Islendzk
Æventýri:
Icelandic
Legends, Novellas
& Folktales
Translated from H. Gering’s
“Islendzk
Æventýri”
(Isländische
Legenden, Novellen
und Märchen), Volume II
by J.
Turbes
©/copyright 2012
by Legacy Information Services, Littleton CO 80127
Originally
published as:
“Islendzk
Æventýri” (Isländische Legenden, Novellen un Märchen), Band 2
-
in 1882 by
Verlag der Buchhandlung
des Waisenhauses, Halle a. S. (Germany)
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Cover art by Joleene Naylor (www.joleenenaylor.com).
Hugo Gering, Author (Sept. 21, 1847 – Feb. 3, 1925)
Born in Heinrichsberg/Briesen of a landed family, Hugo Gering was first educated at home. He later visited preparatory high schools (gymnasiums) in Thorn and Kulm, graduating in 1867. He studied linguistics, philosophy and history at the universities of Leipzig and Bonn.
In 1870/71 he served in the Franco-Prussian War, after which he continued his studies at the University of Halle. Here he received his doctorate in philosophy with his thesis “Über den syntaktischen Gebrauch der Participia im Götischen” (On the Syntactical Use of Participia in the Gothic).
In 1876 he achieved his professorship in Old German Language and Philology with his work, “Die Kausalsätze und ihre Partikeln bei den althochdeutschen Übersetzern des achten und neunten Jahrhunderts” (Causal Clauses and their Phrasal Verbs [as seen by] 8th- & 9th-Century Old High German Translators). He focused more strongly on Nordic philology, undertaking the first of many research trips to Scandanavia in 1877. In 1883, Gering was named professor of eminence at the University of Halle.
In 1887 Gering published his “Glossar zu den Liedern der Edda (Saermunder Edda; 5th edition, 1923)” (Glossary of the Older Edda). In 1889 Gering was named Professor of Nordic Philology at the University of Kiel, teaching during 1898/99 at the Naval Academy (Marineakadamie). In 1902/03 he was rector of the University of Kiel and in 1921 as a member of a number of scientific societies, named professor emeritus.
Above all, Gering taught language literature and grammar for old and middle high German, Gothic, Anglo-Saxon as well as new Danish. Beginning in 1888 he was co-publisher of the German Saxon “Zeitschrift für deutsche Philologie” (German Philology bulletin) where Gering publicized primarily his results of research on runes. His retelling of the Edda (1904; third edition 1922) was, due to its language brilliance, very successful.
In 1903 he published the “Vollständige Wörterbuch zu den Liedern der Edda” (Complete Dictionary for the Older Edda) that resulted in a thorough printed commentary regarding the work. In addition, Gering translated the old English epic, “Beowulf” (1906; third edition, 1929), and from 1902 until his death in 1925) he was co-publisher with Gustaf Cederschiöld and Eugen Mogk of the 18-volume “Altnordische Sagabibliothek” (Library of Old Nordic Sagas).
Source: Catalogus Professorum Halensis
(Professorial
Catalog, University of Halle)
Translator’s Notes
This is an English translation of Hugo Gering’s original Volume 2, itself a German translation of his Volume 1 compilation of the Old Norse (Norrona) tales, novellas and legends, or “æventýri”, first published in 1882. My reason for translating H. Gering’s work is to provide the interested reader of English with the means to enjoy these tales, which might otherwise go unnoticed.
Many of the stories are ecclesiastical, stemming from the middle Ages and reflecting the transition of Iceland and Western Europe from a pre-Christian to a Catholic society. As explained in the original notes and addenda made by the author, many of these “Icelandic” stories are in fact based on other earlier sources as anyone familiar with the literature of that time will soon discover. What makes these stories exceptional are the fact that they stem from manuscripts and records written in Iceland by an agrarian people in a land thought isolated and remote, having little formal schooling or institutions as their contemporaries in Europe. Clearly, these writings show that not to be the case.
Original content not included in this work are translations of the Norse glossary from Volume 2 and of some extensive foot- and endnote texts in Greek, Old Norse and Latin. This is because of my ignorance of those languages and because I saw them as having little value for the casual reader. Those that I did translate are contained in the more detailed unpublished volume in PDF format that interested buyers of this compilation can obtain by contacting me at:
“european-currency-name (at) hotmail-dot-com”
– using the subject line “Detailed Gering Translation” along with proof of purchase of this ebook. That more detailed work contains either translations of the majority of the author’s or direct references to his Latin/Old Norse, plus hyperlinked references to original citations in H. Gering’s freely available two-volume texts in the online Open Library.
That unpublished version also contains my own more extensive explanatory footnotes not included here. Other explanatory footnotes in the original Volume 2 are included here but as endnotes in their respective chapters rather than as footnotes as in the original text.
To the best of my knowledge, H. Gering’s original work has not been previously translated into English. It is not my intent to supercede or otherwise replace any existing translation, should one exist. This translation is a result of my own interest in Icelandic literature and is intended only as information for readers interested in these works and times.
A bibliography lists some additional sources of Icelandic tales available from online sources if the reader wishes to pursue this fascinating body of literature.
J.Turbes
Summary of Original Contents
This is an overview of the contents of H. Gering’s original two-volume work with comments on inclusions and exclusions made in this translation. I have included this overview only as a guide to the extensive content of Gering’s original two-volume work. None of the organization described here is included in this abridged e-book:
Volume 1
Dedicated to Gustaf Cederschiöld, this Volume comprises Books 1 (legends) and 2 (novellas and tales) in Old Norse. Except for a portion of the Preface, none of Volume 1 is included in this translation:
Preface describing the author’s process and a brief history of the project, plus exhaustive analysis and conclusions about the original manuscripts. This information has exhaustive detail and extensive Old Norse/Icelandic citations and excerpts that are both outside the interest to the casual reader as well as beyond my means to translate.
