Or rather, a book of the virtues and wonderful deeds wrought in the monastery of Faremoutiers in the time of Abbess Burgundofara: added by Jonas the monk of Bobbio as a third book in the manner of those on SS Columbanus, Eustasius and Attala. Modern British English translation — Mabillon’s observations condensed.

Mabillon’s preliminary observations #

1. That Burgundofara the virgin was none other than Abbess Fara is attested by the Venerable Bede (HE III.8): “whose daughter Earcongotha — daughter of King Eorcenberht — as a worthy offspring of her parent, was a virgin of great virtues, serving the Lord in a monastery built in the region of the Franks by a most noble abbess named Fara, in the place called Brie.” And yet in Bede’s own genuine Martyrology as published by Henschenius he makes no mention of St Fara. In the district of Brie there were then two coenobia of virgins with adjoining cloisters — Faremoutiers and Jouarre, the latter built by Ado, brother of Dodo or Audoin. The former, not far from the river Marne and the stream the Morin — which they call the Lesser Morin — was erected between two streams, the Morin or Meuse (as they call the Greater) and the Aubetin, being three miles distant from Jouarre. Both Morins flow into the Marne — the lesser a little above the town of Meaux at the Firmity of Aussulf or below Jouarre; the greater, simply called the Morin, a little below Meaux, nearly reaching Faremoutiers monastery (now called St Fara’s) on the north, while the little river Aubetin runs down into the Morin on the monastery’s eastern side.

2. St Fara was called Burgundofara or Burgundiosara — as St Furo is called Burgundofaro — since both were sprung of a noble Frankish family at Meaux, and their father Theudegisel was a table-companion and retainer of the king of Austrasia. For the Farones were the nobility born of the Fara family among the Burgundians, as appears from Fredegar’s Chronicle, which names them at chs 41, 44 and 56; and Paul the Deacon in his History of the Lombards calls the Lombards’ farae, that is, generations or lines.

3. What we here subjoin of St Burgundofara was written not by Bede but by the pen of Jonas the monk of Bobbio. Jonas in his Life of St Columbanus (§30) speaks thus of Burgundofara: “The man of God therefore blessed the house of Chagneric, and his daughter named Burgundofara, who was in infant years — blessing her he vowed her to the Lord, of whom afterwards in what follows we shall narrate.” And in the Life of St Eustasius abbot of Luxeuil, after he had described Burgundofara’s parents Chagneric and Leodegund, her cure and her monastic consecration, he adds of the Faremoutiers monastery: “In which monastery what great virtues were afterwards wrought, if life be our companion, we shall pursue.” Hence it is that at the head of his writing he says: “I would have the reader remember that I promised above to narrate of the aforementioned coenobium of Burgundofara, which is called Faremoutiers.” From where in the Compiègne copy which we used, after the Life of St Columbanus and the Life of St Attala in two books, there follows continuously a third book on what was done in the Faremoutiers coenobium, set forth in twelve chapters as we set it forth, and thereafter the Life of St Bertulf in seven chapters. And since Jonas in this book relates not so much Burgundofara’s deeds as the unusual and wonderful things done in the Faremoutiers monastery, it may be suspected that Burgundofara was not yet dead when these things were written — and accordingly that the last part of that book, which is missing in the Compiègne exemplar, is an addition, as we shall note in its place.

4. But lest the history of St Burgundofara should seem maimed and imperfect, what is related of her in the Life of St Eustasius under the year 625 must be supplied — where her cure, consecration, and the foundation and institution of the Faremoutiers coenobium are treated, and the repulse of Agrestius who had tried to move Burgundofara against St Columbanus’s institutes.

5. The monastery of Faremoutiers or St Fara is still most flourishing and celebrated both for the number and religion of the holy virgins who keep our holy father Benedict’s Rule strictly, and for its name and wealth. There was formerly a double monastery there, as in the Jouarre convent — of maidens and of men; the Venerable Bede witnesses (HE III.8) in speaking of the monastery he calls Brie: “many of the brethren of that monastery who were in other buildings,” etc. And Jonas in the same place testifies below (ch. 2) that he was present himself. See the elogium of St Theodechild, abbess of Jouarre, under the year 660.

The Chapters Begin #

I. Of the coenobium of Faremoutiers, and of Sisetrudis’s death and the angelic song. II. Of Gibitrudis’s conversation and her life’s end. III. Of Herchantrudis’s life and death. IV. Of Aunofled’s death and the angelic song. V. Of the maiden Orechild (in the text, Donechild) and her death. VI. Of Domna and the two little maidens, and the gleaming ray seen in her mouth. VII. Of Wilsinda and her prophecy and the angelic song. VIII. Of Leudeberga and the vision of Peter the apostle. IX. Of the reproof of the delinquents and the damnation of the fugitives. X. Of Landeberga’s death and the angelic song. XI. Of the abundance of oil and the changing of the water. XII. Of the beast seen at the transgression of food. XIII. Of the Life of Bertulf the abbot, about the year 640.

