Justus of Oulx

ON SS. JUSTUS OF OULX, FLAVIAN, AND NINETY COMPANIONS, MARTYRS, AS IT IS SAID, AT OULX IN PIEDMONT,

AT AN UNCERTAIN TIME.

HISTORICAL SYNOPSIS.

Justus, Martyr, as it is said, at Oulx in Piedmont. (S.)

Flavian, Martyr, as it is said, at Oulx in Piedmont. (S.)

The companion Martyrs, as it is said, at Oulx in Piedmont. (SS.)

E. C.

Sole §. Their cult certain, its origin uncertain; translation; the beginnings of the monasteries of Novalesa, Susa and Oulx.

Opinion about these Saints is varied; That the history of St. Justus of Beauvais is entangled with very many difficulties, yet not inextricable ones, and that the Acts of St. Justus of Arras are involved in many doubts, may be seen at the present day. But indeed there, no irremediable conflict among the documents, no anxiety about the legitimacy of the cult; errors indeed huge, but no suspicion of fraud. But here, where we must now treat of St. Justus of Novalesa and his Companions, all things are obscure, palpable darkness, and the gravest accusation of guile and falsehood: which, that the reader may know it at once, here is how Hugh of Flavigny presents it in compendium at the year 1027, following Rodulfus Glaber: At that time, he says Chronicle, book II, in Pertz, Monumenta, volume VIII, p. 302., it happened that the bones of an unknown man, collected from a most abject place by a certain trafficker and placed on a bier, were laid up in the monastery of St. Mary near Susa under the name of Justus the Martyr by the marquis Mainfred. But although it was demonstrated to the religious by many and approved proofs that this was most vain and most foolish, yet the common people, venerating the unjust for the Just, remained in their error. Wherefore we must confess (since our first law is placed in sincerity of mind) that we cannot at all discern whether the truth stood on the side of Rodulfus Glaber and Hugh, who assert that St. Justus of Novalesa is a fictitious Saint, or on the side of the people of Oulx, who contend that, as always in the best faith, so by right they venerate St. Justus. Wherefore nothing else remains for us than to subjoin the twofold narrative to the reader's judgment.

[2] Baronius wrongly denies their cult; And nowhere is it more necessary that we take our beginning from establishing the cult. For Baronius, after he had related from Rodulfus Glaber that divine admonitions were not lacking to the people of Oulx that they should cease from the veneration of the relics found, subjoins this Ecclesiastical Annals at the year 1027, no. 12.: But if anyone does not obey the revelation divinely made concerning these things, but wishes to remain obstinate in error, he will worthily receive that sentence: He that is filthy, let him be filthy still. But even if not then, the common people growing heated in this manner in defence of the error, it is established that that fraud was afterwards amended, since neither there nor anywhere in the places round about has the memory of Justus the Martyr, fabricated under a false title, remained. So he. But the matter stands otherwise. For in the Calendar attached to the recent edition of the Breviary for the use of the people of Turin, at the present day St. Justus, Monk and Martyr, is indicated; nor do I doubt that the cult of St. Justus is much more celebrated in the diocese of Susa on account of his relics carried into the monastery of Blessed Mary, afterwards honoured with the title of St. Justus. Moreover, Ferrari in the General Catalogue of the Saints brings forward St. Justus, Martyr and first abbot of Novalesa in Subalpine Gaul, and Pernotti in the Tripartite History of the canons Book III, chapter XLVI, no. 2. cites the Office of St. Justus from the Breviary of Novalesa, and we shall give below more from the Office of Susa, which our Turinelli sent to our predecessors in the year 1654. Finally, as a learned man from the dispersed Province of the Society

of Jesus of Turin teaches me, in Piedmont and especially in the Alps there are several chapels distinguished by the name of St. Justus, and the little chapel of the country house of our college of Turin, which is near Lanzo to the east of Susa, enjoys the patronage of St. Justus. Concerning the cult of St. Justus, therefore, both ancient and recent, a doubt would be raised in vain.

