below. , stuck in the throat now for 15 days, is expelled. a bone or spine rissca R and below; understand: arista. of the fish stuck in his throat, so that he could not swallow his spittle nor anything. Whence, when he had suffered thus for fifteen days, on his mother's advice he vowed himself to the blessed man Ambrose, and the spine or bone of the fish, the vow being made, immediately came out of his throat guctur R. with blood saguine R and below. and flesh, and he received it in his hands and showed it to his mother and several others of his neighbours. Questioned about the time, he answered: at the time of the passing of the blessed man, in the presence of the lady Clara his mother, the lady Iemma, wife of Andrea the miller, when he made the vow and expelled the spine or bone.
The lady Clara, mother of the said Galganus, sworn, said that her son had returned from the City with a spine or bone on an erasure R. of a fish in his throat, so that he could not swallow degluctire R. anything; whence she urged him to vow himself to blessed Ambrose and, the vow being uttered, immediately the fish-spine came out of his throat with blood and other putrid matter, and at once he was most fully healed. Which spine he received in his hands and showed to his neighbours. Questioned about the time, she answered: in the month of April just past, she herself being present when he made the vow and the bone came out of his throat, and the lady Iemma, wife of Andrea Mognarius perhaps written for molendinario? . Asked what words est adds, then deletes, R. he used in the vow, she answered that he said: "St. Ambrose, free me; and if you do, I will carry a wax image to your tomb."
The aforesaid lady Iemma, a sworn witness, said that when the aforesaid Galganus had returned from the City with a spine or bone of a fish in his throat, so quod eum adds R. that he could not swallow anything; whence his mother urged him to vow himself to blessed Ambrose, that he might give him back the health he had lost. And the vow being uttered, at once the fish-bone came out of his throat with blood and other putrid matter, and at once he was most fully healed. Questioned about the time, she answered: in the month of April just past, she herself being present when he made the vow and the bone came out of his throat, and Galganus's mother
aforesaid. Asked what words he used in the vow, she answered that he said: "St. Ambrose, free me; and if you do, I will carry a wax image to your tomb."
[77] A swelling in the hip, Miracle. The lady Guida, wife of Master Pinerius, of the quarter of San Costanzo, sworn, said that 〈when〉 she had a great swelling in her hip cossa R. , so that she feared much because of it and it looked horrible, she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, saying that if he freed her within two days, she would swear to tell the truth. At whose invocation the swelling went down within two days and she is well freed. Asked for how long a time she had suffered, she answered: for one month. Questioned about the time when she made the vow, she answered: in the month of June just past, but of the day she says that she does not remember. Asked in whose presence she made the vow, she answered: the lady Risabella, daughter of the lady Adelascia con adds, then deletes, R. , her neighbour. Questioned about the place, she answered: in front of the house of the lady Vita. Asked whether any person knew about her sickness, she answered that it was in a shameful place; she had not shown demonstravat R. it to anyone.
[78] another in the neck are dispersed. Miracle. The lady Dividitia d adds, then deletes, R. , wife of Beneintende "Divitia, wife of Benetendus" the Dialogue, no. 31, p. 165. , of the quarter of Sant'Angelo, sworn, said that she had a certain daughter of hers named Riccamotangna "Ficta Montagna" the Dialogue, ibid. having a very great swelling in her neck, and, putrid matter having collected there, the swelling broke and a very great quantity quantitatis R. of putrid matter came out. Afterwards the swelling relapsed, so that it was worse after than before q adds, then deletes, R. , with very great putrid matter and redness, which afflicted the said girl puella R. 〈more〉 violently than before. Whence she vowed the said girl puella R. to St. Ambrose, saying: "St. Ambrose, free my daughter from so grave a pain." And this was one evening when she put her to bed, namely silicet R. on Sunday, and in the morning when she rose she was excellently freed. Questioned about the time, she answered: about fifteen days after the passing of blessed Ambrose of good memory. Asked for how long 〈a time〉 she had suffered that sickness, she answered: fifteen days and more.
