It was
dedicated
to our Saviour,95 by
Bishop Wictherpus.
Bishop Wictherpus.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
"64 Then rising from prayer and going out
from the oratory, they heard evil spirits howling and crying out: "You,
Magnus, bear three names on your forehead, and with the Trinity cause
suchillstous,andyou,Theodore,whatdoyoutous? Thedaymustcome
when Magnus shall not be with you, and then we can assail you, and excite
the various passions of the inhabitants of this region against you. " Magnus
"
then replied :
Miserable beings, acknowledge if you can the Trinity of
God. " Theyanswered "Weknowittobeineffableandimmense. " Then :
said the blessed Magnus " Now that you have acknowledged the Holy :
Trinity, I command you, not in my own poor capacity, but through the immense power of the Holy Trinity, that you quit this place, and go into mountain deserts wherever the Lord permits you, and that you no longer have permission to return. " On this sentence being pronounced, the demons cried out: "Alas! what shall we do ? Here have we met another Gallus: nay more, this Gallus is worse than the former, who with his morning canticles 6s
62
In the Latin Acts, "aedificemus ora-
shall daily resound at cock-crowing with
Thy praises. "
6s The text of the saint's Acts reads thus :
" Heu ! quid faciemus? alium Galium hie signification, by Goidast, in a lengthy habemus : imo iste Gallus pejor est priori,
culum parvulum. "
63 In the Latin Acts, "senioris nostri "
has many observations regarding the
note.
64 The Latin phrase in the Acts of St.
quia cum suis galliciniis nos et membra nostra pariter ejicit : sed nee in heremo manere permittit. " The demons are here allowed to have a play on the proper name
"
Goidast omits it, and Father Suysken under-
stands it to mean " Locus iste quotidie sub
:
Magnus is,
cottidie cantantibus gallis. "
gallicinium laudibus tuis resonet. " It may "gallus gallinaceus. " See also Ciceropro
thus be rendered in English :
"
This place Murana, 29.
of Gallus, the master of St. Magnus. Thus
:
144 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September6.
drives away us and our companions, not even permitting us to remain in the
wilderness. " From that day forward the demons disappeared, and never
returned ; for, as the evil ones left, through the prayers of Magnus, so did
the poison of error depart from many souls there, holiness taking its place.
Thenceforth the inhabitants in their 66 enjoyed peace dwellings.
Magnus stayed a short time at Campidonum 67 or Campodunum,68 now Kempten,69 as he was obliged to accomplish the prediction of his master, St. Columban. ? That is now a town in Bavaria, and in the circle of Suabia, on the left bank of the Uler. Having recommended Theodore to build a church
the man who had recovered
Magnus gave him the kiss of peace and bade farewell, taking with himself the priest Tozzo as a companion. About the year 629, St. Magnus is said to have thus journeyed ad Fauces Julias, 1 * where he intended to select a site, on which to build a monastery. On the way, a river was passed, before they came to a place called Eptaticus,? 3 where they found a bishop belonging to
the renowned Church of Augsburg,"* in Germany. He was named Wictherpus. 75 Tozzowasintimatewiththatprelate,andwentinadvanceof Magnus, to relate all he knew about the holy man, and the object of his visit, which was to seek that spot which Providence had designed for him. The bishop asked Tozzo from what country the stranger had come, and he
:
received for answer " My lord, as I have heard from 'Theodore, who has
been left at Campidona, he was born in the province of Ireland. " Having heard the report of his virtues and miracles, the Bishop cordially received Magnus, who remained with him a few days, and related all he knew regarding
Saints Columban and Gall, their characters, conversation, wanderings, miracles and lives. Then Wictherp enquired about the place to which he
in that 1 and place,?
leaving
sight
with
him,
was ThenDeacon going.
"TheLord I am willing it,
Magnus replied :
directed to a locality denominated Fauces,? 6 near springs of the Julian Alps,
and where was a dragon killed by a demon, according to a command of Bishop Narcissus, and there, with God's assistance, I shall do all the good
66 This sentence is omitted in the editions of Canisius and Goldast.
67 At A. . D. 752, Mabillon writes :
" Positus est hie locus in Sueviee finibus ad
Hilarem amnem, a quo inditum pago
Hilergovse noraen. Nobile in primis cceno-
bium, nobilium Suevorum seminarium, ac
totius Suevise monasterium facile princeps
Abbot of Kempten. However, Hermann states, that Audegarius was the first founder and abbot there, A. D. 752. Sec Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis Sancti Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, lxv. , p. 159.
72 Mabillon states "ad Fauces alpiutn Juliarum accessi-se," &c. —Ibid. , tomus i. , lib. xiii. , sect, xxxiii. . p. 392.
73 Rader calls it Heptaticus, a village in Boica, between Land-perg and Schongavie,
"
Bavaria Sacra. " 74 Bearing the Latin denomination of
Augusta Vindelicensis.
75 lie i- venerated as a saint, on the 18th
the Stifts-Siadt, having close upon 8,000 of April, the day for his feast. He was
cujus abbas inter principes imperii quatuor-
viros locum habet. "—" Annales Ordinis
Sancti Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect,
lxv. , pp. 159, 160.
near the River Lich. See
68
It consists of two parts : the old town and
It lies 61 miles W. S. W. from Munich.
inhabitants, with a fine collegiate church, library, and manufactures of cottonand linen. See "Gazetteer of the World," vol. viii. , p. 473-
69 See Baudrand's "Novum Lexicon Geo-
graphicum," tomus i. , p. 154.
70 The Benedictine writers state of
"
Theodore :
origine de la celebre Abbaie de Kempten. " —Histoire l. iteraire de la France," tome iii. , vii. Siecle, p. 635.
71 Theodore is called by Canisius the first
bishop of Augsburg about the year 654. See l. es Petits Bollandistes, "Vies des Saints," tome iv. , xviik- Jour d'Avril, p. 470.
76 Baud rand has the following description
"
of the place :
Fuessen. oppidum alias Vindeliceae in Rhxnia, nunc Suevise, provinciae Germanise, in ipse limiie Bavaria:. in ditione episcopiAugustani. Distal xii. milliaribus Germanicis a—b Augusta Vindelicorum in Meridiem. "
" Novum Lexicon-Geographicum. "
6 qui on rapporte la premiere
Abusiacum, seu Abodiacus,
September 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 145
within my power. Now let your reverence prescribe for me, how I shall obey you, as I desire to become your subject, and receive the Lord's com- mandfromyourmouth. Iamnowanoldman,andIdesireinmyclosing years, if it be your pleasure, to see that place, and prepare in it to serve God, following the rule of my most blessed superiors, Columban and Gall. " The Bishop replied : "The place you seek is very rugged and deserted by man, and various wild animals, such as deer, boars and bears abound there, so that my Lord the King Pipin 77 has reserved it as a hunting-ground for his own use. Serpents of various kinds are also to be met with. " Then Magnus
" Father, such grace had my masters Columban and Gall, that when they came to places where they desired to dwell, our Lord Jesus Christ through their prayers banished the wild animals and vermin. In like manner, through His mercies, I believe, He will not allow such pests to remain there whenIcome. " Givinghisassent,andspreadingbeforethemsomefood,the Bishop sent attendants with Magnus and Tozzo to that spot, known to the
said
:
8 rendered Head of the Horse,79 where a fierce dragon lurked in a crevice, and would not permit any man nor horse to
approach that way.
When there arrived, the Deacon Magnus said to the Priest Tozzo :
u Brother, let us set up our tent here for the night, and pray to the Lord, that He would expe. 1 the present demoniac subject from this spot, and permit
us to advance. " Accordingly, they rested there, but during that night, Magnus prayed and invoked the Divine assistance to overcome the dragon.
