Willibald: The Life of St. Boniface
For basic background on Boniface see Catholic Encyclopedia: Boniface
[Talbot Introduction] The following Life was written in answer to the
many requests from Boniface's friends in Britain, France and Germany, who wished, like
Bishop Milret of Worcester, to have "an account of the life and glorious end" of
their hero. These requests were sent to Boniface's successor in the bishopric of Mainz,
Lull, and Willibald was a chosen by him and Bishop Megingoz of Wurzburg to satisfy their
demand.
Willibald is not to be confused with the Bishop of Eichstatt, whose biography appears elsewhere
in this volume. The writer of the Life was a simple priest who had never come into direct
contact with Boniface and what he says is based upon the facts that he was able to collect
from those who had been Boniface's disciples. That he was an English missionary is proved
by the many indications given in his treatment of names. Whilst he always employs the
correct spelling and endings for Anglo-Saxon words, he anglicizes the spelling of names
and places of Frisian or Germanic origin. He wrote not long after the death of Boniface-to
be precise, within thirteen years, for Megingoz, to whom the book is dedicated, died 26
September 768.
The work has been composed on a systematic plan. Each chapter opens
with a prologue in which the events to be narrated are briefly outlined, and ends with a
verse from the New Testament. Only in the eighth and ninth chapters does this plan fitil,
and for this reason it has been thought that the whole Life has not been preserved. A
number of explanations have been put forward to account for this-for example, the
censorship of Bishop Lull on those parts which might have refiected on his conduct-but it
is more likely that the author himself did not fidly carry out his intentions.
The chief defects of the work are twofold: first, the style is
inflated and obscure, due no doubt to his attempt to model himself on St. Aldhelm's
writings; second, the comparative meagreness of the facts. In spite of this, the book was
much read and even imitated. The proof of this lies in the biographies of Boniface's
companions and disciples, where passages can be readily recognized-for instance in
Rudolf's Life of Leoba, Leoba's Life of Willibald and Eigil's Life of Sturm.
The Letters of St. Bonface are also
available.
Sources: The first edition of the Life of St. Boniface by Willibald
was made by Henricus Canisius, Sancti Willibaldi Eickstadiani Liber de Vita S. Bonifacd
Martyris, Germanorum Apostoli, etc., at Ingoldstadt in 1603. The critical edition was
prepared by W. Levison, Viti Bonifatii auctore Willibaldo, for Scriptores Rerum
Germanicarum (Hanover, 1905), pp. 11-57. An English translation, The Life of Saint
Bonifae by Willibald was made by George Washington Robinson in 1916 and published at
Cambridge, U.S.A.
Prologue
[The Prologue, part of chapter 1, is omited in Talbot's
translation. It is available in the edition by
Thomas Head noted at the end of this document.]
1
How, in childhood, he began to serve God
What I am attempting to do here is to describe the blessed life and character of Saint
Boniface, the archbishop, insofar as I have learned the facts from holy men who lived in
daily contact with him and who, therefore, knew his manner of life and were in a position
to recall those details that they have heard or witnessed. Though I labor under the
disadvantage of having had only an indirect acquaintance with him, my design is to weave
into the texture of my narrative and to present in as brief a form as possible all the
facts ascertainable by a thorough investigation into his holiness and divine
contemplation.
In his very early childhood, after he had been weaned and reared with a mother's usual
anxious care, his father lavished upon him more affection than upon the rest of his
brothers. When he reached the age of about four or five he conceived a desire to enter the
service of God and began to think deeply on the advantages of the monastic life. Even at
this early age he had subdued the flesh to the spirit and meditated on the things that are
eternal rather than on those that are temporal.
When priests or clerics, traveling abroad, as is the custom in those parts, to preach
to the people, came to the town and the house where his father dwelt the child would
converse with them on spiritual matters and, as far as the capacity of his tender years
permitted, would ask them to advise him on the best means of overcoming the frailties of
his nature. After some time, when he had given long consideration to the things of God and
his whole nature craved for a future life, he revealed his desires to his father and
begged him to take his confidences in good part. His father, taken aback at the views he
expressed, rebuked him with violence and, while forbidding him to leave his side, enticed
him with promises of worldly success, hoping by this means to retain the boy as guardian,
or rather heir of his worldly possessions. Employing all the subtle craft of human wisdom,
he endeavored by long discussions to dissuade the boy from carrying out his purpose, and
mingled promises with flattery in the hope of persuading him that life in the world would
be more congenial for one of his age than the austere regime of the monastic and
contemplative life. In order to turn the boy aside from pursuing his purpose he paraded
before him all the inducements of pleasure and luxury. But the saint, even at that early
age, was filled with the spirit of God. The more his father attempted to hold him back,
the more stoutly and doggedly he determined to pursue the heavenly ideal and to devote
himself to the study of sacred letters. And in accordance with the workings of divine
mercy it fell out in a remarkable way that divine providence not only confirmed him in his
undertaking but also changed the obstinate mood of his father, for at one and the same
instant his father was struck down by a sudden and fatal sickness, while the boy's
intentions, long frustrated, grew in strength and were, by help of God, brought to their
fulfilment.
When, by the inscrutable judgment and dispensation of God, the saint's father fell
sick, he suddenly changed his previous obstinate attitude and, after calling together all
the members of his family, sent the boy under the care of trustworthy messengers to the
monastery of Examchester, which was ruled at that time by Abbot Wulfhard. There,
surrounded by his friends, he made known to the abbot his desire to enter the monastic
life and, in a manner mature for his years, presented his petition according to the
instructions previously given to him by his parents. The father of the monastery thereupon
took counsel with the rest of the brethren and, after receiving their blessing as is
prescribed by the monastic rule," gave his consent. In this way the man of God was
bereaved of his earthly father and embraced the adoptive Father of our redemption. He thus
renounced all worldly and transitory possessions for the sake of acquiring the eternal
inheritance in order that, to quote the words of the Gospel, by forsaking father and
mother and lands and the other things of this world he might receive a hundredfold
hereafter and possess everlasting life.
2
How in the beginning he overcame the passions of youth and
kept to all that was good.
The first part of our narrative, though briefly expressed, is now completed. We shall
now describe the virtuous habits in which the saint trained himself at the beginning of
his monastic life. Then, after we have established our work on a firm basis, we can raise
the structure little by little to its crowning point.
After he had increased in age and strength and knowledge and, completing the seven
years of childhood, had reached the bloom of youth, the grace of God, as later events in
this book will show, endowed him with wonderful intellectual qualities. He was conspicuous
for the purity of his many virtues learned from the example of earlier holy men, but also
for submitting publicly and humbly to the customs of the venerable fathers [of his own
monastery]. Moreover, he was endowed with a spark of divine genius and so assiduously
fostered it by study that every hour and moment of his long and active life only served to
increase: the divine gifts that had been showered upon him. The longer he continued in the
service of the priesthood, the more, as we are told by his trusted and intimate friends,
did his continual studies and his protracted endeavors in the literary field stimulate him
in his search for eternal bliss. This was a marvelous protection against the enticements
and diabolical suggestions that beset young men in the flower of their youth and that
cloud their minds with a kind of darkness. As a result, the fiery passions of youth and
the fleshly lusts that at first made violent assaults upon him lost their power through
his ceaseless vigilance and his assiduous inquiries into the meaning of sacred Scripture.