[3] [The Chronicle of Novalesa of the 11th century relates many things about their martyrdom, and many prodigies] Among the most ancient records concerning St. Justus there comes with every right the Chronicle of Novalesa; which the distinguished Ludwig Konrad Bethmann edited from the autograph in the year 1846, whose labours, sagacity and learning we most willingly proclaim. And in this record, written before the middle of the 11th century, we read Pertz, Monumenta, volume VII, p. 95.. In ancient times too there was a monastery, subject to Novalesa, in the valley of Bardonecchia, where it is called Plebs Martyrum, because there were once slain there the monks of that monastery, together with those of divers kind and sex who had made it as it were their refuge, by the pagan Lombards; at that time at which they likewise laid waste the monastery of Novalesa. Among whom was slain a certain monk named Justus, who was just both in name and in deed; and another, whose name was Flavian. For the epitaphs of these monks were placed beneath their heads at the time of their slaying. Of which one read thus: Here lies Justus, monk, brother of Leo, companion of Saint Peter Verus. The other indeed we do not remember. In the following chapter you would say that it still treats of Oulx; I nevertheless think that the discourse is of Novalesa, since at that time Oulx lay in ruins, as will be seen below. For the rest, in the mind of the author these things seem to pertain also to our Martyrs. He continues, then: In the same monastery, finally, there are always many visitations of the Saints, which very often appear to good monks and simpler men. From some of whom I have heard, the Lord being witness, relate that so great a throng of blessed men clothed in white appears there to the good in the silence of the night, as if you saw all the men and women from some city going together, as the worshippers of Christ do at the time of the Rogations, when they go through the churches of the Saints to beg their suffrages. After these words Bethmann notes that a leaf has fallen out, on which were the end of chapter XV, the whole of XVI and the beginning of XVII. Which defect must be ancient, since the Passion of St. Justus, taken word for word from the Chronicle, is supplied from Responsory VI of the Office of the Translation. But what may have been omitted through this gap it is difficult to investigate, since the index of chapters is wholly disordered. It is natural to conjecture that there was discourse there of the revelation of the burial of St. Justus and of his translation to Secusia or Susa: whence the argument of Terroneus Adelaide Illustrata, volume II, p. 124. and Bethmann Pertz, Monumenta, volume VII, p. 74. would collapse, by which they thought they could establish that this part was written before the translation of St. Justus made in the year 1027; since no mention of this would be made there.

[4] they report very wonderful things of them; A little lower the chronographer of Novalesa relates some prodigies, done (as it seems) at Novalesa, and which seem to have pertained to our Martyrs too. I will narrate, he says Ibid., p. 96., miracles also which it is very fitting to tell of so holy a place. There was besides in our time, in the household of the aforesaid monastery, a certain ox-herd, sprung from a certain little village near the city of Vienne, named Gislard, who is said to have served in that place more than forty years. He, when one day he had risen at the earliest twilight to drive the oxen out to pasture into the meadow which is before that sacred monastery, at once, when he arrived, lying down on a certain place, fell asleep. And when after the rest of sleep he had risen, all the hair of his head and his beard fell off at once in the same place where he had slept, as soon as he rose. For he was very hairy, as those who saw him before assert, and had a long beard. For, living with me for three years, very often I enjoyed abundantly his speech and his sight. At another time, moreover, a throng of soldiers had come together into the same place for the sake of prayer. Where, when all had given rest to the body in the night, one of them, to whom the horses had been handed over to guard, driving them out into the aforesaid meadow that they might refresh themselves with the pasture of grass, followed them at once. Where, when he had lain down and fallen asleep, all his hairs flowed off his head. And when the same man rose, at once his head appeared bared, shining as if one bore on his head a gleaming and shining helmet. At once his companions, when they had seen what had happened, wondered, saying: "You have slept upon the tomb of some Saint." But he, all poured out in tears, seemed with the greatest grief and shame to bear such things unwillingly. And what wonder if such great miracles are done in the same place, in which many martyrdoms of divers kinds were once celebrated.

[5] they are related to have been slain at Oulx by the Lombards; In the first narrative the chronographer clearly indicates that St. Justus was slain in the place which in ancient times was subject to Novalesa, in the valley of Bardonecchia, where it is called Plebs Martyrum; which was Oulx is beyond controversy. Ulcium, commonly Oulx, is a village of the province of Susa at the confluence of the Dora and the Bardonecchia, which learned men think was a shrine of Mars among the ancient Romans. It is five leagues distant from Secusia or Susa, three from Mont Genèvre, and is populated by 1400 inhabitants. When St. Justus was slain at Oulx, the chronographer plainly relates that there was already a monastery there; but Du Cange has sufficiently demonstrated Glossary, under Monasterium. that by monastery any church whatever is often designated. Wherefore, since the charters to be recited below are silent about a monastery, and Plebs commonly designated a parish, we think that nothing else existed there before about the middle of the 11th century than a parish church, distinguished by the patronage of St. Lawrence, dependent in the manner of priories on the monastery of Novalesa, and of which there will often be discourse below. Because, therefore, this place seemed safer, the monks of Novalesa would have fled thither, among whom our St. Justus. So according to the Chronographer.

