¹ There are many evident Motives of Credibility which clearly distinguish the unspotted Church of Jesus Christ from heterodox persuasions, which are built on private fancy and, for the most part, on faction. Among these, consummate holiness and undeniable miracles rightly claim their place. The holy Apostles, before they separated to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world, taught future ages in the Symbol of Faith that the Spouse of Christ, purchased by the effusion of his most sacred Blood, is holy: I believe in the holy Catholic Church. Other sects, pretending to religion, incline—or, more properly speaking, lead—towards a pleasing liberty, which powerfully attracts and carries away vast crowds of lax proselytes. As to miracles, which set a seal upon the true faith, the immortal Son of God has assured us that those who believe in him shall do greater works than he himself performed [John 14:12]. The life of Saint Wenefride is especially remarkable with regard to both these genuine marks of miracles and holiness, as will appear more clearly from her wonderful actions and from the several steps by which she attained so high a state of perfection.

² In the seventh age after man’s Redemption there flourished many saints of both sexes. I shall mention only those chiefly concerned in this short history. Saint Beuno, the glorious instrument of Saint Wenefride’s second life and sanctity, was born of noble parents in Montgomeryshire, at the fall of the River Rhyw into the Severn, and was therefore called Aberrhyw. His father, Binsfi, was descended in direct line from Cadell, Prince of Glefiwig; and his mother derived her pedigree from Anna (who was married to the King of the Picts), sister to the mighty and renowned King Arthur, who departed this life happily and was interred at Glastonbury in the year 542. His grandfather was Saint Gundelerus, and he was nearly related to several eminent saints; among the rest, he was cousin-german to Saint Kentigern, Bishop of Glasgow, who, being forced from Scotland, founded the bishopric of Saint Asaph, naming it from his disciple of that name, whom he left to govern that Church.

³ The young Beuno was educated under the direction of a holy man called Saint Dangefius; and he advanced so swiftly in perfection that he spent two or three days and nights in continual prayer, being drawn with reluctance to refresh his fainting nature. He soon grew weary of worldly vanity: he renounced the flattering allurements of earthly pleasures, and exchanged the glittering grandeur of an opulent fortune for the poor habit of a monk, resolving to spend the remainder of his days in the practice of the Evangelical Counsels. Being well settled and thoroughly grounded in the apostolical institute, he observed the following laudable practice to promote the honour of his Creator. When he had built a church and monastery and there established regular discipline, he removed to some other part of the country to perform the same duty to God; so that within a few years he became the common father of numerous religious, who revered him as their holy founder.

⁴ This zealous monk, having finished his monastery at Clynnog Fawr in Carnarvonshire, found himself powerfully inspired to visit his relations in Flintshire. It is true that he had long before bid farewell to all ties of flesh and blood; yet he understood this call as a voice from Heaven. A rich and powerful lord in that part of North Wales where Holywell now stands had married the virtuous and noble Lady Wenlo, sister to Saint Beuno. His name was Thewith—some write it Trebwith—but a manuscript now before me, by one of the most learned antiquaries of the last age, states that his name was Tyvid. These parents of Saint Wenefride, by an exemplary and truly Christian life, surpassed their high extraction. They accounted solid virtue the most distinguishing quality, and pitied vicious potentates, who are contemptible in the eyes of the King of Kings.

⁵ Saint Wenefride, the glory of West Britain, was born in the troubled reign of King Cadwallawn; and Saint Beuno paid his visit to his brother-in-law’s house in the reign of King Eluith, the second of that name. The venerable monk, having with great humility and modesty made himself known, told them that he was sent by Almighty God to honour Him there, as he had done in other places; and that he neither expected nor desired any other favour than a small parcel of their extensive lands, sufficient to build a church upon, where others, together with myself, said he, would daily pray for their safety and happiness.

⁶ Thewith (I will call him this from hereon) was not to be numbered among that wretched catalogue of thoughtless, blind worldlings, who are prodigal in vanity and ostentation, yet start and frown at the first proposal of parting with small possessions for the benefit of their souls. No: he looked forward with other eyes towards a more enduring state than that upon sordid earth; and therefore returned the following answer. With good reason, holy Father, I am bound to give you part of the lands I now possess, for the sake and service of Him who bestowed them all upon me. You have obliged me in asking this charity, which is more advantageous to me than to you who propose it. Therefore, from this very day, I do absolutely alienate from myself and my posterity this manor in which I now dwell, and with joy I surrender to you all my right and title, placing you in full possession. I humbly beg one favour: that, having but one child, a tender virgin who is my especial comfort, you will instruct her in heavenly doctrine, that her life and conduct may be holy, pleasing to God, and a joy to her parents.

⁷ After this generous settlement, the nobleman chose for himself a dwelling not far distant from the place he had granted to Saint Beuno; where, from a hill, he could see the church in which the servants of God praised their Maker.

⁸ As Constantine the Great, at the building of Saint Peter’s Basilica, divesting himself of his imperial robes, took up the spade, broke the ground, and carried twelve baskets of earth—in honour of the twelve Apostles—to cast into the foundations, as a testimony of his devotion to the first princes of Christianity; so, in imitation of this heroic pattern, the noble Lord Thewith laid aside rank and birth, often putting his own hands to the holy work. This he did both to encourage others and to contribute in some measure to the completion of the fabric. When the church had been made fit for the offering of the Divine Sacrifice, he and his spouse, together with their only child, were daily present at holy Mass. They had this pious custom: to place their daughter at the saint’s feet during his exhortations to the people, advising her to give careful attention to his excellent doctrine. This, though devoutly suggested by pious parents, was scarcely necessary; for she was so deeply transported with holy delight in hearing him preach that she frequently visited him alone, to converse with him on self-knowledge and Christian practice.

⁹ It was her parents’ intention to marry her to some nobleman of the country and to bestow upon her a most ample fortune; but her ever-blessed Redeemer, even in those tender years, was gently disposing her for his service. Through Saint Beuno’s frequent discourses she came to understand how great, how good, and how glorious the heavenly Spouse is; that voluntary virgins are like angels upon earth; that they follow the Lamb wherever he goes [Revelation 14:4]; and that the honours of the world are vain and its pleasures short-lived, so that the very thought of an earthly husband became hateful to her. She therefore resolved to keep herself undefiled [cf. 2 Corinthians 11:2] and to consecrate her pure virginity to the Lord of Heaven and earth.

¹⁰ One principal difficulty now presented itself: how she might render her parents favourable to this heavenly call. She burned with the love of God, and at the same time was resolved to fulfil the commandment of honouring father and mother [Exodus 20:12]. In this struggle between divine vocation and Christian duty, the Giver of all light put her upon a course by which the way to her happiness might be prepared, making use of Saint Beuno as a glorious instrument.

¹¹ This holy man was held in honour as a saint by her parents, and she therefore knew full well that he possessed great influence and authority with them, and that they would refuse no reasonable request made through him—such as she judged her own to be. Impatient of losing time in bringing her design to completion, she found him one day alone and at leisure, and acquainted him with the holy fruits of his moving discourses. Then, in a most earnest and affecting manner, she humbly begged his zealous assistance in preserving the rich treasure of her virginity, which she had resolved never to relinquish, for all the offers the flattering world could lay before her.

¹² Saint Beuno was pleasantly surprised at this most welcome news; for, like Saint Paul, he desired that all should be as himself [1 Corinthians 7:7]. He had an unshaken confidence in the power and goodness of God, that He who had begun the work would bring it to completion [cf. Philippians 1:6]. Moreover, being well acquainted with the singular piety of those with whom he was to deal, he cheerfully undertook the task, to the inexpressible satisfaction of the expectant virgin.

¹³ We cannot read without tears how the faithful Abraham, in obedience to God’s command, lifted up his hand to sacrifice his son Isaac, his only-begotten son, whom he loved [Genesis 22:2], without so much as hesitating at the first intimation of the Almighty. Perhaps a serious reflection on this may move us to devotion, when we consider how Lord Thewith received this unexpected petition from his beloved child. Besides the inward gifts of grace and the evident virtues which endeared her to her devout parents, her stature was well proportioned, her countenance incomparable, and her modesty equal to her beauty—qualities highly prized among men. She was the delight of their eyes, the support of their house, and the earthly hope of their happiness. Yet no sooner had Saint Beuno declared his judgement on the nature of the offering—that it was, as it were, a holocaust, requiring them to sacrifice their affections and to bequeath to their God the dearest creature in the world, whom they loved more than themselves—together with other persuasive reasons to the same effect; no sooner, I say, had the holy man concluded his discourse, than, contrary to the weakness of many fond parents, tears of joy ran down Lord Thewith’s cheeks. He and his spouse together broke forth into praises of Jesus Christ, for having so highly favoured their only child.