His studies, pursued with increasing ardor, led him inevitably to undertake the task of
teaching others, a labor that after a short time and in accordance with episcopal and
ecclesiastical ordinances he duly carried out. He spurned the fleeting successes of this
world and continued under the able guidance of Abbot Wulfhard to follow faithfully and
conscientiously the true pattern of monastic observance. When he had outgrown his boyhood
and youth his enthusiasm for study and the lack of suitable teachers moved him to seek
permission from the abbot and community to pass over to a neighboring monastery. He prayed
constantly and perseveringly for the approval of God on his undertaking, and finally,
under the inspiration of divine grace, he went to the monastery that to this day is called
Nursling. There, attracted by the desire for learning, he became a disciple of the
venerable abbot Winbert, of blessed memory, and joined the community of the brethren who
dwelt there with him in the Lord. Thus united to the servants of God, he showed great zeal
for meditation, devotion to the service of God, perseverance in watching and assiduity in
the study of the Scriptures. In this way he became proficient not only in grammar and
rhetoric and the writing of verses but also in the literal and spiritual exposition of the
Bible. In the end he became so renowned for his profound understanding of the Scriptures
and for his skill in imparting his knowledge to others that he was accepted as a
trustworthy guide in traditional doctrine. As a teacher he was a model, because he did not
refuse to learn f rom his pupils, for it is a principle in monastic houses that no one
should presume to rule others unless he has previously learned to submit. No man who has
failed to render obedience to the superiors set over him by God can rightly exact
obedience from his inferiors. Such obedience as befits a monk was given by the saint to
all the members of the community, and particularly to the abbot, and he applied himself
assiduously, according to blessed Father Benedict's prescribed form of proper
arrangement" to the daily manual labor and the regular performance of his duties. In
this way he was an example to all both in word, deed, faith, and purity. All could profit
by his good deeds, while he on his side shared in their common eternal reward. But God
alone, from whom nothing is concealed, knew the hidden depths of his heart and the extent
of his humility and charity that had won for him an ascendancy over all his brethren. They
looked upon him with love mingled with fear; and though he was their companion in the
pursuit of divine love, they considered him, in the words of the apostle (cf. Rom 12:10)
as their father. His kindliness toward the brethren and the extent of his learning
increased to such a degree that his fame as a teacher spread far and wide among
monasteries both of men and women. Of their inmates great numbers of men, attracted by a
desire for learning, flocked to hear him and under his guidance studied the whole extent
of the Scriptures; but the nuns, who were unable continually to come to his lectures,
stimulated by his vast wisdom and his spirit of divine love, applied themselves with
diligence to the study of the sacred texts, scanning page after page as they meditated on
the sacred and hidden mysteries.
Guided and sustained as he was by supernatural grace, he followed both the example and
the teaching of the Apostle of the Gentiles: "Follow the pattern of the sound words
which you have heard from me in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. . . . Do
your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be
ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Tim 1.13, 2.15).
3
How he gave instruction to all and assumed the office of
teacher, not at his own whim but on the attainment of the proper age
We will now turn our attention for a moment to the general tenor of the saint's daily
contemplation and to his perseverance in fasting and abstinence. In this way, making
gradual progress, we shall relate with conciseness and brevity his wonderful deeds, follow
his life to its close, and examine it in greater detail. By balancing one aspect of his
life against another we shall show that the venerable and holy Boniface was an example for
us of eternal life in his evenly balanced moderation and that he laid before us the
precepts of apostolic learning. Following the example of the saints, he climbed the steep
path that leads to knowledge of heavenly things and went before his people as a leader who
opens the gates of paradise through which only the upright shall enter.
From tile early days of his childhood even to infirm old age he imitated in particular
the practice of the ancient fathers in daily committing to memory the writings of the
prophets and apostles, the narratives of the passion of the martyrs and the Gospel
teaching of Our Lord. To quote the words of the apostle: whether he ate or drank or
whatsoever else he did, he always praised and thanked God both in heart and word; as the
psalmist says, "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be
in my mouth" (Ps 34.1). To such a degree was he inflamed with a love of the
Scriptures that he applied all his energies to learning and practicing their counsels, and
those matters that were written for the instruction of the people he paraphrased and
explained to them with striking eloquence, shrewdly spicing it with parables. His
discretion was such that his rebukes, though sharp, were never lacking in gentleness,
while his teaching, though mild, was never lacking in force. Zeal and vigor made him
forceful, but gentleness and love made him mild. Accordingly he exhorted and reproved with
equal impartiality the rich and powerful, the freedmen and the slaves, neither flattering
and fawning upon the rich nor oppressing and browbeating the freedmen and slaves but, in
the words of the apostle, he had "become all things to all men that [he] might by all
means save some" (1 Cor 9.22).
He did not take upon himself the office of preacher either as an expression of his
caprice or before the appointed time, nor did he seek the position through contumacy and
greed. But he waited, as was in keeping with his humble character, until he had reached
the age of thirty or more, when, by the recommendation and choice of his superior and
brethren, he was ordained in accordance with the rules laid down by the ecclesiastical
decrees. As a priest he received diverse gifts and presents, and as far as he was allowed
by the severity of the regular and the monastic life he gave himself up to almsgiving and
works of mercy. He always rose before the hours of vigils and occupied himself in the
laborious exercise of prayer. Anger could not undermine his patience, rage did not shake
his forbearance. Lust was impotent in the presence of his chastity, and gluttony was
unable to break down his abstemiousness. He subdued himself by fasting and abstinence to
such a degree that he drank neither wine nor beer and in this imitated the great figures
of the Old and New Testament. With the Apostle of the Gentiles he could say: "I
pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preach7 ing to others I myself should be
disqualified" (1 Cor 9.27).
4
How he was sent to Kent by all the nobles, and how afterward
he went to Frisia
In the previous chapter we collected together some isolated examples of Saint
Boniface's admirable virtues. We consider that the others that follow, which have been
elicited from trustworthy witnesses and that we shall attempt to recount, should not be
passed over in silence. These are concerned with his constancy in the projects he had
undertaken and his zeal in bringing others to their desired end. When he had trained
himself over a long period in the virtues already mentioned and had given proof during his
priesthood of many outstanding qualities, there arose a sudden crisis during the reign of
Ine, king of the West Saxons, occasioned by the outbreak of a rebellion. On the advice of
the king the heads of the churches immediately summoned a council of the servants of God,
and as soon as they were all assembled a discussion, satisfactory from every point of
view, took place among the priests. They adopted the prudent measure of sending
trustworthy legates to Bertwald, the archbishop of Canterbury, fearing that if they made
any decision without the advice of the archbishop they would be accused of presumption and
temerity. At the conclusion of the discussion, when the entire gathering had reached an
agreement, the king addressed all the servants of Christ, asking them whom they would
choose to deliver their message. Without hesitation Winbert, the senior abbot present, who
ruled over the monastery of Nursling; Wintra, the abbot of Tisbury; Beorwald, the abbot of
Glastonbury, and many others who professed the monastic life summoned the saint and led
him into the presence of the king. The king entrusted the message and the principal
responsibilities of the embassy to him and, after giving him companions, sent him on his
way in peace. In accordance with the commands of his superiors he set out with the message
and, after a prosperous journey, came to Kent, where he skillfully made known to the
archbishop all the
matters, from first to last, that the king had told him. On receiving an immediate
reply, he returned home after a few days and delivered the archbishop's answer to the king
as he sat with the servants of God, bringing great joy to them all. Thus by the wonderful
dispensation of God his good name was made known on all sides, and his reputation was high
both among the lay nobility and the clergy. From that moment his influence increased by
leaps and bounds, so that he became a regular member of their synodal assemblies.
But because a mind intent on God is not elated nor dependent upon the praise and
approbation of man, he began carefully and cautiously to turn his mind to other things, to
shun the company of his relatives and acquaintances, and to set his heart not on remaining
in his native land but on traveling abroad. After long deliberation on the question of
forsaking his country and his relatives, he took counsel of Abbot Winbert, of blessed
memory, and frankly disclosed to him the plans that up to that moment he had carefully
concealed. He importuned the holy man with loud and urgent requests to give his consent to
the project, but Winbert, astounded, at first refused to grant his permission, thinking
that delay might turn him away from carrying out his proposals. At last, however, the
providence of God prevailed and Boniface's petition was granted.
