And when, as he himself relates, he had been oppressed for the space of two hours or more, as though waking from sleep, he suddenly returned to his senses, and being raised up, he marveled that he was made whole; and there, keeping watch the whole night, in the morning he disclosed with his own mouth to us the things that had been done; and having become a cleric, he returned healthy to his own little lodging. CHAPTER XXXIV. Concerning the blind cleric. Finally, in the same year, when the festival which is celebrated in summer, longed for by the peoples, had arrived, a certain cleric, whose eye a black cloud had covered, and which barred him from being able to see the light, approached the house of the blessed Confessor.
Having kept vigil with the rest through the night, as the heavens grew bright, while he was going forth from the basilica, he was found worthy to recover the sight which he had once lost. But in the same festival three possessed men, dashing themselves about greatly and crying out against the blessed Bishop, confessing their crimes and beseeching that the Saint might restore peace to them, at last cast forth from their mouths some foul matter or other, and thus were cleansed by the power of the Saint. CHAPTER XXXV. Concerning the prisoners released. But soon after, that is, on the third day after the festival, there were four men bound in prison. And since the cruelty of the judge so constrained them that it was not permitted to furnish anyone the necessaries of sustenance, they prayed with a pure heart for the protections of the blessed Bishop.
While therefore they were doing these things devoutly, at midday suddenly the beam was split, by which their feet, confined, were held fast, and with the chains broken they felt themselves freed. Without delay they sought the door, and this being opened, with no one preventing, they entered the church of the Saint. But the guards were so astounded that they did not even presume to rebuke them with words; indeed, following them, they hid themselves with them in the church. But those men, marveling, rendered the greatest thanks to God, that He had deigned to free them by the intercession of the Pontiff. CHAPTER XXXVI. Concerning the relics which Bishop Leodovaldus carried. For many men also, full of faith, carrying the relics of the blessed man, experience many wonders.
For Leodovaldus, bishop of the city of Avranches, devoutly sought the relics of the holy lord through his presbyter. Having received these, when he had entered the boundary of the aforesaid city, there met him, while he was still set among the wastelands, a paralytic brought in upon the hands of those who carried him; and having faithfully kissed the veil with which the casket of the holy relics was covered, at once he stood upon his feet, and returned home by his own steps. For you do these things, most blessed Confessor, nor is it enough for you to adorn your own seat with prodigies, unless you illuminate also with awe-inspiring powers the diverse forest-passes which you did not visit on foot. But thereafter also a certain blind man, led by a helper, hastened swiftly to meet them.
And arriving when the relics of the blessed one were being placed in the holy altar, the solemnity completed, he was found worthy to recover the sight of his eyes. But also no less another woman, who had long been mute, recovered the use of speech. CHAPTER XXXVII. Concerning the possessed man healed. For in these days a certain one of the possessed, at the basilica of the blessed man, while he cried out that he was enduring many torments of demons, and confessed through the blessed Bishop that he was being driven by force from the little vessel he had acquired, being cast down to the ground began to cast forth foul blood through his mouth. Lying for the space of nearly two hours, with the demon expelled, he was cleansed and raised up. CHAPTER XXXVIII. Concerning the mute girl.
A certain little girl, a native of the city of Tours, came forth mute from her mother's womb. Her mouth had been so sealed that she could not send forth even those cries which are uttered in the time of the cradle. But her mother, anxious over so sad an offspring, while she mourned continually, was warned through a vision to go to the tomb of the blessed Prelate. Roused, she went undaunted to the holy man's temple with the little girl; and having set her before the Saint's tomb, when she had prayed a very long time, she took her up again with herself. And having kindled incense, while she held it over her, she asked her whether it made a good odor for her. She answered: 'Good.' This first word the sorrowful mother of the daughter recognized.
