CatholicaFrom: Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum V, ed. B. Krusch & W. Levison (Hannover, 1910) — translated into modern British English.
[Levison’s preface, continued from the preceding matter]: …the coenobial charters of bishops Berthefrid (664/5) and Drauscius (667) are inscribed to him, among others; finally, the monastery of St Basolus restored by him pertains to the same study of monastic affairs. For the monastery of Hautvillers he is also said to have obtained a precept of immunity from Childeric II, now lost, of whose authenticity less is certain. The estates which had fallen to him by paternal and maternal inheritance he left to monasteries and churches — as his successor Reolus and his agents witnessed, who afterwards affirmed against his brother Gundebert’s claim on them that “lord Nivard had conveyed all his substance for the remedy of his soul to the places of the saints by his own instruments: namely, to the church of St Mary and St Remigius, and to the monastery of Hautvillers, and also to Verzy where lord Basolus rests in the body — likewise at Rheims to the monastery of maidens where Boba seemed to preside as abbess, likewise to saints Rufinus and Valerius or through the remaining holy places.” A little before his death he interceded with King Childeric together with other bishops for the monastery of Fontenelle (675), to whom a donation was granted.
He died in 673 on the very Kalends of September [1 September] — which day both Almannus records and Wandalbert’s interpolator:
At Rheims the pontiffs of renowned name shine — Sixtus, Sinicius, Nivard, in merit and in life —
as later authors following report.
The Life of Nivard, which can be ascertained from the diction to have been written no earlier than the ninth century, lacks the author’s name in the codices; but the monk Sigebert of Gembloux records that Almannus or Altmannus, a monk of Hautvillers renowned in the age of Hincmar, prelate of Rheims, for his skill in letters, composed the Life of St Nivard archbishop of Rheims — and rightly so. That the author belonged to the monastery of Hautvillers is understood from the fact that he lingered far longer over its beginnings (cc. 7–10) than over the remaining affairs; and the diffuse diction of the Life is the same which Almannus used in describing the lives of Helena and Sindulf and their translations into the same monastery. The same zeal for pious reflections and allegorical comparisons is detected here and there — excessive verbosity bearing on few matters. But the few useful things in the Life depend on the Rheims and Hautvillers charters, from which Almannus excerpted some (cc. 6, 7, 9, 10); and he alone mentions a certain charter issued under the name of Childebert the king, Grimoald’s son (c. 8). Therefore thanks is owed to him — which would certainly be greater had he copied the charters entire instead of the fables and empty words with which he spun out the little work. At the book’s opening he copied the second Life of Wandregisel (c. 1), whose traces are also found in several other places; the Acts of Sebastian seem to have been known to him from certain words (c. 3). From a certain catalogue of the bishops of Rheims he learned what place Nivard occupied among them (c. 5).
The Life of Nivard (especially cc. 6, 7, 9, 10) Flodoard copied out in his History of the Church of Rheims II, 7, using a codex similar to 1a, while he employs Almannus’s little works on Helena and Sindulf in the subsequent chapters (II, 8–9). In the same century Adso, abbot of Montier-en-Der († 992), narrating the origins of the Hautvillers monastery in the Life of Bercharius cc. 9–13, followed the same author’s footsteps with an ample colouring of words added. Afterwards the author of the Life of Gundebert or Gumbert, Nivard’s brother, plundered both this Life and Flodoard.
1a) Rheims codex n. 1403, formerly 1143, thirteenth century, acquired from the library of the Rheims chapter and there marked with the letter E, used for the ecclesiastical lessons — fol. 185–193v. 1b) Rheims codex n. 1408, formerly 1142, thirteenth century init., formerly of St Thierry of Rheims — fol. 163v–167v; lacks the chapter headings and the last part of c. 4. 2) Charleville codex n. 229, thirteenth century, formerly (fifteenth century) the Book of the monastery of Signy (today Signy-l’Abbaye, dép. Ardennes), marked (fol. 269v, sixteenth-century hand) letter E number XXXIX — fol. 265v–269v; ends mutilated by excised leaves at c. 11: “Et quoniam dignissime” — so that not very many things are wanting at the end.
Besides these books collated by B. Krusch, three codices formerly existed which are now lost: one of the Bollandist museum P. Ms. 154; another of the Cistercian monastery of St Mary of Bonnefont (today Bonnefontaine, dép. Ardennes); a third of the coenobium of the same order of Igny (dép. Marne). On these books — among which one was like 1a, another like 2 — depends the single extant edition of Johannes Stilting, Acta sanctorum, September I, Antwerp 1746, pp. 278–283.