So great was the affection of the abbot and brethren, with whom he had lived under the
monastic discipline, that they willingly provided the money for his needs and continued
long afterward to pray to God on his behalf: and so he set out upon his journey and, with
God's help, safely completed it.
Much strengthened by their spiritual support and liberally supplied with earthly goods,
the saint lacked nothing necessary for soul and body. Accompanied by two or three of the
brethren on whose bodily and spiritual comfort he depended, he set out on his journey; and
after traveling wide stretches of countryside, happy in the companionship of his brethren,
he came to a place where there was a market for the buying and selling of merchandise.
This place is called Lundenwich [i.e. London] by the Anglo-Saxons even to this day. After
a few days, when the sailors were about to embark on their return home, Boniface asked
permission of the shipmaster to go on board, and after paying his fare he set sail and
came with a favorable winds to Dorestad, where he tarried for a while and gave thanks to
God night and day.
But a fierce quarrel that broke out between Charles, the prince and noble leader of the
Franks, and Radbod, the king of the Frisians, as a result of a hostile incursion by the
pagans, caused great disturbances among the population of both sides, and through the
dispersion of the priests and the persecution of Radbod the greater part of the Christian
churches, which previously had been subject to Frankish control, were laid waste and
brought to ruin. Moreover, the pagan shrines were rebuilt and, what is worse, the worship
of idols was restored. When the man of God perceived the wicked perversity of Radbod lie
came to Utrecht and, after waiting for a few days, spoke with the king, who had also gone
there. And having traveled about the country and examined many parts of it to discover
what possibility there might be of preaching the Gospel in future, he decided that if at
any time he could see his way to approach the people he would minister to them the Word of
God. On this purpose of his, his glorious martyrdom many years later set its seal.
A strange thing in the sanctity of the saints is that when they perceive that their
labors are frustrated for a time and bear no spiritual fruit they betake themselves to
other places where the results are more palpable, for there is nothing to be gained if one
stays in a place without reaping a harvest of souls. With this in mind, when the saint had
spent the whole of the summer in the country of the Frisians to no purpose and the autumn
was nearing its end, he forsook the pastures that lay parched through lack of heavenly and
fruitful dew, and, taking several companions with him for the journey, he departed to his
native land. There in the seclusion of his monastery he spent two winters and one summer
with the brethren, who received him with open arms. In this manner he fulfilled that
passage in the writings of the Apostle of the Gentiles, where it says: "For I have
decided to spend the winter there" (Tim 3:12).
5
How after the death of his abbot he tarried a short time with
the brethren and then went to Rome
Having now touched briefly on the virtues of the saint, we shall make known the
subsequent events of his life as we have ascertained them from reliable witnesses, that
his life and character may be made more clearly manifest to those who wish to model
themselves on the example of his holy manner of life.
After accomplishing his dangerous journey and escaping unharmed from the perils of the
sea, he returned to his native soil and rejoined once more the fellowship of his brethren.
But when he had enjoyed their company for many days a deep sorrow began to gnaw at his
heart and grief weighed heavily on his soul, for as the days went by he noticed that the
aging limbs of his master were growing weaker and weaker, and as a violent sickness shook
and troubled his body he saw the day of his master's death approaching. At length Winbert
laid aside of the prison of his body and breathed his last sigh while the monks looked
sadly on. Often in the hearts of the saints the feeling of compassion for those who are
overtaken by trouble wells up with particular force. For a time they themselves may be sad
at heart, but through putting their trust in the words of the apostle they receive
everlasting consolation in the Lord.
On this occasion the saint addressed the brethren with words of comfort and, ever
mindful of the tradition of the fathers, exhorted them in a spiritual discourse always to
preserve down to their smallest detail both the form of regular organization and the norm
of ecclesiastical prescription. He counseled them also to choose someone as their
spiritual father. Then all of one accord and with one voice earnestly implored the holy
man, who at that time was called Winfrith, to take upon himself the abbatial office. But
since he had already forsaken the comfort of his native land and put aside all idea of
ruling others, particularly as he was now eagerly preparing to put his own plans into
execution, he tactfully declined.
Now when the winter season was over and the summer was well advanced he called to mind
his intention of the previous year and carefully set about preparing the journey that had
been deferred. Provided with letters of introduction from Bishop Daniel, of blessed
memory, he tried to set out on his way to the tombs of the apostles. But for a long time
he was detained by the needs of the brethren, who, now bereft of a superior, opposed his
departure. Faced with their tears and wailings, he was restrained from leaving them
through his feelings of affection and compassion; but so great a mental anguish oppressed
him that he knew not which way to turn, for he was afraid that if he forsook the flock
that had been committed to his master's care and that was now without a watchful guardian
it might be exposed to ravening wolves, but on the other hand he was anxious not to miss
the opportunity of going abroad in the autumn season. And when Almighty God, not unmindful
of his paternal love, desired to deliver His servant from his perplexity, anxiety, and
grief, and to provide a suitable superior for the community, Bishop Daniel busied himself
with the brethren's needs and set over the monastery a man of sterling character named
Stephen. Thereupon he sped the holy man safely on his pilgrim way.
Bidding farewell to the brethren, he departed, and after traveling a considerable
distance he came at length, in fulfillment of his desire, to the town that, as we have
said, is called Lundenwich. He embarked immediately on a small swift ship and began to
cross the pathless expanse of the sea. The sailors were in good spirits, the huge sails
bellied in the northwest wind, and, helped along by a stiff following breeze, they soon
came after an uneventful crossing in sight of the mouth of the river called Cuent. Here,
safe from shipwreck, they set foot on dry land. At Cuentwick [i.e. Quentvic in Normandy]
they pitched their camp and waited until the remainder of the party came together.
When they had all met they set out straightway on their journey, for with the passing
of the days the threat of winter hung over them. Many a church they visited on their way
to pray that by the help of Almighty God they might cross in safety the snowy peaks of the
Alps, find greater kindness at the hands of the Lombards, and escape with impunity from
the savage ferocity of the undisciplined soldiery. And when at last, through the prayers
of the saints and the providence of God, the saint and his whole retinue had reached the
tomb of Saint Peter the Apostle unharmed, they immediately gave thanks to Christ for their
safe journey. Afterward they went with deep joy to the Church of Saint Peter, chief of the
apostles, and many of them offered up gifts, begging absolution of their sins. Now after
several days had passed, the holy man spoke with the venerable man who occupied the
Apostolic See, Pope Gregory of blessed memory. [I.e Gregory II, r. 715-31] He was the
second pope of that name, predecessor of the more recent Gregory [i.e. Gregory III,
731-7411, and was known as "the Younger" in the vernacular tongue of the Romans.
He described the work that was closest to his heart and for which he had labored so
anxiously and so long. The saintly pope, suddenly turning his gaze upon him, inquired with
cheerful countenance and smiling eyes whether he carried any letters of recommendation
from his bishop.
Boniface, coming to himself, drew back his cloak and produced both a parchment folded
in the customary fashion and other letters, which he gave to that admirable man of holy
memory. As soon as Gregory had taken the letters, he signaled for Boniface to withdraw.
After the pope had read the letters of recommendation and examined the writing on the
parchment, he thereafter met with Boniface on a daily basis and discussed his plans
assiduously, until the approach of the summer season, when it was necessary for Boniface
to set out on his return journey. When the end of the month of Nisan, that is April, had
been reached, then Boniface, having sought and received both a blessing and letters from
the Apostolic See, was sent by the blessed pope to make a report on the savage peoples of
Germany. The purpose of this was to discover whether their untutored hearts and minds were
ready to receive the seed of the divine Word.
And so, collecting a number of relics of the saints, he retraced his steps in the
company of his fellows and reached the frontiers of Italy, where he met Liudprand, king of
the Lombards, to whom he gave gifts and tokens of peace. He was honorably received by the
king and rested awhile after the weary labors of the journey. After receiving many
presents in return, he crossed the hills and the plains and scaled the steep mountain
passes of the Alps.
