No More Learning

Nor did Boniface persuade the Germans alone, to acts of obe-
dience and reverence, towards the Holy See. The Bishops of Gaul
had hitherto maintained a certain independence of Rome, which it
became the influence of Boniface to counteract. 4° In the year 751,
the day before the Nones of November, Pope Zachary confirmed the
election of our saint, in accordance with the Frankish request preferred
to him. '*1 or Mentz was created an five Mayence Archiepiscopal See, having
suffragan Sees subject to it, these representing all the German nations. Boniface was also ranked as the Primate of all Germany. His jurisdiction
was extended, it is said, over thirteen bishoprics, viz. , Strasburg, Spire,
Worms, Cologne, Liege, Utrecht, Ausbourg, Wirtzburg, Buraburg, afterwards transferred to Paderborn, Erfort, Eichstat,—Constance and Coire/2
ThecityofMainz—astheGermanswriteit isdelightfullysituated,atthecon- fluence of the Rivers Rhine and Maine. It has been considered always an im- portantmilitaryposition,andit isregarded,asoneofthestrongesttownsinGer-
48 See Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, iv. , pp. 127, 128.
49 See Leopold Ranke's "Ecclesiastical and Political History of the Popes of Rome," translated by Sarah Austin, vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 17.
5° His feast occurs, at the 26th of Octo- ber.
SI Such is the account given in the Supple- ment to the Life of St. Boniface, by Willi- bald, chap, ii. , num. 4.
s* Her feast occurs, at the 28th of Septem- ber. She presided over a convent at Bis- chofiheim, on the River Tauber, a town in the district of Baden, about 16 miles south- west of Wurzburg.
53 Also called Hadeloga, and she is vene* rated at the 15th of October. Her nunnery was near the River Maine, at a place called Chizzingim, or Kitzinga.
37 He states, that this appointment was "
received from Pope Gregory. See Catalo-
gus ScriptorumEcclesiasticorum," fol. Ii. , b. 38 See "Histoire Literaire de la France,"
tome iv. , viii. Siecle, p. 94.
39 Such is the account given, in the Supple-
ment to Willibald's Life of St. Boniface,
cap. i. . sect. 1, 2, p. 473.
40 See Leopold Ranke's "Ecclesiastical
and Political History ofthe Popes of Rome,"
translated by Sarah Austin, vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 16.
41 See Labbe's and Cossart's "Sacrosancta
Concilia," tomus vi. , Epistolaxiii. , col. 1527. 42 See l'Abbe Fleury's "Histoire Eccle-
siastique," tome ix. , liv. xlii. , sect, lii. , p. 314.
43 See James Bell's "System of Geography, Popular and Scientific," &c, vol. i. , part ii. , chap, xv. , p. 373.
44 See Elisee Reclus' " Nouvelle Geogra- phie Universelle," tome hi. , liv. hi. , chap, iii. ,
sect, iii. , p. 593. — 45—The exterior but
54
she is said to have been a niece of St. Boni-
the
tion of this choir is presented, in the affixed
face. She heim.
over a
presided nunneryat Heiden-
illustration, taken from a local photograph ; the view has been drawn on the wood, by William F. Wakeman. The engraving is by
Mrs. Millard. 4"
5S See Bishop Challenor's "Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. 342.
s 6 This is classed 19, amonglhe collected Epistles of St. Boniiace, and it is placed
only
upper por-
See Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des under the year indicated, by Mabillon, in Saints," tome vi. , ve Jour de Juin, p. 462. "Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. ,
47 He is called " Scotus genere," by lib. xii. , sect, xvii. , p. 135.
Mabillon, and his feast occurs, on the 5th of 57 These bishops were eight in number, J u ty- and among them are named Wera, Burchar-
She is venerated at the 1st of May, and
176 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 5.
many. Thecathedraloccupiesacentralplaceinthecity,butgoodexteriorviews of it can hardly be obtained, owing to narrow streets and passages blocking
the approaches. The building itself is of majestic and extensive proportions,-^ standing on the remains of a more ancient church of the tenth century. The general features of the present structure—completed about the year 1340—are
Choir of Maintz Cathedral.
