Cbe Dialogues of ©t. ©tegotp the ©teat )e 2Dtalogue0 of £>atnt category, surnameD tpe dBreat: 0ope of ISlome & tf)e jftrst of tpat 512am e* iDibided into jfout IBoofes, tobetein tie en* tteatetb of tbe lines and apiracles of tbe faints in 31talp and of tpe OEternitp of open’s ^ouis. Cranslated into out (English Congue bp Ip. <H3. and printed at IParis in mdcbiii. IRe-edited toitb an introduction and Botes bp cKdmund <85. Gardner, op.a. ©Hitb 3IUus= ttations after tbe ©Id Rasters annotated bp HonDon: #ptltp 5Ue Earner Contents €fre JFirst TBoofe CHAPTER I. Of Honoratus, Abbot of the Monastery of Funda.. 6 II. Of Libertinus, Prior of the same Abbey...9 III. Of a Monk, that was gardener to the same Abbey. 13 IV. OfEquitius, Abbot in the Province of Valeria.. 15 V. Of Constantins, Clerk of St. Stephen’s Church.. 23 VI. Of Marcellinns, Bishop of Ancona...26 VII. Of Nonnosus, Prior of the Abbey in Mount Soracte. 26 VIII. Of Anastasius, Abbot of the Monastery called Suppen- IX. Of Bonifacius, Bishop of the City of Ferenti.. 31 X. Of Fortnnatus, Bishop of the City ofTuderti.. 38 XI. Of Martirius, a Monk in the Province of Valeria.. 45 XII. Of Severus, a Priest in the same Province...46 £f)e ^econD 2Df tbe life anti a^itacles of %t. TBennet I. How a sieve was broken and made sound by St.
II. How he overcame a great carnal temptation.. 55 III. How he brake a glass with the sign of the Cross.. 56 IV. How he cured a Monk that had an idle and wandering mind...61 V. How by prayer he made water to spring out of a rock in the top of a mountain...62 VI. How he caused an iron bill to come again into the handle from the bottom of the water.. 63 V Contents CHAPTER V1L How his scholar Maurus walked upon the water.
VIII. How he made a crow to carry a loaf far off that was poisoned...IX. How he removed an huge stone by his prayer X. Of the fantastical fire of the kitchen XI. How a little boy, a Monk, was slain with the ruin of a wall, and restored to life.
XII. Of certain Monks that ate meat contrary to their XIII. How the holy man knew by revelation that the brother of Valentinian the Monk had eaten in his journey...XIV. How the counterfeiting of king Totilas was discovered...XV. How the holy man did prophesy to the same king XVI. How he dispossessed a clergyman of a devil.
XVII. How he did prophesy of the destruction of his own Abbey...XVIII. How by revelation he understood of the stolen flagon of wine...XIX. How by revelation he knew that a Monk had received certain napkins...
XX. How he likewise knew the proud thought of one of his own Monks...XXL How in the time of a dearth two hundred bushels of meal was found before his cell XXII. How, by vision, he gave order for the building of the Abbey of Terracina...XXIII. How certain Nuns were absolved after their death XXIV. How a certain Monk was cast out of his grave XXV. How a Monk, forsaking his Abbey, was encountered by a dragon...XXVI. How he cured one of a leprosy...XXVII. How miraculously he provided money for one that was in debt...XXVIII. How a cruet of glass was thrown upon the stones and not broken...XXIX. How an empty barrel was miraculously filled with oil XXX. How a Monk was dispossessed of a devil XXXI. How a country man pinioned was by his only sight loosed...XXXI 1. How a dead child was restored to life.
