No More Learning

He embarked on board a boat, which descended the Rhine, and with great
secrecy beginning his voyage during the night. He was to be accompanied
by St. Eoban,81 whom he ordained a Bishop for the Church of Utrecht, and
by other holy men, who were selected as his companions, for a distant expe-
ditionhehadarranged,throughthemoreuncivilizedpartsofFrisia. 82 When
he reached he the blessed 83 who had been his Utrecht, appointed Gregory,
former missionary companion, to take pastoral charge of that See, before him- selfandhiscompanionsshouldproceedtomorenorthernregions. InFrisia, Boniface converted and baptized many thousand pagans; and, while he de- stroyed their temples, he erected churches in their stead. 84 Having reached
the water-abounding region of Frisia, 85 they came to a vast Lake or Sea, called Elmere,86 in the language of that country ; but which is now better known as the Zuyder zee. Around it were various villages of Gentiles, who had never yet heard the voice of God's true servants. The last stage of his journey was at places, respectively called Ostroche and Westroche. 87 He had already passed through several districts of the Frisons. He preached, and he con- verted many from idolatry, while he baptized many thousands of men and women, as also of children. 88 His fellow-labourer Eoban, with several others who accompanied him, aided zealously in this apostolic work. As these were of one heart and soul, associated in merits here, so were they destined to gain together the crowning laurel for their labours. Coming to the River Bordne 8o
or Bortna,9° on the confines of East and West Friesland, the illustrious Arch- 1
bishoptherepitchedhistent,? designingtogiveconfirmation,inthatplace, to a great number of his late converts. These lived at distances wide apart. The spot where the missionaries were encamped is now called Docko,02 Dorkum,°3 or Dockum. 1-* It lay within the territory of East Friesland. Some intimation reached St. Boniface and his company, that the infidels in that
tise of St. Ambrose, " On the Advantage of Death. "
81 His feast occurs, on this day.
"8 See Bishop Challenor's " Britannia
Sancta," part i. , p. 343.
^ The name of this river appears to have
become obsolete; but, the denomination has now been changed, probably to Born- wert and Bornwerthusen.
9° It is called the Burda, in the " Petits
Bollandistes, Vies des Saints," tome vi. ,
82
See Baronius "Annales Ecclesiastici,"
tomus ix. , at A. D. 755, sect. xxx. to xxxviii. ,
pp. 202 to 204.
83 He seems only to have ruled this See
as a Vicar-General, never having been con- secrated bishop.
" Histoire Ecclesi-
8s Ut—recht was the capital city of this region formerly much more extended in
v« Jour de Juin, p. 463.
9* About six from Lewarden. See
84 See l'Abbe
leagues
Biographie Universelle," tome
Fleury's
astique," tome ix. , liv. xliii. , sect. xxi. , p. 356.
"
v. , Art. Boniface (saint), p. 5.
denomination than at
present.
The accurate
Thomas " Docko Frisiae Dempster says :
Bonifacii — Mo- oppido passio Archiepiscopi
Schotanus a topographer Sterringa
divides
it into Ostergoa, or Eastern, Westergoa, or guntini Germaniarum Apostoli. " Bishop Western, and Sevewoldia, or the Seven Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints,
Forests.
i6 Said to mean in Latin, Mare nobile, or
" the great sea. "
87 According to the Third Life of St.
Boniface, sect. 6.
p.
202.
»3 This considerable town of Holland in
Micliaud's
'*
In his "Menologium Scotorum,"
the Province of Friesland, near the German Ocean, retains its old fortification of an earthen mound all round the town and, &
June 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 187
district were laying plots to take away their lives. Wherefore, they kept watch, and during the night, a celestial radiance appeared over the tent in which
they were, while that light continued the greater part of the ensuing day. 95 The Apostle cheered his disciples, exhorting them to fortitude, so that, as the
timeoftrial shouldnotbefound approached, they
6 Onthe
unprepared. ?