But having placed upon her mouth water which she had once received from the blessed fountains, she asked again what taste it afforded her. She answered: 'Good.' Then the mother with joy carried her daughter home safe and sound, whom she had sorrowfully brought to the blessed one's tomb in trusting faith (see Book II of the Glory of the Martyrs, ch. 26). CHAPTER XXXIX. Concerning that which the presbyter Aredius carried for a blessing. Aredius, a religious man from the territory of Limoges, came to Tours solely for the cause of devotion, and kissing the blessed tomb in prayer, he came across the river to the holy monastery.
While he visited each of the places which the blessed man had either hallowed with his prayer or sanctified with his psalm-singing, and where he had given either sleep to his weary body or food to his frame failing from want of food; and while he goes round all, traverses all, he came to the well which the holy man of God had opened up by his own labor, and having poured out a prayer he drew water, and having placed it in a little flask, returning home he carried it off. And when from it he was bestowing healings upon many sick, on a certain occasion his brother Renosindus, struck by the force of fevers, lay down on his little bed.
But on the eighth day, when he now lay with his eyes closed, about to breathe out his spirit, and the whole household was clamoring, grieving over the death of their patron, and preparing the things necessary for the funeral, it came into the presbyter's mind to put a drop of the water of the blessed well into the mouth of the dying man. This being brought in, as soon as it touched his mouth, immediately the sick man opened his eyes, and his tongue too being loosed, he asked that more be administered to him from it; and having received a cup, as he drank, immediately all the fever fled away; and thus, to the wonder of the household, he was raised up healthy from the bed on which he lay. CHAPTER XL. Concerning Sisulfus the maimed. But what can my littleness be able to relate concerning these miracles, since the holy man of God, taken up from the world, is still held to be a preacher in the world?
And although he cannot openly display himself to the peoples, he continually manifests himself by his works of power laid open, while he gives light to the blind, while he heals the paralytic, and while he reforms the other sick to their former soundness. But I, as I have often testified, judge myself unworthy to bring forth the deeds of so great a man. Yet because, daring, I dare, I beg pardon of the reader. For since love of my patron impels me, and since I have proclaimed him still to be a preacher, I will tell what lately befell. Sisulfus, a poor little man from among the men of Le Mans, while he had fallen asleep at midday in his little garden, suffered some wicked thing or other.
But leaping up from sleep, with his fingers contracted into the palm, with great pain he raised his feeble hands; and with that very pain pressing upon him, he was again loosed into slumber: and he saw in a vision, and behold a man stood before him with black garments, but with white hair. Who, turning to him, said: 'Why are you so moved with weeping?' And he: 'Behold, venerable lord, while I slept a little, awakened with pain I have lost the work of my hands, and I know not what crime I may have committed.' Then that man—as the Lord to His disciples concerning the man born blind, that neither he had sinned, nor his parents, but that the work of God might be made manifest in him (John 9:2)—said: 'Your infirmity indicates the punishment of an offending people.'
'Go therefore now through the villages and the strongholds, and reach even unto the city; and preach, that every man abstain from robberies, from perjuries, and from usuries, and on the Lord's Day perform no work, apart from the mystical solemnities. For behold, before the Lord we lie down in tears, beseeching pardon for the people, and yet there is hope of obtaining it, if amendment follows in the populace. For hostilities, and infirmities, and many other evils which the people endure, the indignation of the Lord stirs up. And therefore announce swiftly, that they may be zealous to amend themselves, lest they perish cruelly in their wickedness. But you, when these things which I have commanded have been carried out, hasten to my basilica at Tours; and there, visiting you, I shall obtain from the Lord that you be healed.' To whom he said:
'Tell me, I pray, lord, who are you, or what is your name?' To whom the man said: 'I am,' said he, 'Martin, priest of the people of Tours.' At these words of the Saint the poor man rose from sleep, and seizing his staff, he undertook the commanded journey, and announced to the peoples the things which had been commanded him. But in the seventh month after these things were done, he came to the blessed basilica, and there prostrate for three days, on the fourth day he was visited by the power of the Saint. For already the flesh of his palms, which were held closed, had rotted in him. And when his fingers had been straightened, blood burst forth from them. But all these being healed, with his own mouth he recounted the things which we have related. CHAPTER XLI. Concerning the blind man enlightened. You do this then, most blessed Confessor;
after your manner, you are propitious to the iniquities of the people, and you heal the languors of all, and you illuminate with your remedies all who faithfully invoke you; nor do you defraud strangers of what you willingly grant to your own. Therefore a man, an inhabitant of the territory of Tours, about twenty-five years of age, when he was burdened by a fever of inflammation of the eyes, with cataracts falling down and his eyelids bound shut, was made greatly blind. To which evil was added also this, that, struck by a club, with his sight disrupted, one of his eyes burst. For now for twenty-five years he was living in this blindness. Admonished therefore through a vision, he came to the blessed tomb, where, applying himself to prayer, on the third day he recovered the light of one eye.