PAGE 64 65 69 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 7S 79 79 80 81 82 84 86 86 87 87 88 89 90 91 92 vi Contents CHAPTER PAGE XXXIII. Of a miracle wrought by his sister Scholastica. 94 XXXIV. How and in what manner he saw his sister’s soul going out of her body 96 XXXV. How in vision he saw the world represented before his eyes; and of the soul of Germanus, Bishop XXXVI. How he wrote the rule of his order...99 XXXVII. How he foretold the time of his death.. 99 XXXVIII. How a mad woman, lying in his cave, was cured. 100 I. Of Paulinus, Bishop of the City of Nola t,. 105 II. Of Pope John...109 III. Of Pope Agapitus...109 IV. Of Da tius, Bishop of Milan...110 V. Of Sabinus, Bishop of Camisina...111 VI. Of Cassius, Bishop of Narni.,..113 VII, Of Andrew, Bishop of Funda...113 VIII, Of Constantius, Bishop of Aquinum...II 6 IX, Of Frigidianus, Bishop of Lucca <,. 117 X, Of Sabinus, Bishop of Placentia, who by his letters made the river ofPo to retire into his channel. 118 XI. Of Cerbonius, Bishop of Populonium..,119 XII. Of Fulgentius, Bishop of Otricoli, t, 120 XIII, Of Herculanus, Bishop of Perusium 5. c 121 XIV. Of the servant of God, Isaac. 121, XV. Of the servants of God, Euthicius and Florentius, 128 XVI. Of Marcius, the Monk of Mount Marsico. « 1 33 XVII, Of a Monk dwelling in the mountain called Argentario, who raised up a dead man.,136 XVIII. Of Bennet the Monk...,..139 XIX. Of the church of St, Zeno the martyr, into which the swelling waters came not any farther than to the door 140 XX. Of Stephen, a Priest in the Province of Valeria. 141 XXI. Of a Nun, that with her only authority dis- possessed a devil 142 XXII. Of a Priest in the Province of Valeria that held a thief at his sepulchre. *...143 XXIII. Of the Abbot of Mount Preneste, and his Priest 0 145 XXI V e Of Theodorus, Clerk of St. Peter’s Church in Rome 146 XXV. Of Abundius, Clerk of the same Church,, 147 vii Contents CHAPTER PAGE XXVI. Of a solitary Monk 148 XXVII. Of forty country husbandmen, that were martyred because they would not eat flesh sacrificed to idols 1 5° XXVIII. Of a great multitude of captives, that were slain because they would not adore a goat’s head. 15 1 XXIX. Of an Arian Bishop strooken blind...152 XXX. Of a church of the Arians consecrated catholickly in the City of Rome...153 XXXI. Of Hermigildus, the son of Leuigildus, King of the Visegoths, put to death by his father for the Catholic faith.155 XXXII. Of certain Bishops of Africk, that had (for the defence of the Catholic faith) their tongues cut out by the Arians; and yet spake as perfectly as they did before...1 57 XXXIII. Of the servant of God, Eleutherius...159 XXXIV. How many kinds of compunction there be.. 161 XXXV. Of Amantius, a Priest in the Country of Tuscania 163 XXXVI. Of Maximianus, Bishop of Syracusis...164 XXXVII. Of Sanctulus, a Priest in the Province of Nursia. 166 XXXVIII. Of a vision which appeared to Redemptus, Bishop ofFerenti...173 €be jFouttf) TBoofe \I. That carnal men do the less believe eternal and spiritual things, because those of which they hear, they know not by experience II. That an infidel liveth not without faith III. That there were three vital spirits created.
IV. Of that question of Solomon wherein it is said: That the death of a man and beasts is all one.
V. Of that question concerning the soul, which goeth invisibly out of the body: to wit, whether there be any such thing, when as it cannot be VI. That as the life of the soul, whiles it remaineth in the body, is known by the motion of the members: so the life of the soul, after it is out of the body in Saints, is gathered by the virtue of miracles VII. Of the departure of souls viii Contents CHAPTER VIII. Of the departure of the soul of a monk called Speciosus...IX. Of the soul of an Anchoret...X. Of the departure of the soul of an Abbot called Hope XI. Of the departure of the soul of a Priest called Ursinus...XII. Of the soul of Probus, Bishop of the City of Reati XIII. Of the departure of a Nun called Galla XIV. Of the departure of Servulus, sick of the palsy XV. Of the departure of a Nun called Romula.