Books 1 (chapters I – XLVIII: Legends) and 2 (XLIX – CI: Novellas and Tales). Chapters XCIV – CI are fragmented and are included in interpolated form with missing portions taken from other non-Icelandic sources. This translation reflects the author’s completed versions from Vol. II.
Corrections (Berichtigungen) made by the author to errors, either as they were originally found in the original Old Norse sources or created during the transcription before translation to German. All of these are incorporated into this translation, where appropriate.
Volume 2
With acknowledgment to fellow author Reinhold Köhler, who contributed much in the way of elaboration, critique and literary source material, this Volume contains the legends, novellas and tales in German but without the subdivision into books as in Volume 1. The original Volume 2 is the basis for this translation but with the omissions as noted below:
Preface (ca. 73 pp.) comprising an overview of Jón Halldórsson, 14th century bishop, scholar and contributor to Icelandic literature, and author’s notes on grammatical and orthographical points with the numerous citations and excerpts in Old Norse/Icelandic and other languages. The segment about Jón Halldórsson is included in this translation.
Chapters I – CI, less 28 chapters (XLIX – LXXVI) that are direct translations of the 11th-century Latin morality tales in Petrus Alphonsi’s “Disciplina Clericalis” and so were viewed as redundant by the author, although chapters 63 and 64 repeat two stories from “Disciplina …”. But otherwise, those morality tales were not included in either the original Volume 2 and so not in this translation.
A 90-page glossary covering words not explained in A. Theodor Möbius’ “Altnordisches Glossar” (Old Norse glossary) plus an index of character names (not included).
An appendix with related Latin and old English texts (not included).
Corrections from H. Gering’s original text (Vol. 2 “Berichtigungen”, pp. 394 – 396) that are minor typographical changes (included in this translation) but mostly in-depth information primarily of academic interest and so are not included in this translation. These latter updates deal with additional sources for variations of these tales, contemporary changes and additions found too late for inclusion in his finalization of his text, or changes to the Icelandic language glossary in his original Volume 2 (not included).
Chapter 1. Secundus
Secundus(1), son of a French knight, received due to his outstanding foundation already from early childhood a careful upbringing, first in his father’s house and then in Paris. Later he attended the best-known foreign schools (including Carthage) and word of his philosophical learning spread over the Orient.
When he returned home he learned that his father had died. He hurried to the widows’ refuge of his mother but disguised himself to test her devotion to his father’s memory. By the time of the evening meal, he was able to bring her to promise to share her accommodations with him. Finding him reserved, she sought to find the reason — and Secundus then revealed his name. The pain she felt at knowing her own son had uncovered her loose morals caused her sudden death.
Wracked with guilt of killing his mother, Secundus took an oath of silence. Accompanied by a servant with the task of translator, he traveled to Constantinople. Emperor Hadrian, who had heard much of his wisdom as a philosopher, summoned Secundus to appear before him and asked him a number of questions but received no answer.
Angered, the Emperor commanded that the obstinate Secundus be beheaded, but secretly ordered that the execution be carried out only if a promise to forego his execution would bring him to speak. When Secundus remained resolute he was again led before the Emperor who demanded that he answer in writing. Secundus requested a tablet and answered the questions put before him with such satisfaction that the Emperor kept him at his court.
1. Although depicted here as of French/Frankish descent, Secundus was actually Secondo of Asti of Italy and a patrician officer in the Roman army. Due to his later conversion to Christianity, which he refused to recant, and possible involvement in preserving holy relics, he was executed by the same Emperor Hadrian in AD 119 and was canonized.
Chapter 2. Romanos the Legionnaire
Thanks to his good fortune in battle, the legionnaire Romanos of Constantinople (2) was so well known that many foreign kings trusted him with the command of their campaigns. His way of life, however, was much criticized because he never attended religious services nor fasted.
At this time there also lived a hermit in the desert who once asked God to show him who among men was his equal in merit(3). In answer, an angel appeared and told him that he was as highly valued as Romanos of Constantinople. This unsettled the hermit, who traveled to the city to meet the legionnaire.
He arrived in Byzantium on a festival day at the time of high mass. Everyone was at church except a well-dressed man who was wandering about the public plaza. The man greeted the hermit in an honorable manner and asked him brought him there. The hermit answered that an angel had told him he would find a man in Constantinople who God valued as much as he himself. When the man asked after his name, the hermit also asked the man’s name. “I’m Romanos”, the man answered. “This is exactly the name the angel told me”, the hermit said. “Please tell me about the way you live so that I can dispel my concern.”
Romanos first tried to avoid to avoid the matter and said that his way of living was quite different from that of a humble hermit, that he was the most unworthy of all and that was shown by his wandering about while the Christian community was gathered inside. But finally, moved by the hermit’s tears, he revealed what until now he had kept hidden to prevent anyone doubting his belief: in self-chastisement, he bathed each day in a seething hot well wearing a ring of armor on his naked body. He avoided religious services to avoid becoming conceited from praise and to learn to bear harmful rumors with patience. In addition, he cared for 13 poor infirm in a hidden chamber in his house. Learning this, the hermit bid Romanos a hearty good-bye and with a lighter heart returned to the desert.
Not long after this encounter, Romanos became extremely ill. Feeling that his end was near, he instructed a trusted friend to seek out the hermit. As soon as Romanos died, the friend departed to fulfill the task only to find the hermit had also died on the same day. The friend had the hermit’s body returned to Constantinople where it was buried next to Romanos.
2. The original manuscript’s author gave no indication that the Romanos of this tale was one of the Byzantine emperors Romanos I/II/III/IV.
3. In this and other similar tales, men ask who their equal is. This is apparently based on the belief that in Providence one keeps company with equals.
Chapter 3. Pope Marcellinus
By decree of Emperor Diocletian, Pope Marcellinus was forced to make offerings to the Roman gods, which he soon regretted (4). Escaping to lower Italy, he called a council of bishops in which he confessed his sins and required that he be pronounced penance.