Chapter One — Of the coenobium of Faremoutiers, and Sisetrudis’s death and the angelic song #

1. I would have the reader remember that I promised above to narrate of the aforementioned coenobium of Burgundofara, which they call Faremoutiers — which she had built out of St Columbanus’s Rule with all earnestness and devotion — how great and what manner of miracles the Creator of things deigned to show there for the exhortation of His handmaids. When now, under Christ’s leading, she held with her a gathered band of many maidens under the regular discipline, at a certain time one of her subjects named Sisetrudis, the monastery’s cellaress, learned her life’s departure by revelation — forty days being interposed, in which she was admonished to prepare her journey, correct her ways and amend her life, and bidden to hold herself ready in all things. Thirty-seven days passed in all religion — she had worn down her body with fasting and prayer, with a flood of tears and the labour of vigils, that she might more easily open the way of the coming journey. There came therefore two white-clad youths girt in stoles, separating her soul from the body, bearing it empty through the air, and carrying it to the heavens after many examinations; and being mingled with the angelic choirs and inserted into the multitude of all the white-robed, they bade her take joyfully her triumphs over the world. And while she was now held rejoicing in overflowing exultation amid the eternal joys, secure and inserted in the virgins’ choirs, dancing with excellent glory and standing before the face of the merciful Judge, she was bidden to be brought back again to the body and to return on the third day. They bore her back to the body, commanding that she should hold herself more amply prepared after three days, that the circle of forty days might be fulfilled.

2. Returned therefore into the body, she called the Mother and besought all the company of God’s handmaids to bring her solace with their prayers, testifying that three days more of life’s limit had been granted her. The third day coming therefore, she asked the Mother to be present and prayed that all await her departure. All standing by and promising their help at life’s exit and the body’s health — and none testifying they held her saying in public — she saw the two youths seen before come to her and ask whether she would now depart. And she, rejoicing: “I will go hence, my lords, I will go — nor be further detained in this life full of hardships, but be rendered back to the golden light from which I returned.” And when Mother Burgundofara asked to whom she spoke such words: “Do you not see,” said she, “the men clad in stoles standing by, who carried me to the heavens the day before yesterday and now are ready to lead me back on that journey?” And saying her last farewell to the wondering Mother and all standing round, she was deprived of the present life. All therefore attending upon her departure, they heard angelic choirs singing together and bearing sweet melodies through the air, and all fell prostrate with awe and joy together; and going out of the cell where the watch was kept, so far as human hearing could reach they still heard angelic voices singing. This first exhortation of this coenobium the Lord willed to show to His handmaids, that the rest who should survive might aspire with all intentness to the worship of religion.

Chapter Two — Of Gibitrudis’s conversation and life’s end #

3. Another exhortation arises after these things. For a certain virgin named Gibitrudis, noble by birth and religion, sought the foresaid coenobium converted from the world — whom Burgundofara the monastery’s Mother received rejoicing as a welcome gift, for she was near to her in blood. She had boiled with such fire of ardour that the grace of the Holy Spirit seemed to flame in her in all things. For while she was still held in her father’s house and, the Holy Spirit admonishing, wished to dedicate herself to the worship of religion, she asked her father and mother to build her an oratory wherein she might render service to her Creator. But her parents bore it ill — both were noble of the Frankish race, nor were they striving to enter by the road that leads to heaven’s kingdom, desiring rather to be propped with secular trappings, and on that account desiring offspring in a daughter rather than to consign fixed pledges to heaven. But since they could by no means change the girl’s mind from this purpose, yielding to her vows they built a very small oratory. Which when the girl frequented day and night, the cunning enemy’s craftiness began to cast darts against her and, attacking through the maid-servant, to prepare hindrances and forbid her to frequent the oratory. But when the girl saw herself distressed, she began to seek the Creator’s clemency — that He would forbid the servant to prohibit her frequent praying, and that He who wished to extinguish the soul’s light should himself be deprived of the eternal.