Thereupon, encouraged by this remedy, he began to pray more attentively; but on the fourth day the eye which had burst, its sight restored, was opened. Which, although it is not seen so clearly as the other, nevertheless affords the benefit of light. CHAPTER XLII. Concerning the man's contracted hand. A certain infirm man, whose contracted hand had stiffened, while he was praying in the courtyard which is before the blessed one's tomb, was visited on his holy vigil, and his fingers being straightened, his hand, restored to its former use, grew strong again. CHAPTER XLIII. Concerning the little boy raised up. O how often do we marvel that the powers of the prophets and of sublime men, which we read were once performed, are here renewed? But what do I say?
What those many did while living in the world, this one alone renews daily, even after the tomb. What then do we do? Why are we silent? Why do we few conceal what the many peoples proclaim? Let us not linger longer in this halting-place. Let us bring forth a new Elisha for our age, who sent back the corpse of a dead man alive from the monument (2 Kings 13:21): this too the blessed Confessor wrought in our presence. For what the cause was, imploring the aid of the undivided Trinity, I will unfold. A boy was born, and his mother's milk failing, he was given to a nurse to be nourished.
She, being barren of this liquid, while she does not abundantly minister the nourishment of milk, as is suitable for that tender age, the child who ought to have thriven began, as the day passed, to decrease, and thus to be diminished, so that nothing more remained in him than the thin skin which alone covered his little bones. He, his mother having died, had passed nearly one year in this extremity. For he was the only son to his father, and from conjugal love a kind of memorial. To him, his sustenance, as we have said, diminishing, a fever now came upon him as he was failing from want of food. But when its fervor reached him here, the father ran to the church, lest the offspring should die without the regeneration of baptism.
Having been baptized, yet not strengthened in body apart from that spiritual remedy, now with his eyes sunken, and his eyelids slack and drooping, having no longer any breath of respiration, he was laid down upon the blessed tomb, while the father wailed. Nor was that heavenly power lacking which once gave life to a little child between the hands of the blessed Confessor. But as soon as his garment touched the covering of the tomb, immediately the little one breathed again. Wondrous miracle! You would have seen his pale cheeks gradually, with divine power pressing in, grow red, and his sleeping eyes open in light revived. Then, made alive by the Saint and received back by the father, he is held safe to this day as a testimony of the Saint's power. CHAPTER XLIV. Concerning another blind man enlightened.
But also a certain blind man from Poitiers, bereft of light for six years, praying with a three-day prostration at the blessed tomb, recovered the light of which he had long been deprived, the accustomed power working. But this was done during the festival of the holy patron, at which Maroveus, bishop of Poitiers, was present—not undeservedly to be proclaimed a disciple of the most blessed Hilary. He, the solemnity completed, rejoicing with the enlightened fellow-citizen, returned to his own city. CHAPTER XLV. Concerning two little boys healed. At the village of Vouillé in the Poitevin region also, while two little boys were resting at night on the Lord's Day in one bed, it seemed to them as though they had heard a signal sounding which is wont to be stirred up at matins; and rising from their bed, they directed their course to the church.