[79] [A woman, going to Bl. Ambrose as he was dying, recovers from a disease of the head.] Miracle. The lady Gratia, wife of Spinellus the smith, of the quarter of Sant'Andrea, sworn, said that when she had a very great pain in her head and laboured with a very great sickness of pain in the head, so that her teeth seemed as if they would fall from her mouth and the eyes would come out of her head, so violently did the said pain hold her, she says that on the day on which blessed Ambrose of good memory departed from the world, before he passed away, she went to the place where he lay and had his hand drawn over her 〈head〉, and after his passing she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose and made an image of wax and carried it before his tomb. At whose vow she was immediately freed. Asked for how long a time she had had the said sickness, she answered: for the time of ten years. Asked how the said pain tormented her, she answered: four times a month, for it seized her in the morning and held her until the hour of None, and so for four days. Asked in whose presence, she answered that the church where blessed Ambrose lay was full; and when she made the vow, she answered that the lady Achia was there, widow uxore R. of Andrea Pompognanus; and what words she used in the vow, she answered that she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, saying that if he freed her, she would carry a wax image to his tomb. This vow being made, at once she was most fully healed, so that afterwards she felt nothing of that sickness.
[80] From a flux of blood and from a loathing of milk Miracle. The lady Sclaraldie, wife of Gilius Tardata On these same, cf. above, no. 75, p. 602. , of Valle Platta, sworn, said that she had a son of hers having a very great sickness, and he suffered a flux of blood through the seat and loathed milk altogether, so that she despaired of his ipsi R. life in every way; she vowed him to blessed Ambrose and carried him to the blessed man's tomb, an infant is cured. saying that if God by the merits of the blessed man freed her son, she would carry a wax image to his tomb. This vow being made, the boy was immediately most fully cured. Which sickness he had suffered for two 〈months〉 now past. Questioned about the time of the vow, she answered: at the time of the passing of the blessed man; and in whose presence she went to the tomb, she answered: Stefania, her near neighbour, who had gone with her.
The aforesaid lady Stefania, sworn, said that it is now two months that she saw the son of the aforesaid lady Sclaraldie labouring with a very great sickness, and he had suffered passum R. a flux of blood through the seat and loathed milk in every way, so that she wholly despaired of his life; the mother vowed him to blessed Ambrose and carried him to his tomb, saying that if God by the merits of the blessed man freed her son, she would carry a wax image to his tomb. This vow being made, by the merits of the blessed man the infant was immediately most fully healed. Questioned about the time, she answered: on the day following that on which blessed Ambrose passed away.
[81] One wounded by a crossbow bolt is thoroughly healed. Miracle. Mancinus the crossbowman, of the quarter of Sant'Angelo of the city of Orvieto, sworn, said that when he was at the siege of Castiglione of the Val d'Orcia Castiglion d'Orcia, district of Montepulciano, province of Siena. , someone from that castle struck him in the flank with a crossbow bolt, so that the bolt corrected, at first quatrallum R. entered his side to the measure of a semmessus An ancient measure of Orvieto. Fumi, Processo, p. 135, note. , so that the iron could not be seen. And when he felt himself gravely hurt by the blow, he invoked the help of blessed Ambrose, the man of God, saying: "Blessed Ambrose, help me, so that I may be able to come to your house." At whose invocation he touched the bolt, and at once the said bolt came out lightly without any pain, so that he hardly felt it. And he says that the opening of the said bolt never appeared except to the measure of half of one inch in hollowness. Asked when it was, he answered that it was on the third day from the beginning of the month of May just past. Asked in whose presence, he answered: John, chamberlain of the commune of Scetona ["Cetona" Fumi, ibid. (District of Montepulciano, province of Siena.) Cf. Pardi, op. cit., p. 294.] , and several others, and he says that many probed for the opening of the bolt and could by no means find it, but only the mark.