¹⁴ They then called for their daughter and granted her full and free leave to forsake the world, wishing her a happy progress in the way of perfection. They further declared that, since the heavenly Spouse had chosen her for himself, they resolved to make Him heir to what they had intended for her dowry, by disposing of it for his greater honour in pious and religious uses. They likewise drew this further benefit to themselves, resolving to renounce the world as far as was consistent with persons of their rank. They entered into a firm purpose of bestowing a great part of their princely wealth upon the poor, and of withdrawing from worldly noise and distraction, so that, in a more independent freedom, they might become better masters of the short time allotted them, and provide beforehand those treasures which endure for ever in Heaven.

¹⁵ The pious virgin, on receiving this long-desired permission, judged that she could never render sufficient thanks to God for so great a favour. She spent whole nights in the church, either kneeling or lying prostrate before the altar, where she imagined herself to be in the presence chamber of her immortal Spouse. Contemplation raised her to an admiration of his infinite perfections, so that even to hear the name of Jesus Christ pronounced drew tears of joy from her eyes, springing from a heart inflamed with love. Pure delights overflowed her soul, and, lifting her gaze towards Heaven, the world appeared base and contemptible. To feed this pleasing fire still further, she caused a small oratory to be built near Saint Beuno’s cell, that she might more easily visit him by day, and by night, in holy silence, practise the spiritual lessons of her Master.

¹⁶ The implacable enemy of mankind, suspecting that such lofty beginnings of perfection in tender years might prove a powerful encouragement to other noble virgins to despise themselves and the world, employed one of his incarnate emissaries to frustrate the design of the Holy Ghost. What Hell cannot accomplish by its own immediate suggestions, it too often brings about by the insinuating arguments of corrupt mortals. Hence those who induce others to forfeit divine grace by mortal sin are detestable instruments of rebellious Lucifer. As the Devil put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray the Son of God [John 13:2], so he cast an impure flame into the heart of Cradocus, son of King Alen, to attempt a sacrilegious outrage upon Christ’s lovely spouse.

¹⁷ He was foolishly enamoured of the charms of her person, casting no regard upon the beauty of her virtues; and thus he lay in wait for an opportunity to satisfy his brutish passion, which occurred as follows. One Sunday, Saint Wenefride’s parents having gone to church before her, while she was for a short time detained at home on a charitable errand, intending soon to follow them, the prince, being informed of this, entered the house under the pretence of business with Lord Thewith. At first the holy maiden, wholly unsuspecting his insincerity or intent, received him with great courtesy, humbly excusing herself as unworthy to entertain one of his royal birth. “But if you please,” said she, “to rest yourself in a more convenient room until divine service is ended, my father will then be at liberty to attend you.”

¹⁸ To this candid and gracious answer of the modest virgin, Cradocus—now more than ever inflamed with sinful desire—replied in the utmost disorder that nothing could be more agreeable to him than to remain in her company, since it lay wholly in her power to make him happy. If she would comply with the ardent desires of a passionate lover, she might expect all the happiness that his rank and power were capable of bestowing upon her.

¹⁹ Although the virgin blushed and trembled at the immodesty of this wicked proposal, yet, being perfectly mistress of herself in so perilous an occasion, and strengthened by divine grace and heavenly light, she replied that there could be no doubt of attaining honours, wealth, and worldly happiness by being espoused to so noble a prince; but that she was greatly embarrassed at being so suddenly surprised in such mean attire, unbefitting his presence. “Therefore permit me,” said she, “to withdraw to my chamber adjoining this room, that I may better compose my dress.” Cradocus, in the heat of his passion, listened with reluctance to the virgin’s request, yet could not refuse a petition accompanied by so much modesty and seeming respect for his rank.

²⁰ She had scarcely freed herself from so shameless a guest when, slipping quietly out by another door, she ran immediately towards the church, confident of finding protection there from so villainous an assault. Meanwhile the prince, impatient of so long a delay and not without some suspicion of what had occurred, rushed into the chamber to which she had retired; and, not finding her there, pursued her with such eagerness that he overtook her on the descent of the hill, before she could reach the church. There, with a drawn sword in his hand fury in his countenance, he threatened to sever her head from her body unless she immediately consented to his will.

²¹ Here, one might well discern a vivid representation of the anguish and perplexity that beset chaste Susanna, whose honour and conscience were assailed by the two lustful judges. If she consented, it was death to her; and if she refused, she could not escape their hands [Daniel 13:22].

²² The noble Israelite came to this final resolution: It is better for me, without the act, to fall into your hands, than to sin in the sight of the Lord [Daniel 13:23]. Oh, that Christians possessed such horror and detestation of mortal sin, as to regard it as more hideous and dreadful than a violent death. Saint Wenefride was firmly of this mind. She saw before her two kinds of death awaiting her reply: either the separation of the soul from the body, or the separation of the soul from God. She did not hesitate between them, but with fearless and heroic constancy replied that, with her parents’ approval, she was already holily espoused to the Son of God, who infinitely surpasses all power and beauty upon earth; that she would remain faithful and steadfast in her pure affections, and would rather lose her life than admit any rival. “Neither your threats nor your terrors,” said she, “shall draw me from the sweetness of his love, nor so overawe me as to make me depart in the least from what I have promised.”

²³ As it sometimes happens that despised carnal love turns into fury, so it befell the barbarous Cradocus, who, seeing himself scorned, as he imagined, dealt so deadly a blow to the virgin’s neck that at the first stroke her head was severed from her body. Falling upon the slope of the hill, it rolled down to the church, where the congregation was kneeling before the altar. As they were struck with horror at the sight of her blood-stained head, so they were astonished to see a clear and rapid spring gushing forth from the very spot where her head first touched the ground—a spring which to this day is visited by devout pilgrims from all parts. The place of her martyrdom had before her death been called the Dry Valley, or Barren Bottom; but it was afterwards changed to the name of Ffynnon, which in ancient Welsh signifies a fountain or well. It was likewise observed that the stones of the well were marked, as it were, with drops of blood, to perpetuate the memory of what she had shed for the love of Christ; and in process of time it was further noted that the moss growing around the well exhaled a most fragrant scent, as an emblem of the sweet odour of her angelic virtues.

²⁴ To conclude the final act of this inhuman tragedy, and to relate the dreadful stroke of divine justice upon the cruel tyrant, we must briefly premise that the righteous grief of the holy virgin’s parents is beyond expression, as they saw their beloved child so villainously butchered almost before their eyes. Saint Beuno’s virtue was likewise put to the test, that he might bear with true resignation the loss of so devout a soul. Tears ran down his cheeks at the sight of the horrid murder. The afflicted people, with united voices, cried out to Heaven for swift vengeance upon the perpetrator of so heinous an outrage. Indignation was mingled with compassion when they saw the unrepentant assassin wiping his blood-stained sword upon the grass, and glorying in his detestable deed, without fear of God or man.

²⁵ Saint Beuno was preparing to offer the unbloody sacrifice of our redemption; but being inspired by Him who declared, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay [Deuteronomy 32:35], he left the altar, and, taking the blessed martyr’s head into his trembling hands, ascended the slope towards Cradocus. He did not fear such a blow as had been inflicted upon the tender virgin; for the same cause, the love of Christ, he would have welcomed it. The faithful servants of God dread nothing save sin alone. When he had come up to him, he said: “You wicked man, who, without regard for innocence or beauty, have murdered a princely virgin, no less nobly born than yourself. Nor do you repent, nor show the sorrow you ought for this horrid sacrilege. I now beg my heavenly Lord that, as an example to others, He will be pleased to execute His divine judgement against you, who have slain His spouse, troubled His people, violated His Sabbath, and besprinkled His holy house with blood, which I had consecrated to His service.”

²⁶ As the earth swallowed up the rebellious and perverse Korah [Numbers 16], so some affirm that, at Saint Beuno’s final words, Cradocus not only fell down dead, but that the earth likewise opened to receive his polluted body, that it might sink towards his monstrous soul; or else that the master whom he had served, the Devil, carried it away. For it is certain that the corpse of the cruel murderer was never afterwards seen.

²⁷ The faithful glorified God in his justice, yet could not restrain their grief. Saint Beuno earnestly exhorted both parents and people to turn from lamentation, and to address the Creator of souls and the Raiser of the dead, that, as He had called Lazarus back to life from the tomb, already corrupting in death [John 11:43–44], so, for His greater honour and glory, and for the consolation of the sorrowing parents who had so generously dedicated their beloved child to His service, He would graciously vouchsafe to restore her to life. He then joined the sacred head to the pallid body, covering both with his cloak; after which he offered up the holy sacrifice of our salvation.