XVI. Of the departure of the virgin Tarsilla XVII. Of the departure of a young maid called Musa XVIII. How certain young children come not to heaven, through the fault of their parents: because they bring them up wickedly: as is shewed and afterward declared by the example of a blasphemous young boy...XIX. Of the departure of one Stephen, the servant of God XX. That sometime the merit of the soul is not seen at the departure: but is after death the more truly declared...
XXI. Of the two Monks of Abbot Valentinus XXII. Of the departure of Abbot Suranus XXIII. Of the departure of a Deacon of the church of the Marsori...XXIV. Of the death of the man of God that was sent to Bethel...XXV. Whether the souls of just men be received into heaven before the resurrection of the body XXVI. By what means some that are a dying do prophesy.
Of the death of a certain advocate: Of the revelation of the two Monks Gerontius and Mellitus: Of the death of a boy called Armen- tarius, and of the diversity of tongues XXVII. Of the death of the Earl Theophanius XXVIII. That as the souls of just men be in heaven: so we ought to believe, that, after the death of the bodies, the souls of wicked men are in hell XXIX. What reason we have to believe that corporal fire can hold spirits, they being without bodies XXX. Of the death of the Arian king Theodoricus PAGE IX Contents CHAPTER XXXI. Of the death of Reparatus XXXII. Of the death of a courtier, whose grave burned with XXXIII. Whether the good know the good in heaven: and the bad those that be bad in hell XXXIV. Of a certain religious man, who at his death saw the Prophets...
XXXV. How sometime souls ready to depart this world, that know not one another, do know for all that what torments for their sins, or like rewards for their good deeds, they shall receive. And of the death of John, Ursus, Eumorphius, and Stephen XXXVI. Of those souls, which through error seem to be carried out of their bodies. Of the vocation and revocation of Peter the Monk; and of the death and resuscitation of Stephen. Of the vision of a certain soldier: and of Deusdedit, whose house was seen to be built upon the Sabbath day: and of the punishment of the men of Sodom...XXXVII. That the souls of certain men, whiles they be yet in their bodies, do see some spiritual punishment: and of the boy Theodorus...XXXVIII. Of the death of Chrisorius: and of a certain Monk of Iconia...XXXIX. Whether there be any fire of Purgatory after XL. Of the soul of Paschasius the Deacon.
XLI. Why in latter times so many things come to light concerning men’s souls, which before were not XL1I. In what place we ought to believe that hell is XLIIL Whether the fire of hell be one or many XL1V. Whether they always burn that lie in hell.
XLV. How the soul is said to be immortal, if it be punished with the sentence of death XLVI. Of a certain holy man, who was afraid at the time of his death...XLVII. That some are by revelation strengthened not to be afraid when they die: and of the monks called Anthony, Merulus, and John XLVIII. Whether we ought to observe dreams: and how many sorts of dreams there be x Contents PAGE CHAPTER XLIX. Of a certain man who in his dream had long life promised: and yet died shortly after.. 245 L. Whether the souls receive any commodity, by the burial of their bodies in the church.. 245 LI. OF a certain Nun that was buried in the Church of St. Lawrence, which appeared half burnt. 246 LII. Of the burial of the noble man Valerianus.. 246 LIIL Of the body of Valentinus, which was thrown out of the church, after it was buried...247 LIV. Of the body of a dyer buried in the church, which afterward could not be found...248 LV. What thing that is which, after death, hath force to help men’s souls: and of a Priest of Centum- cellis, who was by the soul of a certain man desired, that he might, after his death, be holpen by the holy sacrifice. And of the soul of a Monk called Justus...249 LVI. Of the life and death of Bishop Cassius.. 252 LVII, Of one that was taken by his enemies, whose irons at the time of the sacrifice were loosed: and of the mariner called Baraca, saved by the sacred host from being drowned in the sea. 253 LVIII. Of the virtue and mystery of the healthful sacrifice 255 LIX. How we ought to procure contrition of heart at the time of the holy mysteries: and of the custody of our soul after we have been sorrow- ful for our sins...256 LX. How we ought to forgive the sins of others, that we may obtain forgiveness of our own.. 257 EDITORIAL NOTES INDEX.
