William of Toulouse
Acta Sanctorum, May 18
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-18/william-of-toulouse.html
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ON BL. WILLIAM OF TOULOUSE, OF THE ORDER OF HERMITS OF S. AUGUSTINE,
AT TOULOUSE IN AQUITAINE.

A.D. MCCCLXVIIII.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

On the Life in the Deeds of the Toulousans described by Nicolaus Bertrandi, & the Elevation of the body.

William of Toulouse, of the Order of Hermits of S. Augustine, at Toulouse in Aquitaine (Bl.)

BY THE AUTHOR D. P.

[1] The Deeds of the Toulousans from the founding of the city, at the end
of the XV century wrote Nicolaus Bertrandi,
Professor of both Laws & Parliamentary
Advocate of Toulouse, printed then
in the year MDXV, of which at this time difficult
to be found a most desired copy at last we received, [Nicolaus Bertrandi in the Deeds of the Toulousans,]
by the benefit of the very R. P. Janinus, Prior of the Hermits of S.
Augustine at Toulouse & of the same throughout Aquitaine Provincial.
A most celebrated & most rich work he calls it,
who to be printed took care Master John Magnus-Joannes,
& the Author, then still living, with the titles of Professor
most excellent & Advocate most eloquent
he adorns. William of Catel, who that very copy now ours
at one time possessed, book 3 of the History of Languedoc page
519 praises the same, as a man diligent & curious,
unless somewhat more of faith he had given to fables; those
namely which about the origin of the city older than the Roman, of Emperors,
of Kings, even to the time of the Gospel preached among the Toulousans
through S. Saturninus, the simplicity of the elders feigned
& through the mouths of the common people transmitted to posterity: the rest which
by surer documents from him could be known, of ages to his age
nearest done, sufficiently prove the curious diligence of the man,
chiefly what about the last eight Bishops & the fourteen
first after them Archbishops, & about the men meanwhile in doctrine
& sanctity more excellent, he narrates from the year MCC.

[2] This therefore author at fol. 50 having begun a treatise on the deeds of the Doctors
of Toulouse, [the Life he describes,] after the Professors of both Laws
more celebrated, the Doctors also in Theology he commemorates
of various Orders, namely of S. Dominic, of S. Francis,
of S. Mary of mount Carmel; treating finally of the Brothers
of the Hermits of the Order of S. Augustine, who at Toulouse
took their origin, & in science & sanctity of life
shone, in the fourteenth & the same last place subjoins
the history of the memory to be cultivated Fr. William
of Natholosa, from hearing & the faithful testimony of many …
who with him conversed twenty
years & more … & him frequently of Confession
heard, as in the Prologue he speaks. Under this then title
the promised History he begins: [from the relation of his familiars:] On William of
Natholosa, a holy indeed man, upon his laudable
& austere life, a compendious recollection. From this it is established,
that in the year of his age XIX he entered the Order, in the same his life
he prolonged until the LXXII year, but died on the XVIII,
of May on the Friday before Pentecost of the year MCCCLXVIIII,
& thus born in the year MCCLXXXXVII, the habit assumed
in the year MCCCXVI, accordingly much younger to be than the Venerable
Master G. of Toulouse, whom Herrera found in the year
MCCCXVIII in the General Chapter of Rimini designated,
for the year thence the third, Examiner of the students in
some Studium of Italy.

[3] The aforesaid Life adorned, & into the Gallican tongue
turned Fr. Simplicianus of S. Martin, an Augustinian Hermit,
among the Lives of the Saints & Blessed of his Order, after
the Life of S. Augustine collected & published in the year MDCXLI at Toulouse: [& it remains about the elevation of the Body]
but nothing of new light he added to the old Latin context,
which here faithfully transcribed we give. Nicolaus Bertrandi
now Blessed, now Saint absolutely calls him; & the explained
of the body, after the fiftieth day still whole, exhumation
& elevation into a marble tomb; with how many there,
he says, miracles it shines, & how great benefits of healings
are furnished, to recall I would scarcely suffice: then what kind
was his life on earth, [& with miracles formerly frequent.] to be discerned he says in the prodigies
& miracles, which now works God by that holy
Father's merits: namely through a space of a hundred twenty years
& more, as many as from the Saint's death to Nicolaus's writing
had flowed: for whose cause very many at the sepulcher hung up
votive offerings at one time to have been, nothing is to be doubted.
Saussay in the Supplement of the Gallican Martyrology, without
scruple Saint calling him, thus writes on this day: At Toulouse
the deposition of S. William of Natholosa the Confessor,
of the Order of Hermits of S. Augustine, in piety, humility,
& zeal of God renowned, who in the praise of Christ, as
he had wished failing, in the jubilation of love expired. I omit
to recount the writers of the Order, who him to the Blessed ascribed,
Alphonsus de Orosco, [Blessed & Saint everywhere is he called.] Joseph Pamphilus, Thomas de
Herrera, Aloysius Torellus, of whom one another successively
describing, one to the other nothing of new light or authority
add. Only Simplicianus, at Toulouse living & the Deeds of the Toulousans
of Bertrandi before his eyes having, & S. William
absolutely calling, even he himself makes faith, that the same appellation
& veneration in this also century among the Toulousans
flourishes: but the above-praised Prior Janinus about the vows publicly
nuncupated to his memory makes faith, nothing explaining
in particular of those things which I required.