²⁸ After Mass was ended, he lifted up his hands to Heaven and made the following prayer: “O Lord Jesus Christ, for whose sake this holy virgin despised the world and longed for You; by the tender mercies of Your compassion, love, and goodness, be graciously pleased to grant us the fulfilment of the vows and prayers which we humbly offer to You. We are fully persuaded that this godly virgin, who lived holily and died for You with great constancy, is now highly exalted and no longer needs the company of us mortal and miserable creatures. Yet, to manifest Your omnipotence and sovereign dominion over souls and bodies—which are never beyond Your power to reunite—and also to multiply the merits of that soul whose body lies here before us, we beg You to grant her a second life; so that, after a long and abundant harvest, enriched with new merits, she may return to You, her eternal Spouse and the Beloved of her heart, who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, rule on earth and reign in Heaven for ever and ever.”

²⁹ The devout people, dissolved in tears, and answering with sighs and heartfelt sobs, said fervently, “Amen”. At that moment the virgin arose, as one newly awakened from sleep. She wiped her eyes and face to clear away that glorious dust which had settled upon her lovely head when it rolled towards her beloved Saint Beuno. The beheading of Saint Wenefride is commemorated on the twenty-second of June.

³⁰ Contemplate here, dear reader, the joy and astonishment which then transported all who were present at this wonderful miracle. Tears burst forth more abundantly than before, yet flowing from a different cause. All magnified and blessed the boundless goodness of her great God, each resolving to rise with the saint to a newness of life, by reforming former ways. One circumstance in this astonishing restoration is particularly remarkable: when her parents and others fixed their eyes upon her neck, they observed a pure white circle, no broader than a fine thread, encircling it completely, marking the place where the separation had been made, and which ever afterwards remained.

³¹ From this sign, the great veneration of the people led them to change her name, which had been Breva, into that of Wenefride. Wen in the ancient British tongue signifies white, and other letters were added by alteration to soften and improve the sound of the new name. In the many apparitions after her second death, when she manifested herself to her devout clients, they always took particular notice of this white circle, which signified to them the indelible mark of her Spouse’s love, bestowed upon her for having so courageously endured that mortal wound for His sake.

³² Permit me here to interrupt for a while the thread of this discourse by a short, yet necessary, digression, in order to forestall the cavils of certain modern incredulous critics, who nowadays appear to entertain such strange notions concerning the supernatural works of Almighty God that they believe nothing which does not accord exactly with the fanciful ideas of their own minds. These refiners will be ready not only to carp at what is here related of this holy virgin’s return to life, but perhaps also to turn into ridicule what follows hereafter—namely, her sending gifts to Saint Beuno by the current of the miraculous fountain, together with several other wonders contained in the ensuing pages.

³³ As it would be highly criminal to pretend to fathom the wisdom of God by our shallow capacities, or to confine his omnipotence within the narrow limits of the greatest power upon earth, so it would be sheer madness to believe everything indiscriminately, without rational grounds and sufficient authority. But when we find such instances of the infinite power and goodness of Almighty God as are here recorded in this history, attested by learned and pious witnesses, handed down to posterity by an uninterrupted tradition through several ages, and never questioned until these latter days, it becomes the duty of every rational person and devout Christian rather to acknowledge the goodness of God, manifested so wonderfully in these works, than to dispute his power by cavilling at facts merely because they offend a shallow and misguided imagination.

³⁴ To condescend to the weakness of future ages, divine Providence appears to have taken special care that we should not lack unquestionable examples of this nature, in order to assist our belief. We know that the prophet Elisha restored to life the son of the Shunammite [2 Kings 4]. Saint Peter raised Tabitha, and Saint Paul restored to life the young man who fell from the window [Acts 9:36–42; Acts 20:9–12]. Again, when the sons of the prophets were cutting wood by the banks of the River Jordan, the head of one man’s axe fell into the water. The holy prophet Elisha cut a piece of wood, shaped like a handle, and cast it into the river; whereupon the iron, contrary to its nature, rose from the bottom and attached itself to the wood [2 Kings 6:1–7].

³⁵ If some of our modern critics, who lay claim to more wit than religion, dared to publish their profane notions on this occasion as freely as they do concerning other miracles not recorded in holy Scripture, they would ask by what sympathy the iron was moved from the bottom of the river to seek out the wood, and by what art it discovered the piece floating on the surface of the waters; or whether the recovery of a lost axe-head were a matter of such importance that God should think fit to employ his omnipotence in working so great a miracle for its sake. But to silence all such irreverent reflections among those who still profess Christianity, Almighty God has been pleased not only to perform these and similar miracles, but also to ensure that they were sealed with divine truth and transmitted to all future ages in the very word of God itself.

³⁶ Is it harder to believe that a small and light bundle should float upon the sea and arrive safely in a creek near which Saint Beuno then dwelt, without sustaining the least damage, than that the head of an axe—a heavy lump of iron—should swim upon the surface of the waters of the River Jordan and join itself to a piece of wood cast in after it, to serve as a handle? Without doubt, both facts are marvellous; both are miracles. I readily acknowledge that there is a very wide—indeed, one might say an infinite—difference between miracles recorded in Holy Scripture and those commended to posterity by learned and trustworthy authors. Yet when facts are so fully attested by a cloud of witnesses, and handed down to us by the universal belief of all ages, as in the present case of our saint’s being raised to life by the prayers of Saint Beuno, and of the manner in which she afterwards sent gifts to him, it would be as inexcusable in a rational person to withhold assent as to deny that there ever was such a man as Julius Caesar, or to assert that all which the historian Josephus has written concerning the Jewish wars is nothing more than mere fable.

³⁷ Let the atheist scoff, and let the incredulous mutter as they please; all good Christians know that the Son of God, who neither can deceive nor be deceived, has made this infallible promise to his Church: that He will be with her until the end of the world [Matthew 28:20], and that those who believe in Him shall not only do the works which He did, but even greater works than these [John 14:12]. Is the hand of God shortened? Or can His goodness suffer any diminution? No, no: Your omnipotence, O Lord, remains for ever the same, and of Your mercies there is no end.

³⁸ Whatever this incredulous age may think of the great miracle of our saint’s return to life, it appeared so manifest to the West Britons, and reflected such honour upon God’s Church, upon the sanctity of Saint Beuno, and upon the power he possessed with his Creator, that many pagans still dwelling in those regions came to hear the holy man’s instruction in the Catholic faith and to receive baptism.

³⁹ Saint Wenefride, according to her former custom, sat like Mary at the feet of Christ [Luke 10:39], upon a low seat before him. She was never satiated with the heavenly manna that flowed from his angelic tongue. She accounted as nothing all that she had already done or suffered; and, restless to be more closely united to her beloved Spouse, she aspired to the highest degree of perfection. Therefore she most humbly begged, upon her knees, to be solemnly veiled—according to the custom of the primitive ages—that by entering upon a religious course of life she might put Hell to greater confusion, which had so fiercely attempted to dishonour God and herself; but above all, that she might pour forth her soul in the presence of her eternal Spouse, with a heart inflamed, detached, and wholly his, and say: Look, we have left all things and followed you [Matthew 19:27].

⁴⁰ Saint Beuno, with tears of joy, readily complied with this holy request and performed the ceremony in a large assembly. He knew to what a height of sanctity the Spirit of God would raise her, for His own glory and for the edification of others; and therefore he devoted whole days to the cultivation of her soul in all that pertained to the religious state. She, an eager and docile pupil, absorbed his frequent instructions with such readiness, and put them into practice with such exactness, that she filled her master with admiration. Finding her so far advanced in the interior life that she was already capable of directing and guiding others in the way of perfection, he one day summoned her parents, and addressed them in the following manner.

⁴¹ “As you,” said he, “have most generously bestowed a church and dwelling for the service of God and for the help and benefit of the faithful, so His divine Majesty has more than sufficiently repaid your charity by granting you spiritual favours, but above all by enriching your child; whom henceforth you may safely follow as a guide in the service of our blessed Redeemer. I am now called by Heaven to another place, and I leave you to the grace and goodness of God, and to the rare example of your daughter.”

⁴² Then, turning to Saint Wenefride, he said: “Our Lord, dear child, has appointed you to succeed me in my labours. Walk steadfastly in the path of virtue as I have taught you, and lead others along the road to eternal life. Gather in this very place, for your heavenly Spouse, many pure and devout virgins; yet know this also, that here you shall not end your days. For after the space of seven years, spent by you in prayer and austerity for your own merit and for the edification of others, our gracious Lord will call you to another place, that strangers also may be instructed by you and brought to the true knowledge and service of Him for whose sake you became a victim of purity.”

⁴³ When the elders of Ephesus heard Saint Paul declare to them that they should see his face no more [Acts 20:25], they fell upon his neck, and there was much weeping. In like manner, when Saint Wenefride was told by her revered master that she would see him no more in this world, a lawful sorrow seemed to overwhelm her. To comfort her in so deep an affliction, Saint Beuno took her by the hand led her to the crystalline fountain, the place of her martyrdom. There they sat together upon a stone which to this day bears the name of Saint Beuno’s Stone, and which now lies within the outer well.