xi Justus of Ghent BOETHIUS ( Barber mi Palace, Rome ) Cfje jftrst iSoofc Cl)c dialogues of §>afnt <Bregorp tlje dBreat, jBope of iRotnc Cljc JFtrst ilook TBCingf upon a certain day too much over-charged with the troubles of worldly business, in which oftentimes men are enforced to do more than of duty they are bound, I retired myself into a solitary place, very fit for a sad and melancholy disposition; where each discontentment and dislike concerning such secular affairs might plainly show themselves, and all things that usually bring grief, mustered together, might freely be presented before mine eyes. In which place after that I had sat a long while, in much silence and great sorrow of soul, at length Peter, my dear son and deacon, came unto me; a man whom, from his younger years, I had always loved most entirely, and used him for my companion in the study of sacred scripture: who, seeing me drowned in such a dump of sorrow, spake unto me in this manner: cc What is the matter? or what bad news have you heard? for certain I am, that some extraordinary sadness doth now afflict your mind.” To whom I returned this answer: “ O Peter, the grief which continually 1 endure is unto me both old and new: old through common use, and new by daily increasing. For mine unhappy soul, wounded with worldly business, doth now call to mind in what state it was, when I lived in mine Abbey, and 3 3 C&e dialogues of % t Gregor?
how then it was superior to all earthly matters, far above all transitory and corruptible pelf, how it did usually think upon nothing but heavenly things; and though it was enclosed in mortal body, yet did it by contemplation pass far beyond earthly bounds, and penetrate to the very height of heaven; and as for death, the memory whereof is almost to all men grievous, that it did love and desire, as the end of all misery, the reward of her labours, and the very entrance to an everlasting and blessed life. But now, by reason of my pastoral charge, my poor soul is enforced to endure the burden of secular men’s business, and after so excellent and sweet a kind of rest, defiled it is with the dust of worldly conversation: and when it doth, at the request of others, attend to outward affairs, no question but it returneth back, far less fit to think upon those that be inward, spiritual, and heavenly. Wherefore, at this present, do I meditate what I suffer, and consider what my soul hath lost: and the memory of my former loss doth make that more grievous which I do now endure. For do you not behold at this present, how I am tossed with the waves of this wicked world, and see the ship of my soul beaten with the storms of a terrible tempest? and therefore, when I remember my former state of life, I cannot but sigh to look back, and cast mine eyes upon the forsaken shore.
cc And that which doth yet grieve me more is because I see myself so carried away amain with the boisterous blasts of this troublesome world, that I cannot now scarce behold the port from whence I did first hoist sail; for such be the downfalls of our soul, that first it loseth that goodness and virtue which before it possessed; yet so that it doth still remember what it hath lost; but after- wards, carried away more and more, and straying further from the path of virtue, it cometh at length to that pass, that it doth not so much as keep in mind what before it did daily practise: and so in conclusion, it falleth out as 4 ©teprp ano pmi 4 ©teprp ano pmi I said before, that sailing farther on, we go at length so far, that we do not so much as once behold the sweet harbour of quiet and peace from whence we first set forth. Sometime also my sorrow is increased, by remembering the lives of certain notable men, who with their whole soul did utterly forsake and abandon this wicked world: whose high perfection when I behold, I cannot also but see mine own infirmities and imperfection: very many of whom did, in a contemplative and retired kind of life, much please God: and lest by dealing with transitory business they might have decayed in virtue, God’s good- ness vouchsafed to free them from the troubles and affairs of this wretched world. But that which I have now said will be far more plain, and the better perceived, if the residue of my speech be dialogue wise distinguished, by setting down each of our names, you asking what you shall think convenient, and I by answer, giving satis- faction to such questions as you shall demand at my hands.”