All of the bishops remained silent, save one who asked Pope Marcellinus to answer a question. The Pope agreed, the bishop asked if Peter had sinned. The Pope replied that Peter had lied to Christ. The bishop asked, “Did he lie once or more than once?” “Three times”, answered Marcellinus. The bishop then asked who had heard Peter’s confession, given him absolution and had pronounced penance.
No answer was forthcoming, so the bishop himself said, “no one absolved Peter, no one absolved him and no one proclaimed a penalty on him because no mortal had power over him as he was the highest of all. You should do likewise; you are the highest bishop of Christianity and should declare your own penance.”
Marcillenus then said that he was a worshipper of false idols and being unworthy of a Christian burial, no one should bestow such a service upon him under penalty of excommunication. He then returned to Rome, presented himself before Emperor Diocletian and proclaimed himself a Christian.
The Emperor had Marcillenus beheaded, leaving the body unburied for 30 days during which time God protected his remains from animals and birds. One night in a dream, Peter appeared to Marcellus, Marcellinus’ successor, and asked, “Why haven’t you buried my body, brother Marcellus?” Astounded, Marcellus answered that Peter’s body was long ago interred in Rome. “My body is the body of my brother Marcellinus”, replied the apostle.
When Marcellus explained that because of Diocletian’s ban on burying Marcellinus’ body, no one dared attempt the burial. Referring to Christ’s word, “he who lowers himself shall be raised”, Peter commanded that Marcellinus’ body be interred next to him in Rome.
And it was done.
4. Marcellinus, bishop of Rome and later Pope at the time of Emperor Diocletian, was forced to make offerings to Roman gods when Diocletian began persecuting Christians. He later recanted and suffered martyrdom ca. 304.
Chapter 4. Aglais and Boniface
At the time of Emperor Diocletian, there lived a rich widow in Rome named Aglais. She kept numerous servants and appointed as housemaster a young man, Bonifacius. The two lived in a close relationship but concealed it from the public. Bonifacius treasured the joy of love and drink but also had three worthy traits: he was mild-mannered, hospitable and just in business relationships, being strict about weights and measures.
At this time, Diocletian began persecuting Christians in southern Italy, many of whom earned their eternal crown through martyrdom. When Aglais learned of this from her patrons, she summoned Bonifacius and told him that she had decided to give up her sinful life and to convert her household to a Christian church. To this purpose, she required reliquaries of Christian martyrs and that Bonifacius should obtain them from southern Italy.
The young man chose companions for his trip, provided them with the needed money and bid his mistress goodbye. “Will you likely accept me into your church if I return as a pious man?” “Give up your nonsense and alcohol and command yourself to the Lord so that he leads you by his will”, answered Aglais.
Bonifacius traveled to southern Italy, went directly to Diocletian and dared to confront him about his horrors against the Christians. He was then captured, a hot iron placed in his mouth into which molten lead was poured. Laughing, he endured the torture and died. His companions took his body to Rome.
The day before they arrived, a heavenly apparition appeared to Aglais, commanding her to retrieve the remains of the martyrs with celebration and to entomb them in the house she intended to dedicate to God. She obeyed the command and remained an eager and faithful servant of God until her death.
Chapter 5. The Founding of Constantinople
Following the conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity by Pope Sylvester and the renouncing of Judaism by the Emperor’s mother Helen, the Emperor battled the Persians, giving them a resounding defeat.
On his return trip, he entered Byzantium where he had an unusual dream in which an old, dead woman was brought to him and the Pope told him to pray for her to restore her to life. Constantine obeyed the Pope’s order, causing the old woman to rise as a young, attractive girl. She pleased Constantine so much that he gave her his cloak and placed a valuable crown on her head. Then his mother spoke to him: “she will be your wife and the Empress, dying at day’s end”. Since no one could interpret the dream Constantine decided to fast until God himself revealed the meaning.
Seven days later in another dream, Pope Sylvester appeared again to him and said, “The resurrected woman you saw is the city in which you now are. Her walls have collapsed, but in the morning mount the same horse on which you rode to your baptism in the Church of The Apostle. Release the reins and let it go wherever God’s angel leads it while letting your staff drag behind. On the track that it leaves behind, build the new city wall. Adorn with your name the newly walled city and make it the queen of all others. Let a beautiful church be built in it and your sons will reign there.”
When Constantine awoke he thanked God, told the bishop Sisinnius of his dream and carried out what it had told him. He called the city Constantinople, known to the people of the north as Mikklaborg.
Chapter 6. Emperor Constantine and the Priest
While on a casual ride, Emperor Constantine came to a small village. Ever since his baptism he had attended daily mass, so he requested that the local priest perform his duties. During the service, the Emperor noticed that the priest was small and had a rather unpleasant expression. He wondered why God selected such unappealing people to his service.
At exactly the same moment, the priest recited the verse, “Be ye sure that the Lord He is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves” . From this the Emperor believed that as the result of a divine impulse the priest had guessed and then answered his thoughts. Following the mass, the Emperor sought out the priest and introduced himself. But he found that the priest didn’t have a divine gift, and that his answer to Constantine’s thoughts was just a coincidence.
Though the priest therefore was not exceptional, the Emperor nonetheless elevated the priest to the office of bishop. Sometime later, the same bishop called out a man unfaithful to his wife to appear on the day of St. John the Baptist’s before the pope’s seat of judgment, but the man refused to heed the bishop’s warning. Soon thereafter the bishop died and the sinful man rejoiced, believing that the condemnation was arrogant. But when St. John’s Day arrived, the man suddenly fell to the floor, dead.
Chapter 7. Emperor Tiberius
In the year 578 AD, Tiberius was made Byzantine emperor. His predecessor Justinian II(5), to whose imperial guard Tiberius belonged, had praised Tiberius´ outstanding character to reign. Although Tiberius had stated that he had no desire to be Emperor, divine advice caused him to accept the title.
Tiberius immediately showed that he differed from Justinian. While the latter was a formidable warrior and had amassed unmeasurable wealth, Tiberius sat on the throne in peace and distributed the amassed wealth freely to the needy.