— W. Levison.
Here Begins the Life of the Blessed Nivard, Confessor, Archbishop of Rheims #
1 The renowned and glorious archbishop of Rheims, Nivard, surnamed Nivo, drew the origin of his famous nativity from the noblest and wealthiest parents. For he is known to have been born in the time when Childeric, the strong king of the Franks, honourably governed the sceptres. The same blessed archbishop was moreover nobly educated — as befitted one most noble — in the king’s hall, and was a kinsman of the aforementioned most glorious King Childeric. For St Reolus, who after him held the pontificate of the see of the church of Rheims, had as wife — while he was yet a count — the king’s daughter, namely the blessed Nivard’s niece. There were also kinsmen and nephews of the holy bishop, counts most noble in the palace, instructed in aulic disciplines and appointed to the disposal of very many matters — greater men of the royal hall; and the whole blessed man shone, marked by a most illustrious origin of birth. And to set the torch of so splendid a nobility and a brightly shining lamp on higher, no less noble than from carnal stock, he adorned himself with the excellent disposition of a flourishing life and took care to grace the increase of sweet infancy with every kind of decorum — and transferred all the pomp of the present life to heavenly nobility.
2 That he was delivered to the study of letters.
When he was still in the first tender grace of earliest boyhood — good of his own accord and prompt in will — he devoutly offered himself wholly to God. Hence it came about that he was delivered by his parents to be imbued with the study of letters. To whom the power of God inspired so happy and excellent a wit that it built a worthy dwelling of wisdom in the illustrious boy’s heart. The grace of Christ filled the infant’s breast; and while he strove to adorn himself with the ornaments of knowledge in wondrous comeliness, he made trial of virtue also in difficult matters and drank the river of vast learning within that little age. The published doctrines of wise men he sweetly cultivated, and by assiduous reading acquired the summit of knowledge in his studies. God moreover gave the disposition of his excellent spirit also to be a miracle. For his spirit was so generous and so great a beauty of wit in his mind that all were astounded in admiration of him. He had, from the adventitious part of God, great power to understand what he heard and great grace to utter what he knew. And he himself, having experienced God’s mighty works, magnificently rendered Him thanks and adorned the comeliness of his boyhood with the expression of a perfect life. And as in a picture there arises the golden beauty of flowers, so all honourableness arose even in the lineaments of his members — until he pleased God and men; and, transcending common grace, he deserved among the first, as one most noble, the honour of the clergy. Having obtained this rank, though placed within the hall yet ever intent on heavenly things, he studied unwearied to fulfil God’s precepts daily in deeds; for he shone more by works of virtue and opened the seals of true nobility. He chose the thing of the heavenly life and kept vigil over eternal salvation.
3 Of what sort he was in the time of his training.
And when the renowned man of God Nivard flourished in the years of youth, his fame and the glory of his name grew; and he was already gifted more honourably by merit of wisdom, conspicuous in upright deeds, adorned with every flower of the virtues and an outstanding proclaimer of sanctity — sustained by the faith of truth, assiduous in the meditation of God’s law, most devoutly intent on prayer and compunction, given to the Lord’s watches by daily and nightly vigils, solicitous with daily diligence in the poor’s utilities, strenuous in intercession, circumspect in every work alike, truthful in speech to all, most prudent in counsel and most illustrious in the honourableness of his whole life. Who, agonising spiritually for God — an image of probity and a model of virtue — earned the palm of sanctity even in that time. In whom God, who is ever goodness to the good, multiplied so great virtue that — as among the people, so far as the world goes, he descended in the line of the royal stem with fair lustre, and the purple shows him as the very kings — so the same most illustrious and excellent man shone among the rest with equal beauty for the best manners and the quality of his whole life; and the flame of charity, resculpted in purple colour, showed the same man most perfect. Hence he was terrible to demons, sweet to God, lovable and desirable to all the good. The poor venerated him as a father; all loved him and venerated him with exceeding affection for the worship of his notable grace. O man most worthy of all praise, future supreme bishop of God — who, spurning worldly nobility and dignity, mounting the air and despising the sun, joyfully penetrated the very stars with his heart! O mind to be imitated by holy men and preached to all — he who lived to this end, that he might cleave to God and that the Lord through him might open the ways of salvation to many faithful! For when the blessed man had duly received the several degrees of the ecclesiastical order up to the priesthood, the angels exulted in heaven and the saints rejoiced. And when he had received the lower order, he was ever judged worthy of the higher by God and by men. So it befell that his life — than which nothing is more worthy — as in sanctity so also in rank of honour was preferred to others.
