Almirus

ON ST. ALMIRUS, PRESBYTER AND ABBOT NEAR THE VILLAGE OF GREZ IN THE PROVINCE OF LE MANS,

About the year DLX.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

The Acts written: the Saint's cult: the credit of the Acts approved: some doubts examined: S. Avitus, who is mentioned in them, not to be distinguished from Avitus of Micy.

Almirus, presbyter and abbot, near the village of Grez in the province of Le Mans (S.)

BY J. S.

The Life of S. Almirus, from which certain others of his companions also become known, our Labbe has already published in the Bibliotheca of Manuscripts, vol. 2, p. 469 and following. Various copies of the Saint's Life: The same we have also in various manuscript copies, which were once sent to our Elders by divers persons. The first transcript we received from a manuscript of André du Chesne, the well-known historiographer: the second our Chifflet, likewise known by his writings, communicated: the third, written from the codex of Saint-Calais by Dom Aubert, a Religious of the same place, Fr. Jean Dardes sent hither; and the fourth, finally, another of our men at Paris destined hither, without notice of the codex from which it was copied. All these transcripts I have compared with one another and with Labbe's edition, and have found them rightly agreeing, except for certain transpositions or slighter changes of words, which do not change the sense. Wherefore, since in each some faults seem to be by the copyists' fault, which are not found in all, I shall give the more correct readings from each, and shall give notice of the diversity of the other copies where it shall seem worth the labor.

[2] The memory of S. Almirus I do not find in the ancient Martyrologies; his memory in modern Fasti, and his ancient cult: but it is announced with a prolix eulogy, composed from the Life, by Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology. More briefly the same is done by Castellan in the Universal Martyrology in these words: Between Grez (a village) and the river Braye in the province of Le Mans, of S. Almerus the confessor. Further, that the holiness of Almirus was acknowledged and venerated in the same VI century in which he died, is clear from the Life itself, in which he always enjoys the title of Saint; and which was drawn up in the same century. Moreover the little cell of holy Almirus is mentioned in the Deeds of the bishops of Le Mans, chap. 19, and again in chap. 21 in a diploma of Charlemagne. But that the festival of S. Almirus is celebrated on this very XI day of September, on which he died, the observations added to my transcripts teach. For the Saint-Calais one is marked with this title: The Life of S. Almirus the confessor, disciple of SS. Avitus and Carilefus. His feast is celebrated on the III of the Ides of Sep. Another bears these annotations: The Life of holy Almirus the confessor, disciple of the holy Avitus and Carilefus, patron of the church of Gressum (commonly de Grez): who lived in the times of Childebert and Lothair, kings of Gaul, drawn from an old manuscript which has hitherto been kept in the monastery of Pietas Dei, or of Lespau, near Le Mans, which is commonly called Lespau, of the Cistercian Order. Of which there is extant a part, but mutilated and defective, in the aforesaid church of S. Almirus of Gressum near Montmirail , whether by the injury of time or by the carelessness of those who once had charge of this church. His feast is celebrated on the III of the Ides, that is, on the eleventh day of September.

[3] The Life written by a contemporary or nearly contemporary author: But now it is fitting to show how great the authority of the said Acts appears to be, especially since our Sollerius at the 1st of July in S. Carilefus, §2, doubted in some measure of their credit. The author presently in the prologue indicates that he is writing in the diocese of Le Mans, in which S. Almirus had lived, and in the same VI century in which he had flourished there; nay more, under the same bishop Domnolus, in whose sitting the Saint had died: for he says that he does this at the command of B. Domnolus his bishop, who administered the chair of Le Mans between the middle and the end of the VI century. And so the biographer was either plainly contemporary with the Saint, or at any rate very near him. The age therefore and the place in which the Life was composed seem to win for it the fullest credit. Nor do I find in it anything which brings in a just suspicion of imposture, since it agrees excellently with the Lives of SS. Avitus and Carilefus, of which the first was given at the XVII of June, the second at the 1st of July.