people in the future. To this end, wise statutes were promulgated. On some occasions, as Boniface presided at Synods, he availed himself of such oppor- tunities to bring this western portion of the Frankish Church into religious obedience. In that Synodat Soissons, a. d. 744, he had sought the Pallium from Pope Zachary, for three Gallic Archbishops, Grimon of Rouen, Abel,*? of Rheims, and Harbert of Sens. In reply, the Pope observes, that Boniface had only sought one Pallium for Grimon, the others named having been passed over, owing probably to a change of circumstances. *8 The submissiveness of the ecclesiastical authority, which had characterized the Anglo-Saxons, ex- tended itself likewise over the whole Frankish empire, w Bonilace had charge
dus, Warberthus, Abel and Willibald. They some years after, he also came to an unhappy had shortly before assembled together, end. "—Bishop Challoner's "Britannia
in a Synod—the place where it was held being unknown.
s8 At a. d. 716, there is an account of the
Sancta," part i. , p. 343.
60
This is numbered Epistola viii. in a collection of his Epistles.
61 See a account of in very complete him,
Capefigue's "Charlemagne," tome i. , chap,
'
death of both, in "The Saxon edited by Rev. J. Ingram, p. 62.
««
59
Ethelbald, we know not ; certain it is, that
What effect this letter had upon King
vi. , pp. 91 to 116. 63 "
Chronicle,"
Byzantine in style. ** The cathedral of May- ence has within many
and narrow arches of Norman style, on
either side of the nave and side aisles. Theseare terminated,
by a fine choir, ex- tending behind the high altar. *s The aisles are filled with the tombs of former bishops and persons of great distinction. Several altars are within the cathedral.
Already St. Boni- face had converted in Germany a hundred thousand souls. 46 The love and service of Christ were thus greatly promoted, and Boniface desired to advance, not only the spiritual interests of his own subjects, but even to provide for the wants of its
high shaped
Eginhard's Vita Caroli Iinperatoris
June 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 177
of the eastern Franks, of the Bavarians, of the Saxons, and of the Sclaves ; so that, like a good shepherd of souls, he resolved to select for them the best guides. Age had now told on the holy man, and knowing that he should provide a pastoral magistracy for his extensive jurisdiction, whether during his lifetime, or after his death; he seriously turned his attention to this matter, so that he might select duly qualified bishops. Boniface consecrated St. Witta,5° an Irishman, and appointed him to be Bishop of Buriburg or Bura- burg, near Paderborn, in Westphalia. Beyond the Weser, and towards the east of it, at that time, there was only one missionary, named Winfrid, son to Wart, a relation of our saint, on the father's side, and whose mother belonged to a Thuringian family. 51 Wherefore, also, Boniface had sent for some conse- crated virgins, from the famous monastery of Winburn, in England, to train up hisfemaleconverts,inreligiousdiscipline. This,St. Lioba,52St. Tecla,"and St. Walburgh,54 happily effected. 55 About the year 747,56 St. Boniface, with his fellow-Bishops,57 wrote a letter yet extant, to Ethelbald, King of the Mer- cians. In this, the king was praised for his generosity, for his love for order, peace and justice, in the state ; but, he was charitably admonished, regarding the irregularities of his life ; and that, while abstaining from lawful marriage, he was defiled with unlawful lusts ; not sparing even virgins consecrated to God. He threatens Divine judgments, while he cites pagan laws, to restrain the monarch. His bad example was followed by too many of the Mercian nobles, tothegreatdishonourofGod,andcausingagreatdestructionofsouls. The English nation had a bad repute, as a consequence, in France and Italy. Wherefore, the letter earnestly exhorts him to repentance and amendment, lest otherwise the justice of God might overtake him unrepenting, as it had done his predecessor, King Ceolred, as also, Osred,58 King of the Northumbrians ; as both were hurried away by a violent death in the midst of their sins. 5 ? In a letter ^ written to Ecbert, Archbishop of York, Boniface sent to England for the works of Venerable Bede, whom he calls the Lamp of the Church, while he thanks that prelate for other books, which had been forwarded to him. Heentreatsthearchbishop,toreadoverandtocorrect,whateverhe finds defective, in his Epistle to Ethelbald.