4 That he received the summit of the episcopate of the city of Rheims.
After not much time — when Lando, archbishop of Rheims, had departed this light — the blessed Nivard, as was said before, mighty in noble stock and pleasing by the work of excellent conversation to the king, the palatine princes and all men — being the purple ornament of Francia, nurtured for the commonwealth and preserved for all to the joy of salvation, shining as a rose by merits, gleaming as gold, glittering as a most precious gem — the king, who ever affectionately and sweetly embraced the holy man in the bosom of his heart, willingly bestowed on him, with all consenting, the honour of the pontifical cathedra. In which matter he was easily effected, since the flowing opulence of his merits supported him and this was the greatest wish of all the people. A great love arises in all these things, and they exult in the covenant of holy agreement. The clergy and people, glad with joy, conduct him in procession, giving him a day of rejoicing and receiving the holy prelate in a father’s affection. The king exulted, unfolding himself wholly into joy, and the multitude of his nobles; all who were present proclaimed praises to God, thanks to God. You would believe it was at heart to Christ Almighty, while they so exulted congratulating with unimpaired joy at the reception of so great a patron.
Happily therefore placed in the see and strengthened by God, relying on power and endowed with virtue, he shone forth from day to day with ampler light of virtue and studied to relieve the minds of his own with the fitting hope of eternal rewards. The holy bishop conceived an immense care of those committed to him and, cherishing them with prone love, kindled the hearts of all with the love of God. Spiritual joys succeed to the people, the ardour of holy devotion grows, the pastor’s merits are increased. They rejoiced in common that a doctor and prelate was given them, by whose imitation they should be formed to the best manners and follow the probity of action, charity compelling. O truly ever-blessed people, who deserved to have such a doctor — through whom a great number of the just is pre-placed in the heavenly seats in fair order! O truly blessed prelate Nivard, shining with snowy sanctity — your glory ever happy! We give You thanks, O Christ, God of the universe, ruling all things in the perpetuity of the undying, that you have so pre-honoured Your saint, our father, that you did elect him Your supreme priest to the crown of his merits — establishing for him the testament of peace and deigning to make him a prince of peoples! Who for the sweat of his labours gave him the matter of rewards and bestowed such a remuneration for spiritual fervour that he should receive the blessedness of eternal recompense.
5 In what order he obtained the episcopate of his predecessors, and how much he profited the people of Durocortorum, and of his alms.
This most blessed of prelates, the most blessed Nivard, was the twenty-fifth from the blessed Sixtus, first bishop of Rheims, and the eleventh from the blessed Remigius. Who, the grace of God assisting, could soften the people of Durocortorum to the faith which works by love, and rendered the mystic squaring through the talents committed to him by God — and answered holy Remigius through the song of degrees of David, by words of doctrine and the example of holy conversation. By the sweat also of temporal labours that church was protected — as was once figured by the hyacinthine skins through the twelve veils of the temple. He moreover, together with John the bishop of Alexandria, was made munificent to the poor — in whose hand the imperishable alms sweated, custom to ply it with a nocturnal and diurnal hand. And because his soul was prudent in affairs and knew to weigh the greatest from the least and to fear God’s judgement, to this he animated and instructed himself: that, so long as God’s church should be a pilgrim on earth, he should unremittingly make himself a treasure not failing in the heavens. And he brought it about that, as David’s tears — while they run down passing and coming through the prayers — are dried by no prolixity of time, so also this venerable pontiff, while the church’s estate is sustained by his administration through alternating vicissitudes, the sweat of his alms was never exhausted.
