[76] “That most vile and abandoned scoundrel had become so open and utterly depraved an enemy to the Christian faith and all religious observance that he denied any respect was due to Bishops and priests; moreover, he affirmed that the reception of the most holy Body and Blood of Our Lord availed nothing to eternal life and man’s salvation.” “Erat quidem ille sceleratissimus et christianæ fidei et totius religionis inimicus in tantum ut obsequium episcoporum et sacerdotum nihil esse diceret, et sacrosancti corporiset sanguinis Domini J. C. perceptionem ad salutem perpetuam prodesse denegeret.” _Vita Noberti archiepiscopi Magdeburgensis, Vita A. Monument. Germ. Scriptores_, vol. XII. p. 690, ed. G. A. Pertz, Hanover, Berlin. [77] “Immo uere ipse angelus Sathanæ declamabat eccelsias Dei lupinaria esse reputanda. Nihil esse, quod sacerdotum officio in mensa dominica conficeretur; pollutiones, non sacramenta nominanda.” _Lettre des chanoines d’Utrecht au nom de leur diocèse à Frédéric, archevêque de Cologne._ _Apud_ Frédéricq, vol. I. n. 11. [78] Talibus nequitiæ successibus miscro homini tanta sceleris accessit audacia, ut etiam se Deum diceret, asserens, quia, si Christus ideo Deus est, quia Spiritum Sanctum habuisset, se non inferius nec dissimilius Deum, quia plenitudinem Spiritus Sancti accepisset. _Idem._ [79] Qui tandem post multos errores et cædes, dum nauigaret, a quodam presbytero percussus in cerebro occubuit. _Sigiberti continuatio._ Apud _Monument. Germ. Scriptores_, vol. VI, p. 449. See also, Johannes Trithemius, _Annales Hirsaugienses_, vol. I, p. 387, Saint-Gall, 1690; Du Plessis d’Argentré, _Collectio iudiciorum_, vol. I, p. 11 _sqq._ Paris, 1728; Schmidt, _Histoire et doctrine des Cathares ou Albigeois_, vol. I, p. 49, Paris, 1849. [80] There is a contemporary _Uita Norberti_ of which two recensions have been published: _Uita A._ by R. Wilmans in the _Mon. Germ. Hag._, SS., vol. XIII, pp. 663-706, Hanover, 1853; _Uita B._ by Surius, _De probatis Sanctorum historiis_, vol. III, pp. 517-547, Cologne, 1572. Other authoritative works are: J. Van der Sterse, _Uita S. Norberti_, Antwerp, 1622; Du Pré, _La Vie du bienheureux saint Norbert_, Paris, 1627; Ch. Hugo, _La Vie de St. Norbert_, Luxembourg, 1704; G. Madelaine, _Histoire de St. Norbert_, Lille, 1886; B. Wazasek, _Der Hl. Norbert_, Vienna, 1914. An excellent brief but scholarly account is _The Life of S. Norbert_, London, 1886, by my late revered friend Abbot Geudens, C.R.P. [81] Feast, 17 February. [82] Formerly kept upon the Sunday. [83] _Op. cit._, pp. 16, 17. [84] _Op. cit._, p. 191. [85] For a full and detailed statement see Didron’s great work, _Iconographie chrétienne_, Paris, 1843. [86] _Spalding Club Miscellany_, I, p. 129. Aberdeen, 1841. [87] At their black mass the witches of the Basses-Pyrénées (1609) when the host was elevated said “Corbeau noir, corbeau noir.” De Lancre, _Tableau de l’Inconstance des mauvais Anges_, Paris, 1613.