4. Nor did the divine pity delay: immediately, smitten with pain of the eyes, she lost her necessary sight — and the merciful Arbiter doubled the parents’ fear, seizing her father with fevers. Who, though swelling with nobility, yet from his daughter’s example now panted for the fear of the divine worship, and begged his daughter to pray to the Lord for her parent — promising that if he were restored to health by her intercession, he would yield to her will in all things. Nor was salvation, faithfully sought, long denied or delayed: the fever’s fire removed, the father was immediately restored to former health — and thereafter the girl asked leave to come to the aforementioned coenobium. Where, when she had led the religious life for many years, it happened at a certain time that the aforementioned Burgundofara was seized with fevers and believed to be loosed from the bonds of the present life. Gibitrudis, seeing the monastery’s Mother placed at the last, besought the Lord with weeping voices that, remembering His ancient mercy, He would not let the Mother die but rather take herself first and lay her companions to rest in heaven, and then bid the Mother follow. And she heard a voice after her tears saying from above: “Go, handmaid of Christ — as you have asked, so have you obtained. For she shall be joined to the living yet awhile, but you fire shall be loosed from the flesh’s bonds.” Nor long delayed: seized by fever, she rendered her soul at the last hour. And when, received by angels, she was borne above the upper air and set before the tribunal of the eternal Judge and saw the companies of the white-robed (as she afterwards related), and saw all heaven’s soldiery standing before the eternal Judge’s glory, she heard a voice from the throne saying: “Return, for you have not left the vessel full. For it is written, ‘Give and it shall be given you,’ and elsewhere in the prayer: ‘Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.’ For you have not forgiven your companions all, since you did retain the injuries done you; remember that you did bear moved spirits against three companions, nor did you wholly heal with the medicine of indulgence the wound inflicted. Correct your ways therefore, compose the spirits which you have stained with lukewarmness or negligence.”

5. Wondrous to tell — returning and restored to her former life, she declared the sentence laid upon her with sad lamentations and confessed her guilt; and calling the companions against whom she had borne moved spirits, she begged pardon, lest eternal life incur the loss of such great deceit. Restored to health, she lived six months in the present age; then seized by fever she foretold the day of her exit and fore-announced the hour of her departing from the world. Which blessed end she accomplished so that within the cell where her body lay lifeless you would have believed balsams were sweating. Which appeared a great miracle to all of us who were then there at that time. But also on the thirtieth day, when we tried to make her commemoration after the ecclesiastical custom and celebrated the solemnity of masses, so great a fragrance filled the church that you would have believed the odours of all ointments and spices were present. Rightly indeed does the Creator of things make the souls dedicated to Him to shine with His gifts — those who for His love would in no wise love or esteem the world.

Chapter Three — Of Herchantrudis’s life and death #

6. A certain girl, held within her infant years, Herchantrudis by name, of noble parents, entered the foresaid monastery converted. Where, when she had lived the religious life for many years, it happened that the just Arbiter willed to prove her through the punishments of the present body: her tender age sustained such scourges that you would believe the example of Job overflowed in her from the multitude of immeasurable pains. But a wondrous endurance showed itself in her youthful age — a wondrous virtue of humility, wondrous gentleness, wondrous piety, wondrous mildness, wondrous charity prevailed. Amid the fires of pain the soul’s virtue remained — faith unshaken, goodness immovable, an incomparable abundance of tears: inasmuch as the inflicted pains tortured the body, so much the hope of the joys and exultation of eternal life gladdened the soul. Nourished within the coenobium’s cloister by such guardianship of the Mother, she knew not at all how to discern the nature of the sexes — she thought male equal to female, female to male. For her conversation was an example to all — the virtue of patience, the worship of piety, the affection of mildness. And while she was pleasing to all, it happened that she did something against the Rule’s tenor. Being rebuked by the foresaid Mother to atone for the fault of the admitted offence, and until she should fulfil the norm of the interdicted penance to keep herself from the Lord’s Body — when she heard herself interdicted from the sacred Body, she began to weep with heavy wounds. For the following day was the sacred solemnity of the blessed prelate Martin’s passing.

7. Keeping vigil therefore through that night and imploring the washing of her fault, lest she incur the cause of such a loss as to be separated by her fault from Christ’s Body, she at last merited after tears and copious groanings and frequent sighs to have a pardonable consolation from the Lord: “Go,” said He, “and on this day be reconciled to Christ, for the offence for which you have asked is forgiven you; and telling the Mother, reveal what I have said.” Which in the morning she revealed to the Mother by humble confession; and reconciled to the sacred Body she afterwards led the religious life. And after the circling of many times, when now the Creator of all willed to lay her in heaven, fever’s fire seized her; and when she was at the last she said: “Run quickly, separate one dead among you and cast her down from the companions’ fellowship — for it is not fitting that they who crucified to the world live not for themselves, to retain among them a dead woman separated from life.” And while they all sought among themselves and asked what she meant, one of them, confounded and smitten with terror, prostrated herself on the ground, confessed her offence and promised to amend in all things — for she was free with the world, desiring the secular life outside, nor wholly gave herself to mortification but lived all for the world. Thereafter Herchantrudis, when the black night had run in and held the world in dusk light, asked that the lamp-light be put out in the cell where she lay. And when the others asked what she meant: “Do you not see,” said she, “how great a splendour comes, and hear not the choirs of singers?” They asked what she heard them singing; she said: “‘O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures for ever,’ and the rest which follows — their mouths sing all these things.” All therefore wondering, she said her last farewell to the Mother and companions, sent forth her spirit, and after her blessed exit rendered back to heaven, deserved to possess eternal joys and to take from the present pains the gains of eternal life.