[6] [but since Novalesa, whose monks they are held to be, was founded in the year 726,] The place of the martyrdom being known, the time must now be inquired. A matter full of perplexities and difficulty. We affirm, then, first, that it cannot be that St. Justus (if indeed he is reported to have been a monk of Novalesa) was slain before the year 762, since only at that time was the monastery of Novalesa founded. In very truth Paolo Brizio in the History of the western church and Louis Rochex in the Glory of Novalesa refer the origins of this monastery to the first times of the Christian era; deceived by the most absurd confusion of things, men and times of the chronographer of Novalesa. Agostino della Chiesa in the Piedmontese Chronology, and after him Ughelli, relying on a diploma of Pope Benedict VIII and some weak conjectures, referred the same to the 6th century. But Henschen has already sufficiently corrected them in the Acts of St. Eldrad of Novalesa at the 13th day of March Volume II of March.. Moreover, Rochex long ago published, and very recently the royal Society of Turin Chartae, column 15. from the original copy itself, the very diploma of foundation, which Abbo, son of Felix, patrician of the Franks, founding the monastery, caused to be written on the third day before the Kalends of February, in the fifth year of the reign of our Lord king Theoderic, in the ninth indiction, that is, the 26th day of January of the year 726. The genuineness of which charter is confirmed both by the testament of the founder himself, which has been edited by Le Cointe, Mabillon, Muratori and others from various copies and in whose preamble the year 739 is plainly indicated; and by the very Bull of Benedict VIII, in which there is discourse of that charter. For the rest, concerning the year of the founding of Novalesa one may read the learned work of Professor Casalis on the kingdom of Sardinia Dizionario Geografico Storico di Sardegna, volume XII, p. 64, under Novalesa..

[7] [they could not have been slain by the Lombards, who laid waste these regions in the 6th century;] And hence it is clear how absurdly the chronographer of Novalesa reports that St. Justus and his Companions were slain at the time when the pagan Lombards likewise laid waste the monastery of Novalesa; and how much more absurdly the author of the manuscript Passion of St. Justus and Companions, sent by our Turinetti to our predecessors, adorned these things. Here are his words: For these pagans, he says, were three dukes of the Lombards, whose names are read thus: Amon, Zaban and Rodanus. Who, when they had devastated all Italy with wars and plunderings, taking by force even the capitol at Rome, and also laying waste the castle of Cassino with all Apulia. Then these three aforesaid dukes of the Lombards with a strong band of soldiers sought Gaul, to lay it waste, returning. And when they had come to the city of Susa, duke Rodanus pressed on over Mont Cenis as far as Grenoble. And so the most holy monastery of Novalesa was destroyed. But Amon and Zaban, the other two dukes, taking their way over Mont Genèvre, attacked all Provence, destroying Embrun, Gap, Arles, Avignon, Marseilles and all the cities round about; where they made such slaughter of the Burgundians that the number of the slain could not be gathered. Then, at the entrance of these dukes, the aforesaid church of Saint Lawrence was laid waste, in which today it is called Plebs Martyrum, because there a general martyrdom was then accomplished; among whom was slain a certain monk named Justus, who was just in name, etc., as above at no. 3. At this time Alboin, king of the Lombards, reigned in Italy. Most of these things, taken from St. Gregory of Tours Ecclesiastical History of the Franks, book IV, chapter XXXVI. and Paul the Deacon Gesta Langobardorum, book III, chapter VIII., are wonderfully confused. First of all, the slaughter of the Burgundians happened before the coming of Amon, Zaban and Rhodanus; and these burst into Gaul only in the year 580, as Mabillon writes, or 576, as Muratori judges; at which time Alboin was not reigning, inasmuch as he was killed in the year 573; then, and what is chief, the monastery of Novalesa could not have been destroyed by the Lombards in the 6th century, since (as we have seen) it was founded only in the year 726; so that it would have been destroyed 150 years before it existed!

[8] [and much less in the 5th century by the Vandals, who did not even come to these regions;] In the manuscript Office of St. Justus of Novalesa, formerly sent to our predecessors, a certain dissertation is made through three lessons to prove that this Saint was the brother of St. Leo, Pope I; in favour of which it is asserted that the holy Martyr was slain by the Vandals under Theodosius II; but a similar assertion will be able to be reconciled even much more difficultly with his monastic life at Novalesa. For the rest, Papebroch attacked this opinion from another head also, treating at the 25th day of June of St. Maximus of Turin. For when the author of the Life of St. Maximus, later than the 11th century, St. Justus brother of St. Maximus

made, he observed the following: The author, he says Volume V of June, p. 49., also added a third brother, St. Justus of Novalesa, monk and martyr, patron of the town of Susa, where the body is kept, found about the year 1029; for which an abbey was erected there under his name. But this man I would not say, until the matter is more accurately defined on the 18th of October, was killed by the Vandals, whom I know to have laid waste both Gauls, Belgic and Celtic, in the 5th century: but I do not believe that they penetrated to the Alps; but I would conjecture that he was killed by the Saracens; namely by those who, having occupied Fraxinetum towards the end of the 9th century, wearied Provence and Savoy and Piedmont with plundering incursions for almost a hundred years, up to the year 973, in which Henschen shows at the 22nd of May that they were expelled thence by St. Bobo.