His wife Sophia(6) criticized him for his squandering, claiming that the wealth would soon be exhausted. But Tiberius countered that God would provide counsel.
This trust was not ill placed because one day as Tiberius strolled the palace, he noticed that the sign of the cross was buried in the floor. He immediately had the stone floor taken up and found beneath three stone tiles bearing the same sign. Beneath the tiles was a huge treasu re of gold and silver that, when weighed, was valued at 100,000 marks(7).
Through an old man it was discovered that King Narcissus Patricius(8) had the treasure buried, which no one had begrudged him. As a result Tiberius was able to continue his good deeds.
5. (Translator’s note: Tiberius was the adoptive son and friend of Justinian II.)
6. (Translator’s note: Sophia, wife of Justinian II, was actually to become Tiberius’ wife to preserve her station. But he was already married to Ino Anastasia and so refused. History shows that Sophia actually conspired to overthrow Tiberius, but unsuccessfully.
7. The coin standard under Tiberius was the gold “solidus” of Justin II. The correlation to a “mark” is unclear.
8. In reality, this probably refers to Narcissus the Patrician. There is no record regarding his kingship.
Chapter 8. Bishop Augustine
Bishop Augustine of Damascus had once excommunicated a rich knight who refused to tithe. One holy day, the bishop entered the church and before the mass ordered all those who had been excommunicated or otherwise outlawed to leave the church and its grounds during the mass. As soon as the mass had begun, many of the graves in the churchyard opened, their skeletal remains gathered together and fled the churchyard.
The living who were attending the mass were terrified, and with cries and a great tumult took refuge in the church. Learning of this, Augustine went outside and demanded from the risen remains, one of which was unusually large, what in the name of Christ and the holy virgin was the meaning of this miracle.
The largest risen entity replied that those who had left their graves were during their lifetimes outlawed by the church and had died before their ban had been lifted; they therefore were obliged to follow the order of the bishop, whose holiness was held in highest honor.
Augustine asked the entity who he was in life, to which the entity replied that he had been a knight and who because of his failure to tithe had been banned. At the same moment the living knight who had been found guilty for the same reason entered the churchyard gate and fell before the bishop, eyes raining with tears of regret, begging for forgiveness.
Augustine lifted the ban on the dead as though they were still alive, and the dead remains returned to their graves, which closed over them.
Chapter 9. Sindulf and his Wife
At the time of Pope Paul I (757-767), in the Burgundian kingdom(9) of western Italy, lived a farmer named Sindulf. He himself was righteous and god-fearing but his wife was so shameful that she maintained a relationship with a clergyman.
The farmer heard of this, and one day while they sat by the garden fountain he confronted her with the matter. She denied it in the strongest terms, and he replied that while he didn’t feel he was the equal of her glib words and cleverness, he would let God’s judgment put an end to the disagreement. “If you think you are not guilty”, he said, “throw your gold ring into the spring. If it sinks then you’ve been slandered. If it floats as a leaf floats, then God himself will pronounce your shame.”
She followed his instruction, and the ring floated as a feather on the water. Sindulf declared that from that hour on, he would never go near her bed. His wife became so enraged with hate against her husband that she decided to murder him with the help of her courtesan. They carried out the bloody deed and the body was buried in the garden. To avoid inquiries, the wife told everyone that her husband was on a long trip.
However, God decided to make their crime public knowledge. Appearing in the dream of another farmer in the village who was a close friend, Sindulf told him how he had been murdered. “The garden in which I was murdered”, he added, “is cursed. The beautiful fountain in the garden is to be moved to your garden as payment for your true comradeship and neighborliness.”
The neighbor carried out the task as Sindulf had said. The body was found and reburied nearby in holy ground; no sooner was it done than miracles occurred over Sindulf’s grave. The wife also heard about the miracles and cynically said that if they were true, her own behind could also do miracles. But for these contemptible words she quickly incurred God’s wrath; ever since that day whenever she opened her mouth to speak, she loudly passed gas.
9. The second Burgundian kingdom comprised today’s Switzerland, southeastern France and northwestern Italy.
Chapter 10. Vilchin the Thief
In a sermon, a bishop told of a thief and murderer who lived in England named Vilchin. The devil had bound him with a leg iron and led him to do bad deeds both day and night. Things for the two were so sad that Vilchin could actually see the devil, which he honored as his lord and master.
One day the two came to a church where Vilchin asked the devil for permission to go inside. The devil granted Vilchin´s wish with the hope that he would return even nastier and more wicked. Vilchin found a priest inside, approached him with a humble demeanor and desired that the priest hear his confession. The priest accepted Vilchin´s wish coldly, as he knew him; nonetheless, he agreed to hear his confession.
At the end, the priest refused to give Vilchin absolution due to the heavy nature of his sins. Vilchin struck the priest down with his ax and left the church, where he met a friendly greeting from the devil.
The same occurred in a second church and then finally they reached a third house of God where the devil also gave Vilchin permission to enter. Here, the priest told him of the value of holy repentance and said he was ready to give Vilchin absolution if he would perform certain acts of penitence: fasting, kneeling and saying a specific number of prayers. Vilchin declined to accept the penitence because it was too difficult. The priest refused to give up on him and so gave him a lighter penance: he must avoid all food and drink until sundown, and give three articles of his clothing to three of the poor that he should meet. If he does this and avoids further sinful behavior, the priest would vouch for him with God, who would forgive him.
The priest’s mild manner stirred Vilchin so deeply that he wept profusely and humbly departed from the church. As he came out the devil asked him if he had seen his comrades, which Vilchin denied. The devil sighed and said that the church visit didn’t work as he had hoped. Howling, the devil left while Vilchin thanked God from the bottom of his heart.
Vilchin faithfully followed the priest’s direction; he gave three pieces of his clothing to beggars he met, and avoided drinking any water although he felt he was near dying of thirst. That evening he came to a village where a wedding was taking place and where, to avoid wrath, runners had been sent out to invite everyone. In the meantime, Vilchin had found a clear stream where now that the sun had set and he thought to quench his thirst.