⁴⁴ “Here,” said he, “you see the memorial of your sufferings. See also the stones, as it were stained with your blood, which was shed for the glory of your heavenly Spouse. Be therefore attentive, and bear in mind what I now foretell concerning three special favours by which your glorious Spouse, Jesus Christ, will hereafter honour you, and through your prayers bestow benefits upon others.

⁴⁵ “The first is this: that these bloody marks shall never be washed away from the said stones, but shall ever remain as triumphant signs of your blood, poured out in defence of your chastity. The second is this: that whoever shall devoutly ask for temporal blessings, or for deliverance from spiritual or bodily afflictions, to be obtained through your merits and intercession, shall obtain his request—if it is to the honour and glory of God—by performing his devotions three times at this well. But if what he seeks be not for the good of his soul, and therefore is not granted, then at his death, through your prayers, he shall reap more abundant fruit, and in the next world everlasting blessings. The third is this: that after my departure to a more remote part of this island, God will grant me a cell near the sea-shore; so that whenever you send letters or tokens to me—as I beg you to do at least once every year—you need only cast them into the stream of this fountain, and they will come safely to me. These wonders shall be gloriously proclaimed of you to the end of the world.”

⁴⁶ He then led her back to the church, and added: “See this church and the buildings around it, which have been raised by the generosity of your parents. These I leave to you, to be converted into a monastery of chaste and holy virgins, who, moved by your devout instruction and exemplary life, may put into practice those divine lessons which I have often imparted to you: namely, the contempt of the world and the complete renunciation of self, which are the foundations of religious perfection. Strive therefore, dear child, in all things to present yourself as a living pattern of virtue. As for me, I shall go wherever the Spirit of God directs me, and shall ever retain in my heart and soul a most fatherly and loving remembrance of you.”

⁴⁷ To experience the piercing effects of a rational sorrow is in no way derogatory to solid virtue. The Holy of Holies not only groaned but wept at the tomb of Lazarus [John 11:35], and He shed tears over Jerusalem [Luke 19:41] in view of the future calamities of that obstinate city, which would not recognise the time of its visitation. The royal prophet, a man after God’s own heart, when taking his final leave of his beloved Jonathan, wept together with him—yet David wept the more [1 Samuel 20:41]. It ought not, therefore, to seem strange that the tender heart of this sorrowful virgin was ready to break with grief at their last farewell in this world.

⁴⁸ The more Saint Beuno sought to soften this bitter separation, the more his gracious words caused her swelling sorrow to rise. So much so that when she saw him, staff in hand prepared to depart, she judged the approaching loss to be the heaviest cross upon earth, and could not refrain from addressing him thus: “Now, holy Father, I am to be left alone, like a poor orphan child without a nurse, or like a simple sheep among ravenous wolves, without a shepherd to defend me. I was ever safe with you, ever joyful in your presence, ever instructed by your exhortations, and edified by your example.”

⁴⁹ These words, accompanied by a flood of tears, so deeply afflicted Saint Beuno’s heart that, being unable to utter any reply, he merely blessed her with his hand hastened his steps at the outset of his journey.

⁵⁰ Nothing could now console her, save only the fresh remembrance of all his devout instructions and an earnest desire to carry out his commands with exact obedience. Accordingly, within a short time she gathered around her many noble and pious virgins, who observed the rules she established for them. She enjoined nothing upon others which she did not first practise herself; and miracles were not lacking to increase her authority and the esteem in which her sanctity was held. Their love and reverence for her led each to vie with the others in imitating her rare perfections. They grew weary of base pleasures, they set little store by wealth and honours, and they seemed to dwell already in a kind of earthly paradise, in loving and serving their heavenly Spouse, the Son of God.

⁵¹ She governed those under her care with gentle and winning commands, so that they obeyed with equal merit and contentment. She relieved them in their difficulties and temptations; so that, observing her severe mortification, her angelic purity, and knowing the close union she enjoyed with God in prayer, whatever she declared to them was received as an oracle from Heaven.

⁵² The spreading fame of Saint Wenefride was greatly increased by the miraculous cures of the sick, which were frequent, manifest, and soon reported throughout other parts of Wales. Many came in crowds from distant places to hear her discourse and to receive instruction; and she dismissed them with hearts enkindled and with ardent desires to be faithful and fervent in the service of their God. They lamented the necessity of returning to their own homes; and as the Queen of Sheba stood in wonder at the singular wisdom of Solomon, so these admiring visitors extolled the constant happiness of the virgins under her care, and blessed those who always stood before her [1 Kings 10:8], having so sure a mistress and so tender a mother.

⁵³ Gratitude for favours received is not only a moral virtue, but the eternal occupation of the Cherubim and Seraphim, who now adore and offer unceasing thanks to the infinite goodness of their omnipotent Creator, who called them forth from the chaos of nothingness. Saint Wenefride possessed a most grateful soul. She honoured Saint Beuno as an eminent servant of God; she loved him as a father; she revered him as a master; and she could never sufficiently acknowledge her debt to her greatest benefactor after Him who had given her being. Saint Beuno had imparted to her the first rudiments of perfection; he had urged her to embrace the religious state; he had obtained for her, by his prayers, a second life; and he had so formed her interior life that she became pleasing in the sight of both God and men.

⁵⁴ To make some small return, she sent him every year a token, in the manner he himself had prescribed. At the beginning of May, almost a year after his departure, with the assistance of her religious sisters, she completed a finely embroidered vestment; and, wrapping it in a woollen cloth, she went down with her community and others to the side of the well. Casting the bundle into the water, she said: “Holy Father, according to your command my promise, I send you this small token of my love.” To the great astonishment of the many who stood by, it passed down the stream into the river, then into the sea, and at length came ashore near the monastery where Saint Beuno then dwelt, many miles distant from the holy fountain.

⁵⁵ The holy Man was then walking along the sea shore, and wondered what the bundle might be; but when he opened it, he remembered the charge he had given to St. Wenefride, and how, just as he had foretold, it had come to him miraculously, without the least sign of wetness or moisture. This vestment he preserved with great care in the Church for the celebration of holy Mass. He also received clearer insight into her present and future sanctity, and how greatly Almighty God would be honoured through her, not only at Finhon but in other places to which Divine Providence would direct her steps. The Virgin never failed to send him a yearly gift, until his most happy death was revealed to her, together with the glorious reward with which he was crowned in Heaven [2 Timothy 4:8].

⁵⁶ This last passage may seem, to incredulous scoffers, the most astonishing of all those found in the history of St. Wenefride’s life. Therefore Divine Providence saw fit to preserve the memory of it even to this very day, and in the following manner. In Carnarvonshire, eight miles distant from the town of Carnarvon, there is a small creek into which the sea flows, called in Welsh Porthy Casseg (a corrupted form, as I could show in other place-names), properly Porth y Cassul, that is, the Port of the Vestment. Here the first gift of our Saint miraculously came ashore, and the place retains the name to this day. Near this inlet stands a large parish church called Clynnog, where St. Beuno was buried, his first-founded monastery having been there. His tomb still exists and is held in great veneration by the inhabitants. The history of St. Wenefride’s life was once finely represented in the glass windows of Clynnog Church, but these have been so defaced that little now remains.

⁵⁷ What could be more persuasive in winning belief for this miracle than so ancient and so certain a tradition, even among those who exert their utmost efforts to destroy the memory of miracles? The Port of the Vestment answers the objection from the year 660 down to that of 1712. Since Apostolical Tradition is the unwritten Word of God, and through it we receive the holy Scriptures and their sacred interpretation and true sense, in matters such as infant Baptism, let it be permitted me to say that, so far as human faith is concerned, an uninterrupted tradition handed down from father to son through so many centuries is a clearer attestation of fact than if it had been recorded in written history.

⁵⁸ After St. Beuno’s decease, St. Wenefride began to feel within her soul clear illuminations and strong impulses to depart from the monastery where she then lived. She had the comfort of seeing her community so firmly grounded in perfection that her presence was no longer necessary. Therefore, at the end of the seventh year of her governance, as the Saint had foretold to her, she took leave of her spiritual children and of her loving parents. It is easy to imagine that, just as the Virgin Martyr had endured a severe trial at the departure of St. Beuno, whom she called her father, so in the same manner these noble religious virgins were filled with heavy hearts and flowing tears when they learned that their dearest Mother was fully resolved to leave them.

⁵⁹ To calm and console them, she declared that this was the Will of God, and that as they had submitted themselves to her, so they ought now to show undisturbed obedience to their heavenly Spouse; that all things ought to be welcome when they come from His fatherly Hand are appointed by infinite Wisdom. Thus, having completed the necessary arrangements, she embraced each of the sisters and chose one of them as a companion on her journey. Before her departure, she went down to visit the place of her martyrdom, where, falling upon her knees in fervent prayer, she humbly begged the Creator of Heaven and Earth to direct her in this new pilgrimage, and likewise to increase His blessings upon those who, in a devout manner, should visit that well where, for His honour, she had suffered the loss of her life. The many miracles in subsequent ages bore clear testimony that her charitable petition received the gracious assent of Him who is the Bestower of all good gifts [James 1:17].