[82] A dislocated hand is restored. Miracle. Ildrebandinus son of Rainerius, of Corbarium ["Ryldebraldinus Ranutii de Corneto" the Dialogue, no. 3, p. 144; "Aldobrandino di Ranieri di Corbara" Fumi, Processo, p. 135.] in the diocese of Orvieto, 〈said〉 that when, by reason of a certain misdeed which he was said to have done, he had been hung up on high by the hand, and his right hand had been wrenched, so that he could not stretch it out nor do anything with it eam R. , but it had begun to wither entirely; whence, when he was lying on the threshing-floor aria R. [Wrongly, I think, Fumi understood it, Processo, p. 135: "Stando sospeso in aria".] at night, he saw in a vision a phantom which was so wrenching his hand, by which he had been hurt, that it seemed to destroy it. Whence, when he was tortured in the aforesaid hand, he invoked blessed Ambrose, saying: "Lord, help me." And then he appeared to him in his sleep, saying: "Do not fear." And he took the aforesaid hand and, stretching it out, gave him et R. health. Asked for how long a time he had suffered, he answered: fifteen days; and when he received health, he answered: on the fifth day from the end of June, at night. Asked who were erat R. present, he answered: no one, but on the threshing-floor aria R. there were lying Diotaiutus Rusticus "Diolasciti rustico" Fumi, ibid. and Iacobus son of Cesarius, to whom in the morning he reported the aforesaid.
[83] A little son from infantile quinsy, Miracle. Fredericus son of Pepo Prudentius Pepo Prudentii is named in Fumi, Codice diplomatico, pp. 116, 179. , nephew of the lord bishop of Orvieto, sworn, said that when one night a grave distress held his infant, so that he was labouring wholly in his last moments, he with his wife offered prayers to the Lord and to blessed Ambrose of good memory that he would deign to free the aforesaid infant. Whence, when they had remained a long while in this prayer until morning, at the invocation of the holy man blessed Ambrose he began to raise himself and to open his eyes, which he had kept shut before like a dead man, and at once he was freed, and he did not perceive his breath; and he says that he could in no way open his mouth. Asked when it was, he answered: in the month of June, but of the day he does not remember, because of the great grief which he had for the aforementioned boy. Asked in whose presence d adds, then deletes, R. , he answered: the lady Viscontessa, his sister-in-law, wife of Pepo son of Fidantia, who had come to the lamentation plantum R. of him and his wife. the father, from pain of the shoulder, recover. Item, he says that when he had a very great pain under his shoulder for four days, so that he was as it were at death's door, he vowed himself to God and to blessed Ambrose and was at once freed by his merits. And he says that he doubted dubitat R. the miracles of St. Ambrose before this happened to him, and now he says that he believes everything that is said of him, because he saw and sees daily.
The lady Verdenovella, wife of the aforesaid Fredericus, sworn, said on her oath about the aforesaid sickness and cure in everything as the aforesaid Fredericus.
[84] A woman deprived of sight, Miracle. Verdiana corrected R. of Perugia, of the quarter of San Domenico, sworn, said that when her sight had failed, so that she could in no way perform her work nor even see a needle, she said that on the day on which blessed Ambrose departed from the world she went to the place where he lay and had his hands drawn over her eyes, and at once she was freed. And she sees well, so that she performs her work well and puts thread into the eye An Italian word, "the eye of a needle". of a needle; in the presence of the lords the bishop of Orvieto, the bishop of Sovana, the subprior of San Severo Cf. Pardi, op. cit., p. 266. , the prior of San Giovanni, and Brother Bartholomew, archdeacon of Orvieto, she put thread into the eye of a needle, and she is a little old woman of fifty years and more, and for five years she had been such that she did not see. Asked in whose 〈presence〉, she answered that the church where blessed Ambrose lay was full.