I do not remember any in Italy, that have been very famous for virtue; and therefore ignorant I am who they be, that, comparing your life to theirs, you should be so much inflamed to imitate their steps; for although I make no doubt but that there have been many good men, yet do I verily think that none of them wrought any miracles, or at least they have been hitherto so buried in silence that, whether any such thing hath been done or no, not any one man can tell.
If I should, Peter, but report only those things which myself alone have understood by the rela- tion of virtuous and credible persons, or else learned by myself, concerning the life and miracles of perfect and holy men, I should sooner in mine opinion lack day to talk in, than matter to speak of.
IPeter* Desirous I am that you would vouchsafe to make me partaker of some of them; and not to think 5 Cbe Dialogues of @>t ©regotp much, if, upon so good an occasion, you interrupt your other study of interpreting the scripture, because no less edification doth grow by the relation of miracles. For as by the exposition of that, we learn how virtue is to be found and kept: so by recounting the miracles of holy men, we know how that which is found out and possessed, is declared and made manifest to the world. And some there are that be sooner unoved to the love of God by virtuous examples than by godly sermons-; and often- times, by the lives of holy fathers, the heart doth reap a double commodity; for if, by comparing of his own life with theirs, he findeth himself inflamed with the love of heaven, although before he had haply a good opinion of himself, yet seeing now how far others do excel him, he becometh also more humble, and is brought to have a more lowly conceit of his own actions and virtue. (Sregorp* Such things as venerable and holy men have told me, I will now, without any further delay, make you partaker of, and that following the example of sacred scripture: for sure I am that St. Luke and St. Mark learned that gospel which they wrote, not by sight but by the relation of others: yet lest any in reading should have occasion to doubt whether such things as I write be true or no, I will set down by what means and of whom I have learned them: yet in some of them you have to know that I remember not all the particulars, but only the matter: in other some, both the matter and also the words. And besides, if I should have been so curious as to have kept in mind each man’s particular words, many, uttered after the country manner, would have made the style of my discourse nothing handsome nor seemly. Tnac story which I mean first to begin with, I had by the report of passing reverent men and of great years.
Chapter 2Dne: of J^onoratus, abbot of tbe 9@onasterp of JFunba. <1 in times past one Venantius, a noble man, had a living in the country of Justus of Ghent Anderson ST. GREGORY THE GREAT ( Barber ini Palace, Rome) honoratus of JFunoa Samnium; the farmer whereof had a son called Honoratus, who from his very childhood by the virtue of abstinence did thirst after the joys of heaven: and as in other things he led an holy life, and refrained from all idle talk, so did he much, as I said before, subdue his body by means of abstinence. His parents, upon a certain day, had invited their neighbours to a banquet which consisted altogether of flesh, whereof because for the love of mortification he refused to eat, his father and mother began to laugh at him, willing him to fall to that which they had: “For can we,” quoth they, “ get you any fish here in these mountains? M (for in that place they used sometimes to hear of fish, but sel- dom to see any.) But whiles they were thus jesting, and mocking at their son, suddenly they lacked water: whereupon a servant with a wooden bucket (as the manner is there) went to the well to fetch some: into which, as he was a drawing, a fish entered in, which upon his return, together with the water, he poured forth before them all. And the fish was so great, that it served Honoratus very well for all that day. At this strange chance all were stroken in admiration, and his parents abstained now from further scoffing at his virtue, and began to have him in reverence for his abstinence, whom before for that^very. cause they did mock and scorn: and by this means, the fish, brought miracu- lously from the well, N discharged God’s servant from that shame, which he had'endured through their uncivil jesting. Honoratus, proceeding forward in virtue, at length was made free by the foresaid Lord Venantius: and afterward, in that place which is called Funda, he built an Abbey, wherein he was the father almost of two hundred monks: and he lived in so great holiness that he gave good example to all the country round about. Upon a certain day, it fell so out, that a stone of an huge greatness, which was digged out of the 7 Cfje Dialogues of %t ©tegotp mountain that hung over the top of his Abbey, tumbled down by the side of the hill, threatening both the ruin of the house and the death of all the monks within: which danger the holy man seeing ready to come upon them, called often upon the name of Christ, and, putting forth his right hand, made against it the sign of the cross, and by that means did he stay it, and pin it fast to the side of that steep hill: which thing Lawrence, a religious man, affirmed to be most true. And because it found not there any place upon which it might rest, it hangeth at this time in such sort, that all which now look upon it do verily think that it would continually fall.