He then traversed the territories of the Bavarians and their German neighbors, unknown
to him till then, and, in accordance with the injunction of the Apostolic See, proceeded
on his journey of inspection into Thuringia." Thus like the busy bee which, borne
along by its softly buzzing wings, flits over fields and meadows and picks its way among a
thousand different sweet-smelling flowers, testing with its discriminating tongue the
secret hoards of honey bearing nectar and completely ignoring all bitter and poisonous
juices, and then comes back with nectar to its hive and, to use an illustration from the
words of the apostle, "test all things and hold on to what is good" (1 Thess
5.21). In Thuringia the holy man followed the mandate given him by the Apostolic See. He
spoke to the senators of each tribe and the princes of the whole people with words of
spiritual exhortation, recalling them to the true way of knowledge and the light of
understanding that for the greater part they had lost through the perversity of their
teachers. By preaching the Gospel and turning their minds away from evil toward a life of
virtue and the observance of canonical decrees he reproved, admonished, and instructed to
the best of his ability the priests and the elders, some of whom devoted themselves to the
true worship of Almighty God, while others, contaminated and polluted by unchastity, had
forsaken the life of continence to which, as ministers of the altar, they were vowed.
Afterward, accompanied by his brethren, he went into Francia, and, on learning of the
death of Radbod, king of the Frisians, being desirous that Frisia also should hear the
Word of God, he joyfully took ship and sailed up the river. In this way he reached
districts that had hitherto been left untouched by the preaching of the Gospel. The ending
of the persecution raised by the savage King Radbod permitted him to scatter abroad the
seed of Christian teaching to feed with wholesome doctrine those who had been famished by
pagan superstition. The results of this work, so close to his heart, were swift and
spontaneous. The divine light illumined their hearts, the authority of the glorious leader
Charles over the Frisians was strengthened, the word of truth was blazened abroad, the
voice of preachers filled the land, and the venerable Willibrord with his fellow
missioners propagated the Gospel.
When he saw that the harvest was abundant and the laborers were few the holy servant of
God offered his services for three year's to Archbishop Willibrord and labored
indefatigably. He destroyed pagan temples and shrines, built churches and chapels, and
with the help of Willibrord gained numerous converts to the church. When Willibrord grew
old and was becoming infirm he decided on the suggestion of his disciples to appoint an
assistant to relieve him of the burden of the ministry in his declining years and to
choose from his small flock some man of faith who would be able to govern so numerous a
people. He summoned to him the servant of God and urged him with salutary words of advice
to accept the responsibility and dignity of the episcopal office and to assist him in
governing the people of God. Boniface in his humility hastily declined, answering that he
was unworthy of the episcopal office, that so great a responsibility ought not to be
imposed upon him at so young an age and that he had not yet reached the age of fifty
required by canon law. All these excuses he put forward to avoid being raised to this
exalted position. Archbishop Willibrord therefore sternly reproved him and urged him to
accept the work offered him, adducing, as a final argument, the extreme need of the people
over whom he ruled. When not even Willibrord's reproof could bring the saint to acquiesce
and every kind of argument had been employed, they amicably agreed to differ. The saint on
the one hand, held back by the feeling of humility, declined so high a position of honor;
Willibrord on the other, intent on spiritual gain, thought only of the salvation of souls.
Accordingly, after they had expressed their personal views, the servant of God, as if
taking part in a kind of spiritual contest, at last brought forward an unanswerable
argument. He said: "Most holy Bishop, you, as spiritual leader here, know full well
that I came to Germany at the express command of Pope Gregory, of holy memory. As the
envoy of the Apostolic See sent to the barbarian countries of the west, I freely gave my
services to you and to your diocese without the knowledge of my master, to whose service I
am bound by vow even to this day. Therefore without the counsel and permission of the
Apostolic See and without its express command I dare not accept so exalted and sublime an
office." To this rejoinder he added a reasonable request in these words: "I
beseech you, therefore, to send me, bound as I am by the ties of my own promise, to those
lands to which originally I was dispatched by the Apostolic See."
As soon as Willibrord had learned the reason of the saint's solemn promise, he gave him
his blessing and granted him permission to depart. Thereupon the saint set out and reached
the place called Amanburch, "nourished," according to the apostle, "on the
words of the faith and of the good doctrine which you have followed" (1 Tim 4.6).
6
We have given, step by step, proofs of this holy man's virtue and of his
perseverance in the work of the Lord in order that we may recall to memory, -both in
general and in detail, the subsequent examples of his good deeds.
When he had converted to the Lord a vast number of people among the Frisians and many
had come through his instruction to the knowledge of the truth, he then traveled, under
the protection of God, to other parts of Germany to preach there and in this way came,
with the help of God, to the place already mentioned, called Amanburch. Here the rulers
were two twin brothers named Detticand Devrulf, whom he converted from the sacrilegious
worship of idols which was practiced under the cloak of Christianity. He turned away also
from the superstitions of paganism a great multitude of people by revealing to them the
path of right understanding, and induced them to forsake their horrible and erroneous
beliefs. When he had gathered together a sufficient number of believers he built a small
chapel. Similarly he delivered the people of Hesse, who up to that time had practiced
pagan ritual, from the captivity of the devil by preaching the Gospel as far as the
borders of Saxony.
Having converted many thousands of people from their long-standing pagan practices and
baptized them, he sent to Rome an experienced and trustworthy messenger, Bynnan by name,
with a letter in which he made known to the venerable father and bishop of the Apostolic
See all the matters that by God's grace had been accomplished, and the number of people
who, through the operation of the Holy Spirit, had received the sacrament of baptism. In
addition he asked for guidance on certain questions concerning the day-to-day needs of the
church and the progress of the people, for he wished to have the advice of the Apostolic
See. When the aforesaid messenger had tarried in Rome for some days and the time for his
return journey drew near, the bishop of the Apostolic See gave him a letter in reply to
the message he had brought on his embassy. Returning immediately, he quickly brought to
his master the letter dictated by the pope.
On reading the missive brought to him by the messenger, he learned that he was summoned
to Rome, and with all haste he prepared to carry out this injunction in a spirit of
complete obedience. Without delay he set out on his journey accompanied by a large retinue
and a number of his brethren. Passing through the lands of the Franks and Burgundians, he
crossed the Alps and descended through the marches of Italy and the territory held by the
soldiers. Eventually he came in sight of the walls of Rome and, giving praise and thanks
to God on high, went quickly to the Church of Saint Peter, where he fortified himself in
long and earnest prayer. After he had rested his weary limbs for a brief space of time a
message was sent to blessed Gregory, bishop of the Apostolic See, saying that the servant
of God had arrived; he was then welcomed with great kindness and conducted to the
pilgrim's lodge.
A convenient day was fixed for a meeting, and at the appointed time the pontiff came
down to the Basilica of Saint Peter the Apostle, and the servant of God was summoned to
his presence. After they had exchanged a few words of greeting, the bishop of the
Apostolic See interrogated him on his teaching, on the creed and on the tradition and
beliefs of his church. To this the man of God gave an immediate and humble reply, saying:
"My Lord Pope, as a stranger I am conscious that I lack the skill in the use of the
tongue with which you are familiar, but grant me leisure and time, I beseech you, to write
down my confession of faith, so that my words and not my tongue may make a reasonable
presentation of the truths I believe." To this Gregory agreed at once and commanded
him to bring his written statement as quickly as possible. Within a short time he
presented his written confession of faith, expressed in polished, eloquent, and learned
phrases, and delivered it to the aforesaid pope. He then waited patiently for some days.