[85] a man suffering from a cancer of the shin, Miracle. Stefanus son of Hermannus of Iglanum, sworn, said that when for two years now past he had had a disease in his shin which was called cancer, most grievous and cruel, so that by that disease the whole leg seemed to be eaten away for him, and he had had many remedies applied by physicians and they availed him nothing against the sickness, at length he went to corrected, at first ab R. the tomb of the blessed man Ambrose and made a vow, saying: "St. Ambrose, free me, and of what I shall earn I will always give for love of you." And the vow being made, within two days the disease dried up, and he was most fully freed from the aforesaid sickness. Asked when this was, he answered: in the month of May just past, before the tomb of blessed Ambrose, and the church was then full.
[86] a girl with a dislocated shoulder, are thoroughly healed. Miracle. The lady Amata, widow of Bartholomew, sworn, said (i. d.) on an erasure that she had a certain daughter of hers named Verderosa, who fell from a certain window of her s adds, then deletes, R. house, so that her shoulder was broken, and it was not set afterwards by the help of the physicians, and for twenty days she had carried her arm twisted backwards; she vowed her to blessed Ambrose and sent her to the tomb, and she returned home, immediately raised ellevavit R and below. her arm and was most fully healed. The same idem R. girl, asked what words she had said at the tomb, answered: "St. Ambrose, free me, and let the physicians hurt me no more nor cause me pain, because my mother has loved t adds, then deletes, R. you much and has offended you in nothing."
The lady Orvetana, widow of Peter Accus, of the quarter of San Costanzo, a sworn witness, said that when the daughter of the lady Amata had fallen from a certain window cecij adds, then deletes, R. , so that her shoulder was broken, and it was not set afterwards by the help auxilo R. of the physicians, and she had carried her arm twisted backwards for twenty days, at length the mother vowed her to blessed Ambrose and sent her to the tomb, and pull adds, then deletes, R. the girl returned home, immediately raised ellevavit R and below. her arm and was most fully healed. And the mother then asked her daughter corrected, at first filuam R. what she had said before the tomb, and she said thus: "St. Ambrose, free me, that the physicians may never hurt me, because my mother has loved you much and has offended you in nothing."
[87] A boy is freed from fever. Miracle. The lady Dolcemia, widow of Ianni son of Peter Osa, of the quarter of Sant'Angelo, a sworn witness, said that when for five days she had seen the son of the lady Amata, wife of Bartholomew, labouring with hard corrected, at first duribus R. fevers frebibus R. , at length, urged exortata R. by the boy's mother, she carried him, so ill, to the tomb of the blessed man Ambrose, asking him that he would free him by his merits from the aforesaid sickness. And so, when she had held him at his 〈tomb〉, urged exortata R. by the aforesaid boy, putting him down on the ground, he returned on his own feet to his own house healthy and unharmed by the merits of the blessed man. So that he never afterwards suffered any hurt from the said sickness, nor feeling it any more senties R. he was most fully cured, he who before could not move himself in any way. Asked when it was, she answered: in the month of May just past.
The lady Amata, wife of the aforesaid Bartholomew, sworn, said that when she had a son of hers named Barthuctus labouring for six days with hard fevers frebibus R. , so that he could not move himself in any way, at length she asked the aforesaid lady Dolcemia to carry the said boy, so ill, to the blessed man's tomb, that she might ask him to give him back health; which lady carried him, and so the boy, by the merits of the blessed man, returned to his own house on his own feet healthy and unharmed, so that he never afterwards suffered any hurt from the said sickness, nor feeling it any more he was most fully cured. Asked when this was, she answered: at the time of the passing of blessed Ambrose, the man of God.
[88] A sick woman is restored to health in a vision of a dream. Miracle. The lady Tedora, wife of Bongnannus son of John Mercatans, sworn, said that when she was labouring with a very great sickness, so that all who saw her wholly despaired of her life, her same husband vowed her to blessed Ambrose, that he would free her. And so, while she was lying in bed, she heard the voice of a certain Friar Minor, and she seemed to see the sleeves of a cape, and he said that she should rise and go to the church of St. Ambrose and pray him, and the lady who would help iuvabat R. her much. And because of the sweetness of the voice she gave him no answer. And he left behind him a very great fragrance fragantiam R. of odour, so that for two days she perceived the fragrance fragantia R; que adds, then deletes. of the said odour ordoris R. . And the women who were staying with her asked her whence so sweet an odour came; and her hair seemed as it were to give out the scent. And she was so healed that, rising from the bed in the morning, she began to attend to everything about her house. And on the same morning, making a wax image with her own hands, she et adds R. carried it to the tomb of blessed Ambrose. Asked for how long a time written twice R. she had had the said sickness, she answered: for ten days; and when she was freed, she answered: in the month of June just past; and in whose presence the vow was made, she answered: several, whom she does not remember because of the illness which she had.