⁶⁰ St. Wenefride, having commended to God her monastery of Finhon, her parents, and her friends, was then directed by Divine Providence to the cell of the blessed Deifer, eight miles distant from the Holy Well. This recluse was greatly favoured by God, and Robert, Prior of Shrewsbury, recounts several manifest miracles worked by him, which for brevity are here omitted, my sole intention being to set forth the merits of our glorious Patroness of Wales. The holy man told her that God had made nothing known to him as yet concerning her journey, but added: “Have patience this neart, and I will inquire after His blessed pleasure.” St. Deifer, spending the night in prayer according to his custom, heard a voice towards morning which said: “Tell my dear virgin daughter Wenefride that she must go at once to the village of Henthlant, where the venerable Saturnus will fully instruct her concerning the place of her abode during life.” Deifer made known to her this commission, and likewise assured her that this holy neighbour, as he called him, would be enabled from Heaven not only to satisfy her as to where she should settle, but also to inform her of other matters relating to herself. After this, he directed her on the way to St. Saturnus.

⁶¹ It pleased Almighty God to honour the Virgin’s progress by revealing it, together with the purpose of her journey, to several Saints. Among the rest was St. Saturnus, who gave her a charitable reception at Heathlant. A great part of that night they spent together in prayer and holy discourse, and to her great consolation he entertained her with many spiritual instructions. In the morning he told her that there was a place not far away, called Witheriac (now commonly Gaitherin), which was enriched with the precious relics of many glorious Saints who had lived and died there, and for this reason was held in high reverence by devout people. “This place,” said he, “is appointed for you by Divine Providence as your temporal dwelling upon earth. You will find there a holy Abbot named Elerius, of such great mortification and such close union with God in prayer, that he is entirely dead to the world [Galatians 6:14]. I am commanded to send you to this man, and further to make known to you that under his guidance you will enjoy a heavenly tranquillity of mind. You will also find there a monastery of chaste virgins, who from their very infancy have been trained in solid virtue. You are destined by Heaven to advance them further in perfection by your example and instructions. In the course of time these religious women will submit themselves to you as to a Mother and Abbess, who is sent to them by their heavenly Spouse.”

⁶² St. Wenefride was filled with joy on hearing this pleasing account of a happiness so near at hand. She humbly begged his blessing and directions for completing her journey. The holy man, out of respect and reverence, himself accompanied her part of the way; and at their parting he gave her his blessing and instructed his deacon to conduct her to St. Elerius. It was no small consolation to her that she was travelling towards a monastery of pure virgins, and that she would there enjoy their angelical conversation.

⁶³ Guicherin is now a village, whatever it may have been in former times, in Denbighshire, near the River Cluide, which separates that county from Flintshire. Here St. Elerius had his monastery in a vale called Vallis Clutina, where several religious persons of both sexes embraced his institute and followed his example.

⁶⁴ The holy Abbot had received a revelation of her coming and of her distinguished merits; therefore, to honour her, he went out to meet her at some distance and led her to the church. After they had prayed together for a time, he took her aside from the deacon and her companion, and told her that he was no stranger to that heroic act of suffering a violent death in order to preserve her virginity; that the miraculous fountain was a clear testimony of it; and that he would willingly assist her in fulfilling the designs of His Divine Majesty for which this journey had been appointed. The Virgin replied that, as far as she herself was concerned, she had only this to offer: that as he had been guided by God’s Holy Spirit to be found by her, so in the future course of her life she would remain an obedient child in hearing and observing his directions.

⁶⁵ The holy Abbot was greatly edified by this humble and modest reply. He told her that, if she so wished, they would spend that night in prayer, for greater assurance in so important a matter. This they did; and he, having received clearer light from Heaven, was filled with unspeakable joy, and told her in the morning that Almighty God would not fail to increase His fatherly love towards her. Saying no more, he led her out of the church to the monastery under his care, and addressed the religious virgins in these words: “Rejoice, dear children of God, for it has pleased your heavenly Spouse to send a new star of wondrous brightness to shine among you [Matthew 2:2]. He has provided you with such a companion as will enrich your souls with the treasure of religious perfection by the example she will set before you. This is the renowned Virgin Wenefride, who, as you have heard, suffered a glorious death in defence of her chastity. This is she whose triumphs are proclaimed in churches, and whose trophies adorn the land in which she lived. Rejoice, therefore, for she has come to remain and to end her days among you. Happy is her arrival. Guard carefully this inestimable treasure. Observe and imitate the example she will show you, and attend to the spiritual instructions she will impart, for it is for this purpose that Christ has sent her.”

⁶⁶ Having spoken thus to the community at large, he then addressed the venerable Abbess Theonia in these few words: “To you, dear Mother, in a more particular manner, I commend the respectful reception of this sacred Spouse of Christ, who, by directing her here, has shown a special favour and blessing to your household.” After this he withdrew, leaving St. Wenefride among them, blushing and, as it were, overwhelmed beneath the weight of her own praises.

⁶⁷ Not only Abbess Theonia, who was a very holy woman, but St. Elerius also held frequent private conferences with St. Wenefride; and as they spoke together of heavenly mysteries and virtuous practices, they found her so clearly enlightened in the former and so firmly grounded in the latter that they both marvelled at the rich treasury of her soul. When the Abbot returned to his monks, who lived not far away in austere discipline, it was his custom to extol the merits of this stranger, and he seemed unable to express all that was due to her.

⁶⁸ At length the fame of her sanctity was so widely spread that great crowds of every rank flocked to Guitherin to see a noble and courageous woman who, to preserve her virginity, had suffered the loss of her head, and who after death, to the greater glory of her Spouse, had been restored to life through the prayer of a holy man [Acts 9:40]. They pressed her to show them the pure white circle about her neck, which she carefully declined to do, until at the request of her sisters she yielded to their pious desire, lest she should seem to make a display even of humility. The sight of this glorious scar drew tears of compunction from their eyes, as they reflected how heroically and with what fortitude she had received the mortal wound from the sword of the cruel Cradocus rather than offend her God even once, and how often they themselves had shown their weakness by yielding to the first suggestions of the infernal enemy [Genesis 3:1] and to the shameful proposals of a wicked companion.

⁶⁹ St. Elerius, going one day to the monastery to visit the living Martyr and to confer with her on spiritual matters, happened in their discourse to touch upon the happiness of a holy death. He told her that he often took comfort in the thought of having her near him when he should lie upon his deathbed, and that after his departure her prayers would bring relief to his soul. “No, Father,” she replied prophetically, “Christ has ordained otherwise. You shall live to bury our dear Mother Theonia, and a few years later to bury me; then, after some further time has passed, you yourself shall depart from this transitory world and go to Him, of whose Kingdom there shall be no end” [Luke 1:33]. All this came to pass exactly as the Saint foretold.

⁷⁰ Soon after this prediction, Theonia was visited with her final illness; and perceiving herself to be near her end, she received from the hands of Elerius the Blessed Sacrament as her Viaticum, to conduct her safely towards Heaven [John 6:54]. The religious were gathered on their knees around her bed, weeping bitterly for the loss they foresaw, but she comforted them in this manner: “Children, tears are not to be shed for friends, nor for ourselves, unless some evil or misfortune has befallen us. Our present case bears no such appearance. As for myself, I am hastening, as I trust, to my heavenly Spouse, who now calls me to Himself. As for you, blessed Wenefride, a holier Mother will succeed me, who by word and example will advance you further in perfection. Follow her steps, and you will neither wander nor go astray” [Proverbs 3:6]. Having spoken thus, and being utterly spent, she breathed forth her pure and precious soul.

⁷¹ Her obsequies were solemnly and Christianly performed by St. Elerius, who then appointed St. Wenefride Abbess to govern the monastery. Her profound humility inclined her to refuse so heavy a charge; but the obedience she had promised the holy Abbot, together with the repeated petitions of the sisters, overcame her natural reluctance, and at length brought her to consent.

⁷² The delicate art of governing many, whose temperaments and dispositions differ as widely as the features of their faces, is attended with such great difficulties that Solomon himself, when favoured and honoured by the Almighty with that boundless offer, Ask what you will, that I may give it you, did not ask for riches or glory, but for the gift most necessary to rule a great people: wisdom, and a docile heart [1 Kings 3:5–9]. St. Wenefride was naturally prudent, and her Spouse bestowed upon her an extraordinary talent for governing, so that the success she desired fully answered expectation. He blessed that head with supernatural wisdom which had once been sacrificed to His honour. She made use of the same principles and methods at Guitherin as she had formerly practised at Finhon. Her commands were conveyed with such affability and discretion that they seemed to her subjects rather so many entreaties. She constantly went before the rest in the most laborious duties of the monastery; and although the dignity of her office required a due reserve, she not only conversed with her sisters as with equals, but also regarded herself as the least deserving member of the whole community [Philippians 2:3]. She possessed the true spirit of poverty, and was so averse to superfluities that she scarcely allowed herself even what was necessary. She was most strict in abstinence, and patience had taken such complete possession of her heart that not the slightest entrance was left open to anger or other disordered passions. Her prayer was continual, save when interrupted by works of charity and the needful repose of sleep. She was frequently favoured with raptures and ecstasies. She never uttered a word tending to her own praise, and was sensibly distressed whenever others spoke anything in her commendation.