Chapter Four — Of Aunofled’s death and the angelic song #

8. Another also at that time, Christ’s virgin named Aunofled — when she was giving up her last breaths and receiving for the loss of the present life the gains of eternal life and being joyfully separated from the flesh’s bonds — deserved to have like songs at her exit from the world. For with open ears she drank in what voices broke forth far from her watch: “you shall sprinkle me with hyssop and I shall be cleansed; you shall wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. To my hearing you shall give joy and gladness, and the humbled bones shall rejoice.”

Chapter Five — Of the maiden Orechild and her death #

9. And since the Creator of things ceases not to heap up the ornament of His majesty through just souls and souls full of the gift of innocence by the mouths of saints — namely that the supplement of renewing exhortation to religion may increase — it happened that in the foresaid coenobium a certain maiden named Demechild was converted with her mother. And many days being passed in the foresaid coenobium, the tempter attacked the mother, to hinder the journey of attaining to the heavenly kingdoms she had begun. But what the mother, weakened by feebleness of frailty, yielded to — that in turn, for the heaping up of evils, the young daughter’s correction dissipated. And when now for many courses of time her young mind, devoted to youthful years, was rendering copious fruits to the Creator, one day she saw the heavens opened and, contemplating the eternal Creator of things with her gaze and beholding the light of heavenly charity, she merited to hear: “Come to us, and loosed from the body’s bonds receive eternal brightness.” And while those present wondered what the truth of the matter was, or what her eyes saw as they gazed toward heaven — since her lids not moving at all they could not tell what her eyes contemplated — she said she was being called upward and loosed from the bonds of the present life; for it was the Sabbath day.

10. The Lord’s day therefore dawning the next day, seized by fever the maiden awaited her last exit. The anxious mother, seeing the death of her only child impending, amid sobs and groans besought her daughter that if she could obtain it she might be restored to the living — or if she fulfilled her life’s end, to lead her quickly out of this life after her, since she could not live after her exit. To this the girl: “you are goaded, mother, by carnal desires, often asking these things; yet I, if I prevail, favouring your entreaties, after the due medicines of penitence, after me will draw you, Christ favouring, to Himself.” Nor delay: set in her last hours, she asked for the monastery’s Mother. And when the hastening Mother had come to render the last honours to the soul departing from the world, the girl, seeing her, rejoicing gave thanks; and bidding farewell to her and all, commended her mother — among which things she asked that they keep silence. And while all, silence made, awaited the soul’s departure, she said: “Give place — my Creator comes to me, my Saviour hastens to me.” And she bade the Mother help her say the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed, since she herself could not express the words with trembling lips and unmoveable utterance. Which being done, the cell shining again with exceeding loveliness and illumination, she rendered her soul rejoicing to the Creator. Nor delay: the mother was seized, and scourged in body for the space of forty days; the circle of forty days fulfilled, she was first terrified by terrible appearances of demons, then consoled by the Bestower’s help she confessed she had obtained pardon by her daughter’s intercession — and thereafter, her soul loosed from the flesh’s bonds, rendered it to heaven. For it is given to be understood that she who by her own merits could not escape the world’s ruins, by her daughter’s intervention merited in a small space to be saved by penance through the pains inflicted.

Chapter Six — Of Domna and the two little maidens, and the ray gleaming in her mouth #

11. The things we have inserted which were done for the perfecting or increase of the perfect, or even for the correction of the delinquent — let no one judge that we compile needless matters. For no one doubts that others’ losses render very many more vigilant, by warning, for taking gains. For on a certain Lord’s day, when the aforementioned Burgundofara with the company of handmaids awaited the solemnity of masses and they were now partaking of the communion of the sacred Body, a certain one of them named Domna — when she had now received the Lord’s Body and sipped the Blood, and stood inserted in the sacred choir singing with her companions, “Take to yourselves this sacred Body of the Lord and Blood of the Saviour into eternal life” — in her mouth a globe of fire gleamed ruddy with white splendour. But since the fire’s illumination was perceived by none standing by, two little girls standing nearby — whom innocence rendered immaculate — saw rays gleaming with exquisite brightness from the foresaid one’s mouth amid the melodies of the chants; and wholly unable to keep silence they began to say, wondering: “Look, look at the ruddy globe gleaming from Domna’s mouth!” Which when the Mother heard, rebuking she commanded silence lest the fault of vanity darken her heart with pride — through whose mouth the flowing grace of God’s gift rendered light comely and pleasant. But corrupted by frailty, she began afterwards to love the goads of elation and pride against the Holy Spirit’s gains, to incur the crime of contumacy, to bear the brow of arrogance — so as to despise the Mother, scorn her companions and spurn all admonitions. Nor delay: seized by fever and brought to the last, not even so did she study to amend. But those who had seen — one of them, Ansitrudis by name, seized by headache, the other by fever — brought to the last awaited the supreme exit. And when the companies of companions were now present and preparing for the office of psalmody at their departure, one of them began to sing with pious mouth things unheard by human ears and sweet melodies, to pray to the Creator in wondrous words, unheard prayers, ineffable sacraments — and an odour of wondrous sweetness filled the cell. It was the ninth hour of the day when the odour filled the cell; a balm-odour breathed from her breast, and so through all the ensuing night, so through the following day until another ninth hour, that the sweetness of odour and the melodies of song persevered. Then they asked the Mother to sing, foretold that they would depart — and the spirit being given up, with its loss the odour of fragrance also withdrew. This indeed must be believed undoubtingly: that this glory of a good end which these merited to have, the foresaid Domna would have had — had she not lost it by bearing the vice of elated arrogance.