THE LIFE

By the Author Nicolaus Bertrandi, Doctor of Canon Law.

In the Deeds of the Toulousans published in the year 1515.

William of Toulouse, of the Order of Hermits of S. Augustine, at Toulouse in Aquitaine (Bl.)

BY NICOL. BERTR.

PROLOGUE.

Now it remains the deeds & history of the memory to be cultivated
of Brother William of Nathalosa, of the Order
of Brothers Hermits of Divine Aurelius Augustine,
to write: in which Order he for a long time at Toulouse laudably
conversed, [All things from authors of certain faith received he protests.] with great & various, as much before
as after his death, of his sanctity of life shone
miracles. Of whose indeed life & sanctity the order
to pursue deliberating, in few indeed words to bring forth
I shall take care: & his deeds describing, not
so much from the narration of the people of the city of Toulouse, where his life
for long times laudably to its very
end he brought of his life, as also from the public fame
& common of the whole country I shall prove: but
also from hearing & the faithful testimony of many laudable
men & devout & religious,
who not only Fr. William himself living
& dead saw, but indeed with him conversed
twenty years & more, & with him ate
& drank, who from his sanctity's norm
an example of sanctity received, & to him in Masses &
in the cell served; & moreover of them some of the Order
Brothers him frequently of Confession heard.

CHAPTER I.

The beginnings of the religious life & eximious virtues.

[1] This of recollection & holy memory Brother
William of a Natholosa, of the Order of Brothers
Hermits of S. Augustine, from noble parents
& of legitimate matrimony procreated was.
This Fr. William, in his life a Saint reputed, [In the year of age 19 he becomes an Augustinian.]
after baptism a legitimate & faithful Christian among
faithful Catholics conversed & for such held,
from boyhood taught his first letters & instructed in
Grammaticals, a Brother Hermit to be made he resolved:
which afterward devout he fulfilled. For in his juvenile
age, about the ninth & tenth year, he entered
the aforesaid order of S. Augustine; & suddenly
by the grace of the right hand of the Most High marvelously wholly into a man
another changed, he began as a youth of good disposition
to act, on account of which well to him it was. For at that
time [he was] in conversation humble & benign,
obedient to the Prior & Brothers in lawful & honest things, &
not only in those days, but also as long as he lived
among men. He began also then to study books,
not only in the books of humanity, or logical &
natural, but also in the divine. And having advanced
to the due age, ordained presbyter, [& then Lector of Theology.] & sent
through the order to Paris for the sake of study, there as much in
science as in morals he advanced. And hence made
& proven a sufficient Lector in Theology, he returned to his country:
& from then so much he advanced in divine doctrine,
that sufficient for the dignity of the Mastership he was decreed. But
he the dignities & worldly honors as a poison
fled: & thus the world spurning, only
he was delighted in meditations & divine eloquies,
& the Lives of the Saints he read, & the manner of living
of them more deeply retained; & what of perfection in
them he found, as much as he could, to imitate he strove.