:
however,hesaidtoTozzo "Givemeaman,whowillleadme
inhabitants as
Rosshaupten,?
At
to the den where that dragon lies. " Tozzo replied, that he feared the monster
midnight,
: shoulddevourhim,butMagnusanswered "IftheLordbewithus,whoshall
be against us, let us therefore go in confidence, since he who released Daniel from the lion's den 8o can also snatch me from this wicked monster's power. " Saying these words, Magnus placed some bread that had been blessed, in his satchel, hanging a small crucifix from his neck. He took some pitch and
andtheCambutaofSt. Gall,inhishands thenhe "O
rosin, ; prayed, Almighty
Lord, who hath brought me into a distant country, send Thy angel with me, as in the case of Thy servant Tobias,81 deliver me from the power of this dragon, and show me the place destined for our most ardent desires. " Then having a little of the blessed bread and water in his mouth, and taking with him a single guide, leaving all his other companions in the tent, Magnus set out for the place where the dragon lay in wait. Immediately he arose to attack the holy Deacon, who threw burning pitch and rosin into the monster's mouth, with a prayer to God for the result. The dragon burst asunder, and died on the instant. 82 The man who had accompanied him, on seeing that miracle, ran back to the tent, and brought those who remained behind to witness it. They found Magnus engaged in prayer and thanksgiving, in
" As Pepin, surnamed the Short, did not begin to reign until A. D. 750 ; no other prince of the name can here be intended, if not Pippin the Senior, Major-domus of Dagobert I. , and Sigebert, Kings of Austrasia.
78 By the Germans ros means "horse," and haupt "head. " Hence Rader gives it the Greek rendering, Hippocephalum. In
from the town of Fussen, and in the direction of Augsburg.
? 9 The author of our saint's Acts remarks,
" 82 the map, prefixed to the Commentarius
Father Suysken believes, that this Rerum Augustinarum of F. Charles account is taken from what is related Stengel, the spot is shown at the River in a nearly similar manner in Daniel, xiv.
Lech, and a little more than a German mile 26.
"
"
quia omnes venatores reliquerunt ibi cabal los
idcirco vocatus est iste locus Caput Equi,
suos, et pedestres ibant, quocumque poterant ad venandum. "
*°
8l
See Daniel, c. vi. See Tobias, c. v.
K
i46 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September6.
which Tozzo devoutly joined. Afterwards, they left that rugged place, and went to the River Lech. From the neck of Magnus depended a crucifix or
case,83 containing relics of the Holy Cross, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the holy Martyrs, Maurice and his companions, as also of the Blessed Confessors
Columban and Gall. 8*
Near the banks of the River Lech was found a
Thy holy Mother, and prepare also a dwelling for Thy servants. " Whereupon, they began to dig the foundations and to build a church there. Afterwards, they invited Bishop Wictherp to come and consecrate it
83 This was afterwards kept in the monas- tery of Fiissen. The Abbot Henry, in 1607, opened this case, and found within it seven different objects, but without any inscription. In German they are called siven penggelin, but Father Suysken states, he could not anywhere find the interpretation of the words.
84 Father Suysken rather supposes the
narrative in the text to have been drawn by
the interpolator from an incident of a nearly
ecclesia non in honorem divse Virginis et S.
Floriani, sed in honorem Salvatoris nostri
est dedicata. "
8s where a 86 and on its large apple-tree grew,
and beautiful
branches Magnus hung the reliquary, and called Tozzo to him. Both engaged in prayer, and Magnus exclaimed: " Lord Jesus Christ, who hast deigned to be born of the Virgin and to die for our salvation, despise not the contrition for my sins, but allow us to construct an oratory here in honour of
spacious
plain,
to our Lord and to 87 Their Holy Mary.
he with, and it complied
request
was dedicated to the Mother of God and to St. Florianus. 88
In it, the Divine
of the
his merits, the people flocked far and near to the cell of St. Magnus for
such they chose to call it, on account of his virtues and miraculous powers.
8
It was also enriched with gifts by the faith ful. 9 Leaving Tozzo there to
were soon celebrated. Mysteries Hearing
great
miracle
wrought through —
minister for their spiritual welfare, and commending him to the congregation,^ Magnus knew that another place not far removed was destined for his own habitation.
Thence he went to Fauces—the present Fiissen—situated on the River
1
Leek, in the circle of the Upper Danube, Bavaria. 9
are said to have had previous possession of the locality, and while some were buried in the depths of the River Leek, others held possession of the
mountains near it. 9
2
They were heard mutually to lament the arrival of
similar character related by Walafridus However, in this he was mistaken, as
"
85 Rader states, that in his day it was for St. Tozzo, as the Bollandist Father
called Waltenhofen. See "Bavaria pia," p. 1S6.
Strabo in his
Vita S. Galli. " Waltenhofen was really the place destined
80
Father Babenstuber, in his "Vita S.
of January. See Acta Sanctorum," 'tomus ii. , at that same day.
Magni," relates, that in his day it was
staled this apple-tree grew in the garden of
a certain Adam Mayr of Waltenhofen, near
the parish church. Although from time
to time that tree had been imprudently
mutilated, still it recovered growth, and sanctze Mariae ad populum illis venturum many strangers came from a distance to custodiendum vocavitque ipsum locum obtain its leaves and branches, which were
thought to drive away mice from their meadows and fields. See lib. ii. , cap. 5.
87 The Abbot Henry, in annotations to
92 The Bollandist editor invites the reader to compare this account, with what is related ecclesiie Faucensi : nostra enim prima regarding St. Gall, by Walafridus Strabo;
his manuscript, writes : "Collige falli eos, qui hanc ecclesioe dedicationem attribuunt
There, too, the evil spirits
88
understood this dedication, as referring to
TheBenedictineFatherCharlesStengel
the monastery of Fiissen, in his
"
Monas-
teriologia, in qua insignium Monasteriorum Faniiliae Sancti Benedicti in Germanin,
Origines, Fundatores. Claiique Viii, &c. , reri iacbae occulis subjiciuntur. " Augsburg, 1619, 1638, two tomes in one folio volume,
Henschenn shows in his Acts, at the 16th "
*» In the edition of our saint's Acts by Goldast, much of what follows in the text is omitted.
9° The Vita S. Magni states :" relinquens prsefatum pnvsbyterum Tozzouem in ecclesia
Synagoga, id est Congregatio populorum. " l"
9 See Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des Saints," tome x. , Jour vie Septembre, p. 528.
September 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
147
: Magnusinthedistrict,whensigninghimselfwiththecross,hesaid "Inthe
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and not through my merits, but those of the blessed Gallus, his confessor, and through his glorious deposition, I adjure
you to depart from this place and return not, nor retiring presume to injure anv person. " Soon afterwards, the holy deacon crossed over the river 93 to the Church of St. Mary, which he had built for Tozzo, and related all he had heard and seen. ** When the hour for vespers came, with its sacred song, were heard the loud howls of the demons from the mountain tops, as if terrified on departing. The servants of God gave thanks in prayer for this victory over the wicked spirits. On the next day, Magnus and Tozzo returned to the place already described, and there, with the assistance of the people, a small oratory was erected.
It was dedicated to our Saviour,95 by
Bishop Wictherpus.