designed for administering the Sacrament of Confirmation, instead of coming to receive the Holy Ghost, a multitude of the barbarians approached, armed
while —and inorderto — weapons, brandishing spears swords, destroy
withdivers
the saint and his companions. °? Certain youths
were with him in the camp would have eagerly fought in defence of their teachers, and ran to meet their enemies. Following the example of his Divine Master, Boniface would not permit them. He declared, this was to him the long- wished for day, which was to bring him to the eternal joys of his Lord, that they should follow the Gospel precepts, not to return evil for evil, but rather good for evil, that they should be comforted in the Lord, and allow His holy will to be done, while he promised for their trust in him, that their souls should be saved. His Priests and Deacons, with others, stood ready for the sacrifice. Then, encouraging all his companions to resolution and constancy in their sufferings, as knowing that those who kill the body cannot destroy the soul, he called upon them rather to rejoice in the Lord, and to place their hopes on Him, as on a sure foundation. He would instantly give them a re- ward, and place them on thrones with the Angels who were in Heaven, so that far from living on the sufferance of the Gentiles or sharing the deceits of this world, by an immediate death they were assuredly to reign with Christ for ever. All promised to die with fortitude, as St. Willibrord had often ex- horted his disciples to shed their blood if necessary for the faith of Christ. They even rejoiced and praised God, for the favour about to be granted them, of entering that very day into Paradise. °9 Then, a tumult arose among the pagans, thirsting for the blood of innocent persons, while with arms uplifted, they rushed furiously against the unarmed band. At this moment, Hyltibrant, who served at the table of St. Boniface, had hardly put on his shoes, when he was the first to suffer death. Then, his brother Habmunt, who was a Deacon, on
out from his — shared the same fate. one going tent, Thus, by
one fell those
:
who were present Eoban,
Walter and
pels,
10 lifted towards Heaven. '*
Other accounts he state,
placed
it as a
pillow
ditch. See vol. v. , p. 36.
"
I0° sect. 7.
the
Hamund, Scirbald or Strichald, and Bosa, Deacons, Waccar, Gun-
Gazetteer of the World,"
See the Third Life of St. Boniface, I01 Thomas Dempster in his "Menologium
"
produntur. V. M. W. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 202.
I0J See Bishop Challenor's " Britannia
Sancta," part i. , p. 343.
I03 M. le Dr. Hoefer's " Nouvelle Biogra-
phie Universelle," tome vi. , col. 577.
I04 In this attitude, the saint is often repre-
sented by painters.
94 The writers of the First and Second Lives of St. Boniface call it Dockinga.
95 See Supplement to the Life by Willi- bald, cap. iii. , sect. 12.
96 See Baronius, " Annales Ecclesiastici," tomus ix. , at a. d. 755, sect, xxxix. , p. 204.
97 See Bishop Challenor's " Britannia Sancta," part i„ p. 343.
98 See Baronius, " Annales Ecclesiastici," tomus ix. , at A. D. 755, sect, xxxix. , p. 204.
99 According to the Third Life of St. Boniface, sect. 7.
Scotorum :"
peremptus est cum Lll. sociis, qui omnes Scoti aut Angliet instituti Benedictini fuisse
Bishop, Wintrung,
Adelhere,
100
Priests,
derhar or Gundwaccar, Williker or Illeshere, and Hadulph, or Barthowlf,
besides some others of the in 101 shared in monks, laity ; all, fifty-two persons,
this glorious martyrdom. 102 Some accounts have it fifty-three martyrs, inclu- ding of course St. Boniface. 103 Last of all, St. Boniface with true Christian courage faced his assailants, and held between his hands a Book of the Gos
day
98 probably his servants that
qui indomitse genti prsedicans,
1 88 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. underhisheadandneck. I03 Hemetwithatemporaldeath,onthe5thdayof
106
June. Although
his murderers cut the with their still not one of Book, swords,
1 ^ and this has been considered as little less than mira- The merciless and uncivilized crowd of barbarians, after this wholesale mas-
its letters was
destroyed,
culous.