Meantime, Prince Carloman having retired from the world, a. d. 747, to the monastery of Monte Casino, Pepin his brother was chosen by the nobles as King of France. 61 At this time, he had a son named Charles, destined in atter time to be known as 62 and to become a honour
Charlemagne, great
to that country. Notwithstanding Childeric III. having been nominal king, and that the nobles had a natural regard for this scion of the house of
Clovis; yet,hisfoolishnessbecamesoapparent,thatPepin,whosecourage in war and whose wisdom as an administrator were highly esteemed, was desired by the people as their real ruler. He proposed, that they should con- sult Pope Zachary, as to whether their oath of fealty was binding or not, under the existing circumstances. The Pontiff replied, by counselling them to abandon their fatuous king, and to elect him who exercised royal func- tions, with the power so manifestly proved to discharge them. Wherefore, Pepin was unanimously accepted as king, and with his election closed the the Merovingian rule. The commencement of the second race of kings,
63 was then established. The circumstances of dethroning Childeric, and of Pepin's election, are so variously related by
was the earliest written biography of this re- liv. i. , col. 1 186.
nowned Monarch, and that on which nearly 6A This is stated, and with great appear-
all succeeding Lives of him have been ance of truth, byEckhard, in his "Commen-
the
designated Carlovingian,
based.
63
See Bossuet's "(Euvres Completes," tome x. , Abrege de l'Histoire de France,
taria de Rebus Franciae Orientalis et Episco-
patus Wirceburgensis,"tomus ii. Wirceburgi, 1729.
M
178 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 5.
different writers, that the true history is very obscure. However, it seems, that St. Boniface had no share in this revolution, nor was he even pleased withit. 6* Likehisbrother,PepinwasanxioustoservetheChurch,andto enforce her decrees within his sovereignty. This knowledge having reached Pope Zachary, he resolved on paying a special mark of his regard, by a decree, that elevation to the sovereignty of France, should be signalized by a func- tionofaverypublicandsolemncharacter. ^ AtanationalAssemblycon- vokedatSoissons,a. d. 752,PepinhadbeenelectedKingofFrance. 66 How- ever, having various and powerful enemies to contend against, his great valour was equal to the opposition he had to encounter, while his judgment as a statesman afforded better resources and assured his success.
In the year 751, Boniface had sent the priest Lullus, with a letter to Pope ZacharydescribingFulda,andhisownactioninreferencetoit. Heintended this as a place—with the Sovereign Pontiffs permission—which should become his home, when retiring from the world in his old age. He also declared, he
6
wished to repose there after his death. ? In return, Zachary wrote to him, accord-
ing the usual privileges of a monastery to Fulda ; while, in another letter, the
Pope exempted it from the jurisdiction of every other bishop, save him who governed the Universal Church. 68 This Pope did not long survive, for he died on the 14th of March, a. d. 752; when the Roman people elected as his successor one Stephen, who was brought to the Lateran palace, but having
61
departed this life three days afterwards, ? without being duly constituted
Sovereign Pontiff, he is not usually classed among the Popes. However, Stephen II. 70 succeeded, in the same year, and his government of the Church continuedtoa. d. 757. 7I WhenBonifacehadbeenrecognisedasArchbishop, his fame for sanctity and learning soon spread abroad. As Primate of all Ger-
many, and as Papal Legate for Gaul and Germany, by direction of the Sovereign Pontiff, Boniface consecrated Pepin le Bref, King of the Franks, in 751 or 752. 7* This was the three hundred and thirty-second year, after the establishment of
the French monarchy. The ceremony was performed at Soissons," with great rejoicing,severalnoblesandbishopsassisting. AlthoughopposedbyGrifon and Astolphe, King of the Lombards, as also by the revolted Saxons, Pepin's authority was soon respected, and his power was recognised.
Marching against the latter foes, he vanquished them, and they were compelled to pay him an annual tribute in horses. ? * Grifon was killed, in 752," or 753 ? 6 among the Alps, which he desired to cross over, on his way to join Astolfe, King of the Lombards. The latter had marched against Rome, and this city, being invested by his army, was summoned to acknowledge him as
's At A. D. 750, in the "Chronicon" of toire Ecclesiastique," tome ix. , liv. xlii. ,
Marianus Scotus, we read " de- sect, lvii. ,
: Pipinus creto Zacharise aBonifatioMoguntinoArchie- piscopo unguitur (sic) in imperatorem, et deinde ob id —secundus habetur
p. 323.
^ According to Anastasius.
7° By some writers he is called Stephen III.
post Papam
episcopus Moguntinus. " Pertz's "Monu-
See Sir Harris Nicolas'
"
of
menta Germanise Historica," tomus v. , p. 547. Waitz's edition.