Chapter Eight — Of Wilsinda and her prophecy and the angelic song #

12. Another also of the Saxon race, named Wilsinda, was converted in their monastery — the Lord adding still more exhortations of this glory to the foresaid coenobium, that by the appearing of divine pity they might love more amply the gains of eternal life. Where, when she had lived the religious life for many years, one day while she laboured in the garden within the monastery’s bounds she spoke with her companions: “One of us who work in this area is soon to go hence; and therefore we ought to be ready, lest negligence and lukewarmness breed the loss of eternal life.” And when they asked who it was, she would in no wise reveal it — nor long delayed, she was seized by bodily infirmity. And while she was tossed in various anxieties, she began to turn joyful countenances to heaven and to unfold pages of Scripture hitherto unknown to her — beginning from the beginning she recited the books of Moses in order, and told the life-giving sacraments of the Gospel and the apostolic things after the old documents, and thereafter rehearsed all the Scriptures in order; saying too that the women who should remain behind should not yield to sadness — the Lord would soon take vengeance on their adversary, and this consolation had been promised to her. For there was an adversary of the monastery, Ega by name, a man lofty in the world, to whom Dagobert dying had commended his son Chlodovech with the realm. He therefore warred against the foresaid coenobium, violated its boundaries, and pursued all its surrounding household on whatever occasion he could. But not long did he enjoy the vow of his begun pertinacity — for soon after the promised vengeance he was smitten and perished. And she began to sing with sweet modulation the prayers and supplications which the offices of priests utter. Which when they that stood by greatly wondered at, she addressed one of those standing by: “Cast it out, cast it out — cast out the sweepings!” And while the others sought what she meant, she said: “do you not see with what filth she has her mind occupied and dunged, nor ever studied to purge the area of her breast by confession — she who, set in the world before she was enclosed here, stained it with all uncleanness?” The woman to whom such things were said, smitten with fear and seized with shame and detected by the Holy Spirit’s light, prostrated herself on the ground and betrayed her hidden vices to the Mother in confession; and she who was awaiting life’s exit began to ask that space being made, they should give place to the comers. Which when they yielded, with cheerful countenance and bowed head she said: “Bless, my ladies; bless, my ladies.” And when those standing by asked to whom she sent greeting, she answered: “Do you not see your sisters who have migrated from your company to the heavens?” And when they inquired, she, as though recognising them, with rebuking voice addressed one of them, Ansitrudis by name: “And do not even you recognise your sister Ansild, who long ago passed to the heavens, inserted in the white-robed choirs?” Saying this, she slipped from the body to her Creator; and as she went forth, angelic song was immediately heard in the air. For certain of them who had gone forth farther from the cell where the lifeless body lay, heard companies of angels resounding through the air and singing — from which song they knew that Wilsinda was loosed from the flesh’s bonds; and running they found her limbs laid down and the sisters’ company fulfilling the duties of the funeral rites; and they recognised that the company of psalmists they had heard resounding through the air was the fulfilment of her obsequies.

Chapter Nine — Of Leudeberta and the vision of Peter the apostle #

13. After these things the Goodness of His gifts again gathered more copious supplements, and delayed not to fortify another virgin, Leudeberta by name, with salutary admonitions and the teachings of heavenly offspring. For while she led the holy life in that coenobium for some spaces of time, God delayed not to admonish her through sleep that she should render herself more ready for life’s exit; and a voice said to her when sleep had loosed her limbs that she should in no wise depart from the foresaid Mother’s admonitions, since she would soon be separated from the living. Nor did the benign Bestower long delay to heap the gift of the promised bounty: He seized her with sharpness of sickness and brought her openly to the last exit. And when now the Mother and the companions stood by to render the last honours, she suddenly after a long silence uttered her voice and said: “At what hour, glorious Peter, prince of the apostles, will you have us go?” And when the others wished not to know what she did, she said: “Do you not see your patron the Prince of the apostles standing among you and wishing to lead me from this life?” Scarce had she been suffered to say this when, the joyful faces of all around awaiting, she gave up her last breath; and leaving the upper airs she was borne to the eternal joys. For therefore did the Creator of things let her tongue after long silences to utter this mournful speech — to provoke others to the examples of her life, and to show the living such stores of gifts wherewith He ceases not to enrich those departing this light in His fear or love.