6 That he brought the Rheims bishopric, collapsed from its dignity, back to its former dignity.
When the blessed Nivard had been elected to the episcopal summit, the Rheims bishopric was then indeed collapsed in the greatest part of its goods and faculties from its own dignity; but this most blessed pastor, sweating with incessant labour, did not cease until he had brought the city of Rheims back to its former dignity — by religion, by clerks’ honour, and by estates purchased through various places, as well as houses and also slaves. He also disposed some of the bishopric’s villas to settled tenants; and he is found to have exchanged certain properties with Attila, bishop of Laon, for the convenience of each party. He obtained also a precept of immunity from King Childebert over tolls and certain tributes for the church of Rheims. To which king Louis also, under the name of his church, granted by the precept of his authority certain goods at Mailly on the river Vesle, which he had recovered from certain of his faithless men. In his time also Grimoald, the illustrious man, delivered his villas Chaumuzy and Witry to St Remigius for the remedy of his soul. He gave also under the right of a privilege to the monastery of St Basolus the church built at Verzy in honour of St Mary with all pertaining to it, together with the little place called Wasciacus. He instituted also an immunity for the monks serving God there under abbot Perro — that none of the ecclesiastical judges should presume unduly to disquiet them in anything, but that they should be allowed to live under the holy rule in a quiet order and serve God. O prelate in all things most worthy — who afflicted himself with much labour for the erection of his flock and consummated the honourableness of the church committed to him with glorious perfection!
7 That he wished to rebuild the monastery in the place called Villarii, ruined by barbarians, but could not; and of the angelic revelation around the hill of Hautvillers.
At the same time the most blessed and glorious bishop Nivard — adorned in life and manners and a distinguished athlete of his God — since he was solicitous for all and desired to profit the generation to come and the people which is born and shall be born, began to turn over in his holy breast and revolve with all intention in what place, out of one of his possessions, he might build a monastery and fitting dwellings for God’s servants according to the rule of the holy father Benedict, and enrich it from the ample possession of his own inheritance.
While he meditated this in daily thought, the blessed Bercharius — then abbot, now also martyr — a magnificent man and his spiritual son (since he had received him from the sacred fonts), had devoutly asked the same thing of the blessed prelate: namely, that a place be given to him and his brethren where he might live under the rule of the holy fathers Benedict and Columbanus, for the reward of eternal remuneration. Hence when the renowned bishop — God inspiring — now wished his thought to be fulfilled in effect with greater desire, and by the common consent of the whole council of the prelates of Gaul assembled at Nantes by the Roman pontiff’s command, the king favouring, he had rebuilt the monastery’s church on the bank of the river Marne in the place named Villarii, situate of old but ruined by barbarians — and the church built by him fell utterly down; and rebuilt again in another place, it is reported to have collapsed again. But the bishop, though he understood by his sagacious wit that another thing was disposed by the divine will, yet thought how he might be master of his vow.
From where it happened by God’s grace on a certain day at midday that, coming from the villa of Épernay to which he had gone out — the aforementioned abbot Bercharius accompanying him — when he had reached the hill called Hautvillers, he began to be so oppressed by sleep rushing on him divinely that he could by no means pass beyond that hill. And when it seemed to him that he ought to rest a little, turning aside under the trees’ foliage, he reclined his head in the bosom of Bercharius sitting by and fell asleep. Then he saw a vision of this kind: namely, that with heaven opened an angel sent from God descended from on high in the likeness of a snow-white dove and, balancing its wings in the air, with a triple flight circled the space of the wood and the whole hilltop in a circuit of wondrous beauty, and sanctified the whole place with a divine splendour. But after each circuit — which it made thrice — with the gentlest descent and as it were the applause of its wing-beats it surveyed the space of the place to be built; and after the round of its flight, contracting its wings, it seemed to settle most gently upon one beech there among the other trees, a very high one.
When therefore God’s bishop wondered at this comely vision — which he had plainly and distinctly perceived thrice in spiritual contemplation — the sublimity of angelic glory in the same dove’s likeness, tending to the heights, was received into open heaven. And he himself, following the clear light by the Spirit, enjoyed a certain great jubilation of joy.
O the praises of the blessed bishop Nivard, for the fulfilment of whose desire this notable miracle was wrought by God! O devotion of the holy mind, which conversed often in the heavens — and therefore Christ, marvelling, showed His saint heavenly things on earth! With what voice, with what praises shall I extol you, most blessed bishop? You, a lover of the angelic life, did merit to see the pleasant splendour of angelic glory with a mind of exceeding beauty. Filled with the illumination of the divine wonders, you did ascend in the divine spirit to the purity of so blessed a speculation and did see the beautiful-making likeness of the dove proceeding from the heavens.
This vision therefore the aforementioned Bercharius also, waking, saw as the bishop himself had in dreams. Which seen, the same abbot, pricked to the heart, began to pour forth tears. And the blessed bishop, waking from sleep, found his face wet with the other’s tears; and asking what the cause of his weeping was, learned that he had wept over the ruin of his own work. And as each told the other the cause, both exulted ineffably and glorified the Lord — by whose power they had been made most certain. Blessed be God, who is ever present to just desires and piously approves in the heavens whatever is faithfully disposed for Him on earth!