This chapel had a ccenobium attached to it, but in the lapse of time,
both were more than once destroyed and again reconstructed until in the ;
—— ninth century, the bishops of Augsburg96 and especially Lanto97 took
care that a larger church should be erected. This was dedicated to our
Saviour and to St. Magnus. It was also regarded as a parish church. In
the year 1 701, the Most Rev. Dom. Gerard, the fifty-second Abbot of Fiissen,
had the church and monastery magnificently renovated, and in the year 171 7, on the 15th of February, the consecration took place, by the Most Rev. and
Serene Lord Bishop of Augsburg, Alexander Sigismund, Count Palatine.
According to the description given of this church, it was built in magnificent proportions, being of noble design, while the materials were superior, and the workmanship was most elaborate. 98 The structure was cruciform, two hundred feet in length, by sixty in height, whence a roof arose to the apex of forty additional feet. The transepts were eighty-four feet in width, elsewhere the breadth was sixty feet. Twelve columns supported the roof within, and on each of these was the beautiful and artistic figure of an apostle carved in fine marble ; while sixty triple windows, oblong, rounded and lunated, threw light into the building. Within the church were four oratories ; the two larger devoted to the choristers, and the other two fitted for the practice of devotion. The choir was rounded off and elongated for accommodation of the religious, who used it both by day and night, and the stalls were elegantly carved in mottled wood. Moreover, within the church were
and, he must find, that what has been attributed to the latter saint at Bregentz is also ascribed by the interpolator to St. Magnus at Fussen. Wherefore, lie deems the story in the text worthy only to be re- ganled as a fable.
93 Waltenhofen and Fussen were on opposite banks of the River Lech.
94 The Abbot Henry alludes to a spot
near the Lech, called S. Mangen schritt.
Regarding it, Father Ludovicus Babenstuber
states: "Extra suburbicen Fuessense, ubi Commentarius Przevius, sect, viii. , pp. 716 est fullonia, in utraque ripa Lyci notantur
partes petra; depressiores cateris, quas vulgus S. Magni vestigia (S. Mangen schritt) nominat; quaeDivusdestitueritibiimpressa,
quando omnem superavit, seu vado, seu portatus ab angelo. Non tamen referunt
ea, ut satis agnosci queat, figuram plantarum humanarum : in causa ajunt esse vetustatem,
quae madore imbrium, niveumque adjuta, manifestiora lineamenta exederit. "
^ Of it, the Abbot Henry writes, that in his opinion, it rested on a rock above the great church of his time, and that it was
"
near their conventual garden, ubi jam
constructa manet ecclesia nostra major. "
96 Much chronological uncertainty pre- vails regarding the order of succession and
dates for the episcopacy of Augsburg during the Middle Ages, as shown by Father
Suysken, in the " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Septembris vi. De Sancto Magno, &c,
to 720.
97 This prelate—also called Hanto—
is said to have presided over his see for seven years, and to have been present at the Synod of
Mayence, held A. n. 847.
98 We have here abridged a detailed descrip-
tion of this grand chinch, dedicated to St.
Magnus, from that given by the Rev. Father
Chardon, Rector of the Jesuit College of Constance, to the Bollandists.
148 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 6.
admirably pictured incidents in his life, and representations of some miracles
wrought by St. Magnus. The high altar, magnificently and skilfully carved from precious marble, closed the choir, and the pavement of the choir was of black and white marble, in a varied and harmonizing pattern. There are eight chapels wi—thin the church : two larger ones within the transepts ; and
and
six smaller ones all of their altars being marble
two smaller ones. A few steps conduct to the entrance of two subterranean chapels: one of these is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and there is the baptismal font, enclosed within a marble baptistery. But, the chapel of St. Magnus, which adjoins, is still more ornate ; for not alone is the altar of marble, but the walls and pavement are exquisitely adorned with varied coloured marbles, and arranged with great artistic taste. Tradition maintains, that this latter chapel stands on the original site of the cell of St. Magnus. ? ?
CHAPTER III.
ST. MAGNUS IS PATRONISED BY KING PIPPIN—ORDAINED PRIEST BY BISHOP WICTHERP—MIRACLES WROUGHT AT FUSSEN—BISHOP TOZZO VISITED ST. MAGNUS AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH—INTERMENT BY THEODORE—A MEMOIR PLACED IN HIS COFFIN—RESTORATION OF HIS CHURCH BY CHARLEMAGNE—TRANSLATION OF ST. MAGNOALD'S REMAINS TO A NEW SHRINE—MIRACLES THEN AND AFTER- WARDS WROUGHT—COMMEMORATIONS AND FESTIVALS—CONCLUSION.
Some religious clerics were soon found to place themselves under the rule
1
of St. Magnus, and they were recommended to his care by the good prelate,
who also furnished the means necessary for their support. He is said, like- wise, to have furnished a recommendation in person to the renowned King
Peppin
Pippin d'H£ristall,3
Germany
Gaul,*
2 or who then ruled over and
Begga, of Pepin le Vieux, or of Landen,
mayor of the palace under Sigebert III. , son of Dagobert, who died A. I). 638, and whom lie survived only one year. In concert with his brother Martin, Pepin dTIeristal declared war against the King of Neustria, or rather against the mayor or his house, the able minister, Ebroin. Their career commenced by getting rid of the Merovin- gian King Dagobert II. , who then ruled in
» Father Chardon adds " Sacellum S.
:
Magni ab initio et prima monasteni funda-
tione ereclum, antiquissime documenta dicunt fuisse habitaculum et ipsissimam cellam, in qua S. Magnus primus fundator et patronus noster habitavit in vivis ; et ideo semper in summo honore habitual, ssepius cum monasterio et ecclesia, partim incendi, partim devastationibus destructum, sed semper iterum innovatum, cum ecclesia et
monasterio anno MDCCI. noviter et fundo Austrasia. However, having levied a erecto et hoc sacellum e fundo noviter ex- powerful army, they marched against Ebroin tructum et pulcherrime exornaium fuit, and the Neustrian>, but were signally de- ut hodie visitur ; ita tamen ut eumdem feated near Laon, in 680, when Martin was
semper locum servaverit, quern habuit, vivente S. Magno, postcujus obitum postliac
killed, and Pepin saved himself by flight. Not long afterwards, Ebroin Was assas- sinated, and. his successors gave such
in sacellum muta—tum est.
'
'
Chapter hi. The Acts of St. Magnus,
as published by the Boilandists, state, that he ruled over them for thirty years ; but this account does not accord with other versions of his Acts, which give him only twenty- live years, as a superior. Even the aforesaid
Acts are inconsistent with their subsequent "
of the Neustnan
leudes
relation of the death of St. Magnus, ex- the Somme, in 687. Afterwards, Thierry
pletis viginti sex annis commorationis suae III. being made prisoner, Pepin consoli-
in illo ccenobio," &c. dated his authority over all provinces
2
He. was grandson, through his mother, occupied by the Erancs. See Le Dr.
; also,a
large organ,
offence, that many
sought refuge in the dominions of Pepin. The latter then levied a confederacy of those
malcontents, together with the Saxons, Prisons, Cattes, Hessians, Thuringians and other Germans ; and with these he fought a decisive and bloody battle near Testri on
September 6. ] LIVES OI THE IRISH SAINTS. '49
while he presented also an epistle of St. Columbans directed to Lothaire,6 in favour of the holy men, Gallus and Magnus,7 who had settled in his
that 8 from some epistle, Peppin enquired
moved
of his German chiefs about that place, for which Bishop Witcherp preferred
kingdom. Whereupon,
by
his petition. Then Gungo,9 Duke of Augsburg and Rhetia, told him about its desert character, and of its being only a haunt for wild animals and
serpents. Extolling the virtues of Magnus, Wictherp stated, so marvellous had been his\ sanctity, while in that country, that like the first man, Adam, he exercised an absolute power over the savage animals,10 and how in that vicinity was a stronghold occupied by a frightful demon, which assumed the figure of a dragon, and who, under such form, usurped the supreme honour, due to God alone, among the poor and ignorant mountaineers.