Chapter Ten — Of the correction of the delinquents and the damnation of the fugitives #

14. The wickedness of diabolic fraud seethed against this people of Christ; and while it saw them prevail in virtues, it attacked certain of them — whom newness of conversation rendered raw — to stain them with temptations, to tear them from the continence of the rest, and to try to violate the monastery’s bounds; and it drove them to desire the pernicious life of the world and, dog-like, to wish to take up again the vomited putridity of their bowels. And while now through opaque shadows in the silence of the dead night they aspired to accomplish their monstrous design and strove to cross the monastery’s bounds by the barriers of ladders, suddenly from the middle of the dormitory a mass of fire in the manner of a bushel, going forth, searched through and illumined all the house; and afterwards, divided into three globes, it issued through the passages of the doors with a great crash of thunder — for the house had so many doors through which the fire brought out its globes. Which crash of thunder both roused the sleepers and corrected those going out of the monastery’s bounds; and when some of them had now crossed the rampart’s base, terrified by such a crash they wished to draw back within the bounds — yet could not bring back their feet, weighted as with lead: since the devil studied to aggravate by all the art he could those whom the divine correction in no wise suffered to perish. Confounded therefore they acknowledged their faults and, returning to the Mother, confessed.

15. The ancient serpent afterwards attacked two others — whom newer and much feebler conversation rendered — and compelled them to be tempted, first that they should in no wise utter true confession from their mouth. For it was the monastery’s custom that thrice a day each of them should purge her mind by confession, and whatever wrinkle the mind had contracted by frailty, pious disclosure should wash away. Into this fault therefore the devil’s darts had sunk the minds of the foresaid girls, that no true confession should come forth from their mouth — either of what they had committed in this world, or what daily frailty drew on, whether in thought, word or deed — lest true confession through penitence’s medicines should restore them to health. And when the deadly serpent had gradually infused its poison, hardening their hearts, and had learned that their minds, deceived by its wickedness, yielded to it, it attacked so that on a certain night going out of the monastery’s bounds they took flight and wished to return to their own. And while they went through the dense night and could by no means hold the way for the thickness of the darkness, the devil stood at their left and made a light resemble in fashion a lamp by all the art he could, and showed them the way back to the world and brought strength for their backsliding. And when they had come to the destined place, the inquisitors following with none hindering, they returned to the foresaid coenobium with wrinkled brow.

16. And when they had returned, being asked with careful scrutiny what cause had compelled their departure, they answered that they had been goaded by the devil’s darts and could not keep their minds directed. And while they were long rebuked by the whole congregation and the correction of all profited nothing, both — smitten by divine vengeance — learned to pay deserved penalties. And while the anxious Mother of the monastery often asked the foresaid what the occasion of the punishment was, and they could in no wise express the truth, she exhorted them again that among their last hours they should lay open the crime by confession. And while, their hearts hardened, they would take no remedy, they began to cry amid the scourges: “Hold yet a little, hold — urge us not unawares!” And when the others asked by whom they begged to be held, they say: “Do you not see the troops of Ethiopians coming, who wish to seize and carry us off?” And while those present wondered at this terrible saying, they heard a crashing over the cell and the coverings resounding, and the cell’s door broken open by force — so that they saw blackening shades standing by, and heard voices frequently calling them by name: so that those present could scarce stand to the psalmody office, signed with the Cross’s sign. The Mother urged by the event of such pain and grief that they should lay open their vices by confession and be strengthened by communion of the sacred Body. But they, hearing the sacred Body mentioned, began to chatter and gnash with their teeth and say, grating: “Tomorrow, tomorrow!” and meanwhile repeat the foresaid voice: “Wait, wait — hold a little, hold!” Amid which words they gave up their last breath.

17. Whom, since the Mother of the monastery thought it not right to bury in the company of the rest, she bade them be buried separately outside at the boundary — above whose tombs a globe of fire in the manner of a shield often appeared within three years, especially in the days of Lent until the coming of the holy Pasch, and also burned more fervently at the Vigil of the Lord’s Nativity; and voices of a great multitude murmuring resounded together. Among which two burst out howling, as they are accustomed to resound in torments: “Woe to me, woe to me, woe to me!” The Mother of the monastery therefore, seeing the just sentence laid by the just Judge upon the unjust souls, set herself more manifestly to learn the sentence of the damned; and approaching the tomb she asked by experiment whether the corpses, though corrupted by putrefaction, remained in the sepulchre. Now the months had passed since the lifeless bodies had been laid — and see, the sepulchre within was suddenly burned out by fire, nor did anything of the corpses’ residue remain above the ground save the ashes of the garments. The severity of the inflicted sentence therefore remained for three years, that the terror of the damned might afford fear to the remaining companions, and the punishment inflicted on the dead be the correction of the living — and from the negligence or lukewarmness, no hardness of mind, of the perishing, the salvation of the survivors be supplied by religion and zeal of vigour.