[9] [nor is it understood how at the beginning of the 10th century monks of Novalesa would have been slain at Oulx, since not to Oulx,] But as Papebroch rightly shows that St. Justus was not killed by the Vandals, so he runs into the midst of difficulties where he holds that his slaying is to be attributed to the Saracens. Certainly the devastations of the Saracens are recorded by the contemporaries Liutprand and Flodoard, and are often indicated in the diplomas of this time. But the chronographer of Novalesa narrates the depopulation of his monastery which was then made in such a way that it is plain that the monks of Novalesa did not then flee to Oulx, where they will have St. Justus to have been slain, but to Turin. I shall excerpt a few things: About these times, he says In Pertz, volume VII, p. 108., namely about the year 906, a very great part of the Saracens, crossing the sea in vessels of ships, entered Fraxinetum to dwell there… Hearing, therefore, the most profane report of them, Domnivert the abbot, who then presided over the holy church of Novalesa, made exceedingly fearful through dread of them, took care to flee with his own to the city of Turin, to his harm and ours. And there was in the aforesaid city a church dedicated in honour of Saint Andrew and Saint Clement, where today it is called Saint Benedict, namely at the gate of Susa, which long before had belonged to the abbey of Novalesa itself… When the monks finally departed from the monastery itself, at once the most dreadful nation of the Saracens occupied the place. Who forthwith, plundering everything they could find, burned all the churches and all the houses. For they found there two old monks, who had been left there for the guarding of the churches and houses; seizing whom, they beat them, wounding them even to death.

[10] but they fled to Turin: Which flight is confirmed by a diploma of Hugh Monumenta Patriae, Chartae, column 135., king of Italy, given on the 24th day of July of the year 929, and by three others of the year 972, of Belegrim, abbot of Breme In the Chronicle of Novalesa, in Pertz, volume VII, p. 122., of Pope John XIII Monumenta Patriae, Chartae, column 229., and of the emperor Otto the Great Ibid., column 231.. And since it is clear from the last three of these diplomas that Novalesa still lay in ruins in the year 972, St. Justus surely could not have returned thither with his companions, and thence fled again and stayed at Oulx, before the Saracens were ejected from Fraxinetum in the year (as we have said) 973. In order, therefore, that it may be held that St. Justus was killed by the Saracens, nothing occurs more opportunely than that it be said that St. Justus was attached to the church of St. Lawrence at Oulx and lived there with some companions, as was the custom in the lesser priories. If this opinion is held, it will have to be laid down that of the ninety other Martyrs most were not monks, but, as the chronographer has it, of divers kind and sex, who had made it as it were their refuge.

[11] [it is rashly related that St. Justus was the brother of St. Leo the Great and St. Maximus of Turin.] From the Epitaph which met us above in the chronographer, wonderful narratives too have arisen. For since it bore: Here lies Justus, monk, brother of Leo, companion of Saint Peter Verus, hence a monk of Novalesa, later than the 11th century, held this genealogy in the Life of St. Maximus of Turin Acta Sanctorum, volume V of June, p. 50. Cf. above, no. 8.: Blessed Maximus, an excellent doctor and glorious confessor of the Lord, was sprung from the region of Tuscany and from his father Quintianus, namely of the noble blood of the Tuscans. For three brothers are said to have been born of both parents, namely Blessed Leo the first, Justus, whose body rests in the city of Susa, and Blessed Maximus. The first indeed, that is St. Leo, on the throne of the apostolic summit, as in honour, so surpassed all in doctrine and virtue; the second, that is St. Maximus, governed the church of Turin entrusted to him with wonderful providence; but the third, St. Justus, not inferior to these two, fulfilled by his life and works what they taught by word. Papebroch believed Ibid., p. 49, no. 5. that the title of pontiff had been added to the name of Leo in the epitaph: whence, since he held St. Justus to have been slain in the 9th century, he judged that St. Justus was the brother of Leo IV, V, VI, VII or VIII: but since in the epitaph the mere name of Leo appears, who would not make light of this whole genealogy? But who that St. Peter Verus is, whose companion St. Justus is reported to be in the epitaph, we have inquired in vain: whence another, perhaps bolder than I, will accuse the epitaph itself of fiction. But now the translation of St. Justus itself calls the pen to itself.

[12] [A certain Stephen of Tours discovers the body of St. Justus, which with much celebration] In the year 1654 our Turinetti sent to our predecessors not only the Passion of St. Justus, but also the Translation and Miracles. But these are nothing else than responsories and some versicles of the Office of St. Justus; which, however, since nothing better is at hand, seem worth editing. Six Antiphons come in the first place: I. When he who had long lain hidden willed to be revealed, then to Stephen (of Tours, as he gave himself out) the place in which he had been buried (at Oulx) became known. II. The relics are exhumed, which they devoutly carry out, they praise with the voice of gladness; for an hour they are immovable. III. Which at once they carry more lightly, they convey the consecrated body; clergy and people praise so great a patron given. IV. The marquis (of Italy, and count of Turin Bertolotti, Real Casa di Savoia, p. 19., Maginfred or Manfred Odolric II) placed Justus in the city of Susa, in which he shone continually like the morning star. V. Here miracles are wrought, all the sick are healed, the blind, the lame, demons, troubles are put to flight. VI. This the city of Susa feels, clergy and laity, this the whole cult of the homeland, and the military rank.