The sign of the said (L. S.) Rainerius written twice R. .
[89] A contracted hand, Miracle. The lady Abbenante, wife of Ugulinus Melachinus "Avenante, wife of Ugolinus Melechinus" the Dialogue, no. 2, p. 143. , of the quarter of Sant'Andrea of the city of Orvieto, sworn, said that this year in the month of February frebuarii R. she bore a son having his right hand contracted, so that the hand could not be stretched out. Whence she says that she vowed him to blessed Ambrose; at whose vow, God hearing exaudies R. through the merits of the same brother, the boy was immediately freed and has that hand quite straight and healthy. Asked what words she used in the vow, she answered that she said: "I call on blessed Ambrose for the favour that if he frees my son from the contracted hand, I will carry an image of wax to his tomb and every year on his feast I will feed passcam R. two poor men." Asked how long it is since she vowed him, she answered: on the day on which he departed from the world, and on that day the boy was freed. Asked in whose presence, she answered: her husband and the rest of her household, because she had not shown demostravat R. the boy to anyone, since he was small and because of the excessive grief which she had for him.
Ugulinus Melachinus, of the quarter of Sant'Andrea, husband of the aforesaid lady Abbenante, sworn, said that this year in the month of February tali adds R. his aforesaid wife bore a male child having his right hand contracted, so that the aforesaid hand could not be stretched out. Whence the boy's mother, his wife, vowed him to blessed Ambrose, that he would free him by his merits. And the vow being made, by the merits of the blessed man the boy was immediately most fully healed. Questioned about all other matters, he spoke as his wife.
[90] On the 6th day, August having begun.
a side likewise contracted, Miracle. The lady Amata, wife of Andrea of Paterno Cf. Pardi, op. cit., p. 291. , from a certain village near the city of Orvieto, sworn, said that she had a certain son of hers named John, four and a half years old, having his left side so contracted and lost that the infant could in no way move or lift himself by himself nor raise his arm, but continually kept it drawn back contracted; whence the mother vowed him to blessed Ambrose and carried the boy to his tomb, and lay there the whole night. And on the following morning the boy, at the invocation of the blessed man and by his glorious merits, was most fully healed and goes about well by himself. Asked what words she used in the vow, she answered that she said: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow my son to you, that if you free him, I will carry a wax image to your tomb and will remain in your service the whole time of my life." Asked in whose presence she made the vow, she answered: the lady Pineria her mother, the lady Maridonna of the same village, and the lady Clara, wife of Rainerius, of the same village. Questioned about the time when she made the vow, she answered: in the month of June, on the day of the feast of St. Rofena The day sacred to St. Rufina, virgin and martyr, is the 10th of July. , just past. And she says that she carried a wax image to his tomb. Asked for how long a time he had suffered thus, she answered: more than a year.