[2] Him all as a Father venerated: for he was
(as of a certain one is said) a true worshiper: [devout in the recitation of the Hours.] for it was fitting,
that he, whom God with so great grace had filled,
by all should be loved. But he devoutly Mass
celebrated, & the divine Office always discharged.
Who that more attentively to devotion & contemplation
given at the altar he might be; the door of the chapel closed
he wished to be; & alone with his servitor, the tumult
of the people fleeing for the sake of spiritual consolation,
sometimes & often in the psalmodies & canonical Hours
to be chanted, he remained. He was indeed solicitous: for
attentively & devoutly & distinctly above measure, as if
God being present, those Hours to God always with joined hands
he discharged: & this was by God specially to him
given, that attentively, intelligibly, & distinctly, without
wandering of thoughts, the debt of psalmody to God
he rendered; &, as from a certain his companion I learned, when they went
from Pamiers toward Toulouse, on the way when there was at hand
the hour of Prime, he fixed his steps; [even on a journey,] & immovably standing with
his companion, to God the office of Prime most devoutly he discharged,
he on one part & the companion on the other being, & as if they were
in a church: & thus until the hour of the Third Hours
they said the Office, not walking, but resting,
one standing & the other sitting, as in a choir is done:
& thus they did at all the other canonical Hours.

[3] Fervent therefore with divine love, contemning
the world, & in it all things contained discerning to vanity
to be subjected, nothing to have he desired; but to soldier
for Christ desiring, all things as fleeting deservedly
he spurned, & only with food most sparing & clothing
most poor content he was. Whence great wars against the malign spirit taking up, for seven years
continuous on bread & water he fasted, proposing
as long as among men he lived this to do. But prohibited
by the General of the Order, [given to fasting,] from obedience he embraced
the common life of the refectory, with one in the day
only refection content. Which indeed manner of living
even to his exit he prolonged,
never the fasts of the Church & Order omitting:
& he fasted frequently three days in the week,
namely of Wednesday, Friday & Saturday: but
continually on Friday & Saturday, in which specially
he lamented, & bewailed his sins & those of the people.
Among which lamentations the resounding of his voice was heard:
O Mary, how long in this misery of the world shall I remain?
what here more useless do I? [in clothing humble,] I desire to be dissolved
& with thee to be I wish. But what kind of habit he
the lover of poverty wore? A cap indeed &
other garments, for the use of his body, broken & patched
he wore: never new to receive wishing,
as long as those could serve. For twenty years
continuous one cap he used: which to change he was unwilling,
although there were presented other caps new. And when his parents
& the faithful brought to him one cap new
in his chamber, he with great sadness spurned
it. But they this seeing, secretly & with great caution
put it in his little cell, & afterward he gave
the old cap to his servitor. But a gown b
he wore willingly clean, honestly washed: garments
precious to him offered he spurned, coarse sometimes
by necessity compelled he received. A humble bed
he kept, & thus noble garments he fled & thus
with c hard he had, & instead of linens coverlets
coarse: & thus in such a state, both sound & infirm his weary
limbs he refreshed.

[4] Moneys never or rarely he received, except for
the use of oil for the lamp, which always by night & day
kindled in his cell he kept, [studious of poverty;] to the honor of B. Mary
of Le Puy: whose light on a certain night a crowd of demons,
in the figure of crows about it flying (as
he himself of holy memory William to his companion Augustine
said) to extinguish wished: but our Lady
prohibited. Upon a table also of five palms
& a half alone with his companion in common
with great silence he ate, except sometimes a discourse
about God or about the Saints occurred. As much in chairs
as in movable things always superfluity he avoided;
whence neither even to indigence the necessaries
to have, but rather to lack he wished. Indeed if anything
indeed often for his body's sustentation had been to him
transmitted, of the morrow not thinking, that he did not eat,
but to other poor, especially the infirm, both
Brothers & strangers he gave. For he the lover of poverty
greatly the poor loved, & with
them conversed, & in the law of the Lord meditated;
voluntary in heart & body poverty he bore,
& it preached, & riches contemned.
Whomsoever to him coming of either sex in
superfluous apparel sharply he reprehended, & them to
the love & pity of the poor he induced & animated.
And not only in his cell & garments of body
poverty to be observed he wished, but also in the chapel
& altar: for the paraments of the altar & garments
not too precious to be he wished, but only honest
& clean to be he desired: & buildings he did not praise
sumptuous, indeed to the Brothers to build some sumptuous
work wishing he said, this to be vain,
& useless, because in a place fitting & congruous, he said,
for God's service the Brothers professors of poverty content
ought to be.