[13] To these succeed eight responsories with versicles and with miracles growing more frequent it is translated for the lessons, which formerly they called histories: I ℞. For many times lies hidden that consecrated body, which Stephen of Tours, revealed by a vision, lays open to all the faithful, after it has been honoured. ℣. They wrap it in the hide of a hind, which they take by a miracle; it brings a pleasing service. II ℞. At that time a notable council is gathered, to which, bearing the little body of Justus, it is spread abroad: he cures a lame man, a demon is put to flight before all. ℣. A blind man recovers his sight, the assembly praises and rejoices, he is honoured by all. III ℞. The assembly and the marquis carry down the consecrated relics, borne becomingly with solemn service, which they lay up, reverently buried, in the monastery (of Susa). ℣. They wonder at their heaviness, they rejoice at their lightening, they hold forth pleasing praises. IV ℞. When a wanton youth shamelessly approached the body, being at once vehemently struck, his eye lost its sight, which afterwards he mercifully restores. ℣. His compunctious bowels begged the Saint for light, they pour out pious prayers fervently. V ℞. While a priest utters blasphemy to the insult of the Saint without fear, at once divinely struck, his mouth is turned backwards to the horror of all, word and sense are lost; when he is brought back home, he expires in grief. ℣. The servant, for the sake of the Saint's grace, begs indulgence, but He strikes with fury. VI ℞. While the building (of the monastery of Susa) is being constructed, a certain timber is cut; at the fall of the tree a man falls and is not killed. The power of Justus is besought, it is present for healing. ℣. A certain man crushed in the foreskin by the Saint's merit feels no loss. VII ℞. Water gives the fomentation of lye; while oil is lacking, the liquid grows fat; the light obeyed the service, when the keeper laid down the candle, nor even so does the wax melt. By this wonderful judgment it is thus made known to us that he holds the heavenly throne. ℣. The fire here is not extinguished, nor is the candle consumed; thus the praise of the Saint grows bright. VIII ℞. He works many miracles, sight is restored to the blind, and the lame are raised up; blasphemy is struck, demons are expelled, and thieves are beaten, eloquence is given to the dumb, troubles are driven away, and divine things are preserved. ℣. By which they are driven from danger, the trouble of the flesh flees, the deformed are reformed. When the term of death was at hand, the lye being already begun, the strength of life is given.

[14] [in the year 1027 into the new monastery of Susa, afterwards called of St. Justus.] Rodulfus Glaber records many more things about this finding and translation, whom we shall present below. Meanwhile let us inquire at what time these things were done. From the charter of endowment of the monastery of St. Justus, founded at that time at Susa by count Mainfred and his brother Alric, bishop of Asti, we know that in the third year of the empire of the Lord Conrad, emperor, by God's favour, on the ninth day of the month of July, in the twelfth indiction, that is, in the year 1029, in which that charter was drawn up at Turin, the body of St. Justus was already resting there. For we read there Monumenta Patriae, Chartae, column 480.: And therefore let it be known to all that we have and hold as our property one piece of land situated within this city of Susa, where a basilica has been built in honour of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Trinity, and of Holy Mary the Virgin, or of Saint Michael the archangel, or of the Saints Peter and Paul, princes of the Apostles, also of the Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, and of Saint Maurus, Confessor of Christ, and also of Saint Justus the Martyr, WHERE HIS HOLY BODY RESTS, and of all the saints. But it could not have been translated thither long before, since Mabillon Annales Benedictini at the year 1027. refers the beginnings of this monastery to the year 1027, nor does anything occur which is opposed to this opinion; then Rodulfus Glaber himself seems to assign that translation to the year 1027. For when in chapter II of book IV he had narrated a little story pertaining to the 26th day of March of the year 1027; in the following chapter, where he begins his discourse on the translated relics of St. Justus: For there was, he says Bouquet, volume X, p. 46., at the aforesaid time a man of the common people; and he goes on to explain the finding and translation of the relics. Add that Hugh of Flavigny, as was said at no. 1, consigns the same to the year 1027. Thenceforth the cult of St. Justus flourished in the monastery of Susa; and indeed this house borrowed its name from this Saint.

[15] [at Oulx, in the place of martyrdom, a new congregation of regular canons is founded] As has already been said more than once, the body of St. Justus was found at Oulx; wherefore this place too was not without religious honour, and indeed, on the occasion of the uncovering of the bodies of St. Justus and others, a monastery there