lp£t£t. I suppose so notable a man as he was, and who afterward became master to so many scholars, had him- self some excellent teacher of whom he was instructed. (£>t£0Otp. I never heard that he was scholar to any: but the grace of the Holy Ghost is not tied to any law. The usual custom of virtuous men is, that none should stake upon him to rule, who first hath not learned to obey: nor to command that obedience to his subjects, which before he hath not given to his own superiors. Yet 'some there be which are so inwardly taught by the doctrine of God’s holy spirit, that although they have no man to instruct them outwardly, yet do they not want the direction of an inward teacher: which liberty of life notwithstanding is not to be taken for an example by such as be weak and infirm, lest, whiles each one doth in like manner presume to be full of the Holy Ghost, and contemn to learn of any, they become them- selves erroneous masters. But that soul which is full of God’s holy spirit, hath for proof thereof most evident signs, to wit, the other virtues, and especially humility, both which if they do perfectly meet in one soul, apparent it is that they be testimonies of the presence of heavenly grace. And so we read not that John Baptist li&ettinus of JFunDa had any master, nor yet that Christ, who by his corporal presence taught his Apostles, took him in amongst the number of his other disciples, but vouchsafed to instruct him inwardly, and left him, as it were, in the sight of the world to his own liberty. So Moses, likewise, was taught in the wilderness, and learned by the Angel what God gave him in charge, which by means of any mortal man he knew not: but these things, as before hath been said, are of weaklings to be reverenced, and not by any means to be followed.
P^tEt. I like very well of your opinion: yet I beseech you to tell me, whether so notable a father as he was, left not some scholar behind him, that did imitate his master’s steps.
Chapter Ctoo: of Cihertinus, prior of the same ahhep. <1 ©regorp. The reverent man, Libertinus, who, in the time of Totilas, king of the Goths, was Prior of the same Abbey of Funda, was brought up and taught by him: of whom, albeit the certain re- port of passing many hath made his sundry virtues known to the world, yet the foresaid religious man, Lawrence, who still liveth and that time had very familiar acquaintance with him, hath often told me many things, whereof some few, which now come to my mind, I will here set down. In the same province of Samnium, as Libertinus was in his journey about business of the Abbey, it so fell out that Darida, captain of the Goths, with his army, met him, by whose soldiers the man of God was thrown from his horse; which injury he taking very patiently, offered them also his whip, saying: “ Take this, that you may make him the better to go ”; and having said so, he betook himself to his prayers. The army marched on very fast, and quickly came to the river called Vulturnus, where they began to beat their horses both with their lances and also to spur them, till the blood came, and all this to 9 make them take the water; but yet no beating nor spurring could enforce them forward: for they were as much afraid to enter the river as though it had been some deep downfall. At length, when they were all wearied with beating, one amongst the rest said, that the reason why they were thus punished was for taking away the horse from God’s servant: whereupon returning straightways back, they found Libertinus prostrate at his prayers; and calling upon him to rise and take his horse, he bade them go on a God’s name, saying that he needed him not; but for all that they alighted and set him perforce upon his own beast, and so in all haste departed, and returning back to the river they passed over so quickly as though in the channel there had been no water at all; and so it fell out that God’s servant having restitution made him of his one horse, that all the soldiers came likewise to enjoy the use of their own.