[4] [its beginning is not borrowed from the Life of S. Constantinianus, but on the contrary this last is patched together out of various Lives:] Nevertheless the writers of the Literary History have so eagerly seized upon whatever doubt our Sollerius had, and turned it into a settled opinion, that they assert the author of this Life to be an impostor, and the Life itself nothing but a cento ill stitched together from various Lives. But in my judgment this accusation falls more rightly upon that Life from which chiefly they attack this one; namely upon the Life of S. Constantinianus, which I shall presently show to be patched together from various sources. The praised writers, vol. 3, p. 408, judge that the Life of S. Constantinianus was written about the end of the VI century by some presbyter of Le Mans; but that the Life of S. Almirus was written about a century and a half later, and that the beginning of the Life of S. Constantinianus was transferred to the Life of S. Almirus; for Labbe, vol. 2 of the Bibliotheca, p. 515, about to give the Life of S. Constantinianus, observes that its beginning is the same as the beginning of the Life of S. Almirus. I have therefore consulted the manuscript Life of S. Constantinianus, or the transcripts kept in our cabinets; and I clearly saw that the beginning of the said Life was drawn from the Life of S. Almirus, although it is otherwise much shorter. I observed secondly that the miracles which are reported in the Life of S. Constantinianus are taken partly from the Life of S. Erneus the abbot, which was given at the IX of August, partly from the Life of S. Alneus the abbot, which will be given on this very day. This last Mabillon also saw, when in vol. 1 of the Annals, p. 79, he wrote thus: Of holy Constantinianus nothing certain can be brought forward, inasmuch as his deeds are confounded with the acts of holy Alneus. Wherefore it can by no means be doubted that the Life of S. Constantinianus was patched together from the three Lives mentioned, and that by an impostor probably not very ancient.

[5] And so from the life of Constantinianus the Life of S. Almirus cannot be disproved, [other objections also do not overthrow the credit of the Life of S. Almirus; although perhaps in one place it has been interpolated.] just as neither do the Lives of SS. Erneus and Alneus suffer harm from that plagiarism, but from these the Life of S. Constantinianus alone must be disapproved. But the praised writers of the Literary History, vol. 5, p. 151, object other things also; and for these they praise our Sollerius, who in Carilefus, vol. 1 of July, p. 88, speaks thus: But this anonymous writer (the writer of the Life of S. Almirus), unless by a most base wickedness he meant to impose upon us, or some other of credit no less shaky interpolated his writings, is the very same author who published the first Life of S. Carilefus. Then at num. 18 he says that he doubts of the truth of a single article. And Sollerius's doubt fell chiefly upon those instruments of charters which at num. 7 are said to have been made by SS. Innocentius and Carilefus, and upon the Lives which the same author is asserted to have written. Certainly all those things which are contained at num. 7 are such that they could easily have been thrust in, and bear little on the author's purpose: and therefore these can be suspect of interpolation. That is the one thing Sollerius meant, and that I willingly admit. But I do not see that on that account the authority of the whole Life can deservedly be called into doubt. Yet the praised writers do this, when they say that the writer cannot be of the VI century, because he cites the Deeds of the bishops of Le Mans, and some Lives. But I have already observed that that article in which those Deeds are cited is in some measure suspect of interpolation, and therefore nothing is proved against the biographer. Moreover

the author could not be convicted of imposture, even if all those things were certainly his: for, as they themselves observe at p. 144, some Deeds of the bishops of Le Mans had already been written in the time of Innocentius and Domnolus. Wherefore the author could praise those very Deeds, just as he praises the Lives, written at that time, of SS. Avitus, Carilefus and others, which is objected in vain.