As he set about to drink, a local citizen who knew who Vilchin was but nothing of his conversion stepped onto the opposite bank. He aimed his bow and shot him cleanly through with an arrow.
The bishop whose sermon told of Vilchin witnessed that miracles had occurred on his grave and quoted David, who said the Lord’s mercies are over all of his works. “Some work only an hour in the vineyards and gain their dinar, while others work their entire lives—e.g., the settler and the monk—to finally earn their wage. Others survive war and other danger, with God’s and the church’s will. For example, Charlemagne won the heathen lands to Christianity; built and restored churches; richly gave alms not only in his own lands but also in Egypt and Africa; rose four times nightly to pray and was so modest that he only drank three times at mealtime and never was led by greed to do ill and instead used spoils only for the good of the church and the poor.”
As a result, his praise is great in all of Christianity, and God himself has arranged that Bishop Turpin of Reims should write his history. This book is so exemplary that Pope Callixtus II made it recommended reading for monks, and we will take an excerpt from it in the next tale to further spread the Emperor’s reputation.
Chapter 11. Charlemagne
During the time when Pope Leo III (the Great) reigned over Christendom (795-816), Emperor Constantine VI(10) (780-795), Leo IV´s father, reigned in Byzantium and John was patriarch of Jerusalem, Karl accepted the title of Emperor of Rome(11).
This unsettled Leo III because the seat of the emperor had been in Constantinople until Rome withdrew it and gave it to the Frankish emperor who became Karl the Great, or Charlemagne. When he became aware of the Greek Emperor’s concern that he would take away the empire, Charlemagne sent a written message to Byzantium clarifying his peaceful intentions. This began a lasting friendship between the two royal courts.
Shortly thereafter it came to pass that the christian lands were overrun by heathens, resulting in the need for the patriarch John, accompanied by Priest John of Naples and Head Priest David of Jerusalem to flee to Constantinople. They sought this city because Constantine had previously rescued Palestine from the heathens seven times. This time, however, Constantine saw from the stories of the refugees that the heathen numbers were three times what they had been before, so he was unsure of what to do.
Constantine pleaded with God for support and help, and in the night a handsome boy appeared to him. The boy told him to ask Karl, king of the Franks (later Charlemagne) to take part on a crusade. The boy then became a real-life elderly knight who, though with back somewhat bent and with a long, bleached and flattened beard, had a fresh, glowing skin and eyes that shone like stars. He stood before the Emperor, bareheaded and clad in handsome armor, leaning on a powerful spear from whose point lightning occasionally flashed. “See!”, said the heavenly messenger, “This one was chosen and consecrated by God. Consider yourself what he, under the protection of the Lord, will be able to do.”
As soon as the Emperor awoke he had the patriarchs compose a letter to Charlemagne, afterwards adding a few words in which he told of the unmistakable message of God’s will. Accompanied by the two Jews Isaac and Samuel, John of Naples and David of Jerusalem were given the task of delivering the letter.
They met with Charlemagne in Paris and accomplished their mission. Charlemagne was ready immediately to heed the request, and ordered Archbishop Turpin to present the letter to all the people. This was done, and all who were present demanded with a loud cry that Charlemagne search for the enemies of God.
The King sent messengers throughout his realm requiring all men capable of wielding a weapon to take part on the expedition or suffer a hard penalty. The result was a powerful gathering of men under his banner such as the king had never before seen.
He and his expedition came to Palestine, arriving at a large forest full of griffins, bears, lions and tigers. Although there was no signpost showing the way, Charlemagne nonetheless braved entry into the forest hoping to pass through in a day’s travel. But night was approaching and there was no end to the forest. He gave the order to pitch his tent while his people camped around him in the open.
Charlemagne kept watch and prayed his psalms, and when he came to the passage “make me to go in the path of thy commandments...” , a bird in a tree above him began to twitter so loudly that the whole army awoke. The king continued his prayers, speaking the verse:
“Lead my soul out of confinement in order to confess your name... .”
The Emperor dressed himself, and as soon as the army was ready the bird flew ahead along an old climbing path that they followed until they reached the old march route. Since that day, according to pilgrims of the route, the birds in the forest are gifted with man’s speech.
The size of the army that the Greek emperor sent to the crusade is not known, but it is known that Charlemagne drove the heathens out and freed God’s land. Afterward he visited Jerusalem and returned through Constantinople where he was greeted with the highest honors. Before he continued on he was honored with great gifts, gold, jewels and costly raiment. But to the Greek emperor’s regret Charlemagne refused all this but was finally convinced to accept some reliquaries. To prepare himself as worthy of the honor he along with his entire force then fasted for three days.
On the agreed day Charlemagne confessed to his father confessor Ebroinus and then went into the cathedral. Bishop Daniel of Naples opened the reliquary in which Jesus’ crown of thorns was kept. Immediately a pleasant scent spread through the whole church, which gleamed with a wonderful light. Charlemagne threw himself to the floor and asked God to repeat the miracles that had taken place during the crucifixion. A heavenly dew settled on the crown’s thorns, from which suddenly sprang beautiful blooms.
Daniel then cut some of these blooms and laid them in a box that Charlemagne had brought. In the meantime a new scent spread that healed all in the church who were infirm. When the box was full, Daniel handed it to the king, who instead shook the blooms into a white glove and handed the box back for Daniel to cut again blooms for himself. As Charlemagne took the filled glove he made ready a second one so he could give the first to Ebroinus. But as both could barely see for tears, Charlemagne let loose of the glove before Ebroinus took hold of it. The glove remained floating in the air as though held by an unseen hand.
Soon thereafter another miracle occurred; the blooms changed into heavenly manna and the scent spread from the cathedral through the whole city. All of the people came, exclaiming loudly “Here is Easter! Here is His resurrection!” Three hundred infirm were healed.