[5] [& by macerating the body indeed] The cleanness of chastity always he loved, who
him for long times knew, always in virginity
to have remained asserted. Whence on account of the love
of chastity, the concupiscences of the flesh to refrain &
tame wishing, he chastised his body with fastings, vigils,
prayers, & hard chastisements. For he disciplined
himself with chains three of electrum d or of e latten,
which with himself he had, & beat himself very sharply,
macerating the flesh four times in the day, first for himself,
secondly for his dear ones & friends, thirdly for all
who were in the world, fourthly for those who were in purgatory,
attending the word of the Prophet saying, Attend
to discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry
&c; [Psal. 2, 12] attending also the example of B. Dominic: for it is read
about Blessed Dominic in his f Life, that three
on single nights he received with his own proper hand by a certain
iron chain disciplines, namely for himself one,
for sinners who dwell in the world another, the third
indeed for the souls which are tortured in purgatory.
But he the Father of pious memory, when he heard
those things read, much joy had, & to provoke
his companion, who this was reading, said: And I without
offense some would add a fourth discipline; namely
one for myself, another for sinners who in
the world dwell, the third for those who in purgatory
are tortured, the fourth for my dear friends for whom
specially I am bound: & thus that upright William,
his strict, clean, & chaste produced
life.

[6] In prayers besides he was very assiduous:
for not only the canonical Hours (which very attentively,
with a pure heart & clean mind, [& to frequent & attentive prayer given] without wandering of thoughts,
& with joined hands always he discharged)
but also other special prayers to God
& especially to His Mother B. Mary very
devoutly with knees bent, with great continuation to them
he transmitted; even so far that sometimes to prayer &
contemplation given, of himself forgetful & totally above
the human world into God rapt, not taking
food nor drink, a whole day with the night preceding
he led sleepless: & this was seen by his companion
on a certain occasion, who saw that both on that day &
the following he did not eat nor drink, nor heard him
speaking, but only the canonical Hours saying.
He also before his prayer, [the demon vainly tempting to distract it,] always to God of
single benefits which to him He had conferred thanksgivings
gave, & thus his prayer he began. In
the beginning of his devotion, when by night he wished
to sleep, he heard sometimes a great thunder
in his little cell which did not allow him to rest. But
when on a certain day to his prayer & devotion most attentively
he was insisting, the devil envying, by hard words &
terrible apparitions him molested, in the air
also a great thunder making; sometimes indeed
singing in the manner of a young woman near his bed,
& by sweet words him to sin
to allure he tried: & this he himself narrated to some
secular persons, & also to his companion this
he said, on account of the counsel which the seculars asked of
him. But the holy man, intrepid & constant such ravings
as nothing spurned. Another besides
night appeared to him in the species of the Blessed Virgin, her son
in her arms carrying, suggesting that him
as the mother of the Lord he ought to adore. But
the prudent man, the deceitful cunning of the enemy understanding,
with the sign of the Cross intrepid stood: & the devil
vanished.

[7] What more? His life's sanctity & the assiduity of contemplation
to bear unable the enemy of the human race,
the lamp, [& many therefore molestations inflicting,] which always in his cell he kept
kindled, he broke, & this he himself to his companion said.
But when not on account of that the Saint from the place of prayer departed,
the malign spirit omitting hard or sweet words
as he was wont, comes to blows; & rushing upon him
vehemently, him so wounded & beat,
that traces or signs always remained even to
the day of his death. It happened also, as it is said, in the time
when he was Prior at Pamiers, made by the Order,
that on one night, the first signal being rung for Matins,
from his cell going out he proceeded to the church: but entering
the choir, by the illusion of the malign spirit, it seemed to him
all the seats to be full of Brothers, & praising
God he went to his place; & the Our Father said,
& the sign made, as the Hebdomadarius he began. And then
those demons, in the effigy of Brothers rushing upon him,
sharply him beat, & him half-alive left & fled.
On another certain day at the same hour high upon
one beam of the church him beaten they put, [which patiently he tolerated.]
& him the Brothers at the Matinal hour found, & thence
him took down. Another time the lantern, g which at the hour
Matinal kindled he carried, upon his head
they broke. But how great patience in all these
he had, scarcely could be expressed: for never did he complain,
but rather he rejoiced & was glad, &
patiently all things tolerated, & those secrets as much as
he could kept & concealed, to no one them bringing forth, except
& few things he revealed: & the more by the demon with blows
& insults he was agitated, the more by signs &
prodigies & prayers Christ he invoked.

NOTES.








CHAPTER II.

The miracles of S. William living.

[8] When at a certain time at Toulouse in the church of B.
Antony a of Vienne the devil a certain young woman
held possessed, at last this Father of pious
recollection asked by the friends of that possessed woman, [He frees an energumen,] that
he would deign to come & visit that possessed one; from obedience
& by license of the Prior he came to the church of B.