At length he was invited once more and was conducted within the Lateran Palace, where
he cast himself prostrate upon his face at the feet of the apostolic pontiff and begged
for his blessing. Gregory quickly raised him from the ground, and, after giving into the
hands of the servant of God the document in which the pure and uncontaminated truth of the
faith was clearly expressed, he invited him to sit at his side. With wise counsel and
wholesome doctrine he admonished him to preserve at all times the deposit of the faith and
to the best of his ability to preach it vigorously to others,. They discussed and debated
many other matters relating to holy religion and the true faith, and in his exchange of
views they spent almost the whole day. At last the pope inquired how the people who
previously had been steeped in error and wickedness received his preaching of the true
faith. On learning that a vast number had been converted from the sacrilegious worship of
idols and admitted to the communion of the church, the pope told him that he intended to
raise him to the episcopal dignity and set him over peoples who up to that time had been
without a leader to guide them and who, in the words of our Lord, -languished as sheep
without a shepherd." The holy man, because he dared not contradict so great a bishop
of the Apostolic See, consented, that is, obeyed. And so the highest bishop, he of holy
authority, set a day for the ordination: November 13.
When the holy day' for the sacred solemnity dawned, which was both the feast day of
Saint Andrew and the day set aside for his consecration, the holy pontiff of the Apostolic
See conferred upon him the dignity of the episcopate and gave him the name of Boniface. He
put into his hands the book in which the most sacred laws and canons of the church and the
decrees of episcopal synods have been inscribed or compiled, commanding him that
henceforth this norm of church conduct and belief should be kept inviolate and that the
people under his jurisdiction should be taught on these lines. He also offered to him and
to all his subjects the friendship of the holy Apostolic See thenceforth and for ever. By,
means of his most sacred letters, the pope placed the holy man, now strengthened by
episcopal rank, under the protection and devotion of the glorious leader Charles.
After Boniface had passed by devious ways through the densely populated territories of
the Franks he came at last into the presence of the aforesaid prince and was received by
him with marks of reverence. He delivered to him the letters of the bishop of Rome and of
the Apostolic See, and after acknowledging the prince as his lord and patron, returned
with the leader's permission to the land of the Hessians in which he had previously
settled.
Now many of the Hessians who at that time had acknowledged the Catholic faith were
confirmed by the grace of the Holy Spirit and received the laying-on of hands. But others,
not yet strong in the spirit, refused to accept the pure teachings of the church in their
entirety. Moreover, some continued secretly, others openly, to offer sacrifices to trees
and springs, to inspect the entrails of victims; some practiced divination, legerdemain,
and incantations; some turned their attention to auguries, auspices, and other sacrificial
rites; while others, of a more reasonable character, forsook all the profane practices of
the Gentiles [i.e., pagans] and committed none of these crimes. With the counsel and
advice of the latter persons, Boniface in their presence attempted to cut down, at a place
called Gaesmere, a certain oak of extraordinary size called in the old tongue of the
pagans the Oak of Jupiter. Taking his courage in his hands (for a great crowd of pagans
stood by watching and bitterly cursing in their hearts the enemy of the gods), he cut the
first notch. But when he had made a superficial cut . Suddenly, the oak's vast bulk,
shaken by a mighty blast of wind from above crashed to the ground shivering its topmost
branches into fragments in its fall. As if by the express will of God (for the brethren
present had done nothing to cause it) the oak burst asunder into four parts, each part
having a trunk of equal length. At the sight of this extraordinary spectacle the heathens
who had been cursing ceased to revile and began, on the contrary, to believe and bless the
Lord. Thereupon the holy bishop took counsel with the brethren, built an oratory from the
timber of the oak and dedicated it to Saint Peter the Apostle. He then set out on a
journey to Thuringia, having accomplished by the help of God all the things we have
already mentioned. Arrived there, he addressed the elders and the chiefs of the people,
calling on them to put aside their blind ignorance and to return to the Christian religion
that they had formerly embraced. For, after the authority of their kings came to an end,
Theobald and Heden bad seized the reins of government. Under their disas trous sway, which
was founded more upon tyranny and slaughter than upon the loyalty of the people, many of
the counts had been put to death or seized and carried off into captivity, while the
remainder of the population, overwhelmed by all kinds of misfortunes, bad submitted to the
domination of the Saxons. Thus when the power of the leaders, who had protected religion,
was destroyed, the devotion of the people to Christianity and religion died out also, and
false brethren were brought in to pervert the minds of the people and to introduce among
them under the guise of religion dangerous heretical sects. Of these men the chief were
Torchtwine, Zeretheve, Eaubercht, and Hunraed, men living in fornication and adultery,
whom, according to the apostle, God had already judged (cf. Heb 13:4). These individuals
stirred up a violent conflict against the man of God; but when they had been unmasked and
shown to be in opposition to the truth, they received a just penalty for their crimes.
When the light of faith had illumined the minds of the people and the population had
been loosed from its bonds of error, when also the devil's disciples and the insidious
seducers of the people, whom we have already mentioned, had been banished, Boniface,
assisted by a few helpers, gathered in an abundant harvest. At first he suffered from
extreme want and lacked even the necessaries of life, but, though in straitened
circumstances and in deep distress, he continued to preach the Word of God. Little by
little the number of believers increased, the preachers grew more numerous, church
buildings were restored and the Word of God was published far and wide. At the same time
the servants of God, monks of genuinely ascetic habits, were grouped together in one body
and they constructed a monastery in a place called Orthorpf. In the manner of the apostles
(cf. 1 Cor 4.12), they procured food and clothing with their own hands and contented
themselves with constant labor.
By this means the report of his preaching reached far-off lands so that within a short
space of time his fame resounded throughout the greater part of Europe. From Britain an
exceedingly large number of holy men came to his aid, among them readers, writers, and
learned men trained in the other arts. Of these a considerable number put themselves under
his rule and guidance, and by their help the population in many places was recalled from
the errors and profane rites of their heathen gods. While some were in the province of
Hesse and others scattered widely among the people of Thuringia, they preached the word of
God in the countryside and in the villages. The number of both peoples who received the
sacraments of the faith was enormous and many thousands of them were baptized. On the
death of Gregory the Second, of blessed memory, ruler of the Apostolic See, the renowned
Gregory he Younger" ascended the papal throne. Once more Boniface's messengers
journeyed to Rome and spoke with the holy pontiff of the Apostolic See, presenting to him
the pledge of friendship that his predecessor had previously bestowed upon Saint Boniface
and his people. They assured the pope of Boniface's devoted and humble submission to the
Apostolic See both in the past and for the future, and begged the pontiff, in accordance
with the instructions they had received, to allow his loyal subject to remain in the
brotherhood and communion of the pope and Apostolic See. To this the pontiff gave an
immediate reply and granted to Saint Boniface and to all those under his care fraternal
and friendly communion both with himself and the Apostolic See. Furthermore, he gave the
archiepiscopal pallium to the envoys, loaded them with gifts and the relics of numerous
saints, and dispatched them homewards.
When his envoys returned bearing the immediate responses of the pope, Boniface,
rejoicing greatly, was deeply comforted by the support of the Apostolic See and inspired
by the abundance of divine mercy. Thus he built two churches. One was in Frideslare, which
he dedicated to Saint Peter, prince of the apostles. The other was in Amanburch, which he
dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel. He attached two small monasteries to these two
churches and invited a large number of monks to serve God there, with the result that even
to this day praise and blessing and thanksgiving are offered to the Lord our God.
When all these arrangements had received their final completion he set out on a journey
to Bavaria where Hugobert was then duke. Here he continued to preach and to make
visitations of all the churches. So great was his zeal and spiritual courage that he
condemned and expelled in accordance with canonical decrees a certain schismatic named
Eremwulf, who was imbued with heretical opinions. Boniface then converted the people of
this misguided sect from their worship of idols. After this he departed from them and
returned to the people of his own diocese, being moved by a desire, as the apostle puts
it, to come to his own brethren (Cf. Rom 15:23).