The lady Maridonna, wife of Rainerius, of the same village, a sworn witness, said that she had seen the son of the aforesaid lady Amata so weighed down that he had lost his whole tali adds R. left side, front and back, so that the boy could in no way move or lift himself by himself and continually kept his left arm drawn back, nor could he take anything with it; whence the mother vowed him to blessed Ambrose, saying that if he by his glorious merits would deign mercifully to free her son, she would carry a wax image to his tomb and would remain in his service the whole time of her life. And so the said lady Amata carried her son to the blessed man's tomb, and this witness went with her and with several other neighbours of hers, and the boy's mother carried the image and lay before the tomb the whole night; and on the following morning the boy was most fully healed by the merits of the blessed man. Questioned written twice R. about the time of the vow, she answered: in the month of June, on the day of the feast of St. Rofena, and on the following morning he was freed. Asked in whose presence, she answered: the lady Prima Above, the same woman was named Pineria. , mother of the said lady Amata, the lady Clara, wife of Rainerius, and several others. Asked for how long a time the boy had remained so contracted, she answered that she does not remember; and how she knows that he was so
contracted and had lost his side, she answered because she saw him every day, and she says she knows everything well because she is his neighbour, and she says that before that sickness seized him she saw the boy quite healthy and walking. Asked how old the boy is, she answered: four years, as it seems to her.
The lady Clara, wife of Rainerius, of the same village, a sworn witness, said on her oath that the aforesaid lady Amata had a certain son of hers named John, four years old and more, having lost his whole left side, front and back, so that the boy could in no way lift or move himself by himself, nor raise his arm, but continually kept it drawn back contracted; whence the mother vowed him to blessed Ambrose, saying that if he by his merits would deign mercifully to free her son from so grave a sickness and contraction, she would carry a wax image to his tomb and would remain in his service the whole time of her life. And so the mother, in the month of June just past, on the day of St. Rofena, visited the threshold of blessed St. Ambrose and carried her son, and this witness accompanied her, and she lay before the tomb the whole night. And on the following morning the infant was most fully freed by the merits of the blessed man, so that he walks well and goes everywhere 〈with〉 other boys. Asked how she knows the aforesaid, she answered: because she saw the boy every day and is his neighbour. Asked for how long a time he had been ill thus, she answered: for the time of one year and more. And she says that she saw the boy quite healthy before that sickness seized him.
[91] a broken foot are restored. On the fourteenth day, the month of August having begun.
Miracle. Benecasa "Benincasa" the Dialogue, no. 7, p. 146; Fumi, Processo, p. 136. son of Amideus, of the quarter of Santo Stefano of the city of Orvieto, sworn, said that 〈when〉 he was going accedet R. for his wheat and was taking the road with a certain woman towards Aglanum "Adglianum" the Dialogue, ibid.; "Agliano" Fumi, loc. cit. , the aforesaid woman had forgotten the shoes which she had entrusted recomcommendavat R. to a certain man, and she asked him to go for the shoes subtillaribus R. and bring them to her quickly cicitus R. . And while he was hurrying for them, he so fell to the ground that his left foot was broken, so that its sole was turned upwards. And when he saw that he had so lost the said foot that he could not move himself in any way, at length he vowed himself to blessed Ambrose, that he would deign mercifully to free him by his glorious merits, saying and using these words: that the whole time of his life he would remain in his service and would do good for love of him. This vow being made, by the merits of the blessed man he recovered his former health, and he heard the bones of his foot crack a great deal. Asked when it was, he answered: on Sunday, the 11th day from the beginning of August, and on the next day following he visited the threshold of the blessed man, and upon his tomb he placed 10 solidi for making the walling "A small wall" Ducange, under the word. of the said church. Asked in whose presence this happened to him, he answered: no one was there; but to those persons who had gone with him, who were some distance off, he reported the aforesaid.