[6] Now, before I subjoin the Acts themselves, it will be of use to examine certain things which bring in a doubt. Various observations: Almirus seems to have been a presbyter and an abbot: First, even though the author does not clearly declare it, I should think it more probable that all the companions of S. Avitus, of whom this Life treats, were first monks in the convent of Menat in Auvergne. The reasons I alleged at the IX of September in Ulfacius, num. 2. Secondly, that S. Almirus was ordained presbyter when he was living in the convent of Micy, I am fully persuaded, both from what is read in the Life at num. 3, and from the office of preaching the word of God, which at the command of S. Innocentius he strenuously performed, and finally from the church he founded and the congregation of monks which he governed. Thirdly, for the same cause he can rightly be called abbot, just as his successor is called abbot at num. 12. Fourthly, it seems to me by no means to be doubted that S. Avitus, to whom S. Almirus was at first subject, is the same as S. Avitus abbot of Micy, successor of S. Maximinus, although of his prefecture at Micy, which was very brief, nothing at all is said in this Life: for in the proper Life of S. Avitus, given at the XVII of June, all his dwellings are so accurately set forth — namely first in the monastery of Menat, then in that of Micy, thirdly in the solitude of Ségolène, fourthly again in the monastery of Micy, because he had been chosen abbot, and finally fifthly in the solitude where the convent of Pitiacum was erected, otherwise called the cell of S. Avitus; so clearly, I say, are all these abodes of S. Avitus enumerated, that of necessity this Life was not sufficiently weighed by him who labors to separate Avitus abbot of Micy from Avitus abbot of Perche.

[7] S. Avitus of Micy is not rightly distinguished from him of Perche, Certainly Mabillon had not sufficiently weighed the Acts of S. Avitus when, in the 1st Benedictine century, pp. 613 and 614, he wished by certain conjectures to divide a single Avitus into two; nor had Ruinart considered them when, in his annotations on S. Gregory of Tours, col. 979, he shows himself inclining to that opinion. Nay, not even then, I think, had Mabillon seen those Acts as they were illustrated by Henschen, when in vol. 1 of the Annals, p. 79, he repeated his former opinion: for that volume appeared only two years after our vol. III of June, in which the Life of S. Avitus was published. These things I have judged should be observed, both for the sake of Mabillon and Ruinart, whose error can the more easily be pardoned, and because I see the most illustrious Giorgi, moved by their authority, so disputing of these matters in his annotations on Ado's Martyrology at the XVII day of June and the XIX of December, as if the controversy were doubtful. But if the praised Giorgi had considered the Life of S. Avitus as studiously as the Benedictine Writers surveyed it, who at this time are publishing the Literary History of France, vol. 3, p. 266 and following; and the present-day editors of the Gallia Christiana, vol. 8, col. [ ] and following; he would probably have passed the same judgment about a single S. Avitus.

[8] as the most recent Benedictine writers acknowledge: even if that Avitus Let us hear in what manner these speak of them. Two abbots of this name, they say, our Mabillon after Baronius distinguished, one of Micy, the other of Perche, propped up indeed by slight conjectures, which it is wonderful that a learned and understanding man preferred to the authority of the Acts themselves of that most holy abbot, which he had in hand. And, the reasons of Mabillon having been weighed, they thus conclude: Let us hold this therefore as ascertained, that there was a single Avitus, first of Micy, then of Perche, that is, abbot of Pitiacum in Perche. No less clearly the praised writers of the Literary History express their opinion in French, when at p. 267 they assert that the error about two Avituses was corrected by the Life of Avitus given by Henschen. The same judgment Giorgi could the more readily have passed, the more easily he could have noticed in illustrating Ado that the first and chief argument of Mabillon is of no weight. For Mabillon takes his first argument from Ado's Martyrology, the manuscript of Saint-Germain, in which S. Avitus is announced at the XVII of June, and again at the XIX of December, in words somewhat different, yet so that all suit the same Avitus. [is found twice in some manuscript Martyrologies of Ado; he does not seem to have been mentioned twice by Ado himself.]

