Nicholas
Acta Sanctorum, May 11
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-11/nicholas.html
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ON BLESSED NICHOLAS
A HERMIT SLAIN AT NAPLES.

IN THE YEAR MCCCX.

[Preface]

Nicholas a hermit, Martyr at Naples (B.)

G. H.

Philip Ferrarius in the General Catalogue
of the Saints, who in the Roman Martyrology
are not, at this XI of May these things writes:
At Naples B. Nicholas Hermit Martyr.
Of whom, [memory in Ferrarius.] he says in the Notes, Paul
Regius Bishop of Vico, in the first book of the Saints
of the Neapolitan kingdom, from an ancient MS. codex of the church
of S. Restituta, where his body lies: He was slain
in the year MCCCX by night in the church, which he served, by
a certain man, who an option to him proposed, saying: Either
thou kill, or thou be killed. Wont was the slayer the alms
of Mary the Queen, whose servant he was, to the Hermit to bring.
The homicide perpetrated he could never flee,
although by no one visibly detained. [An Italian Life in Regius.] These things Ferrarius.
Queen Mary, as observes Paul Regius, was
the daughter of Stephen V King of Hungary, and wife of Charles the second
then reigning in the city and dominion of Naples.
But the place, in which was the church of S. Mary Ad circulum,
where dwelt B. Nicholas, [The church of S. Mary Ad circulum,] and at this time
is called Ecchia, at that time deserted and without
inhabitants, now is beheld adorned with most noble
edifices, and cultivated with most illustrious inhabitants.
So Paul Regius, who the life of this Hermit published,
extracted from an ancient MS. Latin codex, kept
in the church or chapel of S. Restituta Virgin and
Martyr, [The body in the Chapel of S. Restituta,] in which is kept the body of B. Nicholas Hermit.
The same observes Henry Baccus in the description
of the Neapolitan kingdom, by Caesar Engenius augmented and at Naples
in the year MDCXIII printed: where after the narrated eleven bodies
of Saints, which in the Cathedral church are kept, a twelfth
he adds, the body of B. Nicholas Hermit. The year,
in which he was slain, accurately is indicated, the one thousand three hundred
tenth with Indiction the eighth, which to that
year agreed. [A Latin Life.] The cited Latin Acts, by an author as it seems
contemporary written, to us transmitted at Naples Antony
Beatillus of Bari, of the Society of Jesus a Priest, and of our studies
about the Neapolitan Saints a singular favorer.
Who in that Life at the burial's time is said to have been absent
the Neapolitan Bishop, Humbertus was, of divine worship
to be increased most zealous, as him Ughellus praises and
is clear from the Acts: among which is numbered in that very year MCCCX
in the month of March made the translation of S. Severus, as we said at
his Life the XXX of April. Such therefore since he was, it is not
doubtful that returned into the city, he wished also a part
his to have in honoring him, whom God so greatly willed
to honor.

LIFE

From an ancient MS. of Naples.

Nicholas a hermit, Martyr at Naples (B.)

BHL Number: 6222

FROM MSS.

[1] A certain man penitential, by nation a Lombard,
Nicholas by name, [Near Naples a solitary,] bearing the habit
of a Hermit, from of old the Neapolitan city
on pilgrimage sought: and having found a small basilica, by the name
of the glorious Virgin distinguished, to which the surname Ad
circulum, from the very city distant nearly the space of a mile
one, solitary indeed and from human society's
vicinity removed, upon a worn-away and high rock,
to the sea bordering placed: but only to the living God
and our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom to serve is to reign,
dedicated himself in it perpetually about to serve.
In this therefore church, which by devout operation he repaired
and increased and cleansed kept and adorned,
nor caused it to lack for the measure of his faculty of divine
celebration the mystery; he passed days and nights in sanctity, [given to prayer, fasting]
from himself utterly of worldly solicitudes the cares
and noise renouncing, continually praying, and bringing
to the divine service a hindrance the too great frequency
of human conversation avoiding. To him, to God always
intent, once in the day food and drink was bread and water:
to which sometimes beans and raw herbs he mixed.

[2] [and of penitence rigid,] His garment on the bare flesh an iron circle, the belly
and sides with the kidneys binding and compressing,
twin containing straps of iron, on the right and left
part from on high downward let down to the shoulders, and after
descending to the kidneys, which connected to the said
circle were joined. Also other orbicular small
circles his twin arms constrained, and went around
his body a thin chain iron, after the manner of a belt the lower parts
pressing, which lest it fall a bar made firm.
To these then an iron cuirass was superposed, which covered
a bear's hide with hairs shaggy, and that under a white
linen lay hidden. But also his little bed was a raised against the wall
ladder of wood, to which sleeping he clung clothed: a pillow
moreover was a rough stone. Such indeed a life in
the aforesaid church [leading] the most happy Hermit, and
of years nearly twenty to continual recollection at leisure, [for 20 years.]
for heavenly things earthly he despised, for stable things the falling
he refused, transitory things for abiding he fled.