And when they had reached the courtyard of the church, they found there choirs of women singing. And greatly terrified, recognizing it to be a throng of demons, while they fell to the ground, and did not, as is the weakness of that age, fortify themselves with the saving sign (of the cross), one was robbed of his sight, the other both of sight and of gait. And when through the course of many years they were burdened with these infirmities, one, who had lost only his sight, coming devoutly to the basilica of the blessed Martin, as he completed his prayer, immediately recovered his sight. The other, his sight recovered in the same holy place, returning home, still limped, infirm.
And coming to the little cell of Condate, in which the bed of the blessed man is kept, while there on the Lord's Day the vigils were being celebrated at night, suddenly, with the people praying, he felt the divine power present. And while the populace looked on, dragging himself along the ground, he raised himself up against the wall, in which is held a window which was once the door of the blessed body. And praying, and weeping for joy, he was restored to entire health, nor did he afterward endure any grievousness of evil infirmities. CHAPTER XLVI. Concerning the lame man set straight. A certain little boy, Leodulfus by name, weak in his left foot, while he went around with the rest seeking alms, came to Tours. And when he had tarried a little while, he strives to complete the journey which he had begun to make.
And as he went forward limping with his attendants, at the tenth milestone from the city he was overcome by violent pain. Left behind by his companions, he lay wailing alone upon the bank of a watercourse, crying out to the many who were hurrying to the festival and saying: 'Woe is me, because I would not behold the solemnity of the glorious Man; therefore his power has struck me down. For this reason I beg you, most faithful Christians who fear God, come to the aid of my ignorance, come to the aid of one oppressed and feeble; and, if the fear of God abides in you (another reading: moves you), carry me as far as the holy place.' Therefore, when he had implored this of the many passers-by, a certain man set him upon his cart and brought him all the way to the holy basilica.
There he continued in prayer for three days, and with his feet restored he departed whole. CHAPTER XLVII. Concerning the crippled man whom an ox drew. There was a certain crippled man who, after the manner of a hermit to whom an ox had once been a comfort, kept a single ox. With this ox yoked to a cart he was drawn from house to house, begging the alms of the devout. Therefore, when the festival of the Bishop drew near, he had come to Tours, and prostrate before the tomb and intent upon prayer, he most devoutly besought the help of the blessed Bishop; and again he was carried by his people and placed before the holy apse of the sepulchre.
And when the Mass was ended and the people had begun to receive the most holy Body of the Redeemer, immediately the knots which bound his knees together were loosed, and he was raised upon his feet. While all marvelled, giving thanks, he walked by his own step up to the blessed altar, with no one supporting him, and thereafter lived in health. CHAPTER XLVIII. Concerning him who had his hands and feet crippled. From the district of Carnon, which lies set within the territory of Angers, a certain man named Floridus, crippled in hands and feet, was brought to the holy little cell of Candes, from which the blessed Confessor passed to Christ. There, when for a few days he gave himself diligently to vigils and prayer, all the sickness was driven from his body and departed.