was founded, which afterwards was made the head of the congregation of the Canons of St. Lawrence of Oulx. The origins of this monastery are easily understood from the diploma of Cunibert, prelate of Turin, recited by Gioffredo Storia delle Alpi marittime, Monumenta Patriae, volume IV, column 341.. The following pertain to our purpose: There was indeed within the boundaries of our bishopric a place situated among the Alps, which is named Plebs Martyrum, between Susa and Mons Jani , beside the bank of the river Dora, truly worthy of reverence and religion, but for a long time, through carelessness and neglect after the persecution and desolation of the pagans, deserted up to our time. But afterwards, by divine revelation, a certain priest, Gerald by name, who was afterwards ordained bishop in the church of Sisteron , having first joined to himself Odolric and Nantelm, then a little boy of good disposition, but now appointed by us provost of the holy congregation there, innumerable signs and prodigies having indeed been ascertained, the neighbours of that place also exhorting, renouncing the soil *, pricked by divine illumination, built a dwelling in the same place. And a short time having intervened, coming to us at Turin, he made profession of this kind to us and to our canons, that, licence and authority being conferred on him by us, both he himself and the others whom the divine mercy should gather together should hold there at all times the canonical institution. To this so fitting petition, therefore, we freely acquiesced; and since among those frozen Alps, by the cold of the snows and the horrible loftiness of the neighbouring rocks, the dwelling there is hard and difficult and rough, in order that that place may be led by its inhabitants more vehemently to the fullness of perfection and may always be inhabited with a more affectionate and gladder mind, from the bowels of our piety and mercy, compassionating the immense necessity of travellers … we will and greatly desire that it be made a free and venerable canonry. And therefore, by the common counsel and will of our brethren the canons, we give in perpetuity to this holy newly begun regular association of canons of St. Lawrence of Oulx, of the aforesaid Plebs Martyrum, present and future, serving God there… This was done in the year from the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ 1065, in the second indiction; given at Turin … on the day before the Kalends of May.

[16] about the year 1040, chiefly by Cunibert of Turin Hélyot Histoire des Ordres religieux, volume II, chapter X, p. 75. refers the beginnings of this canonry to the year 1050, in which Gerard Caprerius Gallia Christiana, volume I, column 483. or Charbrerius Hélyot, volume II, p. 75. had built a little cell at Plebs Martyrum. But Le Large has this De ordine canonicorum regularium, p. 340.: In the year 1053 the canonry of Oulx, situated on the border of the Dauphiné and Piedmont, had already begun to be converted to the form of the regular institution. Hence a certain gift assigned in that year In Guichenon, Bibliotheca Sebusiana, Century I, chapter LXXXVIII. "to the church of Blessed Peter with the other Apostles and to the church of St. Lawrence the Martyr in the place which is called Plebs Martyrum, and to the canons living regularly in the abovenamed churches." But since in the charter of Cunibert of the year 1065 it is read that Gerard first joined to himself, besides Odolric, Nantelm, then a LITTLE BOY of good disposition, but now, says Cunibert, appointed by us provost of the Holy Congregation there; since moreover between Gerard, created bishop of Sisteron in the year 1060 at the council of Avignon Gallia Christiana, volume I, column 483., and Nantelm no intermediate provost is found, and so Nantelm must be said to have obtained the provostship in the year 1060; hence it comes about that it is plain to believe that Gerard came to Oulx with the little boy Nantelm about the year 1040. Concerning the founder too there is dispute. Bourchenu Histoire du Dauphiné, volume II, p. 8, edition of 1721. attributes the foundation to Adelaide, countess of Susa, on account of many donations from the year 1057 up to 1098. On the contrary Ughelli Italia sacra, volume IV, column 1039. attributes the title of founder to Cunibert of Turin on account of the diploma of the year 1065. For my part I think that Gerard with his companions occupied Oulx as a deserted place without anyone's licence; and that they lived there at first by the work of their hands or perhaps from patrimony; but that then they were increased by some pious gifts, until in the year 1065 Cunibert transferred to them the ruins of the church of Oulx itself and the surrounding land; which we have heard the monks of Novalesa assert in the Chronicle had formerly been subject to them.

[17] in the year 1073 a church is consecrated there, The celebrity of that place grew daily, namely from those innumerable signs and prodigies recorded by the bishop of Turin; and when in the year 1073 a new church was consecrated there, the faithful ran together from various parts, says Gioffredo Place cited, column 348., especially from the Maritime and Cottian Alps and from the dioceses of Embrun and Turin. Nor indeed were they moved by veneration for the holy place alone, but also by the example of princes and prelates. Among these Guigo, count of Albon, Grenoble and Vienne, made a pilgrimage thither; but when he had come to the castle of Briançon in the diocese of Embrun, seized by a most grave disease, he came within a little of meeting his last day. He at length obtained health from God, perhaps, says Gioffredo, on account of the remarkable liberality which he showed towards the same church. A few things from his diploma are to be excerpted here:

[18] and new donations are made. I, Guigo, count, in the name of God give, and by giving confirm, from my inheritance, as I possess it, the half of one manse, which is in the village which is commonly called Ulcis, which was Martin Balbus's, to the most holy Church of God which is built beside the basilica of St. Lawrence the Martyr of Plebs Martyrum, and which is now to be consecrated by catholic bishops, and so, for the love of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, or for the redemption of my soul, or of the soul of my father or of my parents, I grant this marriage-gift or dowry to the abovementioned church, which, as we have said, is now to be dedicated in honour of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and of St. John the Baptist and of all the Apostles, or of St. Justus the Martyr, who in the same place was slain for God with ninety other Martyrs, and of St. Nicholas, or St. Sebastian; I confirm and corroborate it, that it may remain firmly and that they may become intercessors for me to God… I, Guigo, count, who, held by infirmity in the castle of Briançon, cannot go to that consecration, etc. The same Guigo confirmed his donations and offered new ones to Albert, Provost of Oulx, in the year 1105, remembering, namely, that thirty years before he had obtained health in the castle of Briançon, when he was already placed at the point of death. Whoever desires more about the provostship and congregation of Oulx, let him go to Pennotto, Hélyot, Bourchenu, Gioffredo and others.