⁷³ The blessed Martyr daily impressed upon her sisters that they should always keep before their eyes the great example of their dear Redeemer, and strive to copy those virtues which He practised in order both to instruct and to save them; that they ought to cultivate purity of intention in all their actions, serving God for His own sake alone [Colossians 3:23]. She earnestly recommended fortitude and perseverance as strong armour for overcoming every kind of temptation; and that they should not be dismayed in these spiritual conflicts, since by victory they would obtain the crown [James 1:12]. Prayer, she said, when rightly performed, enlarged their souls and opened a way for Divine grace, which enabled them to undertake noble deeds for their God [Psalm 119:32]. It is needless to dwell upon her angelic purity; the flowing fountain itself seems to proclaim that she would rather have shed streams of blood than consent to a single thought prejudicial to her consecrated virginity.

⁷⁴ It was observed that whenever she exhorted the religious, a depth of heavenly wisdom shone forth in her words, which inflamed her hearers with the love of Jesus. She was endowed with a special gift for discerning temptations and for applying fitting remedies to defeat the enemy [1 Corinthians 10:13]. Not only lay people, but even religious men and prelates, derived great benefit from conversing with her. Many resorted to Guitherin from all parts of the province; and what is yet more remarkable, notorious thieves and hardened offenders were reclaimed from their evil ways by her powerful counsel and irresistible remonstrances.

⁷⁵ Almighty God was pleased to make known by signs and miracles how greatly St. Wenefride stood in His Divine favour. Scarcely a day passed in which, by sudden cures of desperate ailments, she did not bring comfort to downcast and despairing sufferers. Her monastery became a common refuge for the afflicted, and she herself was like a tender mother to the unfortunate. Her heroic virtues were the universal subject of conversation in private households, and the fame of her miracles was proclaimed from the pulpits of churches. St. Elerius, who was best acquainted with her merits, openly declared that Providence had directed her to Guitherin for the honour and benefit of them all; but from human applause, which she abhorred to the utmost degree, she was summoned by a revelation to the immortal glory of the Angels [Luke 1:52].

⁷⁶ The Saint, being thus forewarned of her long-desired departure, received the welcome tidings with such transports of joy that for whole days and nights she was wrapped in ecstasies [Philippians 1:23]. She had made it her constant endeavour to forget, as far as possible, whatever she had done or suffered for her dear Lord; and therefore, like one preparing for a long journey, she laid in necessary provisions as though nothing had yet been accomplished in the course of her holy life [Luke 17:10]. She redoubled her fasts and other austerities, and wearied herself in the laborious exercises of unceasing charity towards her sisters and towards all who came to her. Despite her angelic interior life and her uninterrupted union with her Divine Spouse, she abased herself as one unworthy of His presence [Psalm 131:1].

⁷⁷ That she might not take the community by surprise by leaving them after a short illness, she first disclosed to St. Elerius the summons she had received from her Redeemer, and afterwards made it known to her beloved sisters, whose sorrow was scarcely less intense than the jubilation in which she herself was absorbed, through the certain assurance that she would soon pass to her Lord and Master [John 14:2–3]. They wept and lamented; but she comforted them in this manner:

⁷⁸ “Weep not, dear children, but conform your wills to the pleasure of your Creator. Doubt not that in Heaven, to which through the mercies of God I am going, I shall be more serviceable to you by my prayers than here on earth by my presence. For that Land of Promise is not a place of ignorance, but of clear knowledge, where the Blessed understand the needs of their friends on earth; and being united in the fountain-head of infinite charity, they are both able and ready to obtain swift help for their relief [Wisdom 7:27; Hebrews 12:1]. This I promise to do for you, my dear children, after Christ shall have received me into His Kingdom. You must not grieve like those who have no hope [1 Thessalonians 4:13]. To worldly sinners, who by their sinful lives dread the sight of a terrible Judge, death appears as a cruel executioner, dragging them before a fearful tribunal; but to innocent and holy souls death is welcomed as a kindly guest, finding them ready to embrace him with joy. They are like those who wait for their Lord when he returns from the wedding feast, ready to go with him [Luke 12:36]; and thus, through God’s mercy, I trust that I am now prepared for the heavenly journey, to enter into the joy of my Lord” [Matthew 25:21].

⁷⁹ Her final sickness began with frequent and violent convulsions, which she endured with unparalleled patience. The lively hope of soon seeing her heavenly Spouse sweetened all her acute sufferings; yet, knowing that the crafty tempter is most fierce in the decisive conflict, she earnestly and repeatedly implored our Lord not to permit the infernal enemy to terrify her in her last agony [1 Peter 5:8]. She exhorted all who came to visit her to make timely preparation for that dreadful hour on which eternal happiness or everlasting misery depends [Matthew 25:46].

⁸⁰ At the beginning of November, finding her strength utterly exhausted and perceiving that her dissolution was close at hand, she sent for her confessor, and was by him strengthened with the holy Sacrament of the Church [James 5:14]. Seeing the religious on their knees around her bed, bathed in tears, she said: “Dear children, rather rejoice with me than grieve so deeply at my approaching happiness. I trust that before long I shall enjoy in Heaven Him whom I have ardently loved upon earth [1 Corinthians 13:12]. Preserve inviolate the promise you have made to Him. Set little value on the base and sordid pleasures of this transitory world [1 John 2:15–17]. Remember that your bodies, though beautiful and in their prime, are no more than frail prisons which for a time confine your immortal souls [Wisdom 9:15]. Take great care never to defile them, and never forget this important lesson: that the heavenly consolation and joy which pure souls experience upon their deathbed far outweigh all the riches, pleasures, and honours of the world, which they have despised and abandoned for the service and love of Jesus Christ” [Romans 8:18].

⁸¹ The Saint, as though she knew the very moment of her departure, took her final leave and blessing of the holy Elerius, hoping that they would soon meet again in Heaven, never more to fear any separation [Revelation 21:4]. She humbly requested that her body might be buried near that of Theonia, her holy Mother. Then, in a pure act of intense love of God, on the third of November, she breathed forth her thrice-happy soul into the hands of her blessed Redeemer [Luke 23:46].

⁸² Elerius, perceiving that she had expired, as did also the religious who were kneeling beside her bed, heard their deep sighs proclaim the greatness of their loss. The holy Abbot found himself obliged to restrain his own grief, that he might more effectually console them, declaring that she had only gone before them into Heaven, and that they must prepare to follow after her; that she was now gloriously united to her God, and that by her prayers she would powerfully assist them [Hebrews 12:1]. Her body was little altered in comeliness by death; and as she had desired, it was solemnly laid to rest near Theonia’s, together with many other Saints who had been buried there before her. Among these were Cheb and Sennan, the one laid at her head and the other at her side. Both were renowned for sanctity and miracles, and churches had been raised to their memory. Yet although the bodies of these two, and of many other Saints committed to that holy ground, drew devout people there, the place was chiefly revered and honoured for the sepulchre of St. Wenefride, which was afterwards distinguished by a long series of manifest miracles.

⁸³ Not long after this, St. Elerius himself, by a happy death, completed his course and went to receive the eternal reward of his apostolic labours [2 Timothy 4:7–8]. His body was buried in a church erected to his name and memory, where it pleased Almighty God to work miraculous cures, in testimony to his sanctity on earth and to the power of his prayers in Heaven.

⁸⁴ The Omnipotent, who has assured mortals by His divine promise that those who glorify Him He will in turn glorify, most eminently fulfilled this in St. Wenefride, both living and dead [1 Samuel 2:30]. She glorified her Creator in her tender years by consecrating to Him her spotless virginity. She glorified Him, like St. Agatha and St. Agnes, by the cheerful offering of her head, in order to preserve untainted fidelity to her heavenly Spouse. She glorified Him by withdrawing noble virgins from a corrupting world and raising their souls to the pure love of God, instructing them in the true spirit of humility and mortification. In short, she glorified Him throughout the whole course of her life in every aspect of religious perfection, not only in what concerned those under her care, but also the laity at large. On the other hand, the Almighty has glorified her down to the present age, from the year 660; for, according to St. Beuno’s prediction, there has been no cessation of miracles, bearing witness to her eminent sanctity and to how precious her soul is in the sight of her Maker.