And so, with his limbs made straight, he returned home unharmed. CHAPTER XLIX. Concerning him who bore a crippled arm. The festal day of the solemnity had come, on which great throngs of people had assembled, and behold, a certain feeble man with a crippled arm was present. While he kissed the blessed sepulchre with his lips, bedewed it with tears, and with his voice implored the help of the blessed Confessor, not despairing in faith, he awaited the longed-for aid. At length, when the priests who had come were proceeding to perform the solemnities, and the lector whose office it was to read had come and, taking up the book, had begun to read the life of the holy Confessor (see above, chapter
29), at once this man was raised up whole, his arm made straight, and while all looked on he obtained the help which he had faithfully sought. CHAPTER L. Concerning the blind man given sight. So too a blind man at the same festival, suppliantly imploring the recovery of his sight, as he touched the little pall which hangs from the wall outside at the feet of the Saint, presently, with blood bursting forth from his eyelids, before all the people regained his sight. CHAPTER LI. Concerning those sick with dysentery. Now when that disease of dysentery, with its hidden pustules, was wearing down many cities, and among the rest the city of Tours laboured more grievously, many were healed by scraping dust from the blessed tomb and drinking it. Very many, anointed with the oil that is kept there, were set free;
and to not a few that water with which the sepulchre had been washed before Easter was a remedy. Therefore, when many benefits were being bestowed upon many, I saw one man lying in despair from dysentery; and when he had been brought to the basilica and, while others kept vigil, had passed a restless night, at daybreak, drawing near to the tomb and drinking dust with wine, he returned whole from the sepulchre. CHAPTER LII. Concerning another healed of a grievous flux. Another man too, seized by a violent fever, casting up poison from his mouth and loosed beyond measure through the lower part, lay upon his bed. So, as the poison raged, a sore arose in the groin of the sufferer and, in an incredible manner, moved itself visibly down to the sole of his foot. For it was as large as a goose's egg.
Then turning upward again, with exceeding pain it coursed through his sides, through his arms, and advanced up to his neck; then it was led down through the other side as far as the sole; thence turning back again it came to the very place from which it had first arisen. And while it wandered thus through the limbs of the sick man, the wretch knew not whither he should turn nor what he should do, but only uttered cries with weeping. For the pain chose out groaning, since such great pains rushed in upon one little body. At last, when these things had been reported to me, I advised that the usual antidote be sought from a true physician, from whom he, though about to die, might have life; yet I confidently urge that dust be taken from the tomb.
But the attendants, running with great haste, brought to the sick man dust lifted from the monument, and, having moistened it with wine, offered it to him to drink. When he had drunk it, all the pain was so put to flight that in that very hour he was rendered whole. CHAPTER LIII. Concerning a man out of his senses restored. People without number, hearing such things, seek the help of the blessed Confessor from far distant regions. And in this the thing to be wondered at above all others is how the senses of men, cheated by the craft of the devil, are restored.
A certain citizen of Bayeux, then, while he was journeying along the road, disordered by too much wine he had drunk, suddenly, as diverse winds blew, the dust of the field was stirred up, and mingled, as is usual, with stubble it was lifted on high, and the whole air became one cloud of dust; covered by which, he lost his senses and was thrown from his horse. So, a little while after, found by his people, he was brought home in disorder. From then on, become frenzied, he tried to flee though no one pursued. What more? He is bound with bonds, fastened tight with chains, and held in custody. Gnashing his teeth at being denied the liberty of flight, he tore himself with his own bites. But while we were busy here, his kinsfolk, being admonished, led him to the basilica of the Blessed one:
and there, after prayer had been made for a long time, he departed whole, vowing that he would come each year and pay his vows to the holy Confessor. Then, at a monastery near him, with his hair shorn and ordained a priest, he began to serve God strenuously, yet not paying back what he had promised to the blessed Bishop. Therefore in the fourth year, power being granted again, as I believe, to the enemy against him, he fell once more into his renewed madness, and bound, as he had been before, with chains, he was led back to the holy shrine: where, abiding for six days and more in vigils and prayers, and paying back what he had before slothfully withheld, he returned home whole. But, his sins prevailing, again more often soaked with wine, he died in the same tribulation. CHAPTER LIV.
Concerning the blind girl of Lisieux. If we were to follow out each single thing, whether what is being done or what has been done, we should heap up a great mass of the Confessor's marvels. A girl from Lisieux, already grown up, had lost the light of her eyes; and devoutly approaching the threshold of the Saint, she prayed prostrate on the ground throughout the whole time of the festival. But on the third day after the holy festival, when her people were urging her to return, she asks to be led to the sepulchre of the Blessed one. And there, again and again prostrate, wiping her eyes with the pall that covers the holy tomb, and bidding farewell, she departed. And as she was already mounting into the boat, she said: 'I give thanks to thee, blessed Confessor, that, though I have not been worthy to see thy holy threshold, yet by touch I have perceived it.'