108
106
rushedtowardsthedesertedtentsin of 100 Somefoodwas quest plunder.
sacre,
there, for the refreshment of God's servants, and this they speedily devoured ;
they also opened some vessels containing wine, of which they partook to ex- cess. 110 Thisstrongdrinkinflamedallthemoretheirunnaturalferocity. These murderers soon fell out among themselves, about a coveted booty, which they expected to find in the boxes and coffers of the slain. 111 Many of them were killed in this ignoble quarrel. Instead of gold and silver treasures, which they looked for, the base assassins found nothing but books and relics in their respective cases. So enraged and disappointed were they, that taking those out of their covers, they were plunged in the adjacent loughs and
112
However, in course of time, several of those precious relics were recovered, by the Christians, and they were brought away for more reverential use. Divine chastisement followed,
also, and that rabble did not escape punishment. They received quickly from Christians of the neighbouring provinces the just retribution for their crime,
when intelligence regarding the martyrdom of so many holy persons spread through all the surrounding villages. A large force was collected, and it marched onwards to find the barbarians, who were assailed and put to flight. Manywereslain,andtheirhousesweredemolished. Theirfamilieswerere- ducedtotheconditionofslaves. Thushumbled,thatperversepeopleentered upon a consideration of their crime and dreaded the punishments inflicted upon them. In fine, hostile as they had proved to the devoted missionaries and to the Faith these had preached, now they resolved on becoming Chris- tians, to make atonement for their previous infideli—ties.
T—he administrator of Utrecht and his clergy as very reasonable at the
marshes or were strown in neglected places.
^ Accordingly, the bodies of those already named, with thirteen other massacred persons, were placed on board a vessel, and sailing over the sea of Elmere,"* with favouring winds, they were reverently carried to Utrecht by the sailors. There, they were honourably received, and brought to the Church of the Holy Trinity, Psalms and Canticles being sung. Among the rest, the bodyofSt. Bonifacewastreatedwithspecialveneration. Alltherelicswere interred within the same church. The remains of others less distinguished
were collected by the Christians, at Docum, and they were buried together in one spot. Afterwards, when the Faith was well established in those
time weremostanxioustoobtainfortheircitytherelicsoftheholyMartyrs.
1
" Lives of
Marianus Scotus commemorating his
,09 See Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxiii. , sect, x. ,
"Church
,0s See Rev. S.
the Saints," vol. vi. , June 5, p. 54.
Baring-Gould's
inhis "Chronicon,"statesat martyrdom, "
p. 171. "°SeeDean
Cressy's
A. D. 755: Sanctus Bonifatius Archiepis- of Brittany," book xxiii. , chap, xxix. , pp.
copus adnuntians verbum Dei in Fresia 619, 620.
passus—est cum aliis martyribus, nonas ,,x See Bishop Challenor's "Britannia Iunii. " Pertz' "Monumenta Germanise Sancta," part i. , p. 344.
Historica," tomus v. , p. 547.
xo7 On this account, as we are told, the
tailors, who require their scissors to cut surely and correctly, have chosen St. Boniface as
their patron.
108 See "Les Petits Bollandistes Vies
"2 "
See l'Abbe Fleury's Histoire Eccle-
"4 See Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S. des Saints," tome vi. , v Jour de Juin, pp. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxiii. , sect, x. ,
e
463, 404- P- 171-
siastique," tome ix. , liv. xliii. , sect. x\i. . pp. 357, 358.
"3 See the Supplement to Willibald's Life of St. Boniface, cap. iii. , sect. 10, p. 476.
[June 5.
History
June 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 189 Northern regions, a church was built there, to commemorate their glorious
1 ^ It is
raise a mound,117 where the blood of the holy martyr had been shed, and on which they intended afterwards to build a church in his honour, some difficul- ties arose among the labourers, and which required the presence of the Pre- fect set over that town by King Pepin. He was named Abbo, and he seems tohavebeenentrustedwithageneralsuperintendenceofthework. Taking others with him, he mounted a horse, and rode to the place ; he passed around the tumulus to inspect it, when another horse, belonging to a youth who was present, sunk with its forefeet deeply into the earth, on which he plunged and struggled. Then, those young men, who saw this accident, hastenedtodrawtheanimalfromoutthatswamp. Agreatdifficultyexpe- rienced in Holland is, to find a spring without a saltish taste; but, wonderful to relate ! a clear well of sweet water rose from that spot, and it flowed onwards asaconsiderablestream. 118 Thosewhosawthismiraculoussignwerewholly astonished. "9 However,themanifestationwasreceivedwithgreatjoy,and onreturningtotheirhomes,thepeoplespreadthenewsofit farandwide.