8 The explanation of the angelic vision.
Of this vision exhibited in a threefold likeness — and in some manner signified through a tree — what else can be intimated than this: that God disposed that the holy men to be there should strive in a good contest to please the three and one God, until, the flesh’s burden laid aside, they be raised to the habitation of the heavenly fatherland, where with angelic society and the perennial light they may enjoy the blessed joyousness of the one, true and triune God, and so be blessed with the threefold abundance of joy? Or that God’s providence should plainly show how sacred that place was which the divine illumination would consecrate through the angelic presence — and that He would there work the rewards of the comely victors; likewise that this place was of a decent and gracious beauty of the most divine benevolence, of loving goodness and beatifying virtue. Moreover — that it might remain ambiguous to none that this was the very place where the temple of the sacred church should be built, which God had specially visited through an angel — when the heavenly dove had settled, for the third time with a triple circuit, that is a threefold turning round, upon one singularly chosen tree.
9 That he built the monastery in the same place where he saw the angelic vision, which he named Hautvillers.
Therefore the most excellent and most distinguished in the apex of nobility, archbishop Nivard — rejoicing exceedingly at the angelic revelation, while he diligently sought to have the ministers of Christ as heirs in this life that he might deserve to be made co-heir of Christ in the future — so made Christ his debtor that he gladly undertook this work and gave them the goods of his property in the region of the dead, that the Lord might be his portion in the land of the living, as He is for ever. And so, joyful in the same place of the hill where sleeping he had seen the wonderful sign for an oracle, he at once wished to begin the long-desired work.
But since the possession of that hill belonged to a certain servant of God named Bavo — who had an oratory there in honour of the Holy Cross and lived there — he told him also the things seen and exchanged the place with goods of the church of Rheims. The same servant of God also, after he learned the bishop’s vision and his will, most freely offered him his own possession, and likewise part of the possession of a certain brother of his named Badinus. But concerning another, named Theuderamnus, he reported the reason — that he was in a faction against count Reolus, who afterwards was bishop of Rheims, on account of his sons, whom he had slain in vengeance for his own sons, whom Reolus had killed by hanging for the robbery they practised. From where the lord Nivard, the eminent bishop, made peace between him and Reolus — who had his niece to wife, as we said above. And so the same Theuderamnus, with the rest of his brethren, delivered the same possession to St Nivard, taking an exchange from him. At once the same bishop, exulting in Christ, poured out thanks to the Inspirer of all good things; and in the Lord’s name ordering the wood to be felled, within the circuit which he knew to have been marked out by the angelic circuit’s survey — namely by the heavenly dove’s flight — he laid foundations necessary for various uses. But where he noted the angel in dove’s likeness to have rested upon the tree, he built a church in honour of St Peter and all the apostles — so, indeed, that he enclosed the trunk of the same felled tree within the altar. Which trunk of the tree, surrounded with stones, remains within that altar to the present time. Two other monasteries also he built — one in honour of the holy Mother of God Mary the perpetual Virgin, the other in veneration of St John the Baptist.
10 How he loved and enriched that place, and that he made a privilege concerning the same monastery, and made Gedeon a monk there — Reolus’s son begotten of his niece, King Chilperic’s daughter — at St Reolus’s petition, for love of the place.
These things thus accomplished by God’s grace, the holy bishop desired with diligent zeal and pious love to enrich that place and make it like the noble places; for whatever possessions he seemed to have had before the episcopate, he delivered to that place. He bestowed a multitude of servants and a number of estates and the possessions of his inheritances. He granted also very many ecclesiastical ornaments, and adorned the place with gold and silver, and made it in all things like the honourable temples, and made it after the place of the holy father Remigius the second seat of the city of Rheims. And the servants of God being gathered, he set his little son Bercharius over them as abbot — where the aforementioned Theuderamnus also was made a monk. But St Reolus also, seeing the blessed Nivard bore the utmost love for that place, asked that his son named Gedeon — begotten of St Nivard’s niece — should be made a monk there at St Nivard’s persuasion, and granted a portion of his goods to the same monastery; whom the holy bishop also exhorted to take up the habit of religion. A privilege also, at the aforementioned abbot Bercharius’s request, for the same monastery — namely that the bishop himself should keep the monastery under the dominion of his own right while he lived, and that after his decease the bishop of Rheims should govern that monastery and defend the same monks against all adversaries; while the monks themselves should have power to elect their prelate regularly — as is contained in the description of the privilege itself.