[9] Giorgi would easily have observed that that announcement of Avitus which is read at the XVII of June does not seem to be Ado's, since it was thrown into the appendix by Mosander and Rosweyde, had he not wished to fight vehemently for three or four codices, none of which, even in his own judgment, was older than the XI century — with words, however, rather than with reasons. But the words of the praised Giorgi will never bring it about that we believe all those things which Mabillon adduced from the Saint-Germain codex, and which Giorgi added from his own codices after the text of Rosweyde's edition among the various readings, to be genuinely Ado's. Nay rather, we shall go on believing that most of them were added to Ado afterward, as I altogether judge concerning S. Avitus at the XVII of June, and shall judge concerning many others, until someone shall prove the contrary by solid reasons. For the rest, whether S. Avitus be announced in one place only or in two in Ado, the authority of Ado cannot bring it about that he be deservedly believed twofold, whom a Life far more ancient than Ado proves to be a single man. The other reasons of Mabillon see refuted in the praised writers of the Gallia Christiana.

* Braye

* Montmirail

THE LIFE

by an anonymous author, nearly contemporary

From four manuscripts and the edition of Labbe, collated.

Almirus, presbyter and abbot, near the village of Grez in the province of Le Mans (S.)

BHL Number: 0305

A. By an Anonymous Writer.

PROLOGUE.

The reason for writing. Being compelled by the Brethren, and at the command also of our pontiff the blessed Domnolus ^a, to write the Life of holy Almirus, lest we should appear disobedient, with the help of the Holy Spirit, who rested in the aforesaid Saint, we set about it, though with a slender pen ^b. For at our Lord Jesus Christ's bidding we read thus: Open thy mouth, and I will fill it. Therefore those things must be recited which, being spread abroad as an example of good action, gain souls, and doubtless profit their imitators unto increase. *

ANNOTATIONS.

another reading: unto increases*

CHAPTER I.

Some things about the native land and the various dwellings of Almirus, and of certain other Saints.

Various Saints embrace the solitary life in the district of Le Mans: While Childebert and Clothar ^a his brother were reigning over and governing the monarchy of the kingdom of the Franks, and while the practice of Christianity was growing with fervor, certain men, kindled with a divine desire of a holy life, leaving their native land, their kindred, their estates, and all things, and forsaking their own monasteries, and seeking a stricter life, come into the district of Le Mans ^b. Of whom some near the desert of Perche ^c; but others in other places labored to clear the ground ^d with their own hands — places which, by the Lord's bounty, they had obtained by their prayers from Innocentius, bishop of the same parish. Among whom the first were holy Avitus and holy Carilefus ^e. And these , inflamed with the warmth of faith and kindled with divine love, came as pilgrims. Certain others also followed them afterward: and certain others, joined to them, came into the aforesaid district of Le Mans, that is, holy Almirus, holy Ulphacius ^f, holy Boamirus ^g, and Senardus ^h, with other companions, and with the rest of their subjects and disciples. For, as has been said, holy Carilefus and holy Avitus were the first and their masters; and all obeyed Avitus, because they had so determined among themselves; and whatever he might enjoin upon them they desired gladly to fulfill. To his counsel and command the rest also had recourse, and wherever ⁱ he bade them build cells, whether in the vast solitude of the desert or in other places, or wherever he exhorted them to clear the ground and to make new fields, there with their disciples they busied themselves kindly to work at them.

[3] [these, born in Auvergne, come first to the convent of Micy, and thence into the desert:] For there, in the time of the aforesaid kings of the Franks, that is, of Childebert and Clothar his brother, who greatly loved the servants of God, and pilgrims, and especially those who strove to lead the common life, the aforesaid holy men, going out from Aquitaine, and chiefly from the district of Auvergne ^k, being made exiles for Christ, come to Orléans, and there, praying under a holy rule with holy Maximinus not far from the aforesaid city, some of them had already at that time been consecrated priests. At length therefore, the Lord leading ^l, they hasten ^m to the district of Le Mans, and near the desert which is called Perche they lie hid in secret places, and busy themselves to live by the work of their own hands, praying and beseeching day and night with earnest prayers and bended knees the God of heaven, that they might be able to find other and well-suited places, in which each, building his own cell, might deserve, by the Lord's favor, to gain therein under a holy rule the souls deceived by the fraud of the devil. And the Lord, hearing their prayers and tearful petitions, mercifully granted them what they asked, and fulfilled their desires by his most gracious clemency. And their fame was spread abroad, because it could not long lie hidden, nor did the Lord will to hide it under a bushel, but that it should shine upon a candlestick, and that all dwelling in the house of God might see their light, and be formed by their good examples, and instructed by their manner of life, and that many by their examples might deserve to come to eternal life.