7
How he expelled the heretics from the provinces of Bavaria and
divided it into four dioceses
We have spent no little time in recounting some of the merits of Boniface in order that
we may describe, though not in detail, the powerful religious sense that guided him
throughout the whole of his life. For, as history shows, it is a characteristic of the
saints that, setting the example of others before their own eyes, they arouse in
themselves the desire for better things, and as their life draws to its close they
increase the love of God in their hearts.
When a considerable number of churches had been built in Hesse and Thuringia and a
superior had been appointed over each church he set out on a journey to Rome for the third
time, accompanied as usual by a group of disciples. His intention was to have further
discussions with the apostolic father and to commend himself in his declining years to the
prayers of the saints. When at the end of his long and painful journey he was brought into
'the presence of the apostolic lord Gregory, the second pope to be called "the
-Younger," he was received with great kindness and was held in such veneration by
,everyone, as well Romans and strangers, that many flocked together to to his preaching. A
multitude of Franks and Bavarians, as well as of Saxons arriving from Britain and other
provinces, followed his teaching with the closest attention.
When he had spent the better part of a year in these parts, visiting and praying at the
shrines of the saints, he took his leave of the venerable bishop of the Apostolic See and
returned home, carrying with him many gifts and sacred relics of the saints. After
traversing Italy, he came to the walls of the city of Picena, and, as his limbs were weary
with old age, he rested awhile with Liudprand, king of the Lombards.
On his departure from Italy he made a visit to the Bavarians, not only because Duke
Odilo had sent him an invitation but also because he himself was desirous of seeing them.
He remained among them for some time preaching the Word of God, restored the sacraments of
the faith to their primitive purity, and banned those men who destroyed the churches and
perverted the people. Some of these had arrogated to themselves the dignity of bishops,
others the office of priests, while others, by these and by a thousand other lying
pretexts' had led the greater part of the populace into error. The saint, who had
dedicated himself to God's service from his earliest childhood and was therefore ill able
to brook the insult offered to his Lord, compelled Duke Odilo and his subjects to forsake
their evil, false, and heretical doctrines and put them on their guard against the
deceitfulness of immoral priests. With the consent of Duke Odilo he divided the province
of Bavaria into four dioceses and appointed over them four bishops, whom he consecrated
for this purpose. Of these, the first, John by name, was appointed to the see in the town
that is called Salzburg. The second was Erembert, who took upon himself the obligation of
governing the church in the city of Regensburg. When everything was set in order in
Bavaria, a Christian form of life established and the prescriptions of canon law enforced,
Boniface returned home to his own diocese. He governed the people committed to his care,
diligently provided for the needs of his flock, and appointed priests to defend the
faithful and deliver them from the attack, of ravening wolves.
The temporal rule of the glorious leader Charles eventually came to an end and the
reins of power passed into the strong hands of his two sons Carloman and Pepin. Then by
the help of God and at the suggestion of the archbishop Saint Boniface the establishment
of the Christian religion was confirmed, the. convening of synods by orthodox bishops was
instituted among the Franks and all abuses were redressed and corrected in accordance with
canonical authority. On the saint's advice the unlawful practice of concubinage among the
layfolk was suppressed while the sacrilegious marriages of the clergy were annulled and
the sinful parties separated. So great was the religious fervor kindled by the teaching of
Saint Boniface that Carloman and Pepin freed the faithful to a large extent from the evil
practices in which through long neglect they had become deeply rooted and through which,
partly by giving rein to their own passions, partly by being misled by the insidious
doctrines of heretics, they had forfeited their right to eternal bliss. For so thoroughly
had the heretics quenched the light of religious teaching among the people that a dark
impenetrable gloom of error had settled down over a large section of the church. Two of
the heretics, for example, named Adalbert and Clement, led astray by this greed for filthy
lucre, strove with all their might to turn away the people from the truth. But when the
holy archbishop Boniface with the cooperation of the leaders Carloman and Pepin forcibly
ejected them from the communion of the church they were delivered, according to the
apostle, "to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in
the day of the Lord Jesus" (1 Cor 5:5).
8
How throughout his whole life he preached with zeal and how he
departed from this world
During the rule of Carloman all the bishops, priests, deacons, and clerics and everyone
of ecclesiastical rank gathered together at the ruler's instance and held four synodal
councils. At these Archbishop Boniface presided, with the consent and support of Carloman
and of the metropolitan of the see and city of Mainz. And being a legate of the Roman
Church and the Apostolic See, sent as he was by the saintly and venerable Gregory II and
later by Gregory III, he urged that the numerous canons and ordinances decreed by these
four important and early councils should be preserved in order to ensure the healthy
development of Christian doctrine. For as at the Council of Nicaea, held under Constantine
Augustus, the errors and blasphemies of Arius were rejected; as under Theodosius the Elder
an assembly of one hundred and fifty bishops condemned Macedonius, who denied the divinity
of the Holy Spirit; as in the city of Ephesus under Theodosius [II] two hundred bishops
excommunicated Nestorius for declaring that there are two Persons in Christ; and as at the
Council of Chalcedon an assembly of six hundred and thirty bishops, basing their decision
on an earlier one of the fathers, pronounced an anathema against Eutyches, an abbot of
Constantinople, and Dioscorus, who defended him, for attacking the foundations of the
Catholic faith - So in the Frankish territories, after the eradication of heresy and the
destruction of wicked conspirators, he urged that later developments of Christian doctrine
and the decrees of the general councils should be received. With this in view there should
be a meeting of the bishops in synod each year in accordance with the decree of the
aforesaid council of bishops. This holding of synods had fallen into desuetude through the
constant fear of war and the hostility and attacks of the surrounding barbarian tribes and
through the attempts of hostile enemies to destroy the Frankish realm by violence. They
had been forgotten so completely that no one could recall such an assembly's having taken
place within living memory. For it is in the nature of the world to fall into ruin even
though it is daily restored, while if no attempt is made to reform it it quickly
disintegrates and rushes headlong to its predestined doom. Therefore if in the course of
this mortal life means have been discovered to remedy such evils they should be preserved
and strongly defended by Catholics and fixed indelibly in the mind. Otherwise human
forgetfulness and the enticement of pleasure, both of them instigated by the devil, will
prove a stumbling block. For this reason the holy bishop, in his anxiety to deliver his
people from the baleful influence of the devil, repeatedly urged Carloman to summon the
episcopal synods already mentioned in order that both present and later generations should
learn spiritual wisdom and should make the knowledge of Christianity available to all.
Only in this way could unsuspecting souls escape being ensnared.
After he had set before all ranks of society the accepted norm of the Christian life
and made known to them the way of truth, Boniface, now weak and decrepit, showed great
foresight both as regards himself and his people by appointing a successor to his see, as
ecclesiastical law demands. So, whether he lived or whether he died, the people would not
be left without pastors and their ministration. He promoted two men of good repute to the
episcopate, Willibald and Burchard, dividing between them the churches that were under his
jurisdiction in the land of eastern Franks and on the Bavarian marches. To Willibald he
entrusted the diocese of Eichst5tt, to Burchard that of Würzburg, putting under his care
all the churches within the borders of the Franks, Saxons, and Slavs. Nevertheless, even
to the day of his death he did not fail to instruct the people in the way of life.
Then Pepin, with the help of the Lord, took over the rule of the kingdom of the Franks
as the happy successor to his above-mentioned brother [i.e. Carloman]. When disorders
among the people had subsided, he was elevated to the kingship. From the outset he
conscientiously carried out the vows he had sworn to the Lord, to put into effect without
delay the synodal decrees, and he renewed the canonical institutions which his brother,
following the advice of the holy archbishop Boniface, had so dutifully set on foot. He
showed the saint every mark of veneration and friendship and obeyed his spiritual
precepts. But because the holy man, owing to his physical infirmities, was not able to
attend the synodal assemblies, he decided, with the king's approval and advice, to appoint
a suitable person to minister to his flock. To his purpose he appointed Lull, a disciple
of outstanding ability, whose duty it would be to continue his instruction to the people.