At the same time one Buccellinus entered Campania with an army of French men, and because it was com- monly said that the Abbey in which the holy man lived had great store of money, the French men, very greedy of so good a booty, came thither, and with raging minds went into his oratory (where he lay prostrate at his prayers) seeking and crying out for Libertinus; and a strange thing it was, for though they came in, and stumbled upon him, yet could they not see him, and so, deceived through their own blindness, away they departed as empty as they came.
At another time likewise upon business of the monas- tery, at the commandment of the Abbot who succeeded his master Honoratus, he took his journey to Ravenna. And for the great love which he bare to venerable Honoratus, always did he bear about him in his bosom one of his stockings. Being in his way it fell so out that a certain woman was carrying the corpse of her io libertinus of JFunDa dead son; who no sooner saw the servant of God, but, for the love of her child, she laid hold upon his bridle, protesting with a solemn oath that he should not depart, before he had raised up her dead son. The holy man, not acquainted with so strange a miracle, was much afraid to hear her make such a request, and willing to have got away, yet seeing no means how to effect his desire, greatly did he doubt what was best to be done. Here it is worth the noting to consider what a conflict he had in his soul: humility and the mother’s piety striving together: fear to presume upon so un- usual a miracle, and grief not to help the desolate mother. At length, to the greater glory of God, piety and compassion overcame that virtuous soul, which therefore may truly be called invincible, because it did yield and was conquered; for a virtuous soul it had not been, if piety and compassion had not overcome it: wherefore, lighting from his horse, he fell upon his knees, lift up his hands to heaven, drew the stocking out of his bosom, laid it upon the breast of the dead corpse; and behold, whiles he was at his prayers, the soul of the child returned into the body, which he perceiving, took it by the hand and delivered it alive to his sorrowful mother, and so went on the rest of his journey.
IPeter- What is to be said in this case? For was it the merit of Honoratus, or the prayers of Libertinus, that wrought this miracle?
dDtCjJOtp, In the working of so notable a miracle, to- gether with the faith of the woman, the virtue of both did concur; and therefore, in mine opinion, Libertinus had power to raise up that dead child, because he had learned to trust more upon the virtue of his master than his own: for when he laid his stocking upon the child’s breast, no doubt but he thought that his soul did obtain that for which he did then pray. For we read the like €bc Dialogues of ©regotp of Heliseus, who carrying his master’s cloak, and coming to the river of Jordan, stroke the waters once, and yet divided them not; but when straight after he said, Where is now the God of Heltas? and then stroke the river with the same cloak, he made a way open for him- self to pass through. 1 Whereby you perceive, Peter, how much humility availeth for the working of miracles, for then the merit of the master had force to do that which he desired, when he called upon his name; and when with humility he did submit himself to his master, he wrought the same miracle which his master had done before him.
I am well pleased with your answer: but is there, I pray you, anything else of him yet remaining, which may serve for our edification?
(StCgOtJh Surely there is, if there be yet any that list to imitate so notable an example: for I make no doubt, but that the patience of so worthy a man did far excel all his signs and miracles, as you shall now hear. Upon a certain day, the Abbot, who succeeded Honoratus, fell so pitifully out with venerable Libertinus, that he stroke him with his fists: and because he could find never a staff, up he took a footstool, and with that did so strike his head and his face, that they both swelled and became black and blue. Being thus unreasonably beaten, with- out giving any words, he went quietly to bed. The next day, he was to go forth about business of the Abbey, and therefore, when matins were ended, he came to his Abbot’s bedside, and humbly demanded of him leave. The Abbot, knowing how greatly all did honour and love him, supposed that he would for the former injury have forsaken the Abbey: and therefore he asked him, whither he meant to go: to whom he answered: £C Father,” quoth he, “there is a certain matter con- cerning the Abbey to be handled, where I must needs 1 4 Kings 2.
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