Antony, & on the way he found many of his Order:
to whom he said, Whither go you? And they feared him.
And he said to them, either go you, or I will go. And they feigned
themselves to return, & went by another way: for he wished
that man himself from human praises to abstain & vain
glory to avoid. But he found there the whole Studium
or a great part: & first he questioned that
demoniac, of what feast do I make today? And
she answered, Of such a feast. And another more honorable of the whole
Studium of Toulouse, questioned of what made he? And
the demon answered; You said my Matins, because you
in the night past lay with a harlot. And from
then for the rest no one was who him questioned. But
then the Father of pious recollection said: Go you all
out of the church: & he remained alone with the possessed: & prayer
made, the demon from the body of the said possessed one, leaving
her as if dead, went out: & the said Father, the parents
& friends being called, said to them that they should have care
of her, who from the demon by the grace of God was freed,
nor thereafter she possessed by the demon was vexed.

[9] It happened also that when by the precept of D. the Vicar
of Toulouse, namely D. William Bragose, b who
afterward was a Cardinal, he went on horseback to a little village
called Villaries; there were two daughters virgins, [called to suppress a diabolical illusion,] their
father already dead, who had a certain
vision from the illusion of the malign spirit. There appeared indeed
to them that they saw their father as if he lived,
now in the chamber, now in the garden: of which vision
they were, & not undeservedly, in the greatest terror & much
desolated. And at the petition of the parents & friends
flocking many religious men, namely that they might experience
what this was, & nothing yet profiting;
& the fame heard of this friend of God, whose sanctity
already nearly through the whole was spread country; they
sent legates: who came to him asking
& supplicating that to come he would deign, since perhaps
God would hear him, & the aforesaid illusion would go away, whose
terror not only those two daughters, indeed that whole country
invaded. And answered the man of God humbly:
I am not a Saint, that this to do I can, nor me
to go behooves: because my presence could not in this deed
profit anything. And thus of himself anything
he did not presume, but by the precept of the Lord Vicar
to come he prepared: accompanying c with him D. William
Sabateni & Fr. John Giliberti. And when the river
called d Hercius, in which was no bridge, much
had risen, D. William Sabatenus aforesaid
with his horse entered the ford: [to his companion about to be drowned he succors.] who at once by the force of the river
seized, by an oblique track headlong about to be drowned
went; until the aforesaid Fr. William of pious
memory having followed the same, brought him back to the right track.
Which miracle the often-said D. William
to God & B. Mary & the aforesaid Brother imputed, &
often to many divulged.

[10] No wonder besides if to the victor of fluxile
delights by waters designated, the Lord upon
the waters power gave. Inasmuch as when at another time
the river of the Garonne outside its banks so had inundated, that those of
Thunino e nothing else expected, except a most miserable from
near submersion; [the overflowing Garonne he restrains,] by the same of pious memory
to the aforesaid William, to whom great they had devotion,
was sent, that personally with other Brothers
he would come. And immediately after his coming a prayer
being made, began the Garonne to decrease: which by his merits
without doubt all attested to have been done.
And so even over the demons He gave him power.
For when the infestation of demons had lasted fifteen
days continuous, in a certain house of a street,
that were heard to throw by night & by day boots,
shoes, dishes, platters, & other utensils
of the house; [the ghosts he drives out] nor were seen those by whom such throws were made;
& no remedy the inhabitants of the house could
find, the just by chance judgment of God acting: they had merited
namely to be mocked, who made tolls, by which
are exercised base & evil games. At last the aforesaid
Father, asked that that diabolical infestation
from that house by his presence he would drive away, came
devoutly, humbly & benignly, with the sprinkling of holy water,
which also others before him had done;
he alone from God merited to be heard, so that from
then he interdicted them the power in that house of mocking,
& the aforesaid mockeries to exercise, unless again
to them by God it were granted. [a fire he extinguishes,] The same also power
he received over the elements, especially over fire, which
his own concupiscences had extinguished. They narrate therefore
those who saw, that once near the Convent there was
so much fire, that the scintillating flames entered
already the church of the Brothers; who not having other remedy,
fearing of the fire of all impending, ran
to the cell of the aforesaid Father for refuge, him
beseeching: & by the dew of the prayer of the same Father suddenly
the fire was extinguished.