[3] But of the envying spirit at the good works often
by a strong temptation he was not free. Which certainly divinely
permitted is believed, that of his acts the perfection
might be proved. For it is held by religious men
of a heavenly life and conversation honest, who with him
in life conversed, and to some of whom he himself confessed,
adjured by them and diligently exacted; [By a demon he is tempted by the appearance of a woman put before him,] that
he himself the ever-watchful of the human race enemy once in the appearance
of a beautiful woman, the sun setting came to
him, crying out: and fleeing complained, that certain
men, in that place's solitude pursuing his
ambushingly footsteps, with him to commix basely strove:
and so he asked more instantly, himself within the said church
to be received, that the attempts of the wicked he might escape
pursuing. He indeed the pious and merciful Hermit,
from that to which then he was at leisure prayer suspended, to
the exterior door not slow ran, and the closed
door forthwith opened, and the feigned woman
admitted. Who dismissed, behind her by the hands of the hermit
shut, in the middle space before the doors of the church, when into it to enter the unclean spirit dared not, to
the prayer's interrupted suffrages, of this thing ignorant, the Hermit
returns: and while a little while delaying he gazed
what she did, the door opened, whom he had introduced,
he found not. Then the Hermit recognized, that
of the vice of the flesh by the craft of Satan solicited he had been and
tempted. On account of which more himself to prayer he gave,
Him who with him mercifully had acted blessing.
At another moreover night a certain time, not feigned,
but a horrific demon, on the church's roof sitting, [and at another time by terror.] and
the praying Hermit by name with a loud voice calling,
uncovered the church, downward casting, what
from the roof violently he had torn off, to strike striving
the man of God. But he by his protections of prayer aided,
the raging one from the roof expelled and unharmed remained, and
again the omnipotent God blessed.

[4] But neither with these content the enemy laying ambush,
what through himself he could not do, at length opportunely
through another procured. For behold there was found
for his service a certain one, by name Perottinus, of the city
of Aix of Provence, long conversant and
serving in the house of the illustrious and Catholic Princess
the Lady Mary, [from Perottinus the alms of the Queen wont to receive;] of Jerusalem and Sicily and Hungary
the Queen: through whom the same Lady to the aforesaid
Hermit by way of alms foods often had sent,
since to him a pious she had mind and of entire devotion
an affection. But he although the foods themselves devout
received, not however ate, but secretly to the poor
dispensed. Hence Perottinus the same, who both devout
appeared exteriorly, and an almsgiver Christian,
into so great acquaintance and familiarity of the same
holy man had come, that admitted through him by night
sometime he was to sleep in the same church:
which certainly permitted to another is not found, [by the same with him passing the night,] except
this man to solitude given, that his more quietly
he might afford to the Lord service.

[5] Indeed the aforenamed Perottinus, who as by his speech's
testification it was perceived, for years continuously
four stimulated by a malign spirit had been, that
the said he should slay innocent one; on the night the eleventh
of the month of May, [the 11th of May in the year 1310,] in indiction the eighth, in the year of the Lord
one thousand three hundred tenth, armed and alone
approached to the place; and calling the mentioned Hermit,
watchful and praying, himself to be admitted in the said church
asked. He indeed the Hermit, the person known, of the petitioner's
affection satisfied. Nevertheless the church's
doors opened, by the betraying lamps' light, armed
appeared, who to come was wont unarmed. The Hermit
smiling inquired from him, why he had come
armed. But he: That thee, he said, I might kill. Which
heard the Hermit trembled, beholding fearful the opportune
place, and the time fit, and of the ill-disposed
and armed man the unusual will.
While himself from this wicked to remove purpose
by words and examples holy the Hermit strove; [when him to kill he was unwilling,] said he:
In vain thou strivest and laborest in vain.
To be chosen is for thee one of the two, either thou me slay, or
I thee destroy. Seeing moreover the Hermit the aforesaid
choice iniquitous, necessarily to himself given, into a safer
part the holy declined affection, to kill
refusing, and himself to be killed by patience devout permitting.
Forthwith therefore the man that wicked, [is slain himself.] the sword from the sheath
drawing forth, struck and destroyed already dead
to the world, and besprinkled the church with the precious blood of the man
just. Who before the soul, the slain body's
prison deserting, as it merited, he breathed out into
heaven; with repeated turns his he exhorted and admonished
slayer, that straightway he should flee, and to escape try:
as much as in himself was remitting to him, what he had done,
and praying devoutly to the Lord for the same.