This glorious death to St. Boniface and to his companions was the gate, which ledtoeverlastinglife. 120 Hismartyrdomoccurred,ontheeveofthegreatFes- tival of Pentecost. 121 The year has been variously stated 122 and
following him Matthew of Paris, place the martyrdom of St. Boniface with
fifty-three companions at a. d. 753,I23 Simeon has it at 754, and this is also
given as the date, by Matthew of Paris. I2+ However, it is generally allowed
to have occurred a. d. 755. 125 St. Boniface is said to have been seventy-five
of at the time of his death. 126 A of the Life attributed to St. years age, part
Boniface, 127 by Willibald, assigns to him thirty-six years, six months, and six days, of an episcopate ; however, the exactness of this chronology has been
Martyrdom.
related,"
6 that when the of Docum resolved to people
denied, by the Bollandist editor. "
8
It is certain, that the hair of St. Boniface
was
out of this life.
I29 before he was called
and he was in a
"SSeetheThirdLifeofSt. Boniface,sect. 8.
116 Boniface
crowned by martyrdom, in Frisia, during the reign ot King Pippan, a. d. 754, on the
120
white,
state to decrepid owing age,
In copies of Willibald's Life of St.
Nones of See " June.
to the Church of St.
belonging
Maximin, at Treves, and to Ingoldstadt, this account—omitted from other copies—is to be found, and the Bollandist editor thinks it to
be the genuine writing of Willibald.
117 According to the custom of the Hoi-
landers, to prevent the rising tides affecting the stability of their buildings.
118 This was on the south side of the
and on the Island of Dockum. It went by the name of St. Boniface's Well. Using its waters, the townspeople prepare their beer. It was near the place called Morewold, or Moorwaude, interpreted "the wood of slaughter," in reference to the martyrdom which there happened.
Catalogus Scripto- rum Ecclesiasticorum," fol. lii. , a.
town,
It happened, according to John of Trit-
See "Chronica Majora," edited by Henry Richards Luard, vol. i. , p. 341.
I25 See Lauren tius " Eccle- Joannes Berti,
siasticse Historian Breviarium," Pars Prima,
119 The writer
from the venerable Bishop Lull.
states,
supra
primo itinere Romano sumpta epocha, quod ab alio potius quam a Willibaldo factum cre- deremus, nisi etiamnum. 27 simile sphalma
tenham, during the Eighth Indiction, and in
the thirty-sixth year of his episcopacy. See "
Catalogus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum," fol. liii. , a.
memoriale notassemus. " rum,"tomus i. , Junii v. , Martyre, n. (f), p. 473.
—"Acta Sancto- De S. Bonifacio
121
See Michaud's "Biographie Univer-
I29 Such is the description of him, as given
St. — who states, "occulis meis by Ludger,
selle," tome v. , 122
he had this account
diximus ab seu Apostolatu
5.
According to John of Trittenham, while
p.
engaged in missionary labours, his life was
ipse vidi. "
jectini, ibid. , num. 16, p. 487.
123
year, by Matthew of Westminster, and again
Seculum VIII. , cap. v. , p. 199.
326 " See Michaud's
Biographie Univer-
selle," tome v. , p. 5.
I27 See First Life of St. Boniface, chap.
iv. , num. 59, p. 472.
I28 He states
forsan ut
:
" Abundant anni quinque,
; Sigebert,
His martyrdom is set down, at this
at a. d. 744. See p. 274.
l24
"
Flores Historiarum,"
Vita S. Pastoris Ultra- Gregorii,
igo LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 5.