Chapter Ten — Of Landeberga’s death and the angelic song #

18. A space of time being interposed, the solaces of consolation came forth again. For a certain virgin named Landeberga — when she now awaited to lose the last hours of the present life, ringed with all the mass of anxieties and goaded with strong stings of sorrows — awaited only the solace of life’s exit. And when the calling was now at hand through the silent night, and all who tended to watch the sick woman were sunk in sleep taking their slumber, only one among the companions — wearied with sickness, named Gernomeda — had remained wakeful there. And while therefore, as we said, she awaited the last exits, a dense cloud mingled with a certain ruddy splendour covered the hospice, and voices of singers were heard exulting: “Let us sing to the Lord, for He is gloriously magnified.” When therefore Gernomeda heard the voices of the singers resounding, she began anxiously to rouse her companions. But since she could in no wise rouse them, she awaited more attentively the end of the matter — saw the cloud gradually lifted from the hospice, and with it the soul withdrawn from the body. And when the cloud had now been raised on high and her ears no longer heard the singers’ voices, then at last the sick woman could rouse her companions, and admonished them, corrected, to render the due chants; and she herself, goaded with heavy reproofs of fevers for seven days following, finished her life on the eighth day.

Chapter Eleven — Of the abundance of oil and the changing of the water #

19. After these things therefore the Author of goodness and gift delayed not again to bestow the gifts of His piety. For a certain girl named Blithild was converted in the foresaid coenobium within her years of adolescence. Who, when she had long been fed on the reins of regular discipline and desired the heavenly rewards with unmoving desire, it happened that the just Arbiter willed to lay in heaven a just soul full of justice’s abundance. And when, now set in her last hour, she asked that a lamp be lit before her by turns and the heraldings of sacred reading be read before her, one of those present, having filled a certain vessel with oil and water, sleep overcame them all; and the night’s limit being passed, the sick woman passed the night without her companions’ solace. At the rushing twilight of day therefore, when they had sung the matin praises to the Lord, she saw the lamp which she had filled with oil and water changed into milk, and asked by experiment whether any of the companions had changed it. They say: “Know you not that there was no milk here?” Then the sick woman said: “By no means, I pray, consume your souls with this milk — and cease to inquire.” And when they wished more attentively to know, they call the Mother and tell her the matter’s cause. She therefore, that she might know more diligently, bade them separate the oil from the milk. And when they had separated the oil from the milk and nothing remained above the appearance of milk, the oil began to grow again and flow more copiously from the vessel. Then at last those standing by knew the power of God, and gathered it with all zeal and laid it up industriously in the sacrarium. Witnesses of this thing are Burgundofara and the pontiff of the city of Meaux, and Waldebert abbot of the Luxeuil coenobium. For also certain sick who were touched with the same oil were restored to former health. But Blithild, filled with all joyfulness, awaited a happy exit. Who, when she had rendered her soul to heaven, so great a sweetness of odour filled the cell that you would have believed balsams were sweating there. What was it that He should turn this creature of water into the appearance of milk, or bid the oil multiply by flowing — unless that the divine pity willed to show others how the divine clemency had visited the sick woman that foresaid night? And while she would not reveal to her companions what she had seen, the Almighty left a trace of His visitation.

Chapter Twelve — Of the beast seen at the transgression of food #

20. Since we have not omitted to hand down to posterity the miracles of great things conferred for the desert of goodness and zeal of religion, we also take care to intimate what we have learned profited a hard and slothful mind to terror. For a certain girl, noble by birth, came to the foresaid coenobium to submit her neck to regular discipline — but the serpent attacked the intent of good life and form of religion, and excited her to be torn anew from paradise through the vice of transgression. It attacked her gluttony and hunger, to satisfy them with stolen food — which crime she perpetrated undetected for a space of time, nor was it revealed to any of her companions. And while the gluttony’s greed long stained her soul, the just Arbiter gave just sentence upon the unjust soul: He punished the heaviest crime with a heavier penalty, and raised upon her wearied limbs a loathing of lawful food — nor could her troubled mind eat anything else save a mixture of bran, leaves and wild herbs. And while this vengeance remained upon her soul deceived by transgression for many days, though at the refection hour she asked that the foresaid food be brought her, she saw the appearance of a great boar eating with her, and in dungy fashion stirring its foods with grunting. And she, affrighted, asked what it was. The beast answered: “Know you not who I am? The foods which you have eaten by transgression until now, I have eaten with you — and henceforth know that for the circle of a year you shall have this food.” The food therefore remained for the course of the turning year, nor did she eat anything else save bran and leaves of trees or wild herbs, and the dregs cast out from the leavings of beer. For what was it that the fragile mind, conscious of the miserable transgression, should be reproached by the devil’s voice — unless that the immeasurableness of the present pains would not suffer the soul afterwards to be damned to torments, and the divine pity willed by him to utter the reproaches of the consenting one through whom the transgression had been propagated — and this open judge, to whose evil persuasions she had long, deceived, yielded obedience: that after the pains inflicted she might know that the creature owes obedience not to the devil but to the Creator?