[4] received kindly by S. Innocentius the bishop But as soon as the said holy Innocentius ⁿ, who at that time was bishop in the aforesaid district of Le Mans, heard that fame, he sent to them his letter of consolation, and his priest, by name Benedict, that, questioning * them, he might diligently inquire of what manner of life they were, or whence they came, or what they purposed to do; intimating also to them that, if they wished to stay in the same parish, or to build cells, as had been told him, he would give them places in which, according to their profession, they might, with the Lord's help, accomplish these very things. But as soon as the aforesaid holy men saw such a message, they knew that their prayers had been heard by the Lord God, and that this had been put into the mind of the aforesaid bishop for their consolation

inspired for their consolation, and they render immense thanks to God, with bended knees and hands stretched out to heaven, because he deigned to hear them and to console them. And by the same aforesaid priest they render thanks also to the said bishop, and send word that whatever he might command, so far as God should grant, they would willingly fulfill. They intimate also that, having heard the fame of his holiness, they had come thither, and that, as servants their lord, they were willing to obey him in all things.

[5] And when the said holy Innocentius heard their willingness — and promising him obedience, who, before he heard of their obedience, bore it grievously and greatly reproved them, that without his leave and counsel some of them were already beginning to build oratories in his parish, as is read elsewhere of holy Carilefus. After, as has been said, the aforesaid bishop heard of their zeal and obedience, and learned that they were not willing to be stubborn and disobedient, but were in all things religious and obedient, he commanded some of them to come to meet him at the canonical village of Conedratium ^o, and receiving them gladly, and falling upon their necks, he kissed them, and showed them all kindness, as befits a bishop. Afterward he sang Mass, and blessed them, and at the end confirmed them with the holy Eucharist. And at length they broke their fast together, and were strengthened together with food. Then therefore he gave them power to preach in his parish, and to convert men to the holy and common or regular life, and that wherever they wished in his parish, and in whatever territory of the church of his see, they might build cells.

[6] For he wished to give them places at once for performing the said services of God. they build cells for themselves in various places, But they asked for time until with holy Avitus [p], their master, and with their other companions, they should diligently consider these things, and at length gladly fulfill his commands and will. Whence afterward, all coming together for three days, with fasting and prayer intervening, and considering these things, they took counsel that by the leave and authority of the aforesaid bishop they should seek places where each might build his own church. Whence it came about, the Lord bringing help, that holy Carilefus, priest of God, while he was seeking with those subject to him a place to build his cell, found a pleasant place upon the river Anisola [q], in the territory of the holy mother church of Le Mans, where, by the Lord's help, he began to build himself a cell, in which he now rests in body; which place is named from the name of the same river Anisola. For holy Avitus had already found a place for himself, in which he too built a cell, which place to this present day is named the Cell of holy Avitus.

[7] But in what manner holy Carilefus dealt with the aforesaid holy bishop Innocentius, S. Innocentius bringing help. and what connections they had, or what instruments of charters [r] they made together, is contained hitherto inserted in their little Works, or in the Pontifical Deeds of the city of Le Mans. Likewise also, in what manner he dealt with holy Avitus, we once wrote something in their Lives; and therefore there is no need here to touch upon it , nor, as it seems to me, to insert it. But if anyone desires to know these things fully, let him read the aforesaid little Works, and so he will find them. For then, by the authority and bounty of the said bishop, and by the counsel of holy Avitus their master, they sought out those places which they afterward built up, or * in which they constructed cells, the aforesaid holy bishop Innocentius bringing them no small help, in which also they now rest in body; and in these places, once found, they gathered Brethren under a holy Rule, and taught them to live regularly, as to this present day, the Lord helping, they strive to do regularly.