Now when she had uttered these things with tears, as she wiped her eyes she received the light, and turning she said: 'Perhaps this is the basilica of the Blessed one?' Those who were near her say that it is so. Then she said: 'I will not return unless I render thanks to my patron for the health I have received.' And many saw her returning and crying aloud in praise of the Bishop. And having completed her prayer, she departed rejoicing. CHAPTER LV. Concerning the little boy who had a crippled hand. At that same festival another boy from Sens brought a withered hand. But on the fourth day after the blessed solemnity, while he stood praying at the feet, with the people looking on his fingers were made straight;
and the whole assembly of the people beheld the mighty works of God, how the hand was being stained with blood, and how the blood ascended gradually through the dry veins, and the hand was so absorbent that you would think a sponge long dry, plunged into water, was thirstily drinking up the liquid. Therefore, the veins being filled and the sinews strengthened, and the skin growing red, he held out the once pale hand now healed. CHAPTER LVI. Concerning the woman who came with her fingers crippled into the palm. In a somewhat similar way a woman of Poitiers deserved to obtain a cure. For she, with her fingers crippled into the palm and her nails fixed into the very bones, so to speak, her whole hand by now rotting, came devout to the Saint's festival, seeking the longed-for remedy. So, the solemnities having been beheld according to custom, she says to her people:
'With a whole heart indeed we came to entreat the help of the Blessed one, but, our sins standing in the way, we have not deserved to obtain what we sought. Now therefore, our prayer being finished, let us return to our country, trusting in the goodness of the Prelate that, though the body be feeble, the faithful prayer may profit the soul.' Saying these and like things, and as it were bidding the Saint farewell, she departed. And as the day was sinking toward evening, she took lodging near the bank of the river Cher. But awakened about the middle of the night, she gives thanks to God that she existed, that she lived, that she was strong, and that she had touched the tomb of the blessed Bishop; and as she uttered these things with the greatest weeping, she fell asleep again.
And behold, a man with swan-white hair, in purple raiment, bearing a cross in his hand, standing before her said: 'Now thou shalt be healed in the name of Christ our Redeemer.' And taking hold of her hand, he put his own finger among those fingers of hers which had closed the palm, and, little by little moving them, he straightened them. While she saw these things in the vision, awakening, with blood still flowing, she lifted up her sound hand in the praises of God. And at daybreak, returning to the basilica and having completed her thanksgiving, she went back joyful. CHAPTER LVII. Concerning her who, while she worked on the festival of Saint John, was made feeble.
Now on the festival of blessed John, when the people had gathered for the solemnities of the Masses, a certain woman, taking up a hoe, went to her field, namely to weed out the tares of bad seed and clear the harvest alone; for she could not be hedged about by divine comfort, on account of the reverence due to the Lord's Forerunner. And when she had begun to work, at once her hands were seized by a divine fire; her face too, as if shooting forth flames, boiled all over with blisters and pustules. The wretched woman was burned no less by the pain of shame than of body, when that which she had done in secret was, against her will, brought to light. Then, crying out and wailing, she swiftly sought the basilica of blessed Martin;
before whose sepulchre, prostrate in this torment for the space of four months, with all the burning quenched, she was made firm in soundness of body. For she was the handmaid of a certain citizen of Tours, who, half the price being remitted, sought out another. CHAPTER LVIII. Concerning a blind and crippled man. A boy of Paris, whose craft it was to make garments, with melancholy increasing—that is, the dregs of decocted blood—became a sufferer of the quartan fever, and, the humour seething, his whole body was so constricted with tiny pustules that by some he was thought a leper. Moreover, through all his limbs he endured most grievous pains, robbed of the light of both his eyes.