Charlemagne then received a piece of Christ’s cross, a nail, Christ’s sweatband, a blouse(12) from Christ’s mother and a hand of St. Simeon the Righteous(13). Should anyone wonder why these reliquaries were in Constantinople and not Jerusalem, they should know that these were moved to protect them from the heathens.
Charlemagne then departed Constantinople for home. En route, there were a number of miracles: for example, in a castle where Charlemagne stayed for six months, a dead person was resurrected. The reliquaries were then taken to Aachen, where innumerable sick were healed. Pope Leo, Charlemagne, Bishop Achilleus of Alexandria and Bishop Theophilus of Antioch all agreed that on June 12 each year the reliquaries should be honored in a tribute celebration. Charlemagne later gave the shirt of Mary to Chartres and the manna to St. Denis. In Aachen Charlemagne had built the magnificent Cathedral of St. Mary, called Maria Rotunda.
10. This is incorrect; the reference should be to Constantine V who was emperor from 718 – 775.
11. Charlemagne was named Holy Roman emperor in 800 by Leo III. The patriarch of Jerusalem at that time was not John but George. Charlemagne reigned until his death in 814.
12. Various sources say that these relics were differently distributed, and only the collar of Mary’s blouse was given to Charlemagne
13. St. Simeon, or Simeon the Righteous, held Christ during the Jewish Pidyon Ha’Ben (Redemption of the Firstborn Son) ceremony that is performed no sooner than 30 days after the birth of the firstborn baby boy.
Chapter 12. Pope Formosus’ Trial after Death
Formosus, bishop of Porto (Portugal), fled his bishopric out of fear of Pope John and refused to return at the behest of the pope who removed, defrocked and excommunicated him. In addition, Formosus was required to foreswear ever again becoming a bishop and never again to enter Rome.
Following the death of Pope John, Martin II(14) became pope and restored Formosus’ bishopric. Against his former oath, Formosus returned to Rome and was made pope following the death of Pope Stephen (V).
Following Formosus’ death there was Bonifacius and then Stephen VI. Although the latter was made bishop by Formosus, Stephen VI overturned all of Formosus’ decrees and during a bishops’ synod actually had Formosus’ remains exhumed and stripped of all papal adornment (15). Pope Stephen then ordered that two fingers of Formosus’ right hand be cut off and that the body thrown into the Tiber River.
Following Stephen VI, Theodore (II) was made Roman bishop. He restored all those appointed by Formosus to their offices(16). Following Theodore, John IX reigned, who called a synod in Ravenna that declared the conviction of Formosus as illegal. Those popes who followed were Benedict IV and Leo V, the latter removed by force and jailed by a Cardinal Christopher (17).
Seven months later Sergio III took the throne, declared Cardinal Christopher an evildoer and thief, and had him jailed. During his reign Formosus’ had declared Sergio as unworthy of wearing the papal tiara. Sergio had fled to the French, who aided him in returning and regaining papal worthiness.
In revenge, Sergio III disinterred Formosus’ body again, placed it on the throne reclad in papal raiment. He then had the body beheaded and threw the remains in the Tiber River (18). Soon after the remains were found by a fisherman and returned to St. Peter’s. People of faith tell that sacred images appeared before him and welcomed him as he was entombed the last time.
14. More correctly, Marinus I.
15. This posthumous trial, known as the Cadaver Synod, during which not only was Formosus sentenced posthumously but everyone who he had appointed was removed from office. Other accounts say it was Sergio III who removed the appointees.
16. Besides rehabilitating Formosus, Theodore II allowed Formosus’ followers to reinterr his remains in St. Peter’s Basilica.
17. Current papal history shows Sergio III as being responsible for the imprisonment and death of both Leo V and Cardinal Christopher.
18. Current papal history shows that Sergio III also had Formosus’ remaining fingers of the right hand removed.
Chapter 13. Archbishop Dunstan
The holy Dunstan was promoted from abbot to archbishop of London, and later to patriarch. Once, he called for a legendary goldsmith and ordered a chalice for which he specified the necessary gold and silver. The goldsmith completed the work with the best craftsmanship.
The devil, who by this work found much displeasure, changed into a young woman, went to the goldsmith and asked if she could see the new chalice. The unsuspecting smith handed it to her, who returned it to him and left. Soon after, the smith saw that the chalice was damaged overall, and so began the work anew.
Again, the young woman returned, now with a large entourage, and demanded again to see the chalice. If it pleased her, she said she would also have something made. The smith, who still wasn’t aware, responded to her wish. But as soon as she was gone, the new chalice was unusable.
The goldsmith began the work a third time. In the meantime a messenger from Dunstan came to ask if the chalice was finished. The smith told him what had happened, to which Dunstan asked him to tell him as soon as the work was finished. This was done, and Dunstan went immediately to the goldsmith, asking him to allow Dunstan to take the smith’s place in the shop for a short while. The smith obliged, and Dunstan immediately went about heating up the smith’s pliers to glowing hot.
Not long thereafter, the young woman appeared with her followers and repeated the wish to see the chalice. Dunstan handed it to her. At the same time as she bent toward him, he grasped her nose with the glowing pliers. The devil then had to show his true self. He wasn’t freed by Dunstan until he promised in the future not to damage the goldsmith’s handwork.
Chapter 14. Pope Sylvester
At the time of Pope Benedict VII, Radulfus was archbishop of Reims. A handsome and energetic man, he was descended from Charlemagne. King Hugo, who then reigned in France and belonged to another royal house, hated Radulfus. He reduced him to a bishop synod while calling up a monk, Guibert, knowledgeable in magical arts, (19) to take his place.
Pope Benedict learned of this, traveled to France and called a synod in Reims where he removed Guibert from office and reseated Radulfus. Guibert went to Emperor Otto, whom he had earlier taught. Otto first named him to Archbishop of Ravenna and later, with help of the devil, to pope. He named himself Sylvester II (999-1003).
Originally, Guibert was a monk in the Fluery Monastery near Orleans, but left the monastery and entered a bond with the devil who promised Guibert to fulfill all of his wishes. He was later in Spain and achieved great learning, after which he taught many students including Emperor Otto (I) and the French king Robert.