He obtained also another privilege from King Childeric and willed it to be written by the hand of the king’s chancellor — that both in the palaces and throughout all the malla it should be to them for a defence against the kingdom’s counts and the various cities: that no count or fiscal judge or centenarius or anyone of any power should be molesting to them in any business, nor in public markets or tributes or the royal power’s census or in their villas and estates; and that no exaction or inquisition should be made nor pleas kept there by royal missi or by any dukes or counts who should exist after his departure under the service of his son Chlothar or his nephew Dagobert or any of his stock in the remaining generation for ever — but that they should remain free with all security in their monastery and pray always for the royal sublimity.
And so long as he survived in the body, he ever loved that place more specially, enlarged it, enriched it, and studied to honour it with immense love of affection. But when his sacred spirit ascended the heavenly heights, he said that after his death he wished to be buried nowhere else, but commanded his venerable body to be entombed in that same place. And the honour and religion which he had then established there, God favouring, remained for a long time and in part remains by his merits even to this day.
11 Of the holy man’s honourable perseverance and his sacred death.
Therefore the man, full of God, made divine in divine things and ever in mind thinking holy things and bearing the intention of the things that are God’s — after receiving the episcopal rank, as he had begun, remained devout in God’s service. He unceasingly sought the most precious pearl which is bought with many gems and treasures of riches, and by almighty God’s gift merited it with worthy vows. For because the best man acts best — this blessed father Nivard, most noble, conversed nobly; and as much as he drew near to life’s end, so much the more he showed himself assiduous in work. The Lord also, who was custom ever to stand by His servants, was ever present to him in all things. He honoured him in labours, adorned him with virtues, marked him with sanctity, raised him into glory.
Before his passing therefore the most blessed father — though he had ever been so accustomed — yet the more held the intention of the divine songs and more often took up the psalmic modulation. He said therefore with David: “Woe is me, that my staying is prolonged!” He reckoned in mind what that blessed region was, and with what pleasantness the saints dwell there; and the taste, in a manner, of the desirable sweetness which he could not yet take in the body he took in thought. He remembered the heavenly society of the holy angels and men and longed to be among their choirs; he remembered the blessed vision of God and said: “When shall I come and appear before the face of God?” He looked back in mind on the glorious city of Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem, whose streets shall be strewn with gold — and the city itself of pure gold, like to precious pearls and clean glass, where there shall be no night and whose lamp is the Lamb, and from which no good man shall be excluded, but her people is God’s people, and the Lord shall be their God for ever. And he wept abundantly that he was her exile; and possessing the earnest and little portion of so great glory in dripping tears, he greeted it with joyous affection from far away; in the thought-chamber of his mind he held this heavenly treasure; and set in charity and filled with the gift of the Holy Spirit, he contemplated the rays sent from the mirror of the Deity and the light of the divine beauty. O how often did God’s grace have its repose in the breadth of his holy heart! Blessed the beauty of his soul, blessed the temple of his mind, where God lived! O glorious bishop — what shall we say, with what sweetness, with what riches, with what abundance were you fed? At last, desiring with his whole desire to be in the heavens, he spoke with the greatest affection of heart: “O Lord my God almighty, true light and perpetual joy, pluck me out of the valley of tears and by the gift of Your grace make me come to Your desirable sight.”
And since his most worthy prayers were to be compensated with reward, he merited as he besought. For he is deprived of strength and, loosed into bodily sickness, was held so long — until, purer than fired gold and whiter than snow, he sent forth his most holy soul by a precious death to the starry kingdoms with the angels leading on the right hand — where he ever remains, one of God’s heirs with the co-heirs of Christ. But that he loved the Hautvillers place continually, his end also showed; for in the church of the holy Mother of God and perpetual Virgin Mary, which the blessed bishop himself had built on the hill of Hautvillers, he is said to have died in the presence of nearly all. He was buried in the same church with all honour by his citizens and the whole clergy and a very great company of monks from various places of his diocese. The most glorious and most blessed archbishop of Rheims, Nivard, died on the Kalends of September [1 September] and reigns in glory with Christ for ever — who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
HERE ENDS THE LIFE OF ST NIVARD THE ARCHBISHOP.