It was natural to suppose, that the Christian people of Utrecht should
desire most earnestly to guard the relics of those holy martyrs. But,
the people of Mayence had resolved on sending thither a respectable de- putation, to assert their claims, so far at least as the body of St. Boniface
was concerned. Wherefore, Bishop Lul called together a great and respec- table number of Eastern people, or Franconians, clerics, monks, and laics, to take measures for procuring those relics. 130 The direction of this expedition was entrusted to a man of exemplary life, who was named Hadda. Those persons comprising it united fasting, with the recital of Psalms and prayers, to succeed in their object. However, King Pepin, 131 or the Prefect of that city, had issued an edict, to preserve the remains, and a great number of the citizens hadassembledtoenforceit. But,amiraculoussignwasmanifested,132which convinced them, that Utrecht was not destined to be the ultimate place of rest for the body of St. Boniface. Thence, it was then translated, especially at the
instigation of Bishop Lullus, who was mindful of the holy Martyr's parting directions. With a cortege of religious monks and of several laymen, the
remains were conveyed by boat, along the Rhine, to Mentz. Hymns and canticles were sung during the voyage, and Psalms were recited, by the pious
voyagers ; so that, on the thirtieth day after his departure from life, the body of St. Boniface reached that city, over which he presided as Archbishop.
It so happened, and without any preconcerted arrangement, that the deputies re- turning from Utrecht, and numbers of people coming to celebrate the obsequies of St. Boniface from the most distant places of France and Germany, arrived at Mayence about the same time. Moreover, Bishop Lullus, who had been on a visit at the royal palace, and who had no exact knowledge of when the
body might arrive, came to Mayence, at that very moment, when the boat was ready to touch the shore. Sorrow was felt by all the citizens, that their illus- trious Archbishop was no more, and that his lifeless remains only reached them ; but, they were consoled, as they hoped those relics should be enshrined, where he must become their future great patron. Preparations for embalm- ing the body seem to have been made, at Mayence ; and, when the disem- bowelling took place, blood flowed as if from recent wounds. The parts removed were preserved within a covered vessel, and buried in the ground, where a church was afterwards erected, in honour of St. Boniface. 133 Many miracles then attested the holy Martyr's merits before God, and the citizens of Mayence felt a special veneration, for their great patron and benefactor.
However, the remains of St. Boniface had not yet reached their final place of
deposition. Bishop Lul recollected, that the holy prelate had bound him in a most solemn manner, to have his body buried at Fulda; still was he reluctant to part with the sacred deposit, until warned by the saint himself. It is said, that Bonifaceappeared to a certain holy Deacon, named Otpercht,13* and thus ad- dressed him : "Tell Lullus, that he shall transfer my body to my place of rest. " Notwithstanding, no general credence was given to this statement; but, the Archbishop, collecting a number of relics, obliged that Deacon to swear on them, that the vision he related had truly happened. Then, extending his hands
130 See Dean Cressy's "Church His- sist the removal of the saint's remains. See
of p. 620.
Brittany,"
book xxiii. ,
chap,
xxix. ,
* num. chap, iv. , 57.
church dedicated to St. Boniface,
,34 By Othlo he is called Otpertus.
tory
•s* At this time, it is supposed, that Pippin the King had marched with an army to
Italy, where Aistulf, King of the Lombards, had besieged Rome.
132 The Life of St. Boniface, by Willibald, has it, that the bell of the church was moved by no human hand, and that this terrified the townspeople, who were inclined to re-
The writer of the Supplement
to
bald's Life of St. Boniface states, that it was situated northwards, from the church of the Baptistery of St. John. In his time, those garments which the saint wore at the time of his martyrdom were kept, according to tradition, within a wooden chest, in that
Willi*
June 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 191
on the altar and on the relics, Otpercht prayed the Lord and his saint, whose remains were present, to witness that what he asserted was true. Induced by this avowal, as also recollecting the mandate of Boniface, Lullus now resolved to transport his relics to that place the saint had designated. His body was decentlywrappedinfinelinen,anditwasthenplacedinacoffin. Theocca- sion was one of great ceremony and solemnity. All the people, clergy and laity,oneitherbankoftheRhine,wereassembled. Thecoffinwasfoundto be much lighter when borne to the vessel, than when it had been taken thence ; but, with mingled feelings of resignation to the Divine will, and sorrow for removal of the remains from Mayence, the body was conveyed to Fulda. We may infer, that the remains were brought on board a vessel, beyond the present city of Frankfort, which lies on the River Maine. Hymns and Psalms were chaunted, while a vast number of people, including many
of the Eastern nobles, their wives and children, awaited at a spot situated on
the bank, for the ensuing solemnities. Then disembarking, Archbishop Lullus and his companions left the vessel, and raising the coffin, it was transferred
to the charge to those appointed to receive it.