[6] [The striker by divine force detained,] But, O wonderful God's virtue! and inscrutable His
height of counsel, which of human consideration the gaze
attains not! The man just by iron is slain, and
the causal thence reason humanly is not had. With
Him however a right order is believed: who in the high dwelling,
our equally despises actions and the thoughts
of the heart. Stands accordingly the homicide in the church alone before
him, of whom the exhortation and admonitions he had received dying,
that, lest he be found, he should flee; not able from the first
nearly of the night hour even to morning, risen now the sun,
from the place to withdraw, where so dire a wickedness and crime
he had committed, as by his confession it was learned,
and by trustworthy of several men's assertion.
For certain men near the said church stones
cutting, [by the latomers returning to their work] long had been wont, for of their alleviation
labors, when, the night approaching with twilight, their works
they dismissed, in the same church with the same
Hermit of their service the iron tools
to deposit: which on single days at dawn receiving,
they went of this kind their service to serve.
On that moreover morning, which the already said night dark
had preceded, while of them some the church sought,
within it about to receive the deposited iron tools;
they marveled, that at that hour beyond custom with opened
both doors lay open the church; and they found a youth
erect and watchful, with blood besprinkled,
a sword in the right hand bearing: and bent down to the earth
the light, the slain Hermit is beheld. [he is caught fixed in the spot,] Of the beholders
the minds marvel while innocent he seemed
extinct; and he who had destroyed him, had not gone away fleeing,
when for flight time had granted spacious. They address
him, nor he answers. Often they admonish,
counsel, and by pushing provoke that he withdraw,
before of the presumed temerity the daring horrible
to common knowledge is brought. At length
an answer given he says, himself not to have been able nor to be able to withdraw.
For it seemed to him that his feet by a very great
namely mass of stones were pressed. Straightway moreover
through one man, from those there standing and astonished,
to the Royal Captain of the said city in the temple of the deed
the tenor is opened. [and is led to the judge.] Sent he most quickly his vicar,
and with him satellites several armed, that
straightway they should take the homicide, and to the curia lead him,
of deserved penalty the judgment about to have. There is a coming to the place,
the homicide is taken, but scarcely thence is torn away, that
he be led, since with an almost stony invisible weight he seemed
afflicted. Nor was he denying himself what he had done,
nor from this even, what to be told wonderful is beheld,
timid he appeared. With difficulty therefore bound behind
his back the hands he is led, and that whole day before the house
of the aforesaid Captain bound and guarded to his proper
sight is presented.

[7] [The body of B. Nicholas with a great concourse is visited,] Meanwhile, fame divulging the business, there is made of the Clergy
and people a concourse to the church aforesaid, in
which lay on the ground the most blessed body. Those coming first
a few the entrance lies open, to the rest the door is closed, and
growing continually there assembles of men a multitude,
to see this holy man, with pious affections anxious.
Came also after a little the Captain mentioned
to the holy place, who devoutly him having revered,
ordered him to be brought forth outside. Brought forth with an odor most sweet
he smelled: all kissed: by all
are plucked out for devotion too great the hairs of the beard, and of the head
the hairs, and whatever of these, with which he was found
clothed, could be had, is torn. With his
blood the wetted ground is wiped and dried:
hence lay open to many before hidden within his garment
things, which above are described. There is carried his body,
of an almost Martyr, through the Clergy of the Neapolitan
Chapter, [and in the chapel of S. Restituta is buried:] whom an innumerable crowd follows from the city
of Naples, the Bishop then absent, to the major
Neapolitan church: and there in the chapel or church
of S. Restituta, the divine solemnly celebrated mystery,
in a certain marble tomb is laid up and
buried: in which certainly closed, a tiny breathing-hole
left, to it committed the body for some days not
smelled as a dead one, but a most sweet breathed odor.
From which tomb it was translated to a certain
tomb other, in the same church or chapel in a fitting
place placed, in which at present it remains, and
many on account of his merit in the virtue of the Most High sure
and various miracles daily are demonstrated.

[8] But let us return to the of iniquity and wickedness man,
of so great a crime the intrepid committer, describing
what fruit of the perpetrated he received. [the homicide is hanged.] On the following
indeed day after his capture, by sentence
condemned to death, through the whole city of Naples
bound, as he was, he is dragged, and on a gibbet hanged,
finishing in bitterness his deserved
days.