ANNOTATIONS.

p. S. Avitus therefore was not present at these things, because his cell was in the diocese of Chartres, in which was enclosed Pitiacum, now an abbey of women, called Saint-Avit of Châteaudun.

q. The Anisola, in French the Anille, is a modest river which gave its name to the convent of Anisola, which is now more commonly called from its founder that of S. Carilefus, commonly S. Calais.

r. Of these in fact not a few things are read in the Deeds of the bishops of Le Mans, which Mabillon published in the Vetera Analecta. But I have observed in the Commentary that this whole number seems in some measure suspect of interpolation.

Lab.: divinely*

Lab.: and indeed*

another reading: for*

another reading: out of*

another reading: by questioning*

another reading: who*

* i.e. to him

another reading: of touching*

another reading: ut* omitted

another reading: without*

CHAPTER II.

The deeds, miracles, death and burial of S. Almirus.

[ ] A monastery built and monks gathered: his virtues: a miracle: Holy Almirus therefore by prayer found the place which today is named Gressum ^a, and obtained it by the bounty of the aforesaid bishop. Which place received its name from a certain stone which was found there for sharpening their iron tools, and retains it to this present day; which he received, as has been said, by the bounty of the said bishop, and with his help made there a monastery in honor of blessed Mary and holy Peter, and gathered there forty monks living under a holy Rule, besides the rest of his disciples and servants. Who led there, by the Lord's help, together with the little monks subject to him, so praiseworthy a life that the Lord even wrought miracles through him. Whose miracles of power we have thought it fitting not to pass over by dissembling: but out of many we have charged ourselves to write a few with the pen; for if we should follow out each of his miracles of power, the measure on the page would be excessive. For who could worthily rehearse the prodigies of so great a Man? Who could tell how great was the power of the words that came forth from his mouth? How great was his constancy in vigils and abstinences and the other virtues, neither can human sense explain nor pen follow out; but the Lord alone knows, who bestowed all things. And on a certain day, as holy Almirus was performing an obedience with the Brethren near the aforesaid cell, it happened that a mighty rain rushed upon them: from which all fleeing hid themselves in a certain little house, and holy Almirus alone remained at his obedience ^b, whom not even a drop of that rain touched, but those

who had fled and had left their obedience, it so pursued that not even the house delivered them. Wherein it also appears how much the discipline of obedience avails.

[9] a woman possessed delivered. Thereafter, as heavenly gifts grew with his age, the said Father glowed with the regard of piety, shone among the Brethren with the rays of obedience, excelled adorned with the light of holy charity: since, as he was strenuous in rooting out vices, so was he solicitous in imparting * heavenly gifts. And there is among the rest this venerable proof, which shone by his merits in our town in the time following. For when a certain woman, seized by an evil spirit, was being brought before the most blessed Almirus, and, beating her breast, gnashed with foaming tongue and mouth, and raved in every blasphemy, mocking all, it happened that the demon which had seized her wished to hide himself, which the Lord did not permit to be done. Then the demon, knowing that he could not hide, fell into her ears in the likeness of a little ball. Whose craft the Saint, knowing it by the Spirit of the Lord, made the sign of the Cross, and rebuking him said: Why, demon, dost thou hasten to destroy a man whom thou didst not make? At whose rebuke that enemy could not endure, but, confounded by the sign of the Cross, went out with mighty terror, and thus by the merits of the aforesaid holy Almirus both the soul and the body of that woman were delivered, and she returned unharmed to her own.