T 35
The of Fulda was city
situated in I 3 6 and thither the funeral Buconia,
must have
for some miles by land. When the body of St. Boniface had reached the entrance to the forest of Bochonia, the women returned to their homes, while the men accompanied the remains to that place, where they are believed to await the Day of General Judgment. At a time this funeral cortege was expected to
a monk named
had been sent by his Abbot Sturmion, to fish in a certain lake, where wild geeseabounded. Besidesmilk,butterandcheese,fewarticlesoffoodwere in the monastery, to provide for the wants of a great number of expected guests. Wherefore, Ritant brought his fishing apparatus to the lake, and while preparing to cast his nets near to a place, called Aucarium Domus, suddenly a vast number offish arose to the surface of the water. Chaunts of the processionists were heard, at this moment, in the distance, as the sacred remains were carried on their bier. The monk had no further trouble, than in making one vast haul, which filled his boat with fishes. These amply sufficed as food for the large number of guests, who were entertained in the monastery,onthatoccasion. J38 TheblessedLullus,whomBonifacehad consecrated as bishop, took care to have his body honourably buried, in the monastery at Fulda. *39 In the church there, a sarcophagus was prepared, and inthatveryplace,indicatedbythesaint. Agreatnumberofeveryecclesiasti- calgradeattendedduringtheburial. Afterwards,athistomb,numbersofper- sons, labouring under various disorders, came to receive health of mind and body. The blind were restored to sight, while those inan extreme state of weak- ness and almost at the point of death recovered. Several who were insane or possessed became rational and pious, praising God for His mercies, and recog- nising the wonders that had been effected, through the intercession of his glorious servant.
arrive,
Ritant,
whose brother Wolfmar was a J 37 fisherman,
,35 The Supplement to Willibald's Life of
St. Boniface afterwards adds " Citeriores :
autem transvadato amne Rheni redierunt in
sua ; sic quoque prospere per omnia,
Domino dirigente necnon gubernante, agen-
merint
Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum," fol. Hi. , a.
:
quibus contigit
ut in omnibus locis in
"
Hoc de sanctum signorum, multisquse per
tes
meridiare sive noctare, signa crucis impri-
omnium in suo
martyrem Bonifacium divina virtus dignaba-
tur — in eodem ostendere, post martyrium ejus,
sect.
Triumphatori
theta triumphantes. Sed et in quibusdam loco initium erat. " Cap. iii. , 13,
eorum locis, nunc ecclesise constructs cer- nuntur. "
p. 476.
139 See Baronius, " Annales Ecclesiastici,"
tomus ix. , at A. D. 755, sect, xliii. , p. 205.
136
See John of Trittenham's "Catalogus
agono-
procession
proceeded
x37 To this been accustomed.
Ritant had also
occupation,
*38 The writer of the Supplement to the Life of St. Boniface, by Willibald, adds :
i 9 2 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 5. A new church, in honour of Our Lord and Saviour and of All His
bishop of Canterbury, took care by decree of a public Synod, ^ to have an annual festival instituted, in honour of that Martyrdom of him and of his
1
companions. ** Moreover, Bishop Milred wrote to Lullus, Archbishop of
Maintz, expressing his grief, I4S on account of the death of Boniface, but con- soled, likewise, that his blood had been shed for the sake of Christ, and that hereflectedsogreatanhonouronthecountrytowhichhebelonged. '*6 The Bollandists have published an account '*? of very remarkable miracles, wrought through the relics —and intercession of St. Boniface, from the year 1588 down eventotheirdays a. d. 1695. SeveralinterestingmemorialsofSt. Boniface are extant, even some of these professing to represent the effigies of the holy Archbishop, with his costume—episcopal and abbatial—of that age in which he flourished. J *8 The most precious are those representations, taken from an ancient stone tablet, belonging to Mount St. Peter, near the city of Fulda. 1 *?