** u
See Guizot's Essais sur l'Histoire de
France," Troisieme Essai, p. 78.
*i See Epistles of St. Boniface, Epist.
xii. Also, the account of Browerus, regarding the foundation of this monastery, in " Fvl- densivm Antiqvitatvm," lib. i. , cap. i. toiv. ,
pp. I to 19.
68 No priest could then celebrate Mass
without the express permission of the abbot. This is the first example of such anexemp- tion, known to the Abbe Fleury. See "His-
History," p. 211.
7'
"
See Berti's
Ecclesiastic* Historiae Breviarium," Seculum viii. , cap. i. , p. 189.
7*See "Histoire Literaire de la France," tome iv. , viii. Siecle, p. 94.
" See Les Petits Bollandistes, " Vies des Saints," tome vi. , v* Jour de Juin, p. 462.
" See Bossuet's CEuvres Completes," tome x. , Abrege de l'Histoire de France," liv. ii. , col. 1 187.
« See " Chronicon" Mariani Scotti,
Waitz's edition. Pertz's " Monumenta Ger-
mania: Historica," tomus v. , p. 547.
6
* See Henri Martin's "Histoire de
Chronology
June 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 179
lawful sovereign. However, Pope Stephen II. , failing to mollify the rapacity of this opponent, travelled onwards to France in 753,77 and had recourse for protection to his friend, King Pepin, who remained master of the situation. He soon crossed the Alps, and compelled the Lombard king, after a weak
CHAPTER V.
DECISION OF POPE ZACHARY REGARDING THE FORM OF BAPTISM—LITERARY COMPOSI- TIONS AND CORRESPONDENCE OF ST. BONIFACE—HIS RELATIONS WITH THE SEE OF UTRECHT—HE DEPARTS AGAIN FROM MAYENCE FOR FRISIA—HIS MARTYRDOM AND THAT OF HIS COMPANIONS THERE—TRANSLATION OF HIS RELICS TO FULDA— MIRACLES, MEMORIALS, RELICS AND CALENDAR CELEBRATIONS, REFERRING TO THE HOLY ARCHBISHOP—CONCLUSION.
Under the direction of Boniface, several indefatigable bishops and priests
to sue for an
ever, again took arms, and once more invested Rome. But, a second expedi- tion of Pepin was not less fortunate than the first ; Rome was again saved, while Astolphus was taught lessons of justice and sincerity, through the scourge of a foreign monarch. ? ?
resistance,
ignominious peace. ?
laboured,
in
spreading
the —seed
Gospel throughout Germany.
Among
them
1
of Carinthia and Sidonius.
imperfect knowledge of Latin, and who was accustomed to use in Baptism this form of words : "Baptiso te in nomine Patria et Filia et Spiritua sancta. " When this matter had been brought under the notice of St. Boniface, he deemed that the Sacrament of Baptism, so administered, had been invalid, and that it should be iterated, with the words correctly pronounced. However, those missionaries held a different opinion, and they appealed to Pope Zachary, for his declaration on the point. The latter wrote to Boniface,3 a. d. 744,4 and expressed his surprise, at that decision he had given, adding, it could not be admitted, because the priest had so baptized persons, simply through igno- rance of the Latin tongue, that such neophytes could be again baptized, with- out introducing a serious error —of practice, since even those who received
5
be reckoned St.
may — Virgilius
2
and
Bishop Saltzbourg Apostle
8 The treacherous how- Astolph,
afterwards of
These found in Bavaria a priest, who had but an
at the hands of he—
retics it had been administered in the
baptism provided
name of the Holy Trinity could not be re-baptized.
Notwithstanding the opposition he encountered, Boniface imposed extra- ordinary obedience to the Holy See, on the German Church which he
founded. 6 He held, at least, eight Councils or Synods in Bavaria, Thuringia '
France, tome ii. , liv. xii. , p. 233.
"See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the
Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. vi. , June v.
Ireland.
3 See "Sancti Bonifacii Archiepiscopi et
Martyris Opera quse extant omnia," &c, edited by Rev. J. A. Giles, LL. D. , vol. i. , Epist. lvi. , Zacharias Bonifacio, pp. 1 19, 120.
78
brother Carloman occurred. See Capefigue's
During this expedition, the death of his
"
79 " "
Charlemagne," tome i. , cap. vi. p. 108.