However, St. Magnus resolved to encounter that demon, and fortified by
prayer, he touched the monster on the neck, with the end of St. Columban's
staff. Immediately, the demon's wrath was excited, but swelling up in fury,
he expired on the spot, and with him disappeared all the other demons, that were thought to infest those mountainous regions. While there, it was
stated, that he also freed the neighbourhood from serpents.
On hearing such accounts, King Pippin declared, that as wonderful miracles had been already wrought where the body of St. Gallus was deposed, so should that wild district have its fame diffused abroad in after times. He then asked Gunzon if there could be found tax-payers to the royal treasury in that neighbourhood, who might have their tributary returns sent to St. Magnus, instead of to the royal fisc. The king learned, that there was a
village, called Geltenstein, he bestowed by charter
"
that might serve for that purpose. Whereupon, a large tract of woodland, with the village in
Nouvelle Biographie Generate," tome xxxix. , cols. 540, 54 1.
3 So designated from a celebrated villa,
in which he dwelt on the banks of the
Meuse, near Liege. See Henri Martin's
"
Ilistoire de France," tome ii. , liv. xi. , p. 160.
4 In ihe year 700 he was Mayor of the Palace for the whole of the French Empire,
—
pas beaucoup de respect ; mais il y supleoit par une grande force, et par un certain air de fierte, qui reparoit en lui ce defaut de la nature. "
Hoefer's
" Kohlrausch's
9 Goldast has the name written Cuntzo.
He seems to have been the from magnate,
whose daughter, Frideburga, St. Gall is stated to have expelled the evil spirit.
10 See Les Petits " Vies des Bollandistes,
tant en Neustrie qu'en Austrasie. "
"
Histoire d'Allemagne," traduite de l'Allemand, par A. Guinefolle,
Deuxieme
5 In his "Vita S.
Epoque, p. 77.
Columbani," Jonas
Saints," tome vie x. , Jour
528, n. 1.
11
Septembre, p.
11 I2
states, that when King Clothaire earnestly besought the holy Abbot to return and again preside over Luxeu, St. Columban wrote to Eustasius—then Superior over Luxeu—that he would excuse him to the King for not undertaking such a charge, but only to ask lor the assistance and protection of the monarch on behalf of his community, that
? Jonas makes no mention of Gallus and S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxxii. , sect,
Magnus, and Father Suysken observes, xiv. , p. 609.
then lived in the monastery at Luxeu. 6"
So written in the Acts, as published by the Bollandists. In the edition of Canisius, it is written Geltinstein ; in that of Goldast, Keltinstein, and called by the Abbot Henry Geltenstain. The latter writer notices, that no longer was it known by such a name, bub he supposed it to have been in the Tyrol. Mabillon quotes a charter of Ludo- vicus Augustus, in favour of Kempten, and
Jonas adds : Litteras castigationem
affamine plenas regi dirigit gratissimum in which mention of it is thus made, "in munus," &c. pago Keltenstein. " See "Annate-; Ordinis
" 12 non dubito taman, quin hasce litteras
In the Acts as published by Goldast we
interpolator noster designet. "
8 " Gros et court comme son surnom le
read :
"
Dedit ei totum ipsum saltum cum
marcha, firmitatemque in epistola," &c. At portait, il etoit d'unc taille a n'imprimer this passage Goldast remarks, that by
—M. de Limiers' " Annates de la Monarchic Francoise, depuis son Etab- lissement jusques a Present. " Premiere Partie. Seconde Race, Pepin dit le Bref, pp. 49, 50. Amsterdam, 1 724, fol.
i5°
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 6.
x3 and a of one hundred and yearly payment
1* This was to be binding on himself and his successors for ever/s That grant was placed, also, under the jurisdiction of Bishop Wictherp and
all his episcopal successors. Receiving some royal present for Magnus, the bishop returned with great satisfaction to urge him there to supplement the
question, of silver.
twenty-three pounds
religious
services of St. and of St. 16 as also to and Mary Afra, regulate
institute all canonical observances. There accordingly St. Magnus founded
his chief monastic institution, and during the life-time of King Pepinxi
enjoyed his friendship and patronage. The latter monarch was viitual
sovereign, as Major Domus, in the palace of the French kings, and he died
December 1 6th, 18 while 714,
Dagobert
III. '9 was under his
tutelage.
No sooner had he been well settled in Fiissen, than his former com-
panion, Theodore of Kempen, paid him a visit, and after the usual
religious salutations had passed between them, Magnus was informed
and consulted about the persecutions and injuries Theodore had suffered
from the people around him,20 and how he had built a small church
on the banks of the Iller. He was desirous of having it consecrated
in honour of the Holy Mother of God, Mary, by Bishop Wictherp.
Both of those attached friends then went to see the at 21 bishop Eptaticus,
where he then resided, and preferred their request. He was then
sitting and at prayer in his oratory. On learning the object of their interview, the venerable prelate said: "I will first tell you what I had in my mind before you came, and then at a proper time, in the name of God, I shall go with you. Indeed, my most dear Father Magnus, as the Lord hath
marcha he means the
called Keltinstein, and that such term has
of a
16 In Goldast's edition of St. Acts, there is no mention of St. Afra.
the modern district.
l? his wife, By
signification
territory
Plectrude,
sons,
Aschauer usque ad Erspach, et quo spatio pnecipue continetur tota parochia Aschaver, Saxenriedt, Hohenfurch, bona in Nider- hoffen ei Altenstat, Dienhausen, Weyssensee et Fiiessen," &c.
virtues so justly merited. Grimoald left a son named Theudoalis or Theobaldus, who was styled Major Domus while still a youth ; but, (luring his minority, Plectrude, the wife of Pepin, took upon herself the chief administration of public affairs in the king- dom, which afterwards became the prey of great disorders. See Natalis Alexander's " Historia Ecclesiastica Veteris Novique Testamenti," tomus xii. , scec. vii. , cap. vi. ,
14
In the Acts as published by the Bol-
"
landists, the text reads,
viginti tria," but in other copies "centum et tredecim. " The Abbot Henry notes: "
village, previously
Magnus'
or
13 Henry, Abbot of Fiissen, gives the their father. Her he repudiated, and after-
he had two Drogon and Grimoald, who pie-deceased
" Nota saltum wards cohabited with whom he Alpaide, by
following interpretation :
ilium, quen. Pippinus S. Magno donasse had two illegitimate sons, Charles and dicitur, fuisse totum ilium districtum et Childebrand. However, repenting his illicit fundurn, magnum et spatiosum desertum, connexion, he recalled Plectrude to the quod se extendit ab Hornbach et parochia position his religious obligation and her
vectigalia centum
Si conjecturari licet, puto esse centum et
tredecim libra* argenti, qose quotannis art. vi. , p. 102, and saec. viii. , cap. vii. , art.
pendenda; erant ex Aschawensi S. Magni ecclesia : nam centum et tredecim librae
faciunt sexaginta quatuor Morenos, triginta crucigeros et tinum halerum. Sic hodie dttm nobis etiamnum pendunt Aschawcn-. es quotannis pro censu sexaginta quatuor florenos. Quod ego pro ratione conjecturce meas assertum volo. "
'5 Father Suysken, in a note, points out cer-
tain coincidences of statement and phrase-
ology, between what is given in the Acts of
St. Magnus, and in the text of Walafridus or in the village situated on its banks. In Strabo, in " De Miraculis S. Galli,"
cap. xi.