[The appended ending — judged by Mabillon a later addition] #

What follows is taken from Bede’s tome and Surius; it is missing in the Compiègne manuscript, in which the Life of St Bertulf abbot of Bobbio follows continuously on the foregoing. Certainly Jonas everywhere, when he speaks of Burgundofara, seems always to designate her as living — “witnesses of this thing are Burgundofara,” he says at ch. 11, and calls her everywhere simply by that name with nothing added save perhaps “Mother”. From where it seems likely that what follows is added.

21. Likewise another girl named Baractrudis, while she long lived in the foresaid coenobium and in no wise strove with all effort to keep the precepts of regular discipline, the devil sent into her mind, caught by transgression, to eat in secret whatever she could snatch by stealth. Who, while she long stained her soul with this transgression — the just Arbiter gave just vengeance on her. For she was suddenly seized by fires of fevers, and amid the burnings began to cry: “Woe to me, woe to me!” And after these words she lay so sunken that she was believed dead by all. And when after a great space of hours she gasped, vexed by the fever’s fire she began to cry: “Let the Mother come, let the Mother come!” With swift step therefore those who had heard call the monastery’s Mother, the blessed Burgundofara; who, when she had come, the sick woman lying there with all intentness of heart laid open the conjecture of her crimes by confession. And while all standing by now expected her life’s end, she suddenly by divine mercy growing stronger began to be better, and so gradually withdrawn from the danger of death afterwards led a blessed life.

22. After the holy virgins enrolled, set under the blessed Burgundofara’s magistery, had put off this corruptible life by diverse and unequal passages according to the quality of their merits, as we said — the venerable Mother of them herself also, worthy of heavenly calling, when for many years she had most fittingly presided over the foresaid monastery of Faremoutiers, being at last seized by bodily infirmity, closed her last day on the third of the Nones of April [3 April], and was gathered to the companies of the Virgins who follow the Lamb wherever He gos — namely to our heavenly Bridegroom and Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and Holy Spirit lives and reigns God through all ages of ages. Amen.

The Epitaph of St Fara — from a codex written in Charlemagne’s time #

A famous virgin, Fara, offspring of Frankish kings, Entrusted to this tomb her sacred remains. Fara was a lofty light of virtues and beacon of modesty, Of Burgundian blood the progeny. She was a light while she lived, she shines after death, And now mounts the stars rejoicing with unquenched lamp. She was a foot to the lame, best aid to the blind, Help to the wretched, a mother to the poor. A beacon, as it were, she gave light before the virgin companies In wit, in virginity, in faith. Living she taught the ignorant; dead, she shows By what foot the heavenly home must be approached. On the seventh before the Ides of December a light shone for you, Fara — The last, unless I err, no the first light. For scarce did that day deserve to be called the last Which brought Fara an imperishable, everlasting day.

[Editorial note, abridged: in this place “post” is to be taken adverbially, not prepositionally — St Fara is celebrated in the genuine Usuard Martyrology on the seventh before the Ides of December: “At Meaux, St Fara virgin, on the same day in her own monastery where her body is kept, venerated with solemn office.” The author of the addition above writes that she died on the Nones of April, a day on which no memory of her is kept in St Fara’s monastery; perhaps the third before the Nones of April was her death and the seventh before the Ides of December her translation, or vice versa. In her proper office we read: “Her bones, after forty years, Majolus abbot of St Cross (today St Faro’s) at Meaux lifted in 1075 with Abbot Hilduvert’s consent and bade them be kept honourably and religiously.” St Fara’s Translation is kept on the Ides of May. From this the time of her death may be gathered; Jonas wrote the foregoing while Burgundofara still lived, and wrote after Ega’s death, which we saw at ch. 8 occurred about 641. We therefore place St Burgundofara’s death about 655. In her own convent her miracles are yearly commemorated on the Nones of August — on which day in 1622, when the nuns wished to transfer St Fara’s bones to Paris with them on account of Count Mansfeld’s incursions, one of them, boneless for over four years, received light when Fara’s relics were brought near.]

[The scan ends at the heading and first observations of the next article: “THE LIFE OF ST LIVINUS BISHOP AND MARTYR, by his contemporary Boniface — from the Compiègne manuscript and Nicholas Serarius,” continued in the Livinus file.]