[92] A woman from the falling sickness, Miracle. The lady Gratia, daughter of Damianus, of the quarter of the Holy Apostles, wife of Ranuctius son of Iosep Cf. Fumi, Codice diplomatico, pp. 161, 162. , notary of the city of Orvieto, sworn, said that she suffered the falling sickness and fell to the ground so that she perceived persetiebat R. nothing at all, nor would she have perceived it if the whole house had burned, when that disease seized her. Whence she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose and asked for the favour that he would free her from that disease. At whose vow and invocation et adds, then deletes, R. she was freed, so that that disease did not torment her afterwards. Asked what words she used in the vow, she answered that she said: "I vow myself to blessed Ambrose, that he may free me from that disease, and I will carry an image of wax to his tomb and will always do good for love of him." Asked in whose presence she vowed, she answered that the church where blessed Ambrose lay was full. She says, however, that many knew that she had that disease; moreover, when that disease seized corrected, at first occuparet R. her, for the most part her neighbours came to the lamentation plantum R. of her child, whom she sometimes held in her arms when that disease touched her. Asked for how long a time she had that disease, she answered: for the time of five years. Asked at what interval the said disease seized arriepiebat R. her il adds, then deletes, R. , she answered: eight days, and she says on an erasure R. that she could in no way escape always having it at the head of eight days, and sometimes within eight days twice, except after she made the vow, when she did not have it. Asked when she made the vow, she answered: on the day on which blessed Ambrose of good memory departed from the world, and on that day she was expecting to have it, and she did not have it.
The lady Antonia, full sister of the aforesaid lady Gratia, a sworn witness, said that when her said sister was labouring with the falling sickness, so that falling into the fire she could not help herself by her own strength, and, not feeling herself, she pierced her tongue with her own teeth, so that for several days she could not speak and scarcely eat, going to the tomb of blessed Ambrose et adds R. , she made a vow that he would deign to free her by his merits. The vow also being made, she was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness, so that that disease did not torment her afterwards, which used to torment her every week violently and cruelly. Asked for how long a time she had had the said sickness, she answered: for the time of five years and more; and when she made the vow: on the day on which he of good memory departed from the world.
The lady Sibilia, wife of John Nobilis, of the quarter of the Holy Apostles, a sworn witness, said that it is now five years and more that she saw the aforesaid lady Gratia labouring so with the falling sickness that always every week it tormented her once, so that while she was out of her mind she fell into the fire and the sole of her foot was burned comburabatur R. , so that the aforesaid lady, drawing extragens R. her feet out of the fire, also several times removed ammovebat R. her child from her arms; saying that she vowed herself to blessed Ambrose, and the aforesaid lady Sibilia accompanied her to the body of the blessed man. And she, vowing herself to the blessed man, freely received health, so that the aforesaid disease did not torment her afterwards. Asked how she knows the aforesaid, she answered that she lives beside her, so corrected R that she cannot speak without her hearing her. Questioned about the vow made, she answered: on the day on which blessed Ambrose of good memory departed from the world.
[93] In the name of the Lord. Amen. On the last day of the month of October octubris R. .
a man is freed from arthritis in the arm. Miracle. John the comb-maker, of Corgnetum "Corneto" Fumi, Processo, p. 136. , sworn, 〈said〉 that when, by reason of a certain pain which troubled him daily contidie R. in the shoulder-blade and left arm, which pain was called arthritic, he had so lost his arm that he could in no way raise it to his mouth nor do any work with it, but continually carried it drawn back contracted, at length he vowed himself to blessed Ambrose, that he would mercifully above the line free him by his merits, saying that if he freed him from the aforesaid sickness, he would visit his tomb and carry a wax image in honour of the man of God. This vow being made, on the day on which he vowed himself, by the merits of the blessed man corrected, at first urri R. he received his former health, so that he can freely do everything with the aforesaid arm, nor has he afterwards suffered any hurt from the aforesaid sickness, nor feeling it any more deceto R. , he was most fully cured. Questioned about the time, he answered: in the month of May just past; of the day he does not remember; at Corgnetum, in the church of the Friars Minor of the same town "The custody of Viterbo [in the Roman province has the place … of Corneto, where blessed Francis after his death raised to life a boy crushed and shattered by the doors of the church." Bartholomew of Pisa, Conformities, book XI, part 2, in the Analecta franciscana, vol. IV, p. 515.] , in the presence of several brothers of the said place and of Scangnus Vivanus should Buiani rather be read? . Asked for how long a time he had suffered that sickness, he answered: one year and more.