i. , ii. , iii. , iv.
from the oratory, they heard evil spirits howling and crying out: "You,
Magnus, bear three names on your forehead, and with the Trinity cause
suchillstous,andyou,Theodore,whatdoyoutous? Thedaymustcome
when Magnus shall not be with you, and then we can assail you, and excite
the various passions of the inhabitants of this region against you. " Magnus
"
then replied :
Miserable beings, acknowledge if you can the Trinity of
God. " Theyanswered "Weknowittobeineffableandimmense. " Then :
said the blessed Magnus " Now that you have acknowledged the Holy :
Trinity, I command you, not in my own poor capacity, but through the immense power of the Holy Trinity, that you quit this place, and go into mountain deserts wherever the Lord permits you, and that you no longer have permission to return. " On this sentence being pronounced, the demons cried out: "Alas! what shall we do ? Here have we met another Gallus: nay more, this Gallus is worse than the former, who with his morning canticles 6s
62
In the Latin Acts, "aedificemus ora-
shall daily resound at cock-crowing with
Thy praises. "
6s The text of the saint's Acts reads thus :
" Heu ! quid faciemus? alium Galium hie signification, by Goidast, in a lengthy habemus : imo iste Gallus pejor est priori,
culum parvulum. "
63 In the Latin Acts, "senioris nostri "
has many observations regarding the
note.
64 The Latin phrase in the Acts of St.
quia cum suis galliciniis nos et membra nostra pariter ejicit : sed nee in heremo manere permittit. " The demons are here allowed to have a play on the proper name
"
Goidast omits it, and Father Suysken under-
stands it to mean " Locus iste quotidie sub
:
Magnus is,
cottidie cantantibus gallis. "
gallicinium laudibus tuis resonet. " It may "gallus gallinaceus. " See also Ciceropro
thus be rendered in English :
"
This place Murana, 29.
of Gallus, the master of St. Magnus. Thus
:
144 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September6.
drives away us and our companions, not even permitting us to remain in the
wilderness. " From that day forward the demons disappeared, and never
returned ; for, as the evil ones left, through the prayers of Magnus, so did
the poison of error depart from many souls there, holiness taking its place.
Thenceforth the inhabitants in their 66 enjoyed peace dwellings.
Magnus stayed a short time at Campidonum 67 or Campodunum,68 now Kempten,69 as he was obliged to accomplish the prediction of his master, St. Columban. ? That is now a town in Bavaria, and in the circle of Suabia, on the left bank of the Uler. Having recommended Theodore to build a church
the man who had recovered
Magnus gave him the kiss of peace and bade farewell, taking with himself the priest Tozzo as a companion. About the year 629, St. Magnus is said to have thus journeyed ad Fauces Julias, 1 * where he intended to select a site, on which to build a monastery. On the way, a river was passed, before they came to a place called Eptaticus,? 3 where they found a bishop belonging to
the renowned Church of Augsburg,"* in Germany. He was named Wictherpus. 75 Tozzowasintimatewiththatprelate,andwentinadvanceof Magnus, to relate all he knew about the holy man, and the object of his visit, which was to seek that spot which Providence had designed for him. The bishop asked Tozzo from what country the stranger had come, and he
:
received for answer " My lord, as I have heard from 'Theodore, who has
been left at Campidona, he was born in the province of Ireland. " Having heard the report of his virtues and miracles, the Bishop cordially received Magnus, who remained with him a few days, and related all he knew regarding
Saints Columban and Gall, their characters, conversation, wanderings, miracles and lives. Then Wictherp enquired about the place to which he
in that 1 and place,?
leaving
sight
with
him,
was ThenDeacon going.
"TheLord I am willing it,
Magnus replied :
directed to a locality denominated Fauces,? 6 near springs of the Julian Alps,
and where was a dragon killed by a demon, according to a command of Bishop Narcissus, and there, with God's assistance, I shall do all the good
66 This sentence is omitted in the editions of Canisius and Goldast.
67 At A. . D. 752, Mabillon writes :
" Positus est hie locus in Sueviee finibus ad
Hilarem amnem, a quo inditum pago
Hilergovse noraen. Nobile in primis cceno-
bium, nobilium Suevorum seminarium, ac
totius Suevise monasterium facile princeps
Abbot of Kempten. However, Hermann states, that Audegarius was the first founder and abbot there, A. D. 752. Sec Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis Sancti Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, lxv. , p. 159.
72 Mabillon states "ad Fauces alpiutn Juliarum accessi-se," &c. —Ibid. , tomus i. , lib. xiii. , sect, xxxiii. . p. 392.
73 Rader calls it Heptaticus, a village in Boica, between Land-perg and Schongavie,
"
Bavaria Sacra. " 74 Bearing the Latin denomination of
Augusta Vindelicensis.
75 lie i- venerated as a saint, on the 18th
the Stifts-Siadt, having close upon 8,000 of April, the day for his feast. He was
cujus abbas inter principes imperii quatuor-
viros locum habet. "—" Annales Ordinis
Sancti Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect,
lxv. , pp. 159, 160.
near the River Lich. See
68
It consists of two parts : the old town and
It lies 61 miles W. S. W. from Munich.
inhabitants, with a fine collegiate church, library, and manufactures of cottonand linen. See "Gazetteer of the World," vol. viii. , p. 473-
69 See Baudrand's "Novum Lexicon Geo-
graphicum," tomus i. , p. 154.
70 The Benedictine writers state of
"
Theodore :
origine de la celebre Abbaie de Kempten. " —Histoire l. iteraire de la France," tome iii. , vii. Siecle, p. 635.
71 Theodore is called by Canisius the first
bishop of Augsburg about the year 654. See l. es Petits Bollandistes, "Vies des Saints," tome iv. , xviik- Jour d'Avril, p. 470.
76 Baud rand has the following description
"
of the place :
Fuessen. oppidum alias Vindeliceae in Rhxnia, nunc Suevise, provinciae Germanise, in ipse limiie Bavaria:. in ditione episcopiAugustani. Distal xii. milliaribus Germanicis a—b Augusta Vindelicorum in Meridiem. "
" Novum Lexicon-Geographicum. "
6 qui on rapporte la premiere
Abusiacum, seu Abodiacus,
September 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 145
within my power. Now let your reverence prescribe for me, how I shall obey you, as I desire to become your subject, and receive the Lord's com- mandfromyourmouth. Iamnowanoldman,andIdesireinmyclosing years, if it be your pleasure, to see that place, and prepare in it to serve God, following the rule of my most blessed superiors, Columban and Gall. " The Bishop replied : "The place you seek is very rugged and deserted by man, and various wild animals, such as deer, boars and bears abound there, so that my Lord the King Pipin 77 has reserved it as a hunting-ground for his own use. Serpents of various kinds are also to be met with. " Then Magnus
" Father, such grace had my masters Columban and Gall, that when they came to places where they desired to dwell, our Lord Jesus Christ through their prayers banished the wild animals and vermin. In like manner, through His mercies, I believe, He will not allow such pests to remain there whenIcome. " Givinghisassent,andspreadingbeforethemsomefood,the Bishop sent attendants with Magnus and Tozzo to that spot, known to the
said
:
8 rendered Head of the Horse,79 where a fierce dragon lurked in a crevice, and would not permit any man nor horse to
approach that way.
When there arrived, the Deacon Magnus said to the Priest Tozzo :
u Brother, let us set up our tent here for the night, and pray to the Lord, that He would expe. 1 the present demoniac subject from this spot, and permit
us to advance. " Accordingly, they rested there, but during that night, Magnus prayed and invoked the Divine assistance to overcome the dragon.