[11] But when, to repeat the begun matter, that man holy,
namely William of Natholosa, to the place
where the aforesaid virgins were had come, them in secret
he heard: [the aforesaid illusion he suppresses,] then prayer being made he gave them security,
saying that no more they should fear. And one night he stood in
the place where the vision was seen: & on the day following the same Father
of pious recollection caused to be celebrated a Mass by his companion,
& he himself preached, & ordered that they should do
some things, for devotion's cause, in the church. And from then
the illusion disappeared, nor further that vision they had:
& thus what before struck now is struck,
what before strove to conquer now is conquered. For that
ancient enemy by his cunning with many arguments tried
the man of God to deceive: but now lest others
by tempting he deceive, by the holy man he is cast down.

[12] He was besides patient in adversities, charity keeping
toward his neighbors: for patiently he tolerated whatever
adversities. [patient in diseases,] For an infirmity very afflictive
he had through nearly his whole life's time: never yet
or rarely did he complain, but patiently he bore,
knowing that through many tribulations it behooves us
to enter into the kingdom of God. He had therefore charity toward
his neighbors & especially the infirm. For once it happened
that he visited his companion infirm, who so by that infirmity
was burdened that he thought himself near to death.
Whom affably thus he addresses: [he heals his infirm companion.] What do you? When
he answered, I know not, he said, What have you in a glass or
in a vessel? for there was near the bed namely a glass or one
cup, in which was wine or liquor. And then
the Father aforesaid the glass or vessel having received, & the sign
of the Cross made, said to his companion infirm, Hold & drink.
And he drank, & at once came to the sufferer so great sweat in
his whole body, that it lasted for half a day. And
the sweat being passed, it seemed to him all that infirmity
to have vanished, as if by that infirmity he had not been
invaded.

[13] In the time when outside he followed preachings,
once there was a certain boy a Brother of the Order
of his: [to one thirsting a fountain he elicits,] these when they were on the way, the boy complained that
he suffered thirst. To whom the holy man said, Endure a little,
because soon, God being propitious, we shall be in the place to which
we tend, & you shall drink. But after a pause the boy still
more complained, that namely by thirst he was imperiled,
nor could longer endure. Then the Father by mercy
moved said to the boy, Go thither for a little, & put
himself in prayer. He rising & the boy called,
he lifted one stone which was in the way: & at once
began thence to gush a fountain of living water. And the boy drank
as much as he wished, & so cured he was.

[14] He preached therefore then the word of God, & not without
fruit. For sinners at his preaching were converted, [great fruit he makes by preaching,]
& the good to better were comforted. And
especially the world to contemn & to the way of perfection
to aspire he taught, that several both by example
& by word to perfection he might attract. For men
better he made by his holy conversation & inflamed
preaching to the way of perfection to come, who
left the world receiving the habit of holy religion
& poverty by the example of him. For the whole
country, & specially the city of Toulouse, by the example of his sanctity
& into better reformed, & changed as to
life's perfection was, & public fame this attests.
But neither less if those, whom the divine Spirit
to the preaching & example of so great a man inflamed,
to him in the reformation of life obeyed, [to a barking dog silence he indicts,]
since & animals also irrational obeyed him.
For on a certain day, while the man (as frequently he was wont)
to the people preached; there was present a certain importunate
little dog, who as much the preacher as the people
hearing by running about & barking perturbed.
But he turned to the dog, said: Little beast, be quiet,
nor disturb nor disquiet us. And then, all who
were present seeing & being astonished, at once the little dog
was silent, nor from the place where it was itself moved, until the whole
sermon the holy man completed. He was also as
another John the Baptist a reprehender of crimes, arguing
as much publicly as privately, [public vices he corrects.] as much the great as
the small, as much the Knights as the Barons & other Magnates,
the pomps & vanities of the world following; of women
besides the ornaments & varieties of furs in the fields
wearing: at whose exhortation & preaching
many men & women, the ornaments of pride
& vanity laid aside, the humble habit & of holy poverty
assumed.

[15] Of tribulation also & sorrow a chief
consoler he was: for once came to him a certain
merchant of Toulouse, [Those suffering specters he succors.] who from certain visions
& illusions was very sad & desolate: for
his dead wife appeared to him adorned on a certain night,
as to him it appeared, as if she lived: who also stood near
him with knees bent: which vision for many nights
he had of her, & by the holy man's protection freed &
sound made was. On a certain also night a certain
Arnald; as it appeared to him, felt near himself in bed
some person: which when with his hand he had touched,
it seemed to him a human person naked. Knowing no
other person to be in the whole lodging, terrified
greatly, on the day following he came to the holy man.
And when he had narrated to him the cause of his sadness, said to him
the holy man: Arnald, do not fear: for the Lord
will help you, bend your knees, & say the Confiteor. Which
when he had done humbly to him obeying, he imposed his hand
upon his head, & said some prayer,
& him blessed making the sign of the Cross & said,
Go securely. And he went away glad, & from then that vision
he did not have.