He consecrated him bishop, and committed to his care the inheritance that he had won for
Christ by his zealous efforts. Lull was the man who had been his trusted companion on his
journeys and who had been closely connected with him both in his sufferings and his
consolations.
When the Lord willed to deliver his servant from the trials of this world and to set
him free from the vicissitudes of this mortal life, it was decided, under God's
providence, that he should travel in the company of his disciples to Frisia, from which he
had departed in body though not in spirit. And this was done so that in dying there he
might receive the divine recompense in the place where he had begun his preaching.
To Bishop Lull he foretold in an astonishing prophecy the approaching day of his death
and made known to him the manner in which he would meet his end. Then he drew up plans for
the construction of further churches and for the evangelization of the people. "My
wish," he said, "is to complete the journey on which I have set my heart, and
nothing can prevent me from doing so. The day of my departure from this life draws near
and the time of my death is approaching. In a short time I shall lay aside the burden of
my body and receive the prize of eternal bliss. But you, my dear son, must bring to
completion the building of the churches that I began in Thuringia. Earnestly recall the
people from the paths of error, finish the construction of the basilica at Fulda, which is
now in the process of building, and bring thither this body of mine now wasted by the toil
of years." When he had ended his instructions he added the following words, or words
to this effect: "Carefully provide everything that we shall need on our journey, not
forgetting to place in the chest, where my books are kept, a linen sheet in which my aged
body may be wrapped. "
At these sad words Bishop Lull could not restrain his tears and gave vent to his
profound sorrow; but Boniface, having expressed his last wishes, went about his business
unconcerned. After the lapse of a few days, he still persevered in his decision to set out
on the journey, and so, taking with him a few companions, he went on board a ship and
sailed down the Rhine. Eventually he reached the marshy country of Frisia, crossed safely
over the stretch of water, which in their tongue is called Aelmere, [i.e. the Zuider Zee]
and made a survey of the lands round about, which up till then had borne no fruit. After
bravely hazarding the perils of the river, the sea and the wide expanse of the ocean, he
passed through dangerous places without fear of danger, and visited the pagan Frisians,
whose land is divided into many territories and districts by intersecting canals. These
territories, though bearing different names, are, nevertheless, the property of one
nation. But since it would prove tedious to give a list of these districts one after the
other, we will merely mention one or two of them by name to prove the veracity and add to
the continuity of our narrative. in this way the place and its name will bear witness to
the activities of the saint as we relate them and show the kind of death that took him
from this world.
This, then, is how he traversed the whole of Frisia, destroying pagan worship and
turning away the people from their pagan errors by his preaching of the Gospel. The' pagan
temples and gods were overthrown and churches were built in their stead. Many thousands of
men, women, and children were baptized by him, assisted by his fellow missionary and
suffragan bishop Eoban, who, after being consecrated bishop in the city which is called
Trecht [i.e. Utrecht], was summoned to Frisia to help Boniface in his old age. He was also
assisted in his labors by a number of priests and deacons whose names are subjoined:
Wintrung, Walthere, Ethelhere, priests; Hamrind, Scirbald, and Bosa, deacons; Wachar,
Gundaecer, Illehere and Hathowulf, monks: These in company with Saint Boniface preached
the Word of God far and wide with great success and were so united in spirit that, in
accordance with the teaching of apostolic practice, they were "of one heart and
soul" (Acts 4:32). Thus they deserved to share in the same crown of martyrdom and the
same final and eternal reward.
When, as we have already said, the faith had been planted strongly in Frisia and the
glorious end of the saint's life drew near, he took with him a picked number of his
personal followers and pitched a camp on the banks of the river Bordne, which flows
through the territories called Ostor and Westeraeche and divides them. Here he fixed a day
on which he would confirm by the laying-on of hands all the neophytes and those who had
recently been baptized; and because the people were scattered far and wide over the
countryside, they all returned to their homes, so that, in accordance with the
instructions laid down by the holy bishop, they could meet together again on the day
appointed for their confirmation.
But events turned out otherwise than expected. When the appointed day arrived and the
morning light was breaking through the clouds after sunrise, enemies came instead of
friends, new executioners in place of new worshipers of the faith. A vast number of foes
armed with spears and shields rushed into the camp brandishing their weapons. In the
twinkling of an eye the attendants sprang from the camp to meet them and snatched up arms
here and there to defend the holy band of martyrs (for that is what they were to be)
against the insensate fury of the mob. But the man of God, hearing the shouts and the
onrush of the rabble, straightway called the clergy to his side, and, collecting together
the relics of the saints, which he always carried with him, came out of his tent. At once
he reproved the attendants and forbade them to continue the conflict, saying: "Sons,
cease fighting. Lay down your arms, for we are told in Scripture not to render evil for
good but to overcome evil by good. The hour to which we have long looked forward is near
and the day of our release is at hand. Take comfort in the Lord and endure with gladness
the suffering He has mercifully ordained. Put your trust in Him and He will grant
deliverance to your souls." And addressing himself like a loving father to the
priests, deacons, and other clerics, all trained to the service of God, who stood about
him, he gave them courage, saying: "Brethren, be of stout heart, fear not them who
kill the body, for they cannot slay the soul, which continues to live for ever. Rejoice in
the Lord; anchor your hope in God, for without delay He will render to you the reward of
eternal bliss and grant you an abode with the angels in His heaven above. Be not slaves to
the transitory pleasures of this world. Be not seduced by the vain flattery of the
heathen, but endure with steadfast mind the sudden, onslaught of death, that you may be
able to reign evermore with Christ."
Whilst with these words he was encouraging his disciples to accept the crown of
martyrdom, the frenzied mob of pagans rushed suddenly upon them with swords and every kind
of warlike weapon, staining their bodies with their precious blood.
Suddenly, after the mortal remains of the just had been mutilated, the pagan mob seized
with exultation upon the spoils of their victory (in reality the cause of their damnation)
and, after laying waste the camp, carried off and shared the booty; they stole the chests
in which the books and relics were preserved and, thinking that they had acquired a hoard
of gold and silver, carried them off, still locked, to the ships. Now the ships were
stocked with provisions for the feeding of the clerics and attendants and a great deal of
wine still remained. Finding this goodly liquor, the pagans immediately began to slake
their sottish appetites and to get drunk. After some time, by the wonderful dispensation
of God, they began to argue among, themselves about the booty they had taken and discussed
how they were to share the gold and silver they had not even seen. During the long and
wordy discussion about the treasure, which they imagined to be considerable, frequent
quarrels broke out among them until, in the end, there arose such enmity and discord that
they were divided into two angry and frenzied factions. It was not long before the weapons
that had earlier murdered the holy martyrs were turned against each other in bitter
strife. After the greater part of the mad freebooters had been slain, the survivors,
surrounded by the corpses of their rivals for the booty, swooped down upon the treasure
that had been obtained by so much loss of life. They broke open the chests containing the
books and found, to their dismay, that they held manuscripts instead of gold vessels,
pages of sacred texts instead of silver plate. Disappointed in' their hope of gold and
silver, they littered the fields with the books they found, throwing some of them into
reedy marshes, hiding away others in widely different places. But by the grace of God and
through the prayers of the archbishop and martyr Saint Boniface the manuscripts were
discovered, a long time afterward, unharmed and intact, and they were returned by those
who found them to the monastery, in which they are used with great advantage to the
salvation of souls even at the present day.
Disillusioned by the loss of the treasure on which they had reckoned, the murderers
returned to their dwellings. But after a lapse of three days they were visited with a just
retribution for their crimes, losing not only all their worldly possessions but their
lives also. For it was the will of the omnipotent Creator and Savior of the world that He
should be avenged of His enemies; and in His mercy and compassion He demanded a penalty
for the sacred blood shed on His behalf. Deeply moved by the recent act of wicked
savagery, He deigned to show the wrath He had concealed so long against the worshipers of
idols. As the unhappy tidings of the martyr's death spread rapidly from village to village
throughout the whole province and the Christians learned of their fate, a large avenging
force, composed of warriors ready to take speedy retribution, was gathered together and
rushed swiftly to their neighbors' frontiers. The pagans, unable to withstand the
onslaught of the Christians, immediately took to flight and were slaughtered in great
numbers. In their flight they lost their lives, their household goods, and their children.