:
however,hesaidtoTozzo "Givemeaman,whowillleadme
inhabitants as
Rosshaupten,?
At
to the den where that dragon lies. " Tozzo replied, that he feared the monster
midnight,
: shoulddevourhim,butMagnusanswered "IftheLordbewithus,whoshall
be against us, let us therefore go in confidence, since he who released Daniel from the lion's den 8o can also snatch me from this wicked monster's power. " Saying these words, Magnus placed some bread that had been blessed, in his satchel, hanging a small crucifix from his neck. He took some pitch and
andtheCambutaofSt. Gall,inhishands thenhe "O
rosin, ; prayed, Almighty
Lord, who hath brought me into a distant country, send Thy angel with me, as in the case of Thy servant Tobias,81 deliver me from the power of this dragon, and show me the place destined for our most ardent desires. " Then having a little of the blessed bread and water in his mouth, and taking with him a single guide, leaving all his other companions in the tent, Magnus set out for the place where the dragon lay in wait. Immediately he arose to attack the holy Deacon, who threw burning pitch and rosin into the monster's mouth, with a prayer to God for the result. The dragon burst asunder, and died on the instant. 82 The man who had accompanied him, on seeing that miracle, ran back to the tent, and brought those who remained behind to witness it. They found Magnus engaged in prayer and thanksgiving, in
" As Pepin, surnamed the Short, did not begin to reign until A. D. 750 ; no other prince of the name can here be intended, if not Pippin the Senior, Major-domus of Dagobert I. , and Sigebert, Kings of Austrasia.
78 By the Germans ros means "horse," and haupt "head. " Hence Rader gives it the Greek rendering, Hippocephalum. In
from the town of Fussen, and in the direction of Augsburg.
? 9 The author of our saint's Acts remarks,
" 82 the map, prefixed to the Commentarius
Father Suysken believes, that this Rerum Augustinarum of F. Charles account is taken from what is related Stengel, the spot is shown at the River in a nearly similar manner in Daniel, xiv.
Lech, and a little more than a German mile 26.
"
"
quia omnes venatores reliquerunt ibi cabal los
idcirco vocatus est iste locus Caput Equi,
suos, et pedestres ibant, quocumque poterant ad venandum. "
*°
8l
See Daniel, c. vi. See Tobias, c. v.
K
i46 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September6.
which Tozzo devoutly joined. Afterwards, they left that rugged place, and went to the River Lech. From the neck of Magnus depended a crucifix or
case,83 containing relics of the Holy Cross, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the holy Martyrs, Maurice and his companions, as also of the Blessed Confessors
Columban and Gall. 8*
Near the banks of the River Lech was found a
Thy holy Mother, and prepare also a dwelling for Thy servants. " Whereupon, they began to dig the foundations and to build a church there. Afterwards, they invited Bishop Wictherp to come and consecrate it
83 This was afterwards kept in the monas- tery of Fiissen. The Abbot Henry, in 1607, opened this case, and found within it seven different objects, but without any inscription. In German they are called siven penggelin, but Father Suysken states, he could not anywhere find the interpretation of the words.
84 Father Suysken rather supposes the
narrative in the text to have been drawn by
the interpolator from an incident of a nearly
ecclesia non in honorem divse Virginis et S.
Floriani, sed in honorem Salvatoris nostri
est dedicata. "
8s where a 86 and on its large apple-tree grew,
and beautiful
branches Magnus hung the reliquary, and called Tozzo to him. Both engaged in prayer, and Magnus exclaimed: " Lord Jesus Christ, who hast deigned to be born of the Virgin and to die for our salvation, despise not the contrition for my sins, but allow us to construct an oratory here in honour of
spacious
plain,
to our Lord and to 87 Their Holy Mary.
he with, and it complied
request
was dedicated to the Mother of God and to St. Florianus. 88
In it, the Divine
of the
his merits, the people flocked far and near to the cell of St. Magnus for
such they chose to call it, on account of his virtues and miraculous powers.
8
It was also enriched with gifts by the faith ful. 9 Leaving Tozzo there to
were soon celebrated. Mysteries Hearing
great
miracle
wrought through —
minister for their spiritual welfare, and commending him to the congregation,^ Magnus knew that another place not far removed was destined for his own habitation.
Thence he went to Fauces—the present Fiissen—situated on the River
1
Leek, in the circle of the Upper Danube, Bavaria. 9
are said to have had previous possession of the locality, and while some were buried in the depths of the River Leek, others held possession of the
mountains near it. 9
2
They were heard mutually to lament the arrival of
similar character related by Walafridus However, in this he was mistaken, as
"
85 Rader states, that in his day it was for St. Tozzo, as the Bollandist Father
called Waltenhofen. See "Bavaria pia," p. 1S6.
Strabo in his
Vita S. Galli. " Waltenhofen was really the place destined
80
Father Babenstuber, in his "Vita S.
of January. See Acta Sanctorum," 'tomus ii. , at that same day.
Magni," relates, that in his day it was
staled this apple-tree grew in the garden of
a certain Adam Mayr of Waltenhofen, near
the parish church. Although from time
to time that tree had been imprudently
mutilated, still it recovered growth, and sanctze Mariae ad populum illis venturum many strangers came from a distance to custodiendum vocavitque ipsum locum obtain its leaves and branches, which were
thought to drive away mice from their meadows and fields. See lib. ii. , cap. 5.
87 The Abbot Henry, in annotations to
92 The Bollandist editor invites the reader to compare this account, with what is related ecclesiie Faucensi : nostra enim prima regarding St. Gall, by Walafridus Strabo;
his manuscript, writes : "Collige falli eos, qui hanc ecclesioe dedicationem attribuunt
There, too, the evil spirits
88
understood this dedication, as referring to
TheBenedictineFatherCharlesStengel
the monastery of Fiissen, in his
"
Monas-
teriologia, in qua insignium Monasteriorum Faniiliae Sancti Benedicti in Germanin,
Origines, Fundatores. Claiique Viii, &c. , reri iacbae occulis subjiciuntur. " Augsburg, 1619, 1638, two tomes in one folio volume,
Henschenn shows in his Acts, at the 16th "
*» In the edition of our saint's Acts by Goldast, much of what follows in the text is omitted.
9° The Vita S. Magni states :" relinquens prsefatum pnvsbyterum Tozzouem in ecclesia
Synagoga, id est Congregatio populorum. " l"
9 See Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des Saints," tome x. , Jour vie Septembre, p. 528.
September 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
147
: Magnusinthedistrict,whensigninghimselfwiththecross,hesaid "Inthe
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and not through my merits, but those of the blessed Gallus, his confessor, and through his glorious deposition, I adjure
you to depart from this place and return not, nor retiring presume to injure anv person. " Soon afterwards, the holy deacon crossed over the river 93 to the Church of St. Mary, which he had built for Tozzo, and related all he had heard and seen. ** When the hour for vespers came, with its sacred song, were heard the loud howls of the demons from the mountain tops, as if terrified on departing. The servants of God gave thanks in prayer for this victory over the wicked spirits. On the next day, Magnus and Tozzo returned to the place already described, and there, with the assistance of the people, a small oratory was erected.
It was dedicated to our Saviour,95 by
Bishop Wictherpus.
This chapel had a ccenobium attached to it, but in the lapse of time,
both were more than once destroyed and again reconstructed until in the ;
—— ninth century, the bishops of Augsburg96 and especially Lanto97 took
care that a larger church should be erected. This was dedicated to our
Saviour and to St. Magnus. It was also regarded as a parish church. In
the year 1 701, the Most Rev. Dom. Gerard, the fifty-second Abbot of Fiissen,
had the church and monastery magnificently renovated, and in the year 171 7, on the 15th of February, the consecration took place, by the Most Rev. and
Serene Lord Bishop of Augsburg, Alexander Sigismund, Count Palatine.