NOTES.








CHAPTER III.

Other virtues of William, his pious death & the miracles which followed it.

[16] He was also that man very humble & benign;
& humbly conversing, [Excelling in humility,] & humility by gesture
words & deeds he showed, & worldly honors
he fled, & much it displeased him if at any time anyone
him commended. And although worldly honors
he spurned, all yet as much Brothers
as seculars to him rose, & as a Father him
revered, & commonly & publicly a Saint
he was called, & on account of the great grace scarcely could
men from him be separated. He walked also humbly
with head inclined & eyes to the ground cast down,
& thus whomsoever to him coming to humility's
merit he provoked. And not only by humility
he was illustrious, but also he was modest, chaste,
modest, [he is careful lest to anyone he be troublesome.] cheerful, jocund, liberal, fleeing envy,
repelling scandals, of cupidity empty, with morals adorned,
just, wise, prudent, discreet & of avarice
an enemy, of negligence contrary, bashful &
quiet. And as he himself was wholly quiet, sometimes
even needing the Breviary of his companion, he said to him; Have
you a Breviary? And he answered. Father, so.
Where have you it? Who, Father, in the cell, but it is distant
much. To whom he: Would it not be much grievous to you
to go? To whom, Father, no. Therefore go without burden.
And thus no one even of the least he wished to burden or
disquiet.

[17] He was besides he himself so quiet, that almost always
he was in the cell shut, on prayer insisting, except while
he went to the church or sometimes a little through the cloister.
Never yet idle or slothful was he found: [His speech modest,]
for those coming to him for the most part him
found praying or contemplating or
speaking about God. He was also himself in speaking most wise:
for never did anyone hear from the mouth
of him a slippery word, or slanderous or injurious,
idle or unhonest leap forth. Nor ever
did he swear: but when he wished anything to affirm, he said:
Securely, if I say well, or if I understand well, so
it is. And sometimes he said. Saving reverence, or,
In truth so it is. Little he spoke except of God:
words also of salvation to the profit & example
of his neighbor always he conversed, nor was he angry
in speaking: [& edifying,] but what he spoke benignly & patiently
& cheerfully he said. All to him for visiting's cause
coming, to meditation & contemplation
of divine things he provoked. In supernatural love
fixed, of corporeal & worldly things it did not please him
even to speak: & with whole mind to celestial things fortified, to those
speaking to him he said: What do they now above in
Paradise? Do they stand how the Angels? or how
do they praise God? What hour is it now in Paradise
above? What do the Saints? & other things besides in
the love of the supernal rooted he discharged words: &,
just as his words indicated, his heart was fixed in
the Lord; & thus, by those words he induced others to
the contemplating of celestial things, whence by his example of magnificent
sanctity, which by manifest judgments appeared,
many men of either sex the worldly life
leaving, the contemplative life embraced.

[18] Whence also in his life this B. William, by
those who him knew a Saint was reputed, & for
such was held: for thus to the holy man many themselves recommended,
especially if themselves burdened by some crime
or sin or temptation they felt, & to him
coming refreshment found. [the goads of the flesh he removes,] Whence once
it happened that a certain man of Toulouse, of good life, chaste
& modest, much tempted about a certain young woman,
not knowing what to do he ought, came to that
holy Father, & indicated to him the cause of his sadness.
Then he put his hand upon his head saying
some prayers. And he said to him: Go securely,
do not fear. And from then he felt himself so freed from
the said temptation, as if never he had thought about that
young woman. And so many, by his merits & prayers,
as much from corporeal infirmities as spiritual
were helped. [future things he predicts,] To this holy man many secrets
celestial were revealed & many visions of past
& future he had. For the sins of some,
which humanly totally had been hidden, for their
correction he detected. He of a field at
Miramont a fought, who would win or lose
long before foreknew. And finally many other things
to him divinely were revealed: but for humility's cause,
lest human favor him should extol, those hidden to be
he wished. Yet his familiars by words often something
to him revealed recognized.