After becoming pope, he once asked the devil how long he would live in this worthy office. He received the answer that he would live just as long as he avoided singing the mass in Jerusalem. For this, he was happy since he had no intention of making a pilgrimage to the holy land.
Soon thereafter Pope Sylvester went to the Lateran to celebrate a mass in a church there — the name of which was Jerusalem (20). As soon as he entered, he began to tremble and he noticed from the noise that the devil was making all around him, that his last hour had come. He started to gasp loudly from regret and fear, but he never doubted on God’s mercy. He then confessed his sins to all who were present and commanded that he should be cut to pieces while still alive and then his limbless body should be tied between two wild beasts of burden. Wherever they then came to rest is where he should be buried (21).
This was done. The animals led the body to the main church of the Lateran, and there Sylvester was buried. As proof that God had pardoned him, it is also told that before the death of a pope the sound of breaking bones can be heard coming from Sylvester’s tomb; also, before a pope’s death, Sylvester’s bones sweat. This is stated on an inscription on the stone crypt.
19.This tale confuses a historical “antipope” Guibert, who lived and reigned as pope from ca. 1080 – 1100 as Clement III, with Gerbert d’Aurillac who became Pope Sylvester II. The latter was sent by the church to Spain to study science and intellectualism favored in the Arab world. As a result, in some circles this made him suspect of being a sorcerer and in league with Satan.
20. Likely referring to the church known as the Basilica of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem, which exists today.
21. The requirement of the dying that their body be buried where it is taken by draft animals without human guidance is shown often. The only relevant tale I know of is of the Wurmlinger chapel in Gustav Schwab’s poem of the same name. (Translator’s note: The poem, “die Wurmlinger Kapelle” or the Wurmlinger Chapel, tells of a dying Count Anselm of Calw in the northern Black Forest area in Swabia, southwest Germany who orders that his coffin be borne on a black wagon pulled by two unguided black draft oxen up on a mountain. He asks that he be buried wherever they stop, and that a chapel be built. I have included a loose translation of the poem in Appendix A.)
Chapter 15. Pope Gregory VI
Pope Gregory VI (1044-1048) was under a great threat by robbers who had taken much church property and weren’t shy about stealing from churches even in Rome. Since neither pleas, warnings, threats or anathemas helped, the pope wrote the Emperor and asked him to take to arms to stop the terrible state.
The Emperor answered that he must march against a foreign foe and so gave the pope permission to take action in his name. Gregory called out a large number of people to fight, killed the evildoers and again restored safety. But as this was done, a murmer went amongst the cardinals that the pope had bloodied his hands and so was unworthy of the holy seat. At first, they avoided stepping forward with this sentiment, but as Gregory lay on his deathbed, a cardinal was sent to him to inform him that he was unworthy of being buried in St. Peter’s Basilica.
The pope defended himself, pointing to points of law and referring to the holy writings; finally, he ordered that after his death that St. Peter’s should be locked. If at the presence of his body the doors do not open themselves, the cardinals’ verdict should stand and they may dispose of his remains wherever they please.
After Gregory’s death, all of the locks and bars of St. Peter’s sprang open and his body was interred with great honor.
Chapter 16. William the Conqueror and his Son
Two notable clergymen, Bergr Gunnsteinsson and Jón Hestr have left behind stories of the life of Bishop Thomas Becket of Canterbury, each in his own way telling of the fate of the holy man up to his martyrdom.
Neither of the two, however, told what the causes were leading to the persecution, which the Church of England had to tolerate; over them, we are instructed by the Speculum historiale. The causes are specifically found in the poor examples set by the previous kings; each successor viewed it as a disgrace to give back what the predecessor had taken with force for himself.
The prehistory that we will tell here begins with William the Bastard who wore the crown of England. He had three sons: the oldest named William, the second Robert and the third Henry. All three were promising young men but Robert stood out from his brothers through manly beauty and diligence.
As King William grew old, he called together a council and decreed that the sons should succeed him, one after the other, and the one on the throne should provide the younger son or sons with sufficient money and goods. This decree was then made law. Soon after, the king died in 1088 and on the Holy Day of saints Cosmas and Damian (known as the twin martyrs), his son William was crowned king by Lanfrancus, the archbishop of Canterbury, who had also overseen his upbringing. Not long thereafter Lanfrancus died, and Anselm, until now the bishop of the Bec Monastery in Normandy, was appointed archbishop.
At this time, the reigning pope was Urban II (22) who was involved in a great conflict with Earl Guibert of Ravenna. Guibert wrote to King William asking him to support him in the conflict against the pope, causing William to let himself be moved to prohibit payment of the Peters pence(23) although Anselm strongly opposed this rule.
In the meantime the news had come to Europe that Jerusalem and other cities in the holy land were occupied by the heathens. As a result many brave men undertook a crusade, among them the king’s son Robert. With him went two other counts, Godfrey and Balduin. The money that King William had given to his brother Robert he then tried to recoup through levies of intolerable taxes on the bishoprics, closters and churches.
Archbishop Anselm required the bishops to resist the king’s order but in fear of the king’s wrath, they soon gave up the resistance. Only Anselm remained obstinate until the king’s persecution forced him to leave the country.
King William gathered the taxes from the holy places even more ruthlessly. The bishops complained and assured that they were unable to pay so much, but the king retorted, “Don’t you have large cabinets full of bones covered with gold and silver? Undress them and give that to us!”
The bishops actually obeyed the order and robbed their own churches. Even the crucifixes weren’t spared when they contained valuable metal. But God soon showed how he detested this carrying on, then never before was England targeted with so many earthquakes, storms, failed harvests, frost and snowstorms as in the time of William II. In the second year of his reign on October 15, the wind tore a man-sized hole in the church of Ibericeltumba and broke a column inside into pieces, one of which tore off the right hand of a crucifix and destroyed a picture of the Virgin Mary. The wind left such a stench that the monks had to remove it with baptismal water. At another location the storm tore the roof from St. Mary’s Church and threw it in a flat field.