Scangnus Vivanus should Buiani rather be read? , of the same town, a sworn witness, said that he saw the aforesaid John the comb-maker for the time of one year and more so weighed down that he could in no way help himself with his left arm, but continually carried it drawn back contracted. Whence in this summer just past this witness went with him to the place of the Friars Minor of Corgnetum, and he there humbly and devoutly 〈vowed himself〉 to blessed Ambrose and asked him mercifully to free him by his glorious merits from the aforesaid sickness and contraction. At whose invocation, on the day in adds, then deletes, R. on which he vowed himself, he saw him most fully freed, so that he could freely do everything, nor has he afterwards suffered any hurt from the aforesaid sickness. And this witness visited the threshold of the blessed man with him.
[94] A boy's swelling goes down. In the name of the Lord. Amen. In the year of the same 1241, in the fourteenth indiction, in the time of Pope Gregory IX, on the thirteenth day from the end of the month of February.
〈Miracle.〉 The lady Gualdrada, widow of Boncabius, of Arcidosso Province and district of Grosseto. in the diocese of Chiusi, sworn, said that she had a certain son of hers named Bemmenutus, twelve years old, for a space of a month and a half so gravely ill and so swollen all over from head to foot that he looked wholly like a swollen bladder bissica R. , so that the boy could in no way turn over or move himself by himself, but lay day and night on his back suppina R. with his legs apart, and his testicles were erat R. so swollen that they looked videbatur R. very horrible to people; and she says that she had many remedies applied by physicians and others which availed him nothing against the same sickness, indeed he seemed to all near to death; and she says that a certain physician written twice R. of Count Pandolfus of Fascanellum had two burnings in adds, then deletes, R. made on the aforementioned boy
with red-hot iron, so that he might in some measure be freed, which availed him 〈nothing〉. Whence, while this lady was watching over her son, so ill, she then heard it said that a certain brother of the Order of Friars Minor had passed away at Orvieto, by the merits of which brother God was showing demostrabat R. daily many glorious miracles corrected, at first m. c. R. . And she began to have great faith, and immediately vowed her son to blessed Ambrose, saying that if God by the merits of the man of God freed her son from so grievous a sickness, she would remain in his service the whole time of her life and would go with him to the blessed man's tomb with an image of wax. At whose invocation and by his glorious merits he was immediately, visibly, most fully healed in his right leg, and on the second day after he was most fully cured of the aforesaid sickness, so that he has suffered non per adds, then deletes, R. no hurt from the aforesaid sickness. And this, she says, was in the month of July just past, in her house, in the presence of Bonafidantia son of Arengerius and Recovarus son of Vitalis and several others of the same town.
Bonafidantia, son of the late Arengerius, of the same town, a sworn witness, said that he saw the son of the aforesaid lady Gualdrada so weighed down that he was swollen from head to foot like a skin blown up or full, nor could the boy move or turn himself over in any way, and he says that the mother had many remedies applied by physicians which availed him nothing, and he says that a certain physician of Count Pandolfus had two burnings made with red-hot iron on the testicles of the aforementioned boy, which availed him nothing. At last the mother vowed him to blessed Ambrose, he hearing, being present and seeing, and several others of the same town. And the vow being uttered to the blessed man, the boy was visibly in his right leg immediately most fully freed by the merits of the blessed man, and on the second day after he saw the boy most fully freed of the aforesaid sickness altogether, so that he has not afterwards suffered any hurt from the aforesaid sickness, nor feeling it any more he was most fully cured. Asked what words the mother used in the vow, he answered that she said: "Blessed Ambrose, I vow my son to you, that if you free him by your glorious merits, I will come to your tomb with an image of wax and will be devoted to you the whole time of my life." And this, he says, was in the month of July just past. And he says that he had seen the boy so weighed down before for a space of one month and more.
Recovarus, son of Vitalis, of the same town, a sworn witness, said about the aforesaid the same as the said Bonafidantia.
I, Rainerius son of Guido, notary, by mandate of the aforesaid lords bishops and prior and in their presence, wrote and signed all the aforesaid.
The sign of the said (L. S.) Rainerius, notary.