According to the description given of this church, it was built in magnificent proportions, being of noble design, while the materials were superior, and the workmanship was most elaborate. 98 The structure was cruciform, two hundred feet in length, by sixty in height, whence a roof arose to the apex of forty additional feet. The transepts were eighty-four feet in width, elsewhere the breadth was sixty feet. Twelve columns supported the roof within, and on each of these was the beautiful and artistic figure of an apostle carved in fine marble ; while sixty triple windows, oblong, rounded and lunated, threw light into the building. Within the church were four oratories ; the two larger devoted to the choristers, and the other two fitted for the practice of devotion. The choir was rounded off and elongated for accommodation of the religious, who used it both by day and night, and the stalls were elegantly carved in mottled wood. Moreover, within the church were
and, he must find, that what has been attributed to the latter saint at Bregentz is also ascribed by the interpolator to St. Magnus at Fussen. Wherefore, lie deems the story in the text worthy only to be re- ganled as a fable.
93 Waltenhofen and Fussen were on opposite banks of the River Lech.
94 The Abbot Henry alludes to a spot
near the Lech, called S. Mangen schritt.
Regarding it, Father Ludovicus Babenstuber
states: "Extra suburbicen Fuessense, ubi Commentarius Przevius, sect, viii. , pp. 716 est fullonia, in utraque ripa Lyci notantur
partes petra; depressiores cateris, quas vulgus S. Magni vestigia (S. Mangen schritt) nominat; quaeDivusdestitueritibiimpressa,
quando omnem superavit, seu vado, seu portatus ab angelo. Non tamen referunt
ea, ut satis agnosci queat, figuram plantarum humanarum : in causa ajunt esse vetustatem,
quae madore imbrium, niveumque adjuta, manifestiora lineamenta exederit. "
^ Of it, the Abbot Henry writes, that in his opinion, it rested on a rock above the great church of his time, and that it was
"
near their conventual garden, ubi jam
constructa manet ecclesia nostra major. "
96 Much chronological uncertainty pre- vails regarding the order of succession and
dates for the episcopacy of Augsburg during the Middle Ages, as shown by Father
Suysken, in the " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Septembris vi. De Sancto Magno, &c,
to 720.
97 This prelate—also called Hanto—
is said to have presided over his see for seven years, and to have been present at the Synod of
Mayence, held A. n. 847.
98 We have here abridged a detailed descrip-
tion of this grand chinch, dedicated to St.
Magnus, from that given by the Rev. Father
Chardon, Rector of the Jesuit College of Constance, to the Bollandists.
148 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 6.
admirably pictured incidents in his life, and representations of some miracles
wrought by St. Magnus. The high altar, magnificently and skilfully carved from precious marble, closed the choir, and the pavement of the choir was of black and white marble, in a varied and harmonizing pattern. There are eight chapels wi—thin the church : two larger ones within the transepts ; and
and
six smaller ones all of their altars being marble
two smaller ones. A few steps conduct to the entrance of two subterranean chapels: one of these is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and there is the baptismal font, enclosed within a marble baptistery. But, the chapel of St. Magnus, which adjoins, is still more ornate ; for not alone is the altar of marble, but the walls and pavement are exquisitely adorned with varied coloured marbles, and arranged with great artistic taste. Tradition maintains, that this latter chapel stands on the original site of the cell of St. Magnus. ? ?
CHAPTER III.
ST. MAGNUS IS PATRONISED BY KING PIPPIN—ORDAINED PRIEST BY BISHOP WICTHERP—MIRACLES WROUGHT AT FUSSEN—BISHOP TOZZO VISITED ST. MAGNUS AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH—INTERMENT BY THEODORE—A MEMOIR PLACED IN HIS COFFIN—RESTORATION OF HIS CHURCH BY CHARLEMAGNE—TRANSLATION OF ST. MAGNOALD'S REMAINS TO A NEW SHRINE—MIRACLES THEN AND AFTER- WARDS WROUGHT—COMMEMORATIONS AND FESTIVALS—CONCLUSION.
Some religious clerics were soon found to place themselves under the rule
1
of St. Magnus, and they were recommended to his care by the good prelate,
who also furnished the means necessary for their support. He is said, like- wise, to have furnished a recommendation in person to the renowned King
Peppin
Pippin d'H£ristall,3
Germany
Gaul,*
2 or who then ruled over and
Begga, of Pepin le Vieux, or of Landen,
mayor of the palace under Sigebert III. , son of Dagobert, who died A. I). 638, and whom lie survived only one year. In concert with his brother Martin, Pepin dTIeristal declared war against the King of Neustria, or rather against the mayor or his house, the able minister, Ebroin. Their career commenced by getting rid of the Merovin- gian King Dagobert II. , who then ruled in
» Father Chardon adds " Sacellum S.
:
Magni ab initio et prima monasteni funda-
tione ereclum, antiquissime documenta dicunt fuisse habitaculum et ipsissimam cellam, in qua S. Magnus primus fundator et patronus noster habitavit in vivis ; et ideo semper in summo honore habitual, ssepius cum monasterio et ecclesia, partim incendi, partim devastationibus destructum, sed semper iterum innovatum, cum ecclesia et
monasterio anno MDCCI. noviter et fundo Austrasia. However, having levied a erecto et hoc sacellum e fundo noviter ex- powerful army, they marched against Ebroin tructum et pulcherrime exornaium fuit, and the Neustrian>, but were signally de- ut hodie visitur ; ita tamen ut eumdem feated near Laon, in 680, when Martin was
semper locum servaverit, quern habuit, vivente S. Magno, postcujus obitum postliac
killed, and Pepin saved himself by flight. Not long afterwards, Ebroin Was assas- sinated, and. his successors gave such
in sacellum muta—tum est.
'
'
Chapter hi. The Acts of St. Magnus,
as published by the Boilandists, state, that he ruled over them for thirty years ; but this account does not accord with other versions of his Acts, which give him only twenty- live years, as a superior. Even the aforesaid
Acts are inconsistent with their subsequent "
of the Neustnan
leudes
relation of the death of St. Magnus, ex- the Somme, in 687. Afterwards, Thierry
pletis viginti sex annis commorationis suae III. being made prisoner, Pepin consoli-
in illo ccenobio," &c. dated his authority over all provinces
2
He. was grandson, through his mother, occupied by the Erancs. See Le Dr.
; also,a
large organ,
offence, that many
sought refuge in the dominions of Pepin. The latter then levied a confederacy of those
malcontents, together with the Saxons, Prisons, Cattes, Hessians, Thuringians and other Germans ; and with these he fought a decisive and bloody battle near Testri on
September 6. ] LIVES OI THE IRISH SAINTS. '49
while he presented also an epistle of St. Columbans directed to Lothaire,6 in favour of the holy men, Gallus and Magnus,7 who had settled in his
that 8 from some epistle, Peppin enquired
moved
of his German chiefs about that place, for which Bishop Witcherp preferred
kingdom. Whereupon,
by
his petition. Then Gungo,9 Duke of Augsburg and Rhetia, told him about its desert character, and of its being only a haunt for wild animals and
serpents. Extolling the virtues of Magnus, Wictherp stated, so marvellous had been his\ sanctity, while in that country, that like the first man, Adam, he exercised an absolute power over the savage animals,10 and how in that vicinity was a stronghold occupied by a frightful demon, which assumed the figure of a dragon, and who, under such form, usurped the supreme honour, due to God alone, among the poor and ignorant mountaineers.