[19] He knew also & predicted the time of his death.
For when his familiars asked of him, still
he in soundness of life persevering, [also the time of his own death,] whether they should prepare for him a little garden, which he near the cell had;
answered the man of God, with the Holy Spirit full: It is not
needful, because near four days I am from this world
about to withdraw. And that with mind fixed & a querulous voice
he greatly desired: for with Paul continually that in heart &
mouth he revolved, I desire to be dissolved, & to be with Christ.
Which afterward happened: for after four days,
on the Friday before the feast of Pentecost, his glorious
soul migrated from the body: & that always he asked from
Christ his most pious Redeemer, that on such a day, namely
Friday, on which Christ Himself for the human race
deigned to die, & he himself devout his soul to his
Redeemer would render. Whence on that namely Friday
to die securely the just one is heard: [how piously he dies on the Friday before Pentecost,] for there had come this
day, on which he might reap, & on which he ought to be remunerated,
because enough he had labored. For on the day already said Friday
in the morning began the flesh to decline, he is vexed with pains:
besides patiently he asked God, requests from his companion
writing-tablets, & commanded that this he should write a prayer:
Mercy, piety, sanctity, charity, security infinite,
eternal, may it incline the whole twelvefold country, & the twelvefold
quadripartite, & the tripartite eternal infinitely,
& infinitely twentyfold quincupartite, & quincupartite
twelvefold, & twelvefold continuously, trifid perennially,
continually triformly into eternity. Which prayer indeed wonderfully
confers, & a wonderful sentence b
contains. Then the prayer being written by his companion, & often
by his precept repeated, he manifests to the Brothers the dissolution
of his body to be impending. And the pains
growing he cries to God, these penalties for his sin to have
merited. The Saint rejoices & is glad, because he sees &
knows himself in a short time about to die. He is questioned by the Brothers
how thus he suffers. Answers the holy Father:
For the custom of human nature is in the body's
dissolution somehow to suffer. He bids also the Hours
him hearing by two Brothers to be said: because he, namely
near to death, could not. And as death
gradually ascended, so himself with the sign of the Cross he fortified: &
thus on the eighteenth of the month of May, c on the same day namely
Friday, the hour after Compline, [18 May 1369.] before the feast of Pentecost,
all that day before he migrated conversing
with the Brothers, in a wonderful manner felicitously & sweetly, no one
of those standing around weighing or knowing,
in the year of the Lord one thousand three hundred sixty
ninth, migrated to the Lord.

[20] Then however the Brothers approach, they do not believe
him dead. For a ruddy color & of his
face the flesh refulgent was as if he slept. Goes the rumor
with grief among the common people, [there is a concourse to the exequies;] it was sown through the city
that the Saint is dead: for thus in life he was called.
Flow from everywhere people of either sex
both Clerics & laymen, learned equally & unlearned, &
others several Religious, & specially his devotees, who
were several in the city, to the great spectacle
of so great a Father. And thus with great reverence & honor
to the church he is transferred, & there in the chapel of B. Mary
Magdalen, where commonly he celebrated his Masses,
to be buried he is carried: & there is a clamor of the people &
of the cap, with which he ought to be buried, desiring from devotion
to their own to transport: & thus the cap here
& there is torn apart. The Brothers prohibit, but prevail
those to rejoice. In a chest he is placed, & thus with hymns
& praises in the earth was laid all, because his life's
course was seventy-two years.

[21] What more? His fame through the whole earth is divulged,
he shines with miracles, vows are made, & by the merits of the holy man
they are heard by God: & there gather the devotees,
most dear of the holy Father in Christ Jesus, after fifty
in prodigies & miracles were divulged & shown,
ought not under the earth, nor without a sepulcher
decent any more to be left. It is decreed therefore,
the body of the holy Father on high to be transferred &
translated. And when those digging the earth, believed themselves the body,
already fifty-three days in the summer time
under the earth left, from human nature's condition
[to find] to be corrupted, they bear aromatic herbs
& perfumes in a wonderful manner fragrant.
But having continued the diggers came to the chest,
which opening they found the holy Father, as if
that very hour therein placed, with a wonderful odor fragrant, in
no part of his body corrupted, broken, or changed:
whose fragrance's odor all the other perfumes
there carried in wonderfully exceeded. At last in a stone sepulcher, artfully constructed, venerably
& in the praise of God omnipotent with thanksgiving
he is placed, & there with how many miracles it shines, [in a marble tomb he is elevated,]
& how great benefits of healings are furnished,
to recall I would scarcely suffice. In miracles also & prodigies e
which now works God by that holy Father's merits,
on earth is discerned, what kind was his life, when he lived
among men.

NOTES.