So the Christians, after taking as their spoil the wives and children, men and
maidservants of the pagan worshipers, returned to their homes. As a result, the pagans
round about, dismayed at their recent misfortune and seeking to avoid everlasting
punishment, opened their minds and hearts to the glory of the faith. Struck with terror at
the visitation of God's vengeance, they embraced after Boniface's death the teaching they
had rejected while he still lived.
The bodies of the holy bishop and of the other martyrs were brought by boat across the
water called Aelmere, an uneventful voyage of some days, to the above-mentioned city that
is called Trecht. There the bodies were deposited and interred until some religious and
trustworthy men of God arrived from Mainz. From there they had been sent in a ship by
Bishop Lull, the successor of our holy bishop and martyr, to bring the body of the saint
to the monastery built by him during his lifetime on the banks of the river Fulda. Of
these men there was one named Hadda, remarkable for his continence and chastity, who
planned the journey and organized the party. On him particularly and on all the brethren
who accompanied him Lull imposed the obligation of setting out on the journey and of
bringing back the sacred body in order that greater honor and reverence might be paid to
the holy man and greater credence might be given to all the facts they saw and heard.
The venerable and holy company came to the above-mentioned city [Utrecht] and was met
by a small throng of people. But the count of the city declared in the hearing of all that
an edict had been issued by King Pepin forbidding anyone to remove the body of Bishop
Boniface from that place. As, however, the power of Almighty God is greater than the
strength of men,' suddenly in their presence a marvelous miracle took place, wrought
through angelic rather than human intervention. The bell of the church, untouched by human
hands, began to ring, as if the body of the saint was issuing a warning, and every person
present, smitten by a sudden feeling of awe, was struck with terror and cried out that the
body of this holy man should be given up. The body, consequently, was handed over at once
and was taken away in great honor by the brethren already mentioned. And so, to the
accompaniment of psalms and hymns, without having to row against the current of the
stream, the body was brought, thirty days after the saint's decease, to the city of Mainz.
It fell out by the wonderful providence of God that on one and the same day, although no
fixed arrangement had been made, there assembled together for the interment of this great
man not only the envoys who had brought the sacred body but also many men and women of the
faith from distant and widely scattered districts, just as if they had been forewarned of
the event. Moreover, Lull, the saint's successor, who at that time was engaged at the
royal palace and was not informed of the arrival of the sacred body and was quite ignorant
of what was afoot, came to Mainz almost at the same hour and moment. And though all
strangers and citizens alike were weighed down with sorrow and grief, yet they experienced
a great joy. For while they were struck with grief when they considered the circumstances
of his death, they felt, on the other hand, that he would protect them and their heirs for
all time to come. Therefore the people with the priests, deacons, and all ranks of the
clergy carried the sacred body, with hearts torn by conflicting emotions, to the spot that
he had decided upon during his lifetime. A new sarcophagus was made in the church and the
body was laid in it with all the customary rites of burial. When the ceremony was over
they all returned to their homes, strengthened and comforted in the faith.
From that moment the spot in which the sacred body was interred became the scene of
many divine blessings through the prayers of the saint; many of those who cam e there,
troubled by various sicknesses and diseases, were healed in soul and body. Some who were
at death's door and practically lifeless, deprived of everything except their last breath,
were restored to vigorous health. Others, whose eyes were dim with blindness, received
their sight; others, bound fast by the snares of the devil, unbalanced in mind and out of
their sense, regained their peace of mind and after their cure gave praise and thanks to
God. God deigned to honor and enrich His servant, who possessed this great gift, and
glorified him in the eyes of present and future ages, forty years after his pilgrimage was
over, i.e., 716, which year is reckoned as the year of the Incarnation of our Lord seven
hundred and fifty-five, the eighth indiction. He occupied the episcopal thirty-six years,
six months, and six days. Thus, in the manner described above, on the fifth day of June,
crowned with the palm of martyrdom, he departed to the Lord, to whom be.honor and :glory
for ever and ever. Amen.
9
How in the place where the blood of the martyrs was shed a
living fountain appeared to those who were surveying the site for a church
Now that we have narrated the outstanding events in the saint's childhood, boyhood,
youth, middle life, old age, let us return to the marvelous happenings that were wrought
by the help of God after his life's work was over, and make known to men the sanctity of
his life.
Let us recall to memory a miracle that people still remember and recount. This story
was told to us by the venerable Bishop Lull, who learned it from King Pepin, who in turn
heard it from eyewitnesses. The story as related by Lull goes as follows: A plan was drawn
up with the advice of the ecclesiastical authorities and the majority of the Frisian
people to raise an enormous mound of earth on the spot where some years before the
precious blood of the holy martyr had been spilled. This was because the violent neap and
spring tides at different times of the year affect the ocean swell and cause disturbances
in the incoming and outgoing floods of water. On the mound they proposed to build a church
(as was done later) and to construct on the same spot a monastery for the servants of God.
But when the mound had been raised and the work of building it up had been completed, the
residents and inhabitants of the district began to discuss on their return home the
difficulty of obtaining fresh water, for throughout almost all Frisia this is a great
problem both for man and beast. At last a certain man named Abba, who was an administrator
under King Pepin and director of the work in question, taking some attendants with him,
mounted his horse, rode over the hill, and inspected the mound. Suddenly and unexpectedly
the horse of one of the attendants, which had barely trod upon the ground, felt it sinking
and giving way altogether. With its forelegs held firmly in the soil, the horse rolled
helplessly about until those who were more active and experienced hurriedly dismounted
from their horses and extricated it as it lay fast in the earth. At once an astonishing
miracle happened, worthy to be remembered by all those who were present and saw it. A
fountain of water much clearer than any found in that country, extraordinarily sweet and
pleasant to the taste, came bubbling up and flowed out through innumerable channels until
it formed a considerable stream. Astounded at this miracle, they returned to their homes
in joy and gladness, spreading the news in the churches of what they had seen.
Source.
C. H. Talbot, The Anglo-Saxon Missionaries in Germany, Being the Lives of SS.
Willibrord, Boniface, Leoba and Lebuin together with the Hodoepericon of St. Willibald and
a selection from the correspondence of St. Boniface, (London and New York: Sheed and
Ward, 1954)
The copyright status of this text has been checked carefully. The situation is
complicated, but in sum is as follows. The book was published in 1954 by Sheed & Ward,
apparently simultaneously, in both London and New York. The American-printed edition
simply gave 'New York' as place of publication, the British-printed edition gave 'London
and New York'. Copyright was not renewed in 1982 or 1983, as required by US Law. The
recent GATT treaty (1995?) restored copyright to foreign publications which had entered US
public domain simply because copyright had not be renewed in accordance with US law. This
GATT provision does not seem to apply to this text because it was published simultaneously
in the US and Britain by a publisher operating in both countries (a situation specifically
addressed in the GATT regulations). Thus, while still under copyright protection in much
of the world, the text remains in the US public domain.
Some years ago, a collection of such hagiographical texts, including some texts from
Talbot, was published:-
Thomas F.X. Noble and Thomas Head, Soldiers of Christ: Saint and Saints' Lives from
Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, (University
Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1995).
Soldiers of Christ uses, among others, the Talbot translated texts, but is
much improved by additional notes by the two editors, and by new translations of some
parts. Readers from outside the US should consult this volume, and readers in the US would
find it profitable to do so.
This text is part of the Internet
Medieval Source Book. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and
copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history.
Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright.
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© Paul Halsall, September 1, 2000
halsall@fordham.edu
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