The same signs appeared each year, but the king refused to be disturbed; in fact, his pride grew day to day. Each day he required new hosiery, and each pair had to cost at least a mark. As the current taxes were not sufficient to meet the expenses, Runolf (24) advised the king to issue a new order that forbade church canons and monks from electing new bishops or abbots to replace those who died. Instead, the king would appoint replacements, who were to direct all income to the state treasury.
In this way, both personal and real assets both in towns and the countryside from the hands of the church to those of the king, and remained with the crown under William’s successors, first with Henry and then Stephan as well as later for Henry of Anjou who was in conflict with Archbishop Thomas Becket. But William II was the originator of the subjugation of which Thomas became a victim.
Heaven’s wrath would, however, reach King William in his strongest manhood. Shortly before his death, he and others had unusual dreams. He dreamt once that he bled profusely and the bloodstream ascended to heaven so that the clear day became as dark as night. A monk who had just returned from Jerusalem dreamt that he saw the king in a haughty manner enter a church. He then hurried to a crucifix and began to gnaw on it with his teeth. The crucifix tolerated this abuse for some time but then it kicked him so strongly that the king fell backward to the floor. From his mouth there arose such a powerful flame that the smoke darkened everything.
A trusted person told the king of this dream, but the king just laughed and said the monk was trying to earn a gratuity with it. But he would soon learn that these dreams were the omens of his death. He was riding one day on a hunt, following an elk. One of his companions, the Frenchman Galterus, shot an arrow at it. But the arrow turned in the air and went through the king.
And so God’s enemy met his end after a reign of twelve years. It is said that during this whole time he never called together a synod, and that he had taken together three bishoprics and twelve abbeys by the time of his death. It is also said that he had taken an abbess as mistress.
Following William’s death, Anselm returned to his bishopric in Kent. As proof of his holiness we tell still one more story that occurred while he was still a prior at Bec.
An elderly monk in the monastery had such a hate for Anselm that the monk could not stand to look upon him. Then, the old monk became deathly ill. One evening as the brothers had gone to bed, the old monk cried out saying that two fierce wolves were biting his throat and trying to tear out his soul.
The monk in the next bed was startled awake and was so terrified that he ran to the prior and told him what had happened. Anselm immediately stood up from the reading with which he was deeply engrossed, withdrew for a moment in prayer and then followed the startled brother. As soon as he entered the room of the sick old monk, he raised his hand and spoke a blessing. The sick monk immediately became quiet, smiled at ambrosia(25) and said that through the words of the blessing a fiery spear had flown out of the monk’s mouth, scaring away the wolves.
Anselm requested that the monk confess and to prepare himself for his final hour, “…then before the brothers begin their none(26) prayers, you will die”. The sick monk confessed, received absolution from Anselm and when the time of prayers came, he died.
22. The original sources err in saying Urban III.
23. The Peter’s pence was first started in 8th century England as a voluntary payment which then became a de facto church tax. It eventually spread throughout Europe. In England, it again became voluntary around 1860. Proceeds were originally meant to carry out papal apostolic and charitable works, but occasionally the money went toward building St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
24. Ranulf Flambard, governmental minister to kings William I (the Conqueror) and William II (a.k.a. William Rufus).
25. This may be a metaphoric reference regarding Anselm’s blessing as life saving, a mythical trait of ambrosia.
26. The hour of afternoon prayers, 3 p.m.
Chapter 17. Robert (Shorthose) of Normandy
First, Robert sailed with his companions Balduin and Godfrey to Constantinople. There, they left the ships and pitched tents on land. The Greeks, who didn’t know whether these foreigners had peaceful or harmful intentions, rechanneled the Dyna River(27) into the encampment. Robert and his comrades awoke from the noise of the rushing water and moved the camp to another location.
In the morning, they sought out the emperor. Robert, standing in the middle while the other crusaders stood on each side, greeted the emperor and informed him that they had come to free the holy tomb. In hopes he would support them in the endeavor, they had dropped anchor in Byzantium. The emperor bid them welcome and invited them to early refreshments.
Robert had spread his fur robe beneath him; as he departed, he left the cloak lying on the ground. The Greek courtiers thought that he had left the cloak behind as a discourtesy out of arrogance. “On that, one can quickly clarify the matter. Go after him and tell him!”
As the messenger reached Robert, he called to him, telling him he had forgotten his cloak. But he turned and said, “From youth on, it was my custom never to carry my own garments — my rank demanded it.” He then continued. As his answer was brought to the emperor he said, “He is without a doubt an exceptional man who exceeds many others, but it would not surprise me if sometime his pride is bent.”
The emperor then sent Robert a quantity of gold for him to distribute amongst his men. Robert accepted it but without a word of thanks. Before he left Greece, he tied up in a harbor of a region belonging to a very high-ranking man. Very recently, a child had been born to this man, and he was invited to be the child’s godfather. He agreed, and gave the child all of the gold that he was given by the emperor as a baptismal gift. For this generosity, he was highly praised. When the Greek emperor learned of this he said, “He is in reality a highly exceptional man if he only learns to master his pride!”
The crusaders then sailed to Antioch and took the city by storm. But in the joy of the victory, they gave themselves over to celebration and neglected to observe their enemy sufficiently. They then suddenly found themselves so surrounded by a powerful force that they thought they might be starved. In this need, the Christians turned in prayer to God. Then an elderly man dreamt that a stately man came to him and who showed him that under an altar they would find the lance with which Jesus was wounded, and that this lance would prove to have wonderful powers.
They dug at the designated place and found the lance, which soon proved its powers in that a dead man upon whom it was laid woke to life. The Christians then attacked, carrying the lance as a sign of victory. The enemy was forced to flee. Soon after, they marched to Jerusalem and camped in front of the city gates. Reconnaissance showed that storming the gates promised little success since every crenellation was manned with warriors.