[10] [While he preaches against unlawful marriages, one who threatens him is suddenly punished,] And to him the word of preaching had been committed by the aforesaid bishop, who, inviting the rest by the promise of the heavenly kingdom, did not cease to sow among the people words of truth abounding with the fruit of faith. Hence it came about that, as he was loosing the bonds of incestuous marriages and of execrable couplings, no one could worthily set forth how much he endured for these things, especially since for these and for the other fruits of justice he desired to be made a martyr *, had the hand of a slayer not been wanting: but beyond doubt he earned the palm of martyrdom, who did not hide the desires of his vow. Now a certain man enriched with great wealth, and well furnished with an equipment of arms, by name Leo, who very often wished to slay the said Almirus, either by himself or by another, secretly or openly, on a certain day, while he was sitting at a banquet with many nobles, began to blaspheme, and to load holy Almirus of God with many slanders: and while he was doing this, he is asked by someone what he would do to him if he were present. Who, answering furiously and raising his hands, said: Thus would I strike him, if he were here before us. Whose hand at once withered, and was so drawn together before them all that he could not even draw it back to himself. Which all the bystanders seeing, they said that this had happened by the nod of God because of the hatred which he had conceived toward the Saint of God after his holy admonition.

[11] Whence it came about that many who had their near kinswomen ^c but the Saint afterward heals him, corrected by a fitting penance. corrected themselves and put them away, and became obedient in all things to the aforesaid holy Man, and whatever he enjoined on them they gladly observed to the best of their power. And so his friends and kinsmen, bringing the said crippled man Leo with great gifts to holy Almirus, and humbly prostrate, besought him to pray for him and to heal him by his prayers. To whom the Saint of God answered: That it behoved no one to pray for him ^d, nor ought anyone to communicate with him, unless he first loosed the bonds of an unlawful marriage — who promised both to dissolve the incest and to fulfill to the best of his power whatever the Saint of God had enjoined on him. For on this condition, and the unlawful marriage being dissolved, the holy Man, moved with mercy, gave him a penance, and kept him with him in seclusion with great affliction; for whom, together with the Brethren, daily making Litanies, and scattering his own goods among the poor as alms for him, at a fitting time he absolved him by his prayers, and, anointing his crippled and withered hand with holy oil in the form of a cross, restored it by his merits to its former health. And from him he received no small help, both in estates and in other movable goods, namely in gold and silver, or in garments and the rest that were needful, for adorning and completing his little monastery, and for supporting the necessities of the Brethren.

[12] Many other miracles therefore, and mighty signs of his other virtues, the Lord wrought through the aforesaid holy Man, The Saint dies piously, which, on account of the length of the work and the labor or weariness of hearers and readers, we have forborne to insert in this little sheet. Let us be content with these, and especially because we do not doubt that he is a Saint of God. If anyone desires to know more about him, let him read the Lives of his companions ^e and ask the Brethren, and he will be able to find many innumerable good things about him; since indeed, as the end of his term drew near, seeking absolution from the Brethren, he foretold to them for certain the day of his death. Further, on the day and hour in which the Saint had formerly foretold to them, he died, namely on the third of the Ides of September. And when he had died and passed to Christ, he left the aforesaid little monastery of Gressum under the disposition of holy Domnolus ^f the bishop, namely the successor of Innocentius, of whose see's church it was by right: who, by the election of the monks serving the Lord regularly there, gave them an abbot out of themselves, and fittingly buried S. Almirus in the church of holy Peter ^g: at whose death the Lord showed several signs.

[13] and is buried in his own church, miracles attending. For while many were looking on at the bier, on which he was being carried by the monks themselves from the church of the B. Virgin Mary, beside which he had died, and where the congregation of monks was established, a certain blind man, relying on faith, touched the bier, and so by the merits of holy Almirus deserved to have most clear sight; and likewise, when his body was being given to burial by the said monks, a certain dumb man, quivering in his tongue, freed by the Saint's merits, begged his help with a loud voice, whose mouth had never before been able to speak, because he was dumb from his birth: at whose sepulchre innumerable benefits, both visibly and invisibly, are daily bestowed, by the Lord's grant, on the peoples praying there faithfully. There the tongue of many is loosed, the darkness of the blind is made to shine, the hearing of the deaf is made whole, the sicknesses of the crippled and infirm are cured, and the rest of the innumerable benefits of healings are bestowed; all which it would be long to enumerate.

ANNOTATIONS.

another reading: to be obtained and interposed*

i.e. he would take*