See Edward Gibbon's History of the s See 1'
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," astique," tome ix. , liv. xlii. , sect, xlvii. ,
vol. —
vi. , chap, xlix. , pp. 153 to 155.
p. 305.
6 "Ecclesiastical See Leopold Ranke's
and Political History of the Popes of Rome,"
translated by Sarah Austin, vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 16.
Chapter v.
of November, in this work.
1
«
See his
Life, at the 27th
He, as well as his companion, was a priest at this time, and both were natives of
4 See Baronius" ' Annales Ecclesiastici,"
tomus ix. , A. D. 744, sect, i. , ii. , pp. 139, 140.
Abbe Histoire Ecclesi- Fleury's
i8o LIVES 01 THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 5.
Austrasia, and Neustria. ? He also assisted at another council held in Tivoli. 8 Always a strict observer of rule and discipline himself, Boniface manifests a great desire to have Canons for the good government of his Church introduced and enforced. He often represents his personal trouble of mind, with the state of his pastoral charge to the Pope, from whom he receives aid and encouragement. Especiallydoeshecomplainofthosedisorders,causedby AdalbertandClement. 9 Inconsequenceofsuchcomplaints,acouncilwas convened at Rome, in the patriarchal house of Lateran, on the 25th of Octo-
ber,
a. d.
745.
IO It was
presided
over
by Pope Zachary,
in while person ;
seven bishops, living near the city, seventeen priests, besides deacons and
other clerics, were present. As the messenger of Boniface, a priest named
Deneard had been bearer of documents from him, addressed to Pope Zachary, while he brought also a letter for Gemmulus, Archdeacon of the Roman Church. 11 When that council had assembled, Deneard was intro- duced, and he related, how his master St. Boniface had convoked a synod of the Frankish clergy and nobles, where Adelbert and Clement had been con- demned, deposed, and put into prison, by the princes, while those impostors still remained impenitent. Then were exposed the impious inventions and blasphemies of Adalbert, as set forth in the communications of St. Boniface. Accordingly, having examined the acts and writings of Adalbert and Clement, the council pronounced them to have been guilty of grievous errors 12 and crimes. Their deposition from the priesthood was decreed, with an anathema pro- nounced against themselves and their followers, if they persisted in those errors. ThePope,withallthebishopsandpriestsatthecouncil,subscribed its decrees. The three sessions of this council bear the same date, as if these had been all held on the same day. '3 Afterwards, the Pope sent the decrees of this council to Bonface, with a long letter, which formed the reply to three lettershehadalreadywritten. '+ Thiswasdatedonthe31stofOctober,a. d. 745, and in it, our saint's actions are approved, while he is encouraged to bear with fortitude the opposition he has had to encounter.
A letter written by St. Boniface to Cuthbert, Archbishop of Canterbury, proved
the occasion for
about the commencement of
priests, and other clergy, with Ethelbald and several of his nobles, were present.
assembling
a national council at
Cloveshoe, 747.
Cliff, inEngland, bishops, many
September,
The Acts of this council are comprised in thirty Canons, having relation chiefly
to reforms and to ecclesiastical
discipline.
1 ? It also issued a
general direction,
7 According to the "Concilia Germanise," edited by D. Joan Fred. Schannat, and P. Jos. Hartzeim, S. J. , tomusi. , Sseculum viii. Coloniae, A. D. 1759.
xxviii. . pp. 152 to 155.
" One of these was the introduction of the
names of unknown Angels, such as Uriel,
Raguel, Tubuel, Inias, Tubuas, Sabaoth, and Simiel, into their forms of prayer. See
"
Ecclesiasticse Historiae Bieviarium," Seculum VIII. , cap. iii. , p. 193.
13 See l'Abbe " Histoire Eccle- Fleury's
siastique," tome ix. , liv. xlii. , sect. 1. , li. , pp. 309 to 312.
** See Abbe Rohrbacher's " Histoire Uni-
verselle de l'Eglise Catholique," tome xi. , liv. Iii. , p. 23.
*5 Latinized Cloveshoviense, and it is sometimes called the Council of Abing- don.
"See Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chronology of History,' p. 225.
8
lives of certain priests of his time, Boniiace Berti's
There, making allusion to the irregular stated, that formerly, the priests were of
and the chalices used were of they
gold,
wood, while then those priests were of wood, and served themselves with golden chalices,
See "Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des e
Saints," tome vi.