⁸⁵ It is true that this humble Virgin was accustomed to blush and shed tears at the first sound of her own praises, and therefore desired, and obtained, permission to withdraw from Finhon, to live in obscurity, as she resolved, far from the frothy noise of acclamations which she could not avoid at the place of her martyrdom. Such was her pious design; but the design of Heaven was to glorify her at Guitherin. For as God commanded a torrent to spring forth in that dry valley where her blood-stained head first touched the ground [Exodus 17:6], so at her sepulchre He refused no petition offered by her devoted supplicants.

⁸⁶ The historians of her life, St. Elerius and Salopiensis, judged that it would be a task fit to swell volumes were they to record all the wonders worked at her shrine and fountain. They therefore thought it sufficient to inform the reader that the blind, lepers, and persons afflicted with many other diseases were perfectly cured by drinking the water or bathing themselves in the Holy Well [Acts 19:11–12]. Its fame became so great that tender mothers made no difficulty of casting their sickly children into the stream, which proved a speedy remedy. Those who lived at a great distance and were tormented with agues or burning fevers caused the water to be brought to them, and drank of it as a sure means of relief in their maladies. Others, living in very remote places, were accustomed to place one of the small blood-stained stones taken from the well into ordinary spring water, and by this means they were cured [2 Kings 13:21]. It is said that the Virgin Martyr herself first prescribed the use of this latter remedy; for after her second death she appeared to many who, being afflicted with dangerous illnesses, devoutly invoked her aid, and she directed them, for their speedy recovery, to apply the water and stones of the well in the manner described. Those who suffered from swellings or long-standing sores bathed the affected parts, and experienced immediate relief.

⁸⁷ At this wondrous spring, miracles were worked almost daily, in accordance with the petition she had made to God before she left Finhon: that He would deign both to bless bodily and to sanctify spiritually all those who, in future ages, should devoutly visit her fountain and there acknowledge the many benefits with which He had favoured her. Frequent miracles were likewise worked at her tomb: multitudes of sick persons were perfectly restored by praying there and by kissing the earth in which her sacred remains were laid.

⁸⁸ The holy author of the life and death of St. Wenefride was not content with a general account of miraculous cures, but descended to particulars, that unbelieving posterity might be brought to give credit to what he recorded concerning these daily wonders. I shall touch upon two or three only, and with brevity. From the beginning of the world it has not been heard that any man opened the eyes of one born blind, unless this man were of God [John 9:32]. This bore witness to the omnipotence of the long-expected Messiah; and a like favour, granted soon after our Saint’s death, gave wings to the fame of her sanctity and power in Heaven, and spread it throughout the western provinces of Britain.

⁸⁹ A poor carpenter, dwelling not far from St. Wenefride’s Well, had a daughter born blind. As she grew up and groaned under this temporal affliction, and as she heard continual reports of many miraculous cures worked at that fountain, she daily implored her father to take her there. At length this was granted. When she arrived at the place, she bathed her head in the water and was then led to the chapel near the well. There she spent the whole night in prayer, begging God, through the merits and intercession of St. Wenefride, who had been martyred for His love, to bestow upon her bodily sight, that she might serve Him more perfectly and become an eyewitness to the wonders He worked in that place. Towards morning she fell into a gentle sleep, and when she opened her eyes she found herself blessed with perfect sight. This miracle, being public and undeniable, gave rise to renewed veneration for the Holy Well, and was spread far and wide, to the honour of Him who is glorified in His Saints [Psalm 68:35].

⁹⁰ The Saint’s privilege was not confined to her well and chapel; the surrounding places also enjoyed, as it were, a kind of sanctuary under her protection. A striking proof this appeared in what befell certain thieves who stole a cow from a pasture near St. Wenefride’s chapel. The robbers drove the animal over rocky ground, thinking thereby to avoid being tracked; but the event proved otherwise. For the cow did not set one foot down without leaving a deep impression in the stones, as though she had been walking upon soft clay. The footprints of the thieves themselves were likewise so plainly marked that, when the owner missed his beast the following morning, he and his neighbours followed the miraculous trail. The robbers, perceiving their pursuers close at hand, fled with all speed and abandoned the stolen animal to its rightful owner. It was afterwards observed at leisure that the cow had left clear and distinct prints of her feet while she was being driven away, but that no impression at all appeared once she was recovered and being led home. Great crowds gathered to view these marks in the stones, and the miracle was widely reported. The thieves themselves, fearing lest some severe judgement might befall them as a warning to others [Genesis 4:10], came penitently to the Martyr’s altar, confessed their sin, and exhorted all people to beware of committing the like offence.

⁹¹ See a further example, yet more terrible. A messenger, sent by a principal lord of that region to give his neighbours timely warning of an approaching danger from the bordering Saxons, who were continually waging war against them, was waylaid by thieves and pursued as far as St. Wenefride’s church, to which he fled as to a secure sanctuary [Psalm 46:1]. The messenger fastened his horse near the door; the thieves took it away, not daring to pursue him to the altar, where he stood seeking refuge. After their departure, the messenger came out, and finding that his horse had been carried off, he returned into the church and, prostrate before the Saint’s altar, made a devout complaint: that he himself had indeed suffered a considerable loss, but that she had been far more grievously wronged; that the authors of the crime deserved exemplary punishment, so that others might be deterred from violating the safety of her sanctuary and the reverence due to it [Numbers 35:26–27].

⁹² His appeal was accepted by Divine Justice. For the thief who had untied the horse and had it in his possession was suddenly seized throughout his whole body with such violent pains that he frequently cried out for death to release him from his torment [Job 33:19–22]. After a few days his right arm, which had been the instrument of his sin, began to swell, then to corrupt and rot in a loathsome manner. This affliction brought understanding to one who had neglected conscience in the time of health [Psalm 119:71]. Whereupon he came to her church and, with many tears, begged the Saint’s pardon for his insolence and for the injury he had done her. He became a true penitent; and this humiliation so well deserved her favour that, by degrees, he was healed of his painful ulcer [Luke 19:8–9]. He praised God for His mercy and St. Wenefride for her compassion, and went on to warn others not to offend against the sanctity of the place, nor to trouble the Saint’s clients, who in their distress fled to her for help.

⁹³ Take another instance, in a passage which may seem of lesser moment. A labourer presumed to cut off, for his own use, a branch from an old oak growing near the door of Guitherin church. This tree provided a convenient shade for devout pilgrims when the concourse was so great that they were obliged to remain outside and to pray beneath it. No sooner had he struck his axe into the branch than it became immovably fixed there; and just as the hand of Jeroboam withered when he stretched it out to command the seizure of the man of God, so that he was unable to draw it back [1 Kings 13:4], so this poor man’s hand arm clung so fast to the handle of the axe that, with all his strength, he could not separate them. Again and again he attempted in vain to release his grip; and finding himself in this astonishing distress, he cried aloud for help. Some people nearby heard his lamentable cries and ran to the spot, marvelling at the prodigy. They exhorted him to repent and to beg the Saint’s pardon and prayers, which he did; and at the same time they all cried out together, “Holy Wenefride, take pity on him!” At these words his hand arm were set free and restored to their former use. The cut made in the branch was afterwards shown to Robert, Prior of Shrewsbury, when he came to translate her sacred relics, an account of which I shall now give, together with the occasion of their removal.

⁹⁴ In the reign of King William the Conqueror, a leading earl of his court, named Roger, built a splendid monastery at Shrewsbury, to the glory of God and the benefit of that city, endowing it with ample revenues. When an abbot and his monks had been settled there, they began to lament the lack of holy relics in their new church, whereas Wales abounded in them, since many eminent Saints of both sexes had formerly flourished in those regions, renowned alike for sanctity and for the grace of miracles. They therefore began to consider and consult among themselves which Saint’s body they might obtain, so as to bring a blessing upon their religious community.

⁹⁵ While they were engaged in this deliberation, a monk of their monastery fell dangerously ill and, moreover, became so disturbed in mind that his brethren, both at Shrewsbury and at Chester, did not cease to commend his recovery to Almighty God. One day, after the virtuous sub-prior of Chester Abbey had finished praying for this afflicted man, he fell into an unusual sleep. There appeared to him a woman clothed in glorious attire, who said: “If you desire the sick man’s recovery, let one of you go and offer a Mass for him in the chapel near St. Wenefride’s Well, and he shall presently be restored.” Having said this, she vanished from his sight.

⁹⁶ The sub-prior, Radulphus by name, awoke in great astonishment, but was reluctant to speak of the vision, fearing that it would not be believed. Yet when he learned that his brother’s illness had grown more desperate, charity compelled him to relate what he had seen. All the religious were of the opinion that St. Wenefride herself had given these instructions. Accordingly, they immediately sent two of their number, who celebrated holy Mass in her chapel; and at that very time, as was afterwards carefully noted, the monk at Shrewsbury was restored to perfect health. On this account, both he and the rest of the community became ever more devoted to the Virgin Martyr.