[19] Things which favour the cult of SS. Justus and Companions. But it is now ours to gather into one all those things which favour the cult of SS. Justus and Companions. About the year 1027, then, a certain stranger, who gave himself out as Stephen by name, of Tours by homeland, uncovered a certain body at Oulx, in a place which certainly was at some time laid waste, and which from ancient time was called Plebs Martyrum; another body too was uncovered, and epitaphs were found under the heads: whence the names of Justus and Flavian became known. Before the middle of the 11th century the chronographer of Novalesa asserted that the name Plebs Martyrum arose from the martyrdom of these; count Guigo affirmed the same in the year 1073. That the body of Justus was in truth the body of a holy man was believed by the marquis Maginfred and his brother Alric, bishop of Asti, the founders of the monastery of Susa: who are both praised for their excellent prudence by William, duke of Aquitaine, writing to Leo, bishop of Vercelli, about deposing the bishops of Italy: The prudent marquis Maginfred, he says William's letter v, in Bouquet, volume X, p. 484., did not commend to me this blameworthy condition, nor his brother Alric, the good bishop, whose most sound counsel I have never repented of using for the most part, whom I judge to be of more excellent wit, faith and goodness above all the Italians. Nay, Rodulfus Glaber himself In Bouquet, volume cited, p. 45. calls Mainfred the most prudent of marquises. Moreover, in the year 1073, after the earth had been much dug and hollowed out that a new basilica might be built, ninety other Martyrs became known, as the charter of Guigo, count of Vienne, witnesses. Moreover, most of these record wonderful prodigies in confirmation of the genuineness of the relics.

[20] Rodulfus Glaber, whose credibility is not to be made light of, But Rodulfus Glaber sings an altogether different tune, whose historical work was made very much of by Cardinals Bona and Baronius, but now not so much. For very excellent writers have picked at him very much; of whom it will suffice to name de la Curne de Sainte-Palaye Mémoires de l'Académie des inscriptions, volume VIII, p. 549 and following., Dom Rivet Histoire littéraire de la France, volume VII, p. 410 and following, Dom Bouquet Recueil, volume X, preface, p. XIII and following. and the distinguished Mr Waitz In Pertz, Monumenta, volume VII, p. 48 and following.; but although he is much beaten by them, yet he is accused of falsehood by no one; nay, he is praised for his sincerity. Above the others let his most recent editor, the distinguished Mr Waitz, be heard: Nevertheless, he says Ibid., place cited, whatever he himself saw or received from contemporaries he faithfully recorded on his pages, described the genius of the age with a mind sufficiently candid and just, and painted the depraved morals with vivid colours. With these warnings, I now submit to the reader's judgment the narrative of Rodulfus Glaber, to which he himself gave the title: That, the sins of men requiring it, the Lord permitting, miracles are sometimes wrought by wicked spirits.

[21] [he contends that the revelation of the relics was the fabrication of a certain wicked man,] The divine authority, then, set forth to the Jews through Moses, warned them thus, saying: "If there be," it says Deuteronomy 13., "a prophet among you, speaking in the name of any of the gods of the nations, and he foretell anything to come, and it happen by chance, believe him not, for the Lord your God trieth you, that He may know whether you love Him or not." We have, therefore, at present, in a dissimilar matter, an example not unlike. For there was at the aforesaid time a man of the common people, most crafty of traffickers, yet of unknown name and homeland, since, seeking a hiding-place according to the diversity of places lest he should be recognized, he fraudulently imposed names upon himself, or of what province he was. (He then called himself a man of Tours. Cf. above nos. 12 and 13.) He also dug secretly from tombs, plucking bones from the ashes of men most recently dead; and so, placing them in various reliquaries (or biers), he sold them among very many as relics of holy Martyrs or Confessors. But after innumerable illusions of this kind perpetrated in the Gauls, he came as a fugitive to the places of the Alps, where very often brutish peoples dwell, having very many dwellings on the heights. There indeed he called himself Stephen, who elsewhere had been called Peter, elsewhere John

had been. There, then, gathering by night, in his accustomed manner, from a most abject place the bones of an unknown man, which he placed in a little case and a bier, he said that it had been revealed to him by an angelic showing, whom he feigned to be a holy Martyr named Justus (namely the same whom the people of Beauvais and Auxerre have long venerated).