However, St. Magnus resolved to encounter that demon, and fortified by
prayer, he touched the monster on the neck, with the end of St. Columban's
staff. Immediately, the demon's wrath was excited, but swelling up in fury,
he expired on the spot, and with him disappeared all the other demons, that were thought to infest those mountainous regions. While there, it was
stated, that he also freed the neighbourhood from serpents.
On hearing such accounts, King Pippin declared, that as wonderful miracles had been already wrought where the body of St. Gallus was deposed, so should that wild district have its fame diffused abroad in after times. He then asked Gunzon if there could be found tax-payers to the royal treasury in that neighbourhood, who might have their tributary returns sent to St. Magnus, instead of to the royal fisc. The king learned, that there was a
village, called Geltenstein, he bestowed by charter
"
that might serve for that purpose. Whereupon, a large tract of woodland, with the village in
Nouvelle Biographie Generate," tome xxxix. , cols. 540, 54 1.
3 So designated from a celebrated villa,
in which he dwelt on the banks of the
Meuse, near Liege. See Henri Martin's
"
Ilistoire de France," tome ii. , liv. xi. , p. 160.
4 In ihe year 700 he was Mayor of the Palace for the whole of the French Empire,
—
pas beaucoup de respect ; mais il y supleoit par une grande force, et par un certain air de fierte, qui reparoit en lui ce defaut de la nature. "
Hoefer's
" Kohlrausch's
9 Goldast has the name written Cuntzo.
He seems to have been the from magnate,
whose daughter, Frideburga, St. Gall is stated to have expelled the evil spirit.
10 See Les Petits " Vies des Bollandistes,
tant en Neustrie qu'en Austrasie. "
"
Histoire d'Allemagne," traduite de l'Allemand, par A. Guinefolle,
Deuxieme
5 In his "Vita S.
Epoque, p. 77.
Columbani," Jonas
Saints," tome vie x. , Jour
528, n. 1.
11
Septembre, p.
11 I2
states, that when King Clothaire earnestly besought the holy Abbot to return and again preside over Luxeu, St. Columban wrote to Eustasius—then Superior over Luxeu—that he would excuse him to the King for not undertaking such a charge, but only to ask lor the assistance and protection of the monarch on behalf of his community, that
? Jonas makes no mention of Gallus and S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxxii. , sect,
Magnus, and Father Suysken observes, xiv. , p. 609.
then lived in the monastery at Luxeu. 6"
So written in the Acts, as published by the Bollandists. In the edition of Canisius, it is written Geltinstein ; in that of Goldast, Keltinstein, and called by the Abbot Henry Geltenstain. The latter writer notices, that no longer was it known by such a name, bub he supposed it to have been in the Tyrol. Mabillon quotes a charter of Ludo- vicus Augustus, in favour of Kempten, and
Jonas adds : Litteras castigationem
affamine plenas regi dirigit gratissimum in which mention of it is thus made, "in munus," &c. pago Keltenstein. " See "Annate-; Ordinis
" 12 non dubito taman, quin hasce litteras
In the Acts as published by Goldast we
interpolator noster designet. "
8 " Gros et court comme son surnom le
read :
"
Dedit ei totum ipsum saltum cum
marcha, firmitatemque in epistola," &c. At portait, il etoit d'unc taille a n'imprimer this passage Goldast remarks, that by
—M. de Limiers' " Annates de la Monarchic Francoise, depuis son Etab- lissement jusques a Present. " Premiere Partie. Seconde Race, Pepin dit le Bref, pp. 49, 50. Amsterdam, 1 724, fol.
i5°
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 6.
x3 and a of one hundred and yearly payment
1* This was to be binding on himself and his successors for ever/s That grant was placed, also, under the jurisdiction of Bishop Wictherp and
all his episcopal successors. Receiving some royal present for Magnus, the bishop returned with great satisfaction to urge him there to supplement the
question, of silver.
twenty-three pounds
religious
services of St. and of St. 16 as also to and Mary Afra, regulate
institute all canonical observances. There accordingly St. Magnus founded
his chief monastic institution, and during the life-time of King Pepinxi
enjoyed his friendship and patronage. The latter monarch was viitual
sovereign, as Major Domus, in the palace of the French kings, and he died
December 1 6th, 18 while 714,
Dagobert
III. '9 was under his
tutelage.
No sooner had he been well settled in Fiissen, than his former com-
panion, Theodore of Kempen, paid him a visit, and after the usual
religious salutations had passed between them, Magnus was informed
and consulted about the persecutions and injuries Theodore had suffered
from the people around him,20 and how he had built a small church
on the banks of the Iller. He was desirous of having it consecrated
in honour of the Holy Mother of God, Mary, by Bishop Wictherp.
Both of those attached friends then went to see the at 21 bishop Eptaticus,
where he then resided, and preferred their request. He was then
sitting and at prayer in his oratory. On learning the object of their interview, the venerable prelate said: "I will first tell you what I had in my mind before you came, and then at a proper time, in the name of God, I shall go with you. Indeed, my most dear Father Magnus, as the Lord hath
marcha he means the
called Keltinstein, and that such term has
of a
16 In Goldast's edition of St. Acts, there is no mention of St. Afra.
the modern district.
l? his wife, By
signification
territory
Plectrude,
sons,
Aschauer usque ad Erspach, et quo spatio pnecipue continetur tota parochia Aschaver, Saxenriedt, Hohenfurch, bona in Nider- hoffen ei Altenstat, Dienhausen, Weyssensee et Fiiessen," &c.
virtues so justly merited. Grimoald left a son named Theudoalis or Theobaldus, who was styled Major Domus while still a youth ; but, (luring his minority, Plectrude, the wife of Pepin, took upon herself the chief administration of public affairs in the king- dom, which afterwards became the prey of great disorders. See Natalis Alexander's " Historia Ecclesiastica Veteris Novique Testamenti," tomus xii. , scec. vii. , cap. vi. ,
14
In the Acts as published by the Bol-
"
landists, the text reads,
viginti tria," but in other copies "centum et tredecim. " The Abbot Henry notes: "
village, previously
Magnus'
or
13 Henry, Abbot of Fiissen, gives the their father. Her he repudiated, and after-
he had two Drogon and Grimoald, who pie-deceased
" Nota saltum wards cohabited with whom he Alpaide, by
following interpretation :
ilium, quen. Pippinus S. Magno donasse had two illegitimate sons, Charles and dicitur, fuisse totum ilium districtum et Childebrand. However, repenting his illicit fundurn, magnum et spatiosum desertum, connexion, he recalled Plectrude to the quod se extendit ab Hornbach et parochia position his religious obligation and her
vectigalia centum
Si conjecturari licet, puto esse centum et
tredecim libra* argenti, qose quotannis art. vi. , p. 102, and saec. viii. , cap. vii. , art.
pendenda; erant ex Aschawensi S. Magni ecclesia : nam centum et tredecim librae
faciunt sexaginta quatuor Morenos, triginta crucigeros et tinum halerum. Sic hodie dttm nobis etiamnum pendunt Aschawcn-. es quotannis pro censu sexaginta quatuor florenos. Quod ego pro ratione conjecturce meas assertum volo. "
'5 Father Suysken, in a note, points out cer-
tain coincidences of statement and phrase-
ology, between what is given in the Acts of
St. Magnus, and in the text of Walafridus or in the village situated on its banks. In Strabo, in " De Miraculis S. Galli,"
cap. xi.
i. , ii. , iii. , iv.