⁹⁷ Robert of Shrewsbury devotes seven chapters to describing the measures taken to ensure that so happy an outcome might crown their zealous intention. I shall give an epitome, yet omit nothing that appears to me of real importance. The Abbot and monks of Shrewsbury persevered with great constancy for many years in their earnest desires and fervent prayers to obtain the treasure of St. Wenefride’s sacred relics. In the reign of King Henry the First a grant of them was made, but owing to the many disturbances which followed that king’s death in that region, the matter was not carried through until the second year of the reign of King Stephen. At that time Abbot Herbert, after consultation with his monks, deputed Robert, his prior, and Richard, an eminent monk of the same monastery, to travel into Wales and bring back the relics with them.

⁹⁸ To facilitate the undertaking, several letters were sent ahead of them to friends in those parts before their departure. On their journey they visited the Bishop of Bangor, who directed them to a principal lord ruling in that country, in whose territory the blessed body was kept. When the nobleman learned the purpose of their coming, he received them courteously and said that without doubt God and the holy Martyr herself had sent them to translate her body to a place where it would be more honoured. “I not only give my consent,” he added, “but I will also send my servants to assist you. Were I not unavoidably detained by matters of importance, I would venture to go with you in person, and with my own unworthy hands deliver to you those sacred pledges of sanctity.”

⁹⁹ This gracious speech greatly heartened the anxious travellers, who were seven in number: namely, the two priors of Shrewsbury and Chester, Richard the monk, a devout priest native to that country, and three attendants. They set out towards the Saint’s sepulchre; but as they drew near to Guitherin, they encountered a man whose words cast them into dejection, though not into despair of success. He informed them plainly and firmly that the inhabitants, having learned both of their arrival and of their purpose, were fully resolved to oppose them; that no favour nor power of any mortal would induce them to allow the body of their chief Saint, the Patroness of their land, to be carried away by strangers.

¹⁰⁰ These few words so greatly disheartened them that it seemed necessary to receive encouragement from Heaven. Prior Robert remained hidden in a farmer’s house, and sent the Prior of Chester and the other priest on to Guitherin, as they were men of standing and well known in that country. When Robert rose at his usual hour to say Matins, he was informed by a devout man of his company that during the night a glorious Virgin had appeared to him, and had commanded him to tell the anxious Prior that he would successfully accomplish the purpose for which he had come, through her assistance whose honour he had undertaken to defend. Robert, somewhat comforted by this account, and after finishing Matins, fell into a light sleep, and seemed to see a former holy Abbot of his own monastery, named Godfrey, who thus encouraged him: “Banish all fear, Brother Robert, of failing in your design. Take courage; for with God’s help we shall overcome those who oppose us, and shall obtain what for so many years we have earnestly desired.” This was more than sufficient to animate him to pursue his journey, especially as the other Prior soon sent a messenger urging him to hasten forward, since God had prospered their undertaking.

¹⁰¹ Having arrived early in the morning at Gaitherin church, and having prayed for some time before her body, the parish priest came to them and greeted them kindly. They humbly begged his charitable assistance in obtaining the Saint’s holy relics, which he readily granted, saying that even before their arrival he had known this to be the Will of God. “For,” said he, “on Easter Eve last I had a vision in this very place. As I was settling myself to rest, a beautiful young man appeared to me, commanding me to rise.” I answered that it was not yet the hour for Matins, and so he left me. Returning a second time, when I was more heavily overcome by sleep, he again told me to rise; but being exceedingly drowsy, I replied that I would rise at the proper time, and covering my head with my cloak, fell asleep once more. At the third visit he violently pulled away my cloak, ordering me to follow him without delay, which I did, greatly afraid. He led me to the Saint’s shrine, and pointing to it with his finger, said: “Mark well this place, and also my words. I command you that if, some months hence, men shall come to open this sepulchre and to carry away with them the Saint’s body, you shall not hinder them in their holy purpose, but assist them to the utmost of your power; lest, by resisting, you be punished, as I foretell you, for your disobedience, with some incurable sickness” [Acts 12:7–8; Luke 24:4–7]. After this, the Angel vanished from my sight.

¹⁰² The good pastor was not wanting in the duty that had thus been made known to him. He disposed the leading men of the village to submit to the Will of God, and ordered the parishioners to assemble in the church. When Prior Robert saw so numerous a gathering, he addressed them through an interpreter in this manner: that he and his companions had come there by Divine appointment to ask for the body of St. Wenefride, that it might be honoured in their city and monastery, both of which were greatly devoted to her; that the Virgin herself, as their pastor there present well knew, had made her will known by visions; and that she could not but be displeased with those who should presume to oppose what she so clearly desired to be done [Acts 5:39].

¹⁰³ Great attention was given to his words, and the people seemed much inclined to grant the pious request. One man alone opposed the proposal, and with a loud and contentious voice declared that they should never, with his consent, be deprived of so great a treasure; that the Saint had lived holily and died in that place; that her relics were honoured by them as they had been by their forefathers; and that Almighty God had approved the devotion of the people at her shrine by frequent miracles. This man was of a covetous disposition, and his vehemence proceeded not from zeal for piety, but from motives of gain [1 Timothy 6:10]. Nevertheless, after much deliberation, they at length all unanimously agreed that the body of St. Wenefride should be delivered to the monks, to be translated to Shrewsbury.

¹⁰⁴ The Prior and his companions returned their most humble thanks, and without delay asked leave to enter the holy isle where the Saint’s shrine had for many ages been visited by devout pilgrims. When Robert and his company came before the sacred relics, they joyfully sang psalms of thanksgiving to Almighty God [Psalm 107:1]. They reverently wrapped her bones in the finest linen which they had brought for that purpose; and after renewing their expressions of gratitude to the pastor and to the inhabitants, they set out that very night towards Shropshire. On their homeward journey they cured a sick man who was grievously afflicted with a violent disorder, by placing a little of the earth taken from St. Wenefride’s tomb into water and giving him to drink. This manifest miracle increased still further the veneration shown to those sacred relics [Acts 19:11–12].

¹⁰⁵ Prior Robert gave timely notice to his Abbot that they were close at hand with the long-desired treasure, and received orders to deposit it in St. Giles’s Church, which stood near the gate of the city, so that the body might afterwards be brought to the monastery with greater solemnity, in a public procession of the Bishop, clergy, and people [2 Samuel 6:12–15]. During its stay there, monks were appointed in turn to pray day and night before the altar on which the Virgin’s bones were laid [Luke 18:7]. Great numbers of the citizens of Shrewsbury joined them in prayer, and mutually congratulated one another on the happiness of possessing so powerful a Patroness. St. Wenefride was not slow to repay this devout reception, showing by several miracles how acceptable it was to her; of which the following is particularly remarkable.

¹⁰⁶ A young man had long lain in a pitiable condition; for his limbs were so drawn and contracted that he could not set one foot before the other, and his head was bent so far down towards his knees that he could not raise it, nor lift his eyes towards Heaven. He begged to be carried to St. Giles’s Church and to be placed before the altar on which the sacred relics rested. There he spent the whole night in prayer, imploring God, through the merits and intercession of St. Wenefride, to restore him to health. Towards morning he fell into a gentle sleep; and before the priest came to celebrate the first Mass of the day, he awoke and found himself perfectly cured. This filled the entire city with amazement, seeing him walk as freely and easily as any of the other inhabitants.

¹⁰⁷ A day was appointed by the Bishop for conveying the sacred relics from St. Giles’s Church to the monastery. Notice was given both in town and countryside, together with the declaration that all who assisted at, or were present for, the procession would not only receive the Bishop’s blessing but would also gain indulgences granted on account of the solemnity. The widespread fame of the miracles and of St. Wenefride’s sanctity drew together a vast multitude, who appeared in their best attire to honour that joyful day. Shortly before the procession was to set out, the sky darkened with heavy clouds and threatened immediate rain. This impending storm greatly distressed all who were devoted to the Saint, foreseeing that many might withdraw themselves. The clergy and monks earnestly begged the Omnipotent Disposer of times and seasons to grant fair weather, for His own honour and that of His Spouse, and for the consolation of the assembled people, at least until the procession should be completed [Mark 4:39]. Their prayers were answered with such manifest favour that, although violent showers fell in other parts of the city and in the surrounding fields, not a single drop descended upon any street through which the blessed body passed. The dense clouds hovered and hung overhead, as though gathered by design to conduct St. Wenefride miraculously to her new resting place in the holy Benedictine monastery.

¹⁰⁸ The streets were lined with an incredible multitude of devout people, who knelt and shed tears of joy as the body passed by, for so great a blessing. These were the gentle showers that fell in those streets, which Heaven had spared from rain. The Bishop and priests brought the relics to the monastery, where they were reverently received from their hands by the Abbot and his monks as inestimable treasures. They were solemnly and magnificently placed upon the high altar, which was dedicated to the holy Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, where many miracles were worked for the help and benefit of souls and bodies. Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever [Daniel 2:20].