[22] that the miracles were diabolical, Soon also the common people, as they are wont to behave in such matters, whatever was idle of the rustic populace, all flowed together to this report; they are sorry, moreover, if they have no disease for which to ask to be cured. Then they lead the infirm, bring little gifts, keep wakeful vigils, awaiting miracles to come suddenly; which, as we have said, are sometimes permitted to be wrought by malignant spirits by way of temptation, the sins of men going before: which then without doubt shone forth most evidently. For manifold reformations of limbs were seen to have taken place there, and the tokens of little wax figures of many forms to hang there; nor yet did the prelates of the cities of Morianna, or Utzetica, or Gratinona, in whose dioceses such profanations were done, apply diligence to inquiring into this matter: nay rather, setting up conventicles, in some they exacted from the people nothing else than inept gain, and at the same time favour for the fallacy.

[23] that Mainfred and many bishops were deceived; Meanwhile Mainfred, the richest of marquises, learning of this report, sent some of his men who, seizing by force that image which was being venerated, should bring it to him, whom they judged to be a Martyr to be venerated. For the same marquis had begun to establish a monastery in the castle of Susa (cf. no. 14), which is most ancient among the Alps, in honour of God almighty and of His mother Mary ever virgin: in which also, after the completion of the work, he had decreed to place him with very many other pledges of the Saints. A little after, too, the work of the church being completed, and the day of dedication fixed, the bishops dwelling round about having been summoned, there were present with them also the often-named abbot William (of St. Benignus of Dijon) and some abbots. And the aforesaid trafficker was then there, having become very dear to the already mentioned marquis, inasmuch as he promised that he would shortly reveal much more precious pledges of the Saints (and indeed in the year 1073 ninety had already been uncovered, cf. no. 18), whose deeds, namely, and names and the contests of their passions, like the rest, he deceitfully fabricated.

[24] that incredible things were heard by him from the mouth of that cunning man, Who, when he was asked by all the more learned how he knew such things so thoroughly, babbling, kept sounding forth things less likely: for I myself too was present, coming thither with the often-named abbot. For he said: There appears, he says, to me by night an Angel, and tells and teaches whatever he knows I wish to know, and remains with me so long until I compel him to withdraw. But when, answering to these things, we asked whether he saw this awake or in sleep, he added: Almost every night the Angel snatches me from my bed, my wife not knowing it; who after many conversations, greeting me and kissing me, withdraws. We too, understanding the lie stripped of its cunning, recognized the man as not angelic, but rather a minister of fraud and malignity. Moreover, the pontiffs, duly performing the consecration of the church for which they had come, brought in, with the other pledges of relics, the bones devised by the cunning of that profane man: not, however, without great exaltation of both peoples, which had come together thither innumerable. These things therefore happened to be done on the 16th day (rather the 15th, as is clear from the day of the cult of each Justus) before the Kalends of November. For this reason, namely, because the promoters of this error asserted that they were the same bones of Justus the Martyr who on that day suffered at Beauvais, a city of the Gauls: whose head too was brought back to Auxerre, where he had been born and brought up, and is kept there.

[25] and that the more prudent agreed with him. But I, who knew the novelty of the matter, asserted that what was said was frivolous: yet the more refined persons among the men, recognizing the fabrications of the fallacy, gave credit to the assertion which I had put forward. (Cf. no. 13, where a priest appears, standing on Rodulfus's side.) Finally, in the following night, monstrous phantasms were seen by some of the monks or other religious in the same church, and forms of black Ethiopians were seen to come out of the little coffer in which the bones were held enclosed, and also to withdraw from the church. And although many of sound mind cried out that the detestable fabrication was to be abominated, yet the common rustic people, venerating the corrupt trafficker under the name of the unjust for the just, long remained in their error. But we have related these things for this reason, that one may beware of the manifold errors of demons or of men which abound everywhere in the world, especially at springs or trees incautiously venerated by the sick.

[26] which we leave to ecclesiastical authority, According to Rodulfus, then, that stranger persuaded Mainfred and his brother Alric that the bones of the monk Justus were those of the same Justus who was venerated in many parts of Gaul and of whom the people of Turin knew nothing except the name: how absurd this confusion was Rodulfus shows even from this, that he had undergone martyrdom at Beauvais and his head was kept at Auxerre. This is his opinion: which pleased not only, as we saw at the beginning, Baronius, but also other excellent writers; of whom I shall name one, Mabillon Annales Benedictini, book LVI, no. 24, volume IV, p. 311., a man equally learned and moderate. For the rest, the arguments of each opinion having been set forth, we leave the judgment itself to ecclesiastical authority: for to it alone it belongs to strike names out of the liturgical diptychs, if any have perhaps been illegitimately thrust in; but until this is done, it is ours to speak of them, since our work embraces all the Saints and Blessed who are venerated throughout the whole world; and the decision whether they are rightly venerated or otherwise is not with us. And these things must be professed by us here with all the better right, because, as we said in preface to this historical synopsis, we neither wish nor are able to determine anything amid so great a conflict of contemporary documents.

* Monginevro.

* Sisteron.

* Saeculo (the world).